Used 2020 Hyundai Venue for sale 

The 2020 Hyundai Venue has created ripples since its first appearance and left a lot of people curious. This sub-compact SUV with its subtle dimensions and loaded technology is here to flourish. Hyundai offers the Venue in three trims: SE, SEL, and Denim. Across the trims, a lot of features for convenience and safety come standard.

The Venue has the option of a manual transmission but it is a base-spec SE trim. You cannot have the luxury of an SEL or Denim trim with a manual.  With the top trim sufficing below $25k even with the options, the Venue takes the fight to some hatchbacks as well.

Hyundai also offers optional packages with all the trims of the Venue to suit your needs. The two packages available are Convenience and Premium. As the name suggests, the particular package brings enhancements on that front. That said, the details of both packages are given below:

What do we recommend?

The Venue SEL is the mid-range trim that is the best value for money among the lineup. Priced just under the $20k mark, the SEL fetches you an automatic transmission (CVT), ample of advanced interior and convenience features to enhance your comfortable driving experience even further.

The all-new 2020 Hyundai Venue features a Naturally Aspirated, 1.6-Liter, Inline-4 engine under the hood which is standard across all three trims. The modest 1.6L motor generates 121 HP of power and 113 lb-ft of torque, which feels enough to drive this lightweight crossover. A CVT gearbox takes the charge of transferring the power to the front wheels. There is a 6-speed manual transmission on offer, but only for the base trim SE. If you move higher, you lose the option of the stick shifter. 

That said, the Venue takes some time to take off the line due to the peak torque set pretty high in the rev-range. A rubber band effect is prominent on flat-footing the accelerator, thanks to the CVT transmission. Front-wheel-drive comes as standard and the only option. However, this engine from Hyundai seems to be much more refined than previous generations. Its doesn't stress much and is a calm cruiser, with the response being pretty friendly for city purposes 

The turbocharged contender here - Ford Ecosport, finds the correct balance between performance and economy owing to its smallest sized engine. However, when you talk about cruising speeds, the C-HR seems to be much happier than the rest of the lot, thanks to the biggest powertrain here, but then the fuel economy takes a hit. The Venue's 4-pot mill is the least powerful, but hey, don't forget, it is also the smallest car here.

How fast is the Hyundai Venue from 0-60 MPH?

The 1.6L engine, with the CVT, allows the 2020 Hyundai Venue to charge from 0-60 MPH in just 9.9 seconds, impressive. The lightweight Venue makes full use of all the power and torque, but at higher speeds, the engine feels saturated. As a result, by the time quarter-mile mark comes, the Venue has already taken 17.8 seconds.

With a top speed of 115 mph, Hyundai Venue hits the road with a daily commuter personality. Making overtakes, on the other hand, may require planning and execution as the engine fails to gather high speeds quickly. Also, there is a bit of delay in the delivery of power when the Venue takes off the line. It might frustrate you at the start, but you'll get a hang of it after some time.

However, looking at its direct competitors, Venue offers better instant acceleration but loses its breath in a long haul. The likes of Ford Ecosport and Nissan Kicks fares better with lasting tendencies. The Toyota C-HR, with the most disappointing timings here, stays out of the conversation. 

How's the Hyundai Venue's ride and handling?

The rugged-looks of the 2020 Venue inspire an off-roading image. Don’t be fooled by the disguise as Venue has a modest ground clearance of 6.7 inches which is sufficient for driving over aggressive speed humps only. The suspension seems well-calibrated to absorb bumps, harsh or smooth, but it lacks the travel room to soak up deep impacts. With the SEL and Denim trim levels, one gets selectable drive modes: Normal, Eco and Sport. The drive modes alter the throttle response and transmission shifts but don’t affect the steering precision or control.

The Venue is compact, even smaller than the Hyundai Kona and its stubby proportions make it a nimble driver. The steering, though accurate, is too light for our liking. It doesn't really feel connected to the road and keeps you in a dilemma whether to go hard on a curve or not. However, Hyundai employs a brake-based torque-vectoring cornering system into the Venue to help maintain a tight line through the twisties.

