2023 Hyundai Venue

Every 2023 Venue trim (SE, SEL, Limited) uses the same naturally aspirated 1.6-liter four rated at 121 hp. With no optional engine, it sits at the bottom of the subcompact SUV pool on output.

The 1.6L four makes 113 lb-ft at a high 4,500 rpm. That is below the SUV torque floor and well short of turbocharged rivals such as the Trailblazer and Seltos 1.6T.

The 2023 car carries over the 121-hp 1.6L and IVT used since 2020. Instrumented tests of this generation average about 8.8 s, which makes it one of the slowest crossovers on sale.

Throttle response is smooth and the engine is quiet at low speeds. There is little torque in reserve, though: the 1.6 gets buzzy when pushed, and highway merges take planning. It trails turbocharged rivals on refinement under load.

Hyundai's IVT (a CVT with simulated step ratios) is one of the better-behaved CVTs in the class. Tip-in is smooth and the simulated shifts limit drone, but it flares under full throttle. The six-speed manual offered in 2020–2021 is gone, so the IVT is the only transmission for 2023.

Hyundai publishes no trailer tow rating for the US-market Venue, and the owner's manual advises against towing.

Every 2023 Venue trim is front-wheel drive only, while the Kona, Trailblazer, HR-V and Crosstrek offer AWD. Upper trims get a Snow drive mode, but that is a traction-control setting, not a driven rear axle.

The Venue is built for pavement. It has about 6.7 in of ground clearance, FWD, road tires and no underbody protection or off-road trim.

All three 2023 trims share one powertrain: a 121-hp 1.6L four with the IVT and FWD. No turbo, hybrid, PHEV or EV variant is offered.

The 2023 Venue has one configuration (1.6L, IVT, FWD), rated at 31 MPG combined on every trim. That is strong for a gas-only subcompact SUV.

29 MPG city with no electric assist is among the best of the gas-only subcompact crossovers.

33 MPG highway is solid, though the boxy shape and short gearing keep it below the class's best highway figures.

Good economy is offset by a very small 11.9-gallon tank, which gives only about 369 miles of combined range. Expect more frequent fill-ups than in rivals with larger tanks.

EPA estimates about $2,100 a year in regular gas. That is low for a gas crossover, but hybrids and EVs cost less to run.

Every trim runs on 87-octane regular with no premium recommendation. It stops just short of the top because the small tank means frequent stops and there is no flex-fuel option.

NHTSA rates the 2023 Venue 4 of 5 stars overall — five stars in side barrier and side pole, but four stars in frontal crash (driver and passenger) and rollover (14.3% risk), which holds the overall below five.

The 2023 Venue carries an IIHS Top Safety Pick (not TSP+), but only with the Acceptable LED headlights, and it rests on the original-protocol tests: Good in both small overlaps, original moderate overlap, roof strength and head restraints, with no updated side or updated moderate overlap (rear-passenger) result.

Every 2023 Venue gets forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist and automatic high beams, but blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warnings start at the SEL and adaptive cruise is not offered on any trim.

IIHS rates both the standard and optional Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist Superior vehicle-to-vehicle; daytime pedestrian is Advanced with the standard system and Superior with the Limited's optional system, but there is no nighttime pedestrian rating.

Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning are alert-only and missing from the base SE; standard on SEL and Limited. No active intervention or safe-exit assist.

Lane-departure warning and Lane Keeping Assist are standard on every trim, but the Venue lacks Hyundai's highway-assist centering, so this is functional edge-of-lane keeping rather than trusted centering.

No adaptive cruise control on any 2023 Venue trim — conventional cruise only, no stop-and-go, no Highway Driving Assist.

No hands-free driving system is offered; the Venue lacks even adaptive cruise, the prerequisite for one.

The halogen projectors on the volume SE and SEL rate Marginal; the LED projectors (Limited / SEL Premium) improve only to Acceptable. High-beam assist is standard, but no configuration earns Good.

