Hyundai Venue vs Chevrolet Bolt

The 2026 Hyundai Venue was classified as a crossover SUV, though its dimensions and design leaned more towards a tall hatchback. It featured only front-wheel drive and had a ground clearance of 6.7 inches, which was higher than a typical car but not quite as elevated as a standard crossover SUV. The EPA categorized it as a midsize car due to its interior space. The Venue's design was more crossover-like, with a small and narrow appearance reminiscent of European runabouts. Its upright windshield and SUV cues, such as the bluff nose and standard roof rails, contributed to its unique look. The Venue's exterior was further defined by black rocker panels, black wheel flares, and a two-tone roof option for added flair. Inside, the Venue offered a simple and functional design, with a digital instrument cluster and a small touchscreen that resembled an iPad affixed to the dash. Body-color trim around the air vents and shifter added a touch of the exterior's feel to the interior.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV returned with a familiar look, with only slight styling changes. Its front end resembled a conventional gas-powered car more than an EV, featuring a thin slot behind the Chevy Bowtie logo and an integrated grille insert. The 2027 model continued the legacy of the 2023 version, balancing between a large hatchback and a subcompact SUV. The Bolt EV had an econobox-like footprint, prioritizing utility and interior space over a sporty stance. The RS model added gloss black exterior trim for a touch of spice. Inside, the Bolt underwent a more dramatic makeover, with a larger digital instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen. The push-button gear selector was moved to the steering column, freeing up storage space in the center console. The cabin was dominated by hard plastic surfaces, reinforcing its budget feel, though the elbow touch points had thin padding. The RS trim upgraded to Evotex synthetic leather with red stitching, while the rear seating area featured hard plastics and lacked padding for the door armrests.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue was not known for its performance, as it was one of the least powerful vehicles on the market. It was powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produced only 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. The power was delivered through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to the front wheels exclusively, with no all-wheel drive option. The Venue's acceleration was modest, with a 0-60 mph time in the 8.5–8.8-second range, which was better than expected given its power output. Weighing in at just 2,738 pounds, the Venue felt peppy from a stop, making it easy to keep up with city traffic. However, at highway speeds, the transmission was slow to downshift, and the limited torque required careful planning for passing maneuvers. The transmission's stepped gear ratios felt slurred, and heavy throttle caused the engine to drone due to minimal sound deadening. Handling was aided by the Venue's small size and low weight, making it easy to maneuver in traffic and fit into tight parking spots. The ride was generally comfortable, though the solid rear axle made it jiggly on rough pavement.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV featured significant changes under the surface, with a new 65-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron phosphate battery pack that reduced costs and required fewer rare earth minerals. A new motor from Chevy's Equinox EV delivered 210 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, with a 0-60 mph time similar to the previous Bolt EV, typically in the low seven-second range. This acceleration was quick compared to gas-powered subcompact SUVs, and the Bolt responded immediately to pedal inputs. One-pedal driving was available, with medium or high levels of brake regeneration. The ride was firm but not overly stiff, and road noise was more noticeable due to the absence of an internal combustion engine. The Bolt's low center of gravity, thanks to the heavy battery in the floor, contributed to its agility on curvy roads. On a full charge, the 2027 Bolt offered an EPA-estimated range of up to 262 miles, an improvement of 15 miles over its predecessor. The standard Tesla-derived NACS charge port allowed for faster charging, with speeds increased from 55 kilowatts to 150 kW, enabling a recharge from 10% to 80% in 25 minutes.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue's interior featured cloth and H-Tex (synthetic leather) seats in the SEL w/2-Tone Roof test car, which mimicked sport seats with black upholstery and white contrast stitching. The seats were comfortable, with six-way manual adjustments allowing most drivers to find a natural driving position. Seat heating was available in the SEL models, and headroom was plentiful, though legroom was limited for taller individuals in the front seat. The rear seat offered just enough room for average-sized adults, but taller passengers would struggle for legroom. The rear seat could accommodate two adults comfortably, but three would be a tight fit. The rear seat bottoms were high enough for comfort on long trips, though there was no fold-down armrest. The SEL models included a pair of USB-C ports for phone charging. The second-row seats folded flat in a 60/40 split, providing 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space, which was modest compared to typical compact crossovers. With the rear seats up, cargo space was 18.7 cubic feet. The Venue's rear cargo floor lifted to access the compact spare tire, revealing cost-cutting measures such as the lack of sound deadening. The interior featured hard black plastic surfaces, with only the top of the center console and door armrests offering soft-touch materials.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV offered a more upright driving position than a typical SUV, with ample space for larger occupants. Taller drivers might have wished for more telescoping extension from the steering wheel, as they needed to move the seat forward to comfortably reach the wheel. The rear seats were also upright, with plenty of headroom and adequate thigh support from the seat cushions. The floor was flat, reducing the penalty for center-seat passengers. The Bolt provided 16.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, which was small for the class but sufficient for most users. A large bin underneath the floor could be used for additional storage, and the floor could be slid into it for more luggage space. The rear seatbacks folded flat with the cargo floor when in the upper position, and the release latches were easily accessible from the cargo area. While there was no frunk, the Bolt offered ample storage for personal items up front, including a large bin with movable dividers, a big floor tray, and a deep center armrest bin. Additional storage included a rubberized wireless phone charger, dashboard pockets, and moderate door pockets.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a simple 8-inch touchscreen for basic infotainment features. While this screen size was once common in luxury vehicles, it now felt small. However, it was still functional, with large icons that were easy to tap and quick response times. The system offered limited functionality, including phone, radio, media, and phone-projection connections, as well as voice memos, settings controls, and the user manual. It lacked features like navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio, but it did include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The digital instrument cluster displayed limited information and was not programmable. The audio system was a basic six-speaker unit, with no premium option available.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV came with an 11-inch digital instrument panel and an 11.3-inch center touchscreen, shared with the Chevy Colorado midsize truck. The infotainment system ran on a Google-based operating system, meaning Apple CarPlay and standalone Android Auto were not supported. Users had to pair their phones via Bluetooth to access their personal music libraries, but the system offered enough browsing control to satisfy most users. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, additional safety features, and a wireless charging pad. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with logical menus, sharp graphics, and quick responses. Separate physical climate controls reduced distraction, and the system's navigation could help drivers find charging stations and precondition the battery for optimal charging rates. The Bolt EV also offered vehicle-to-load charging, allowing it to serve as a backup power source for a home, though additional equipment and installation were required.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue, despite being a budget choice, came with a good set of standard safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, a driver-attention monitor, and a rear-occupant warning. All but the base SE trim also included blind-spot monitors and rear cross-traffic alert, though adaptive cruise control was not available. The safety systems performed well during testing, though the driver attention monitor was overly sensitive. The Venue received mediocre safety ratings, with a four-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not released full safety ratings at the time of writing, but the Venue received a top "Good" score in the small front overlap test. Headlight ratings varied between "Acceptable" and "Marginal" depending on the trim level.

Crash test results for the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV were not available at the time of writing, but it was expected to achieve high scores based on its platform shared with the 2023 Bolt EUV. Standard advanced safety features included forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitors with active steering assist, and a safety alert seat. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, automatic wipers, rear-pedestrian alert, and traffic-sign recognition. All safety features operated smoothly during testing, with no false alarms or glitches. For an additional cost, GM's Super Cruise hands-free automated highway driving system was available, making the Bolt EV one of the few budget EVs to offer such an advanced system.