What about the Braking Performance of the Hyundai Venue?

Hyundai's offerings may have disappointed some due to their soft suspension setups or under-weighted steering, but they have never disappointed on the braking front. The Venue is no different as it brings itself to a halt confidently without any lag in the brake bite. There is only negligible travel before the brake holds a good bite on the discs. Further complemented by its light curb weight, the Hyundai Venue is not only the "sprinter" but certainly the best "stopper" of the segment too.

The base Venue SE comes equipped with front discs and rear drum brakes while moving up the ladder will fetch you rear discs as well. Taking care of the safety during extreme braking, Hyundai equips this baby-SUV with ABS, complemented by the Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). The ABS knows its job well and keeps the braking experience unadulterated as far as it is not required, unlike the case with the Nissan Kicks wherein the ABS seems to be a little too intrusive. 

The Ford Ecosport's tall and narrow dimensions translate to a nose-diving braking forte. Its 3,000-pound curb weight further spoils the case. The Toyota doesn't feel much excited to stop either as its brake pedal needs a second before grabbing a healthy bite. The Nissan Kicks felt pretty confident in the braking aspect, but the intrusive safety systems take away some fun when driving spiritedly.

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Is this baby Hyundai as reliable as its siblings?

Should you rely on the Ford Ecosport?

The 2020 Venue clearly signifies the utilitarian aspect with an economical fuel efficiency of 27 MPG in the city and 35 MPG on the freeways. With a manual transmission, the Venue is rated at 30 MPG combined EPA which can further be improved by 2 MPG if you go for the CVT equipped model.

With no all-wheel-drive, the Venue's CVT does its job perfectly alright, bringing in impressive efficiency numbers and adding to the practical appeal of the car. An impressive number like that from a sub-compact SUV is what eating up the sales numbers of the hatchbacks clearly. Why would you go for a hatchback when you can get a vehicle that sits higher on the ground with the same amount of practicality?

The whole idea of a compact SUV segment was so you could get a hatchback-like fuel efficiency with an SUV like practicality. That's why there is barely any difference between the rest of the contenders here. However, if observed with a keen eye, the Nissan Kicks emerges as the champion here despite its slightly bigger powertrain as opposed to the Venue. On the contrary, the Ford Ecosport, as expected, loses this battle to others owing to the turbo-charged motor under the hood. The others are all naturally-aspirated as compared to the Ford.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue is one of the most conservative SUV's in the market that almost feels like a hatchback. Inches-shorter here and there than Hyundai Kona, the 2020 Venue boxy design provides for ample of headroom both in front and rear, and great outward visibility. The layout of the dashboard feels pretty young and new. The steering wheel and some other elements like the AC vents and the small storage compartment just above the glovebox are a new sight. The AC control knobs, though, will promptly remind you of any other entry-level Hyundai. 

The base SE trim uses cloth upholstery which is complimented by color accents, not a bare base. With the upper SEL model, the cabin goes upscale using premium materials, especially if you opt for leather-wrapped shifter and steering. Talking in terms of the passenger volume, the Venue feels inviting with ample legroom both in rear and front. This alleged "five-seater" can actually bear four adults comfortably over a long journey. Further, the Venue‘s cabin is quieter with a youthful design. We really liked the spacious headroom of the vehicle especially considering its conservative dimensions.

The Venue, though smaller than the rest of them, manages to squeeze out more space at the rear as compared to them. There may be some discrepancies with the legroom in the Venue's cabin, but it won't make you uncomfortable. The Nissan Kick's slightly upright A-pillar helps it in adding more space to the front area of the cabin. This is why the Kicks remains to be the most spacious vehicle of the lot here. The Toyota C-HR's legroom at the rear is straight-up disappointing.

How feature-loaded is Hyundai Venue's Infotainment system?

