2025 Hyundai Venue Expert Review
Reviewed by Alex Leanse
Cheap new cars are hard to find these days, but the Hyundai Venue carries on as one of the most affordable vehicles on sale. Arguably more of a tall hatchback than true SUV, the Venue was introduced for model year 2020 and fits below the Kona in Hyundai’s lineup. Subcompact rivals to the 2025 Hyundai Venue include the Nissan Kicks, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Kia Soul.
What’s New
For 2025, the only change on the Venue is the discontinuation of bright Apple Green paint to make space for Mirage Green paint, a more subtle earthy tone also offered on the Hyundai Kona.
We’d hoped for a more substantial 2025 update that would’ve mimicked what's seen on Venue models in overseas markets. The Venue sold in India and elsewhere has a bold rectangular grille like what was applied to the Palisade three-row SUV for 2023. Around back, it gets a trendy taillight bar. A different steering wheel and larger infotainment touchscreen could’ve livened up the 2025 Venue’s cabin, but perhaps those changes will arrive in the future.
What We Think
Although we appreciate that Hyundai still sells a low-cost affordable car, we wish the automaker had done more to make the Venue feel less cheap. This quasi-SUV's engine is noisy and struggles to get up to speed. All along, the firm suspension and short wheelbase conspire for an uncomfortable ride.
Inside the Venue, not much appeals beyond the responsive and intuitive infotainment system. Unsurprisingly, passenger and cargo space is cramped. Basic hard plastic abounds, not even attempting to imitate higher-end materials; unpadded armrests reek of penny pinching.
The Venue looks nice, and its tiny size helps it maneuver through tight spaces. Slow as the engine is, at least it’s decently fuel efficient—but still less than a hybrid. A low price is essentially the Venue’s sole appeal. Its subcompact SUV rivals might cost slightly more, but they show where your money goes with superior driving refinement, interior materials, and features.
Performance and MPGs
For 2025, the Venue uses the same powertrain it has from the start: a 1.6-liter I-4 engine that produces 121 hp and 113 lb-ft of torque, which is sent through a CVT automatic to the front wheels; AWD isn’t available in the Venue. Needing 8.8 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph, the Venue is slow. At least it’s fairly fuel efficient for a non-hybrid, getting 29/33 mpg city/highway.
Safety Ratings and Features
The 2024 Venue performed OK in crash safety testing, earning a four-star score from NHTSA and Good scores in the IIHS tests it was subjected to. Results for the 2025 Venue should be similar.
All 2025 Venue models come with driver assist and active safety features such as front automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beams, and lane keep assist. Above the base SE trim, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are standard. Basic cruise control is included on all trim levels, but useful adaptive cruise control is not available on any Venue.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
This won’t be a surprise, but the tiny Venue is very small inside. Although front-seat space is comparable to some of its segment competitors, those rivals offer higher capacities in their back seats and cargo areas.
Which 2025 Hyundai Venue Trim Level Is Best?
Our pick in the 2025 Venue lineup is the midrange SEL trim, as it best balances equipment against price. The 2025 Venue SEL gets back seat USB ports, automatic climate control, keyless entry with push-button start, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and a sunroof. Chrome details and 17-inch alloy wheels brighten up the exterior. Pricing for the 2025 Venue SEL starts at slightly less than $24,000.
