2025 Hyundai Venue

Every 2025 Venue (SE, SEL and Limited) uses the same 1.6-liter naturally aspirated four making 121 hp at 6,300 rpm, and no other engine is offered. That is below the bottom of the SUV horsepower band.

Peak torque is 113 lb-ft and arrives high in the rev range, at 4,500 rpm. That is below the 130 lb-ft SUV floor and well short of the turbocharged subcompacts.

The powertrain is unchanged from 2020, so the instrumented tests of this generation apply directly. Car and Driver's runs range from 8.5 to 9.4 seconds and average about 8.8 seconds, which is slow even for the subcompact class.

Throttle response is smooth and the engine stays quiet at city speeds. But there is little reserve: freeway merges need planning, and the 1.6 turns buzzy and loud when worked hard. It is on par with the Kicks' base four and behind turbocharged rivals such as the Trailblazer and Encore GX.

Hyundai's IVT (a CVT with simulated step shifts) is one of the better-behaved CVTs in the class. Tip-in is smooth and the programmed 'shifts' keep it from droning at one rpm, though it still flares under full throttle and the manual mode adds little.

Hyundai publishes no trailer tow rating for the US-market Venue, and the owner's manual advises against towing with it. Aftermarket hitch vendors' figures are equipment ratings, not a manufacturer capacity.

Every 2025 trim (SE, SEL and Limited) is front-wheel drive only, and AWD is not offered at any price. Rivals such as the Kona, Trailblazer, HR-V and Crosstrek offer it. The SEL and Limited add a Snow drive mode, which is a traction-control calibration and does not drive the rear wheels.

It is built for pavement: about 6.7 inches of ground clearance, front drive only, road tires, no underbody protection, no terrain modes beyond Snow, and no off-road trim.

There is one engine, one transmission and one drivetrain on all three 2025 trims: the 121-hp 1.6L with the IVT and FWD. No turbo, hybrid, PHEV or EV version is offered.

The 2025 Venue has one powertrain (1.6L, IVT, FWD), so EPA publishes a single rating for every trim: 31 MPG combined. That is strong for a gas-only subcompact SUV.

29 MPG city is very good for a light gas-only crossover with no electric assist.

EPA rates the 2025 Venue at 32 MPG highway, 1 MPG below the 2026 rating of 33. The boxy body and short gearing at speed keep it from matching its city efficiency.

The economy is good, but the 11.9-gallon tank is very small, so combined range is only about 369 miles. That is short of most rivals with larger tanks.

EPA estimates about $2,100 a year in regular gas, which is low in absolute terms. Hybrid rivals still run several hundred dollars less.

Every trim runs on 87-octane regular. The engine is naturally aspirated with no premium recommendation, and there is no charging equipment to install. It sits just below the top of the band because the small tank means more frequent fill-ups.

NHTSA rates the 2025 Venue 4 of 5 stars overall: five stars side, four stars frontal and rollover, typical of a light, short-wheelbase subcompact.

No IIHS award for 2025. The small overlap front test is Good on both sides, but IIHS has not rated the 2025 Venue in the updated moderate overlap (rear passenger) or updated side tests, so the tests that decide current awards are unverified.

Every trim gets forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist, driver attention warning and high beam assist. Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning need the SEL or Limited, and adaptive cruise isn't available on any trim.

Standard forward collision-avoidance assist rated Advanced in IIHS daytime pedestrian tests on SE/SEL, and the Limited's system rated Superior, avoiding collisions at 12 and 25 mph. IIHS has no nighttime pedestrian or updated vehicle-to-vehicle result for 2025.

Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning are standard on SEL and Limited but absent on the base SE. Both are alert-only, with no active braking or steering and no safe-exit warning.

Lane keeping assist is standard on every trim. Reviewers call the Venue's driver aids over-eager, with warnings that fire early enough to annoy rather than build trust.

No 2025 trim offers adaptive cruise. The Venue has fixed-speed cruise only, with no stop-and-go and no highway assist.

There is no hands-free or highway driving assist system, and the adaptive cruise it would build on isn't offered either.

The halogen projector headlights on the volume SE and SEL rate Marginal at IIHS. Only the SEL Premium Package's LED projectors improve on that, and they rate just Acceptable. High beam assist is standard.

