2024 Hyundai Venue Reviews, Pricing & Specs

In Canada, Hyundai sells the 2024 Venue in Essential, Preferred, and Ultimate trim levels, with prices ranging from $23,581 to $28,081, including the $1,950 destination charge. We recommend an upgrade to a Venue Preferred ($25,581) at a minimum because it looks better on the outside and adds desirable convenience and important safety features.

Our test vehicle had the U.S. equivalent of Ultimate trim and Ecotronic Grey paint, bringing the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) to $28,331. There aren’t many options for the Venue, so pushing that sticker price past $28,000 isn’t easy. Grey isn’t the Venue’s most expressive colour, but it gives the rather jaunty little hatchback a more mature and subdued appearance. As affordable cars go, the design is appealing with a sense of genuine style, something that can’t always be said for basic transportation.

Inside, the 2024 Venue’s interior features plenty of hard plastic, but it doesn’t look egregiously cheap. Again, examples of unexpected style include the stripes and piping on the seats, and the white trim surrounding the dashboard air vents and the transmission shifter on the centre console.

The test vehicle’s digital instrumentation was an unexpected treat, and the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display is properly sized for the Venue. All of the controls exhibit typical Hyundai quality regarding finishes, markings, and operation. The 2024 Venue comes across as a thoughtfully designed, stylishly detailed, and high-quality small SUV.

Hyundai equips the Venue with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine making 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. That isn’t much, but the Venue doesn’t weigh a lot, tipping the scales at 1,200 to 1,250 kilograms. In addition, an agreeable continuously variable transmission (CVT) does a good job of maximizing the available power, so it can scoot along without any trouble.

Still, the Venue is most at home in cities and suburbs, where you’ll appreciate its small park-it-anywhere size, nimble handling, and excellent outward visibility. In addition, at lower speeds, the engine operates at a more relaxed pace, so you’re less likely to notice the Venue’s lack of power or the droning from the CVT.

Rough and irregular pavement, such as speed bumps, potholes, and railroad tracks, results in unsophisticated suspension behaviour. Due to the MacPherson strut front and torsion-beam rear axle suspension, you may experience a busy ride quality, structural shudders, and other discomforting sensations or noises. This vehicle prefers smooth, well-maintained pavement.

Head out on the highway with one person aboard, and the Venue can confidently match the pace of traffic by the end of the on-ramp. It also climbed a mountain grade without dropping below the 100 km/h speed limit. However, the CVT and buzzy four-cylinder engine sound awful when you press harder on the accelerator pedal. Adding a few hundred pounds of extra passengers or cargo can’t possibly result in good things.

Hyundai does not offer all-wheel-drive (AWD) on the Venue. Instead, the power flows to the front wheels, calling into question the automaker’s claim this is a crossover SUV. However, it does provide 17 centimetres of ground clearance, so when you install a set of winter tires, it will clear more accumulated snow than a typical car while plowing ahead to your destination without AWD.

Regarding fuel economy, the 2024 Venue earns a Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption rating of 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. On our mountainous testing loop, it averaged 7.8 L/100 km. We expected better, and are sure you would, too.

The Venue’s increased ground clearance also means the crossover sits higher off the road than a car, and that makes it easier to get into and out of the front and back seats.

Comfort is decent, despite the Venue’s small dimensions. The test model’s driver’s seat had a manual height adjuster, and the steering wheel offered tilt-and-telescopic adjustment. Both front seats featured appealing fabric inserts, artificial leather bolsters, and heated cushions to ward off the chill during cold weather.

Technically, the back seat accommodates three people, but two will be happier. Taller passengers will dislike the hard plastic front seatbacks, though. Storage space is limited for rear passengers, and there aren’t any air conditioning vents.

In front, there is decent stash space for such a small vehicle, and Hyundai includes a useful shelf on the dashboard in front of the passenger. Cargo room is on par with a typical compact car at 528 litres. Fold the back seat down, and the Venue ferries up to 902 litres of whatever you can squeeze into it.

In the middle of the dashboard, Hyundai mounts an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display. It features modern graphics, logical menu structures, and simple operation. Below the screen are stereo volume and radio tuning knobs framing a row of buttons providing quick access to commonly used functions.

Standard features include Bluetooth connectivity with music streaming, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and a six-speaker sound system. Considering the youthful consumers who might find the Venue appealing, it deserves better stereo speakers.

Every 2024 Venue comes with standard forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and a driver monitoring system. Starting with the Venue Preferred, Hyundai adds blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control or lane-centring assist are not available on the 2024 Venue.

Those omissions left us with little to evaluate. The lane-keeping assist system produced a few inaccurate alerts and responses during our time with the SUV, and the forward-collision warning issued one incorrect warning while driving on an intermittently shady street toward the morning sun. Otherwise, we found little about which to complain.

If a collision occurs, the Venue does a decent job of protecting its occupants. Just keep in mind that some crash test results are valid only when an accident occurs with a similarly sized vehicle in the same weight class. Most other cars, trucks, and SUVs on the road are larger and weigh more than the Venue.

With that in mind, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says the Venue gets Good ratings in three different crash tests, coupled with an Acceptable rating for the Ultimate trim level’s brighter LED headlights. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the 2024 Venue an overall rating of four stars instead of the top five-star rating.

When you’re buying a new vehicle in the Venue’s price class, cost-effectiveness is of paramount importance. From the purchase price, fuel economy, and warranty coverage to the thoughtful perks that can make owning an entry-level model more rewarding, these factors can make or break a decision.

Fortunately, the 2024 Hyundai Venue is a cost-effective choice. While its fuel economy ratings are unimpressive, this Hyundai offers a 5-year/100,000-kilometre new vehicle warranty and powertrain warranty, and a five-year/unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance plan.

But that doesn’t mean appealing alternatives don’t exist. Recommended rivals include the stylish Buick Envista, affordable Chevrolet Trax, and funky Kia Soul. We’re less likely to suggest the 2024 Nissan Kicks, but the redesigned 2025 Kicks looks promising.

Ultimately, you want the best bang for your hard-earned buck. Fortunately, there is more to the Hyundai Venue than just a great deal.

Note: Images show a US model.