GMC Terrain vs Hyundai Venue

The 2021 Hyundai Venue was a stylish little crossover that seemed to defy the passage of time with its design. Its upright stance, nearly horizontal roofline, and steeply dropping tailgate gave it a robust appearance that belied its compact size. The grille was appropriately sized, drawing attention without overwhelming the car's design, and the roof rails added a touch of practicality. The Venue's exterior updates from the 2020 model were minimal, with the most notable change being the replacement of 15-inch steel wheels with alloys on the base SE trim. The top-line Denim trim, with its unique paint job and white roof, was particularly eye-catching, while the SEL trim offered great value with standard features previously part of an extra-cost package.

Inside, the Venue's cabin was a testament to Hyundai's ability to create a modern feel without a hefty price tag. While the materials were inexpensive, the design was far from spartan. The interior was filled with light, thanks to thin A-pillars and large windows, creating a greenhouse effect. The SEL trim offered heated seats and a modern look, despite the prevalence of plastic. The Venue's interior was practical, with a focus on functionality over luxury, making it a sensible choice for budget-conscious buyers.

The 2022 GMC Terrain, on the other hand, received updates to its front styling, wheel designs, taillights, and interior trim. The new AT4 trim level featured a bolder grille design, black 17-inch alloy wheels, and AT4 badges, along with a steel skid plate for off-road protection. Our test vehicle came with a host of extra-cost features, including Ebony Twilight metallic paint, a black leather interior, and several packages that brought the MSRP to $41,810. While the SLE and SLT trims offered more affordable options, the Terrain Denali added a layer of luxury.

Despite its entry-level status, the Terrain's interior was roomy and offered numerous comfort-enhancing features. The AT4 trim included power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The back seat was spacious, with plenty of legroom and foot room, and the perforated leather upholstery with caramel-color contrast stitching added an upscale touch. The Terrain's cargo space was generous, with 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 63.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. However, the Terrain's interior materials and execution fell short of expectations for a vehicle with a price tag exceeding $40,000.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue was powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. This small, economical engine was designed to provide just enough power to move the Venue efficiently, though it lacked the excitement of a turbocharged or larger engine. The Venue's front-wheel-drive configuration was the only option, with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) managing the power. Despite its modest power output, the Venue's lightweight design allowed it to feel lively in lower-speed areas, although it struggled to deliver a thrilling driving experience on the highway.

In contrast, the 2022 GMC Terrain featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, generating 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. While the previously available turbocharged 2.0-liter engine was missed for its acceleration and towing capacity, the 1.5-liter engine offered a decent performance with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Terrain's turbocharging helped it feel more lively at elevation, but it lacked the rapid acceleration needed for short freeway on-ramps and passing zones. The Terrain AT4 offered selectable drive modes, including FWD, AWD, Off-Road, and Hill Descent Control, but torque steer was an issue in FWD mode. The Terrain's ride was smooth on highways and city streets, but its off-road capabilities were limited by its ground clearance and suspension tuning.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue offered a surprisingly spacious interior for its size, with ample headroom and legroom in the front seats. Storage space was decent, with a handy tray ahead of the gear selector and a small center console bin. The Venue's back seat was tighter, with limited legroom for adults, and its cargo space was modest, with 18.7 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 31.9 cubic feet with the seat folded down. Compared to its direct competition, the Venue lagged in cargo capacity, making it less suitable for those prioritizing storage space.

The 2022 GMC Terrain, on the other hand, provided a roomy interior with numerous comfort-enhancing features. The AT4 trim included power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The back seat was spacious, with plenty of legroom and foot room, and the perforated leather upholstery added an upscale touch. The Terrain's cargo space was generous, with 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 63.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The Terrain also offered a large storage bin underneath the trunk floor and the ability to fold the front passenger seat for longer items.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue impressed with its technology offerings, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen with high resolution and responsive swipe functionality. The infotainment system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto as standard features, with the ability to set up driver profiles for customized radio presets. The Venue's interface was designed for simplicity and ease of use, with physical buttons for quick access to media sources and settings.

The 2022 GMC Terrain offered two infotainment systems, with the SLT, AT4, and Denali trims featuring a high-definition 8-inch touchscreen. Both systems included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and GMC Connected Services through OnStar. Our test vehicle had the Infotainment Package II upgrade, which added connected navigation, improved voice recognition, and a Bose audio system. The voice recognition system was excellent, responding accurately to various prompts, while the Bose speakers were less impressive. The Terrain also offered a head-up display, park assist sensors, and a surround-view camera system as part of the Tech Package.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue came equipped with standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and driver-attention warning. The SEL and Denim trims added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The Venue received four out of five stars in the NHTSA's driver-side and passenger-side front collision tests and four out of five for rollover.

The 2022 GMC Terrain featured a standard GMC Pro Safety Package, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following distance indicator. The GMC Pro Safety Plus Package added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a Safety Alert Seat. The Terrain received mostly "Good" crash-test scores from the IIHS, with a "Marginal" rating in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not evaluated the 2022 Terrain's crashworthiness at the time of this review.