The tall, boxy glass area and short overhangs give good forward and side sightlines, but thick rear pillars hamper the over-the-shoulder view. Camera help stops at a rearview camera, with no 360-degree view.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Acceptable, with two complete LATCH positions and a third tether-only seat. That works for one or two child seats, but the small rear bench limits front-seat room once a rear-facing seat is fitted.

The 2025 Venue (first generation, carry-over year) is a two-row subcompact SUV with a 60/40 rear bench. All three trims (SE, SEL and Limited) seat five.

The boxy roofline gives mid-pack front headroom despite the tiny footprint. Per the item definition, the figure is the no-sunroof measurement. Body dimensions are unchanged across the 2020–2025 generation.

Front legroom sits near the bottom of the SUV band but is adequate for the class, and the upright seating position makes it feel roomier than the number suggests.

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

At 34.3 in, rear legroom is tight: fine for kids or short adult trips, cramped behind a tall driver. The bench does not slide, and the 99.2-in wheelbase is among the shortest in the class.

There is no third row on any trim; the Venue is a strict two-row, five-seat SUV. The item rule for two-row SUVs puts that in the low band rather than omitting the item.

At 18.7 cu ft behind the second row, it has the smallest cargo hold in the subcompact SUV class, closer to a compact hatchback than to a crossover.

Even with the rear bench folded, the Venue tops out at 31.9 cu ft, roughly half what most subcompact SUVs manage and below the band floor.

Sensible rather than clever. There is a dual-level adjustable cargo floor, a low load height with a wide hatch, a phone cubby ahead of the shifter, door bottle holders, and a center armrest on the SEL. The console is shallow, and nothing here is a segment innovation.

The front seats balance cushion and support reasonably well. However, adjustment is manual on every trim, with no lumbar support, and the rear cushion is flat and short. Fine for commuting, mediocre for long hauls.

The short wheelbase and torsion-beam rear suspension make for a choppy, short-stroke ride over broken pavement. It stays composed on smooth roads and never becomes punishing.

It is quiet enough around town but noisy at highway speed: tire roar on coarse surfaces, wind rush, and a 1.6L/CVT that drones under load. There is little sound deadening, with no acoustic glass or active noise cancellation.

Automatic climate control comes on the SEL and Limited, but heated front seats and heated mirrors are confined to the top Limited trim; the volume SEL gets neither. Ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel and rear vents are not offered on any trim.

The 2025 Venue SE is the cheapest SUV sold in the US and delivers well below the SUV normalization floor even with destination included.

The SEL is the volume trim for 2025 and still delivers for well under $24k; the Limited tops the range under $25k.

A naturally aspirated 1.6L with a CVT and no AWD hardware is about as simple as a modern crossover gets, and the 2025 model year still includes Hyundai's 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance, holding early-year costs down.

The Venue holds value better than the subcompact-SUV average; a low-priced, in-demand entry point keeps used pricing firm relative to its MSRP.

Hyundai's 5-year/60,000-mile basic coverage is the longest in the mainstream market and tops the band; it transfers to later owners.

Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty sits at the top of the band, though it covers the original owner only.

2025 is the last Venue model year covered by Hyundai Complimentary Maintenance (3 years/36,000 miles of oil changes, tire rotations and inspections). It also gets class-leading 5-year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance. Connected-service perks are thin on the Venue: some trims don't offer Bluelink at all.

$23,595 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (64% retained, or about $15,101) leaves about $8,494 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $11,494 in total.

J.D. Power gives the 2025 Venue a 'Great' quality & reliability rating, and Consumer Reports rates it more reliable than the average 2025 model, so both sources point above average. It falls just short of the top band because the CR sample for this low-volume model is small.

Hyundai is now an upper-mid-pack brand: 3rd overall in the J.D. Power 2025 IQS, above the industry average in the 2025 VDS, and around 8th in Consumer Reports' brand ranking. It is not a consistent top-5 dependability brand, and the Theta II engine saga still weighs on its longer-term history.

