An SUV/Crossover For The Space-Limited Lifestyle

A Victory & Reseda review of the 2022 Hyundai Venue

If given tougher circumstances, can you live with a 2022 Hyundai Venue?

Why is this a question? Let’s go back a couple of years, when you had to work from home – or not work at all, because your jobsite was shut down. Your income went sideways, even though the government helped out to get you by. 

In some cases, you had to scale back. Make sacrifices. Adjust your life. And, then some. 

Now, add the rise in the cost of living because of forces beyond your control. Supply chain challenges not only affect the automotive industry. They had their affect upon all consumer goods. Right down to the price of food and gasoline. 

In a sense, the Venue is a response to economic pressures. Rather, an affordable vehicle that most new car buyers can live with until things get better. 

The American marketplace has always been a hard sell on small vehicles. When gas prices were affordable, we wanted something that was supersized for our lives. Now that gas prices are reaching their highest levels in years, there is now a call for something more affordable to live with. 

The Hyundai Venue was introduced to this market for the 2020 model year with a thought that maybe American consumers will embrace this smallest of SUVs for their scaled-down lives. 

If you scour though the automotive media, you will see that the Venue is inexpensive to operate and own. It offers value for the money that goes beyond its relatively low price point. 

This is a modern-day version of the 1986 Hyundai Excel – the original car that made sense. 

Yet, this is a better built vehicle. Better executed overall. The plastics are better than you think. It is very well screwed and welded together. 

It might not look sleek and lovely, but what the Venue delivers is what you need today: A design that is immediately identified as a Hyundai, a straightforward shape with no gimmicks, a wide opening liftgate, and space for four plus luggage for the weekend.

Stepping up to the Limited trim gives you a bit more than the basics. The 17-inch alloy wheels make this small SUV pop some more. There is a black contrasting roof color to set off the gloss matte gray paint below. The grille gains some shinier bits in and around it. Don’t forget those roof racks!

Once inside, you are treated to dark gray/black cloth seating surfaces. The front seats themselves offer a mix of comfort and support. I had no problems with these seats over various journeys. There’s plenty of head room both front and back. Depending on the mix of occupants, you could live with an even amount of leg room. If you’re a tall person, do not sit behind me. Don’t even think about it. 

The versatility of the cargo space starts with adjusting the floor by sliding it below its normal level. You can also stow the cargo tonneau cover behind the rear seats. The space behind the rear seats measure at 18.7 cubic feet. However, if you fold down the rear seats, that space expands to 31.9 cubic feet. When you do, the cargo floor level is not entirely flat. A little imagination and adjust would be useful when dealing with longer items. 

For the driver, the instrument panel is almost completely analog – except for the information screen. This is a very useful set up for the driver to manage. Hyundai upgraded the eight-in touchscreen display to the brand’s latest design. It works extremely well, as does the smartphone integration and device connectivity. You get six speakers emitting good sound throughout the cabin. 

The one thing I will emphasize about the Venue is its simplicity and straightforward approach to driving. Considering the type of driving you will be doing in this small SUV/CUV, you do not to be dazzled with massive screens and complicated controls. That, to me, is the biggest upshot about this vehicle. 

Underneath the hood is a naturally aspirated 121-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. This engine is connected to the corporate Intelligent Variable Transmission driving power to the front wheels only. 

This driveline does a good job keeping up with traffic. That is, as long as you turn on the cruise control while on the highway. However, it tries its best to buffet the wind when it hits the Venue. Keep in mind that this Venue weighed around 2,612 pounds – a lightweight in today’s terms. 

That combination of weight and performance also translates into efficiency. This Venue Limited turned in a fuel consumption average of 32.2 MPG in my care. 

Where the Venue really plays well is around town. In particular, while traversing a major city. The car’s size and weight takes advantage of narrow streets, as it zips around town like nobody’s business. It will not rule every intersection and stop light, but it will be able to get around neighborhoods, central business districts, and shopping center parking lots without any complaint from the driveline.

Even though the Venue does not come with all-wheel drive, there is a solution for when you have to drive it in winter. Turn the drive mode knob to Snow, and it will get you through to where you need to go. 

The ride quality is pretty good – even on rutted surfaces. It might go side-to-side on some surfaces, but it quickly recovers and smooths things out. The Venue also maneuvers quite well around obstructions. However, it needs a bit of care when taking on curves. There is plenty of roll and lean when pushed beyond its lower limits. 

One will appreciate the tight turning radius the steering system exhibits. Steering effort is really good, but it does feel a tad soft, and it might need your input to keep it in the lane of traffic. On the other hand, the brakes were terrific. With great pedal feel and response, the four disc brake system returned great stops in normal, panic, and, oh yes, winter situations. 

The one thing the 2022 Hyundai Venue offers the most is great value. My Limited tester came in with a sticker price of $23,530. The Venue lineup consists of three trim levels and a few options. Starting price for the 2022 Venue is $19,000. 

Two years ago, I reviewed the Venue Denim model – which was replaced by the Limited trim, as tested. I concluded that “[i]f you want a very small runabout on a budget, then it will suit you just fine.” 

Is that it? Did I come to the same conclusion as back in 2020? 

Well…it is a fun small SUV/Crossover for the city, suburb, or any town. It does the job doing errands, taking people to wherever they need to go, and for that highway run where you need to do more.

If you only ask your vehicle to take you wherever you need to go and don’t need a lot of parking space or to drink as little fuel – why not look at a Hyundai Venue? 

DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by Hyundai Motor America

All photos by Randy Stern