2023 Hyundai Venue Performance

The Venue's small size makes it feel faster than it is around town, where zipping in and out of gaps in traffic is accomplished with little effort. However, the reality is that this isn't a fast crossover. Under the hood is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with just 121 horsepower and a mere 113 lb-ft of torque. It's only paired with a CVT transmission and power exclusively goes to the front wheels, whereas competitors like the Kia Seltos offer 4WD capability. According to independent tests, the Venue will require a time in the mid-nine-second range to get from 0-60 mph, and much more than that to eventually reach its top speed. Some rivals offer turbocharged power, so racing from traffic lights vs the Kia Soul will quickly see the Venue being left behind. Hyundai has not indicated a towing capacity for the Venue.

As before, just one engine is on offer for the Venue: the 1.6-liter Smartstream four-cylinder power plant manages 121 hp and 113 lb-ft of torque. While a manual gearbox was available previously, Hyundai discontinued it in 2021, so that leaves a continuously variable transmission (CVT) as the only choice. Hyundai calls its CVT an IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission) and, although it can't do much to overcome the engine's lack of power, responsiveness is decent from a standing start. The IVT mimics the shifts of a conventional automatic, too. However, passing on the highway will require plenty of patience and a heavy right foot. So, although cross-country road trips can be a bit of a chore, the Venue is a car in its element within the confines of congested city streets.

The Venue is an impressive fuel sipper, with especially commendable gas mileage in the city. According to the EPA, the little Hyundai will return 29/33/31 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles, which is very similar to several competitors like the VW Taos, which manages best figures of 28/36/31 mpg. The Nissan Kicks is even more efficient, though, returning 31/36/33 mpg. Although its 11.9-gallon gas tank is tiny, the Venue should be able to attain around 369 miles of range.