For your entertainment, Hyundai has equipped Venue with a standard 8-inch touchscreen display with Android Auto and Apple Carplay compatibility. Also, Bluetooth connectivity with a 4 speaker audio system comes standard. With the top trims, one gets in-built navigation, satellite radio, and a 6-speaker system. With SEL and above trims, the inclusion of voice recognition comes in handy. The voice-recognition system isn't the very best here but we really liked the interface and user experience imparted by Hyundai's BlueLink that comes as standard with the top trims only.

The Hyundai BlueLink brings a host of connectivity features wherein you can connect your vehicle's infotainment with your smartphone. This lets you exploit many features of the car including the fact that you can turn on the AC of the car from your living room while your Venue prepares itself with a chilled environment. That said, the infotainment itself is a pleasure to use with fluid transitions from the menus. However, selecting any option needed more than just a slight touch to make the Venue's infotainment understand what you want.

With Hyundai’s Blue Link connected car system, you can sync with Amazon Alexa and Google devices to control the temperature via voice command or to remote-start your Venue. The other notable features of the Infotainment system includes the following few features

• Dual USB charging
• Auxiliary input jack
• Apple Carplay and Android Auto
• AM/FM/HD Radio
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• Bluetooth Connectivity

What are the most notable features inside the cabin of the Hyundai Venue?

Hyundai has been known for decking its cars with some of the best creature-comforts. The new Hyundai Venue, is certainly, no exception to this idea of the Korean brand. Here is a list of the most notable features on the inside of the Venue.

• Proximity Key with push-button start
• The leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
• Steering-wheel-mounted audio controls
• Heated front seats
• 6-way adjustable driver seat and 4-way passenger seat

What is the Cargo carrying capacity of the Hyundai Venue?

The 2020 Hyundai Venue can carry 18.7 cu.ft worth of luggage along with five passengers on board. Though it isn't the highlight of the day as far as cargo capacity is concerned, the baby Hyundai also sits higher from the ground that certainly enhances the whole loading/unloading experience of the car. Furthermore, the Venue's cargo area features smart design elements for better luggage management. The smartest feature is the cargo cover, which can slide down vertically to enhance the space for hauling taller items.

The compact dimensions of the Hyundai Venue translate into a pretty average cargo space behind the rear seats. Thanks to the standard 60/40 split fold-down rear seatback which allows for increased cargo capacity up to 31.9 cu.ft for hauling bulk. None of the rear seats or the tailgate are powered. This is one thing we dislike about the Venue where you have to go around to the rear doors and fold the seats down manually from either side.

While other contenders such as the Ford Ecosport and the Nissan Kicks showcase upwards of 20 cu.ft at the back, the Venue remains faithful to its hatchback like stature with a meager 18.7 cu.ft of space only. The C-HR is even worse considering it looks much bigger than the Venue but as far as cargo capacity is concerned, it's much less than a VW Golf's cargo-hauling capabilities.

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Is the Hyundai Venue fun-to-drive?

What's so special about the Venue's Denim trim?

As Hyundai refreshed its design language for the whole lineup, the Venue, a new entrant into the Korean family, serves as a pedestal to its siblings in terms of design. Some might argue that the Venue looks like a dwarfed out 2020 Santa Fe but hey, the Santa Fe received these updates very recently when the Venue was already on sale. So let's agree it is the other way around.

The 2020 Venue's exterior goes against the conventional design language of cars as the primary headlight comes integrated with the fog lamps. The sleek lamps that appear to be the primary headlights just serve the purpose of a DRL. While it may look a bit awkward at first, this new design is sure to grab eyes on the roads, be it for positive or negative reasons. The front-grille has chrome accents on it that imparts a brawny look to the SUV and makes up for the conservative dimensions.

The side-profile of the 2020 Venue is, more or less, like the Santa Fe with a broad indent running across the length of the car. The chunky C-pillar and its blackened out characteristic surely works in the SUV's favor. It rides atop 15-inch wheels with an option of 17-inch wheels that further improve the handling characteristics of the SUV with some compromise on the plush ride quality. If you're wondering about the roof rails, yes, they are standard with every trim of the Venue.