Tall, boxy greenhouse gives good forward and side sightlines, but thick rear pillars limit the over-the-shoulder view, and camera help stops at a rearview camera — the blind-spot monitor that offsets it isn't on the SE.

IIHS rates LATCH Acceptable, with two complete LATCH positions plus a tether-only center seat; the subcompact rear bench makes multiple or rear-facing seats tight.

Every 2023 Venue trim (SE, SEL, Limited) is a two-row five-seater with a 60/40 split rear bench; no other seating layout is offered.

The boxy roofline gives mid-pack front headroom for the class despite the tiny footprint. Body dimensions are unchanged across the 2020-launched generation.

Front legroom sits near the bottom of the SUV band but is adequate for most adults; the upright seating position helps.

The tall, square body pays off most in the second row: 38.6 in of rear headroom is good for a subcompact.

34.3 in is tight. It works for kids or short adult trips but is cramped behind a tall driver, and the rear bench does not slide.

The Venue has no third row on any trim. It is scored in the low band per the item's rule for two-row SUVs rather than omitted.

18.7 cu ft behind the second row is the smallest cargo hold in the subcompact SUV class, below the SUV band floor and closer to a compact hatchback than a crossover.

With the rear bench folded the Venue tops out at 31.9 cu ft, roughly half what most subcompact SUVs manage and well under the band floor.

The storage is sensible rather than clever: a dual-level adjustable cargo floor, a low load height and wide hatch, a phone cubby ahead of the shifter, door bottle holders and, new for 2023, a standard center-console armrest bin. Nothing here is a segment innovation.

The front seats balance cushion and support reasonably well, but adjustment is manual-only with no power or lumbar on any trim. The rear cushion is flat and short on thigh support. Fine for commuting, mediocre for long hauls.

The 99.2-in wheelbase and torsion-beam rear make for a short, choppy ride over broken pavement. It is composed on smooth roads and never punishing, but busier than larger subcompacts.

It is quiet around town but noisy at highway speed, with tire roar, wind rush and CVT drone from the 121-hp 1.6L under load. There is no acoustic glass or active noise cancellation.

The volume SEL gets a sunroof but no heated seats. Heated front seats arrive only on the Limited, and no trim offers ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel or rear vents.

The 2023 Venue SE went up $500 over 2022 but was still one of the cheapest new SUVs in America. Even with destination it sits below the band floor.

The SEL is the volume trim, adding 17-inch wheels, a sunroof, automatic climate control, and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts. It still comes in well under $23k delivered.

The simple drivetrain (naturally aspirated 1.6L, IVT, FWD only) and 3 years of complimentary maintenance keep new-owner costs low. Edmunds' current 2023 figure prices years 4–8 of a used purchase ($5,713 maintenance + $1,625 repairs), so the new-car first-5-year figure is taken from Edmunds' projection for the mechanically identical 2024 instead.

Used 2023 Venues still trade at roughly three-quarters of their sticker about three years on. Model-level residual data puts the Venue above the subcompact-SUV average, and 60% splits the difference with Edmunds' more conservative projections.

Hyundai's 5-year/60,000-mile basic coverage is the longest in the mainstream market and tops the band.

The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage tops the band. It applies to the original owner only; subsequent owners get 5 yr/60k.

The 2023 Venue includes Hyundai Complimentary Maintenance (3 yr/36,000 mi of oil changes, tire rotations and inspections) plus 5-year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance, which beats most subcompact rivals. Connected-service perks are thin: Bluelink is not offered on Venue trims.

$22,695 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (60% retained, or about $13,617) leaves about $9,078 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,350 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $13,428 in total.

J.D. Power rates the 2023 Venue 85/100 for predicted reliability, in its 81-90 'Great' band, while Consumer Reports rates the 2023 about average against other same-year cars. One strong signal and one average one put it at the top of the mixed-signals band.

In 2023 Hyundai was an upper-mid-pack brand, just outside Consumer Reports' top 10 and behind sister brand Kia. It has generally beaten the J.D. Power VDS industry average without being a perennial top-5 finisher.

NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2023 model year. The 2024 EGR-valve power-loss recall does not reach it. Earlier years of this generation had seat-belt pretensioner recalls and a 2020-2022 IVT service campaign, so the generation's record is typical rather than spotless.

The 1.6L Smartstream port-injected four (121 hp) is simple and low-stress, with no turbo and no direct-injection carbon buildup. The belt-type IVT CVT is the weak point: owners report judder and hesitation, and a class action covers 2020+ gas Hyundais, the 2023 Venue included.

Reviewers consistently note hard plastics on almost every surface, including unpadded armrests. That suits the Venue's entry price, but the cabin trails rivals such as the Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30. The layout is sensible and assembly is tidy.

Assembly is solid, and owner complaints about rattles or misalignment are scarce. On the same carryover build, the Venue later ranked highest in its J.D. Power Initial Quality segment.

About 860 US dealers make service easy to reach almost anywhere. Hyundai's dealer-service satisfaction, however, has historically sat near the bottom of J.D. Power's Customer Service Index.

Maintenance and repair costs are among the lowest in the segment. The Venue shares common Hyundai/Kia parts and has a simple mechanical package, and its 10-year cost projections beat the SUV average.

Every 2023 Venue uses an 8-inch center touchscreen; no larger screen is offered anywhere in the lineup.

The screen is small but well executed: bright and responsive, with a simple menu structure and physical climate, volume and tuning controls retained.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the SE and the volume SEL, which is strong at this price. The top Limited's navigation head unit reverts to wired-only projection.

Embedded navigation is offered, but only on the Limited. Voice control is Hyundai's basic button-prompted system, and SE/SEL owners rely on phone projection for maps.

The base SE makes do with four speakers and the SEL/Limited get six; no branded or premium audio upgrade is available. A six-speaker system only became standard across the lineup for 2024.

New for 2023, the cluster's info screen grows from a 3.5-in monochrome unit to a 4.2-in color TFT between analog gauges. No full-digital cluster is offered on any trim.

Hyundai offers Bluelink-based map/multimedia OTA updates, but on the Venue that applies only to the Limited's navigation unit. There is no feature-adding whole-vehicle OTA on this model.

Bluelink connected services, with remote start, lock/unlock and locate via the app, come only on the Limited, on a complimentary trial that becomes a paid subscription. SE/SEL owners get no connected app, and phone-as-key is not offered.

The SE and SEL have two front USB ports only; the Limited adds two rear USB charging ports and, new for 2023, a wireless charging pad. There is no AC outlet.

On the 2023 SE and volume SEL you start the car with a turn key; proximity entry with push-button start is Limited-only. No trim offers phone-as-key or a power liftgate. The SEL gained a smart key for 2024.

The parking suite is a rear-view camera with guidelines. There is no surround view, no parking distance sensors and no parking automation; blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warnings are SEL/Limited only.

No head-up display is offered on any 2023 Venue trim.

Two full LATCH sets, a tall body and wide rear doors make buckling a child easy for the size. But 34.3 in of rear legroom struggles with a large rear-facing seat, and 18.7 cu ft is a tight hold for stroller-plus-groceries duty.

Forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping and a newly standard rear-seat reminder come on the SE. The 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick applies only with the Limited's LED headlights (the halogens rate Marginal), NHTSA gives 4 stars overall, and blind-spot warning requires the SEL.

A four-person trip is where the Venue runs out of car: no rear vents, tight rear legroom, and 18.7 cu ft of cargo that cannot take four people's luggage. Rear USB ports exist only on the Limited for 2023.

This is the Venue's core competence: light steering, excellent outward visibility, a small footprint and a CVT that is smooth in stop-and-go traffic. It loses points for a buzzy engine under throttle, no adaptive cruise, and a turn key on the volume SEL.

