2021 Hyundai Venue Elite v Toyota Yaris Cross GX 2WD comparison
How does Hyundai's most affordable model stack up against one of the most advanced baby SUVs on the Australian market?
Overview
The littlest SUVs on the market are hit property right now. Sales are up significantly year on year, and not just due to the Covid Pandemic or a rush of new models. Cars like the Toyota Yaris Cross, Hyundai Venue, Ford Puma and Mazda CX-3 are in demand because they cram a lot of value into small packages, and are incredibly easy to live with. It also doesn't hurt that they go easy on the wallet, as running costs and servicing costs show.
We've tested the Toyota Yaris Cross against many of its rivals, but this is the first time it's come up against a sharply-priced Hyundai with street cred. Will the Toyota's hybrid drivetrain be enough to secure it the win, or will this characterful Hyundai steal the baby-SUV show? Let's find out.
Introduction
Hyundai Venue
Sensing the winds of change, or more realistically a typhoon, Hyundai ditched its entry-level small car range a couple of years back. Instead, in its place, the Korean brand gave Australia its compact SUV, the Hyundai Venue, as a price-leader into the brand.
It’s a sign of the times, SUVs dominating our roads, serving time from cheap and cheerful first cars to performance vehicles that could put bona fide sports cars to shame. Simply, the thirst for SUVs continues unabated, buyers clamouring for the high-riding soft-roaders at ever-increasing rates.
For Hyundai, the move to ditch its entry-level Accent range of sedans and hatchbacks and replace it with a crossover compact SUV was a reflection of buyers’ tastes. Not to mention a risk.
The local arm of the Korean brand sold just under 10,000 Accents in its final full year on sale in 2019. The Venue hasn’t scaled anywhere near those numbers, its first full year on sale (2020) resulting in 3678 sales, although mitigating that number was the hit Australia’s new car market took during the first wave of the COVID pandemic.
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But, halfway through 2021 and Hyundai has shifted almost as many Venues as it did in all of last year, 3611 to the end of July. Hyundai’s little crossover is starting to make waves.
It’s a simple range, too, with just three variants. The entry-level eponymous Venue is priced at $20,940 plus on-roads (or around $24,500 drive-away), which makes it the most affordable Hyundai and among the cheapest SUVs on sale in Australia. That entry price is for the Venue with a six-speed manual transmission. Opt for a six-speed auto and the price balloons to $22,960 plus on-roads, or circa $26,600 drive-away, based on Sydney pricing.
Sitting mid-range is the Venue Active. It too comes with a choice of manual ($22,870 plus ORC/$26,530) or automatic ($24,890/$28,610) transmission.
And then there’s the range-topping 2021 Hyundai Venue Elite, available only with an automatic transmission and priced at $26,740 plus on-roads or around $30,500 drive-away. It’s the car we have on test here.
There’s not a lot missing from the Venue Elite in terms of equipment. Standard-fit equipment includes 17-inch alloys, remote central locking and push-button start, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation with SUNA live traffic updates, DAB+ digital radio and a six-speaker audio system.
Interestingly, the inclusion of satellite navigation in the top-spec Venue precludes wireless smartphone mirroring, that smart tech reserved for the lower grades which don’t feature sat-nav as standard. What the gods of tech giveth, they also taketh. Still, it’s no great calamity to have to plug your phone in via the single USB port in the front centre console.
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Other equipment highlights for the range-topping Venue include a sunroof, although if buyers option the two-tone paint, as worn by our 'The Denim' finished Venue, the sunroof is off the table. You do score a natty denim cloth interior, though, with that particular hue of mica paint that adds $495 to the bottom line, one of five optional hues.
There’s no question the Venue’s styling polarises, its boxy, slightly awkward profile not to everyone’s taste. But it also stands out in a crowded segment where design is becoming increasingly homogeneous. Hyundai should be acknowledged for trying something different with the Venue, and helping to differentiate it from a slew of rivals.
On price alone, the Kia Stonic comes closest with its $21,490 entry point. Buyers might also consider the runaway sales leader in the segment, Mazda’s CX-3, which gets underway at $22,890 for the Neo Sport model grade, while Toyota’s popular Yaris Cross starts at $26,990 for the front-wheel-drive GX petrol model or $28,990 for the GX petrol-hybrid.