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2025 model year. Across the 2020-on generation there have been only three campaigns: a seat-belt pretensioner recall on 2020-2022 cars (21V-796, expanded as 22V-458) and an EGR-valve short on 2024 cars (24V-308). None of them affects the 2025 model, and nothing points to a systemic problem.

The 2025 Venue carries over the 1.6L Smartstream G1.6 port-injected four-cylinder with Hyundai's IVT (CVT). The engine is simple and low-stressed, and port injection avoids the carbon buildup seen on direct-injected engines; there are no widespread engine failures. Owners report some IVT hesitation and drivability complaints, and CVTs carry more long-term uncertainty than a conventional automatic.

The cabin is mostly hard plastic, as expected at the cheapest end of the class, with soft touches limited to the upper trims. Reviewers call it basic but well assembled, which puts it behind the CX-30 and Corolla Cross for perceived quality.

The low owner-reported defect level in J.D. Power's 86/100 rating and Hyundai's strong 2025 IQS standing point to consistent assembly. The few owner complaints are scattered and show no pattern of rattles or misalignment.

Hyundai has a dense nationwide network of roughly 800+ US dealers, and owners get America's Best Warranty (10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage) plus complimentary maintenance for 3 years/36,000 miles. Dealer service satisfaction is mixed by store, so this sits short of the top tier.

The Venue shares its 1.6L engine and IVT with the high-volume Elantra and other Hyundai/Kia small cars, so parts are plentiful and cheap and routine maintenance costs are low. Aftermarket support is thinner than for the best-selling compacts.

Every 2025 Venue has an 8-inch center touchscreen, and no larger screen is offered. That puts it at the bottom of the SUV band.

Small but well executed: the screen is bright and responsive, the menus are simple, and climate and volume/tuning keep physical controls. It does little beyond radio and phone projection, which also keeps it easy to use.

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

Voice control is Hyundai's basic button-prompted system. Embedded navigation exists only on the Limited, so the volume SE/SEL rely on phone projection for maps.

A six-speaker system is standard on every trim, and no branded premium upgrade is offered. Reviewers split between calling it adequate and calling it thin.

Analog gauges flank a 4.2-inch TFT info display, and no full-digital cluster is offered on any trim. Rivals such as the Kona and Seltos offer 10.25–12.3-inch panels.

Map and multimedia over-the-air updates depend on Bluelink and embedded navigation, both of which are limited to the Limited trim. The volume SE/SEL head unit updates by dealer or USB. There is no feature-adding whole-vehicle OTA.

On the Limited, Bluelink brings remote start with climate, lock/unlock, vehicle locate and SOS with no subscription fee, which is good value. The volume SE/SEL have no connected services, and Digital Key is not offered.

There are front USB ports on every trim, and the SEL adds dual second-row USB charging ports. Wireless charging is Limited-only, and there is no AC outlet.

The volume SEL and the Limited get proximity entry with push-button start, while the SE still uses a twist key. Remote start exists only through Bluelink on the Limited, and there is no phone-as-key or hands-free liftgate.

A rearview camera with parking guidelines is the entire parking suite. No trim offers surround view, parking sensors or parking automation; blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts arrive on the SEL.

No head-up display is offered on any 2025 Venue trim, which is expected for the least expensive SUV in the US.

Two LATCH sets, a tall upright body and wide-opening rear doors make buckling in a child easy. But 34.3 in of rear legroom will not fit a large rear-facing seat behind a tall driver, and 18.7 cu ft is the class's smallest hold for stroller-and-grocery duty.

Forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist and high beam assist are standard even on the SE. Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts need the SEL, and adaptive cruise is not offered at all. Crash credentials are mid-pack.

A four-person trip is where the Venue runs out of car. There are no rear air vents, rear legroom is 34.3 in, and the 18.7 cu ft hold cannot take four people's luggage. Rear USB ports arriving on the SEL are the only rear amenity.

This is the Venue's core competence: light steering, excellent outward visibility, a tiny footprint and a CVT that is smooth in stop-and-go traffic. It loses points because the 121-hp engine turns buzzy under throttle and adaptive cruise is not offered.

It is cheap to buy and cheap to fuel: 31 MPG combined on regular gas, low maintenance, and small, inexpensive tires. Good rather than exceptional, since a hybrid commuter beats it on cost per mile.