The rear of the SUV is nothing special as the Hyundai looks minimalistic here, almost as if it were a hatchback. If observed closely, the C-pillars look quite thin from the back and the chunky rear bumpers further add to the muscle elements of the SUV. The squared-off taillamps convince you of the Venue's small dimensions as they look like they've been borrowed from a hatchback itself.

That said, with a mix and match of various design elements from other segments, the Venue is surely a handsome car that, if not for its dwarfed dimensions, brings along a good appeal for the young buyers especially. 

Compare the Venue to its rivals and you'll find the word Compact, suited aptly for the newest vehicle from this South-Korean carmaker. The Toyota C-HR, despite being a compact crossover, is the biggest among the entire bunch of SUVs present in this comparison. However, its extra bulk makes it behave like a snail when taking off the line. In that aspect, it is the Nissan Kicks that manages to impress us with its generous dimensions and quick-to-respond throttle.

What are the most notable highlights on the outside? 

Since the Venue is not just an update to a car but a brand new car itself, Hyundai has studded this baby-Santa Fe with some ornaments of its own on the outside to set it apart from the segment. Some of the eye-catchy details that we loved on the 2020 Hyundai Venue's exterior were:

• LED Daytime Running Lights
• LED taillights
• Heated outside mirrors
• Black/Chrome front grille
• Power tilt-and-slide sunroof
• Side-mounted Roof rails

The 2020 Hyundai Venue has performed supremely in the crash tests thrown at it by NHTSA. Its K2 platform has been recently developed and NHTSA thinks it is "5 stars" worth of good build quality. Although this platform is present in the Asian and the European markets, the Venue is the only car from the "K2" family to come to America. IIHS is yet to test it though. 

In terms of safety and driver assistance features, 2020 Venue offers a suite of driver-assistance technologies. Hyundai equips almost every feature standard across the lineup with just Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW) optional with SEL trim. That said, a few of the class-leading safety features found in the Venue are:

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA-Ped) with Pedestrian Detection
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
• Driver Attention Warning (DAW)
• Airbags
• LATCH
• Brake Assist (BA)
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

2020 Hyundai Venue Vs Ford Ecosport

The 2020 Venue presents a great value for money proposition and makes the life of already struggling sub-compact SUVs even tougher. With the base engine, Ford EcoSport feels incapable both in terms of driving on full load and efficiency. The Venue presents a value package with adequate interior space and an efficient powertrain for daily commuting. Also, the EcoSport lacks advanced safety features as compared with the Venue. Hyundai Venue will be the first choice and rightly so.

2020 Hyundai Venue Vs Nissan Kicks

The 2020 Hyundai Venue seems to be an identical twin of Nissan Kicks in terms of utility and behavior. The two share a lot of similarities including power and performance. However, Nissan Kicks surpasses the 2020 Venue with better cargo capacity, roomier interiors, and unmatchable fuel economy. On the equipment front though, the 2020 Hyundai Venue makes a stronger statement with some best-in-class features and a better fit and finish. Though both cars are equally potent, it is the Venue that makes a better deal if you're an average height family. If spaciousness is one of your top priorities, the Kicks is your answer. PS: Hyundai Venue offers an unmatchable warranty.

2020 Hyundai Venue Vs Toyota C-HR

Toyota C-HR is a pricier option, almost $4000 ahead of Hyundai Venue. For the additional cost, one just gets an extra 23 HP with 800 pounds of penalty. The C-HR isn’t powerful and offers even slower acceleration for all the heft it carries. Along with this, the Toyota is a thirsty car that can beat Venue only with better handling and off-roading skills. Toyota seems to have lost with huge margins because the CH-R isn’t the right mix of ingredients. The Venue, certainly, makes a better package of the two.

Hyundai has redefined the sub-compact SUV segment with a small but capable city hustler with the 2020 Venue. Its standout style makes you a boss on the street, taking you uptown and downtown with confidence and ease. The 2020 Hyundai Venue is also a practical car with great potential further backed by some class-leading features inside. All that backed up by a peppy and trusted 1.6L motor is the icing on the cake. If you are having any second thoughts with this SUV, we'd ask you to forget it and just go right ahead and buy it!