Toyota Yaris Cross
The Toyota Yaris Cross is the first light SUV from Australia’s top-selling brand, Toyota. It is the smallest SUV in Toyota’s range, and sits below the popular RAV4 and C-HR in size, price and features. Its nearest rival is the Mazda CX-3, followed by the Volkswagen T-Cross, Kia Stonic, Hyundai Venue and Ford Puma.
There are three equipment levels in the Yaris Cross range – GX, GXL and Urban – and all are available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Power comes from a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). A petrol-electric hybrid powertrain is optional on 2WD variants and standard on AWD variants.
Prices start from $26,990 for the Yaris Cross GX 2WD petrol and top out at $37,990 for the Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid. The model we’re testing here is the 2021 Toyota Yaris Cross GX Hybrid 2WD priced at $28,990.
The GX grade gets halogen headlights, whereas the GXL and Urban get higher-quality LED headlights. The GX gets LED tail-lights, daytime running lights (DRLs) and rear LED fog lamps, auto-folding electric mirrors, 16-inch alloy wheels and remote central locking.
Key details | 2021 Hyundai Venue Elite | 2021 Toyota Yaris Cross GX 2WD Hybrid |
Price (MSRP) | $26,740 plus on-road costs | $28,990 plus ORCs |
Colour of test car | The Denim | Lunar Blue |
Options | Premium paint ($495) | Premium paint ($601) |
Price as tested | $27,235 plus ORC ($30,500 drive away) | $29,591 (not drive-away) |
Inside
Hyundai Venue
There’s nothing particularly outstanding about the cabin of the Hyundai Venue, even in this top-spec trim. The denim cloth seat trim (which isn’t actually denim but a textured and contrasting design) looks funky and cheerful, and is complemented by some nice faux-aluminium design flourishes that break up the predominantly black interior.
The seats are comfortable, and thanks to the Venue’s boxy profile they afford a high-riding seating position to give good visibility over that squared-off bonnet.
Handy conveniences abound, from the generous storage cubby in front of the gear lever that houses two USB-A points as well as a 12V plug, to the small central storage bin.
The leather-wrapped steering wheel mirrors the Venue’s overall design ethos and feels chunky in hand. It frames an analogue instrument cluster complemented by a small TFT digital driver display nestled between the tacho and speedo.
The second row is surprisingly generous for space, despite the Venue being among the smallest vehicles in its class. That’s no doubt helped by its tall stature, which provides not only decent headroom, but also a sense of roominess. Perception is everything, and the perception in the Venue is of spaciousness belying its stature.
Three adults could squeeze across the back row at a pinch, but you’d want to be comfortable in each other’s presence. Two in the back, though, is perfectly fine.
For those with little ones, the Venue comes equipped with two ISOFIX child seat anchors on the outboard seats, while three top-tether points grace the seat backs.
The boot measures in at 355L, which is more than some rivals (Mazda CX-30 comes in at 264L), but isn’t overly generous either. A cargo blind is fitted as standard, while under the boot floor a space-saver spare waits patiently for the day you hope will never come.
The overall ambience inside the Venue is that of a cheerful and youthful exuberance; a nice blend of materials married to enough convenience and tech to see the value of your spend.
Toyota Yaris Cross
The Toyota Yaris Cross is 240mm longer, 70mm wider and 85mm taller than the Yaris hatchback, which means it is a lot roomier inside. The hip point is also 20mm higher, which makes getting in and out easier, although the back doors are narrow enough to make exiting a challenge for less flexible members of society.
The driving position is good thanks to a multi-adjustable seat and steering wheel combination. The leather steering wheel itself is quite small – some may call it sporty – and has the usual array of buttons for adjusting the cruise control and audio system. The tactility of these buttons is not great unless you push them dead centre.
Driver vision is also good forward and to the side, though some might find the smallish rear window like looking through a postbox.