It is easy to drive in the city: at 159.1 in it is one of the shortest SUVs sold in the US, its 33.2-ft turning circle is exceptional, and the upright glasshouse gives good sightlines. Thin parking hardware (rear camera only, no sensors or surround view) holds 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 the hold is 18.7 cu ft behind the rear seats.

The simple mechanicals tolerate neglect: a naturally aspirated 1.6L with no turbo, plus hard-wearing cloth and plastics, backed by a 10-yr/100k-mi powertrain warranty. Still, it is a light unibody econobox with no fleet track record.

An adjustable cargo floor, basic tie-down hooks and roof side rails on the SEL/Limited are the extent of it. There is no factory hitch, no 110V outlet and no upfit ecosystem.

A mediocre highway car. Range is adequate at about 380 miles on the highway rating, but the engine strains on grades, wind and road noise intrude, and no trim offers adaptive cruise or lane centering.

It is largely pavement-bound: front-wheel drive only, about 6.7 in of ground clearance and no tow rating. Roof side rails on the SEL/Limited allow a bike or box carrier, and a Snow drive mode helps a little in bad weather.

The packaging is smart for the size: 60/40 split-folding rear seats, a dual-level load floor, a square hold, a wide low hatch, and roof rails on the SEL for overflow. The raw volumes, though, are the class floor.

It is nimble around town thanks to its short length, short wheelbase and short overhangs, and body motions are better controlled than the soft-riding class norm. Narrow eco tires and a torsion-beam rear limit grip and composure.

The light, quick electric assist suits parking and city driving, but weighting builds little with speed and feedback is minimal. It is tuned for ease rather than precision.

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

The 1.6L four (121 hp/113 lb-ft) with the IVT is smooth and shudder-free at light throttle, and simulated steps mask rubber-banding. Response is weak, though: kickdown at highway speed is slow and passing takes planning.

Under load the CVT holds revs and the engine drones, with little sound insulation to contain it. Vibration through the controls is not a problem, but the noise under acceleration is coarse and buzzy.

This is class-leading maneuverability and the Venue's signature trait, tighter than the 34-ft floor of the SUV band.

Upright seating, thin pillars and a boxy greenhouse give excellent visibility, and Hyundai keeps physical climate knobs and buttons. On the other side, the driver's seat is manual with no lumbar adjustment on any trim, and the footwell is modest for taller drivers.

The Venue is light and eager to change direction, and reviewers find it likeable in town. But 121 hp through a droning CVT caps the enjoyment.

At $20,200 the SE includes an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and the core SmartSense safety suite (forward collision avoidance, lane keeping and following, driver attention warning). But in 2025 the volume SEL still left heated front seats, heated mirrors and wireless charging to the $23,450 Limited, so equipment is competitive rather than generous.

The cheapest SUV in America, fully loaded under $25k delivered, so content per dollar is strong in absolute terms. Capability per dollar is the weak side: 121 hp, a CVT, FWD only and a small cargo hold, while a modest step up buys a noticeably more refined rival.

Three well-spaced trims (SE, SEL, Limited) cover about $3,250 of price spread, but there is one engine, one transmission and no AWD at any price. Buyers can't configure up in capability the way Crosstrek, Trailblazer or Seltos buyers can.

US volume in the mid-20,000s per year, with 2025 on track for a sales record after a soft 2024. That is a steady, slightly rising trajectory, but far behind segment volume leaders like the Trax and Kicks.

Hyundai's image is strong on the back of its warranty and award-winning products elsewhere in the range, which lends the entry-level Venue credibility. Brand resale is only average.

Hyundai sells the Venue with little help: typically no cash rebates, and financing was unremarkable. The thin margin on the cheapest SUV in the lineup leaves little room to discount beyond the low sticker.

2025 is the sixth model year of the first-generation Venue (US MY2020, facelift MY2023) and a carry-over year. The second generation launched overseas in November 2025, during the 2025 model year, so the design was clearly near its end.

Reviewers call the Venue an acceptable budget pick rather than a class contender, and it rarely wins a comparison. Value-weighted honors help: KBB gave it a Lowest 5-Year Cost to Own class award, and owners rate it well.