It is cheap to buy and to run: 31 MPG combined on regular fuel, a starting price around $20,800 with destination, and small, inexpensive tires. It misses 80+ because a hybrid or EV commuter beats it per mile.

Urban usability is best in class: 159.1 in long, a roughly 33-ft turning circle and an upright glasshouse with good sightlines. Thin parking hardware (rear camera only, no sensors or 360 view) keeps it below 90.

It is not meaningfully work-capable: there is no tow rating, 121 hp goes through a CVT to the front wheels only, and cargo is the smallest in the class.

The simple naturally aspirated 1.6L and wipe-clean plastics are low-stress, and a 10-yr/100k-mi powertrain warranty backs them. But it is a light econobox with no fleet record or heavy-duty provisions.

Beyond a two-position adjustable cargo floor and basic tie-down hooks there is little for work: no factory hitch, no AC outlet and no upfit ecosystem.

Range is adequate at about 370 combined miles, but the engine works audibly hard on grades, and wind and road noise intrude. There is no adaptive cruise on any trim to reduce interstate fatigue.

It is pavement-bound: FWD only, about 6.7 in of ground clearance and no tow rating. Snow mode, the tall body and the SEL/Limited roof rails are the only nods to the outdoors.

The packaging is smart for the size, with a 60/40 fold, a dual-level load floor and a wide low-lift hatch. But the raw volumes are the class floor and there is no factory hitch to carry overflow outside.

It is nimble around town thanks to a 159-in length and short overhangs, with body motions better controlled than the class's soft norm. Narrow eco tires and a torsion-beam rear limit grip.

The steering is light and quick off-center, which is good for parking, but it builds little weight with speed and offers minimal feedback.

Pedal feel is linear and easy to modulate, but the 70–0 mph distance is mid-pack to long for so light a car, reflecting its low-rolling-resistance tires.

The 1.6L (121 hp / 113 lb-ft) with Hyundai's IVT is smooth and shudder-free at light throttle, with simulated steps. Response is the weak point: kickdown is slow and passing takes planning.

With the CVT holding revs under load the engine drones, and there is little sound insulation to contain it. Vibration through the controls is not an issue.

Maneuverability is class-leading and tighter than the 34-ft floor of the SUV band; it is identical across trims and unchanged within the generation.

Upright seating, thin front pillars and a boxy greenhouse give good visibility, climate and audio keep physical controls, and a center armrest became standard for 2023. A manual-only driver's seat with no lumbar and thick rear pillars hold it back.

It is light, eager to change direction and likeable in the city, but 121 hp through a droning CVT caps the enjoyment. Pleasant rather than memorable.

The $19,500 SE includes an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane keeping and auto high beams. For 2023 it also gains a center armrest, a 4.2-inch color cluster and a rear-occupant alert. Heated seats, LED lights and wireless charging still need the Limited.

At roughly $20,800–$24,000 delivered, with Hyundai's warranty and 3 years of free maintenance, the content per dollar is strong. Capability caps the score: 121 hp, an IVT, FWD only and a small cargo hold.

Three trims (SE, SEL, Limited) span about $3,250. There is one engine, one transmission and no AWD, so buyers can't configure up in capability.

US sales of 28,009 in 2023 make the Venue a steady entry-level seller, but it ranks well behind segment leaders like the Trax, HR-V and Kicks.

Hyundai's image was strong in 2023 on the back of its warranty and award-winning Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, which lends its entry model credibility. Budget models sit at the low end of that halo.

In the 2023 market, the cheapest Hyundai saw little or no cash on the hood. Inventory was still recovering from the chip shortage, and deals were mostly subvented financing late in the model year, so transactions sat near MSRP.

MY2023 is the fourth year of the first-generation US Venue (launched MY2020). It got a light content update, not a redesign: current, but mid-cycle on an aging platform.

Reviewers rate the 2023 Venue as a decent budget pick but rarely the class choice: Edmunds 7.4/10, and U.S. News 7.7/10, ranking it #10 of 16 affordable subcompact SUVs. It won no comparison tests or major awards.