The GX grade gets fabric seats, vanity mirror on the driver’s sun visor only (not illuminated), an LCD instrument cluster with 4.2-inch multi-information display in the instrument binnacle, a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen infotainment display mounted centrally on the dashboard, single-zone climate-control air-conditioning, push-button start, electric windows with one-touch up and down on the driver’s side, Bluetooth connectivity with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and DAB digital radio.
The 7.0-inch colour touchscreen houses sound-system controls, as well as buttons for interacting with the car’s trip computer and efficiency meters and connected mobile phones. There are a number of other buttons around the cabin, including six blanks to remind you that you’re missing features fitted to other Yaris Cross grades.
One handy little feature is the small storage tray immediately under the touchscreen, which is ideal for phones, sunglasses, parking cards, house keys and the like.
The back seats are capable of accommodating three kids or two adults with good leg room behind the front seats and decent foot space underneath. Head room is also not an issue for six-footers. The middle seat backrest folds down to be a central armrest when needed, and has two cupholders to complement the cupholders and pockets in each back door. The front passenger seat also has a seat-back map pocket.
There are no air vents or USB sockets for back seat passengers. There are three baby seat tethers plus ISOFIX anchors on the two outboard back seats.
Boot space is a maximum of 390L with the back seats in place, which is 120L more than the Yaris hatchback, 126L more than the Mazda CX-3, but 20L less than the Ford Puma. In its standard configuration there’s only 314L because an additional 76L hides in a 12cm-deep basement below a split-lifting false floor.
This is unique to the 2WD, with all-wheel drive models capped at 314L. Below that basement floor hides a space-saver spare tyre.
The cargo blind is flimsy like a sun-shade, meaning it’s fine for hiding what’s in your boot, but useless as a cargo shelf for anything heavier than a scarf. It can be folded up and stored when not in use. Closing the boot requires a bit of effort, which is not always easy to apply using the built-in handholds, especially on cold mornings.
2021 Hyundai Venue Elite | 2021 Toyota Yaris Cross GX 2WD Hybrid | |
Seats | Five | Five |
Boot volume | 355L | 390L |
Length | 4040mm | 4180mm |
Width | 1770mm | 1765mm |
Height | 1592mm | 1590mm |
Wheelbase | 2520mm | 2560mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
Hyundai Venue
Underpinning the Hyundai’s connectivity is an 8.0-inch touchscreen sprouting from the dash like a monolith. Its positioning makes for an easy user experience, and aided by the helpful array of shortcut buttons directly underneath.
The graphics are crisp and clear, and although the Venue doesn’t score Hyundai’s latest operating system, anyone familiar with the brand will feel right at home. The menu structure is easy to navigate, while connecting your smartphone, either via Bluetooth or Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, is a cinch.
Inbuilt sat-nav means those wanting to mirror their smartphones will have to use a USB cable, only the lower grades of the Venue are equipped with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto. That’s the price of having inbuilt sat-nav, the two technologies mutually exclusive for Hyundai, apparently.
The Venue scores DAB+ radio as well as the standard AM/FM, all played through a six-speaker sound system that is adequate at best.
Satellite navigation works well, the live traffic updates a boon, but it doesn’t really offer anything your smartphone already doesn’t.
The small digital driver display nestled between analogue dials is adequate, with a digital speedo and a variety of trip data, including fuel consumption. It’s pretty basic in presentation, but the information is easy to read and helpful to the driving experience.
Toyota Yaris Cross
The Yaris Cross has a basic level of infotainment features, mostly accessible through the centrally mounted 7.0-inch touchscreen. Digital radio is standard and plays through a six-speaker sound system.
There is a single USB connection in the centre stack, along with a 12-volt DC port. Phones can be connected via USB or Bluetooth and operated independently or through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto when plugged in to the USB. Satellite navigation is not fitted to the GX grade. It’s on GXL and Urban grades only.
Safety & Technology
Hyundai Venue
The Venue loses some gloss for its four-star ANCAP rating awarded at the model’s launch in 2019. While it scored well for impact protection – 91 per cent for adult occupant and 82 per cent child occupant – it was marked down by the safety body for vulnerable road user protection (62 per cent) and safety assist systems (61 per cent).
That’s despite the Venue range wearing Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of active safety tech, which in the top-spec Elite bundles in blind-spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and rear cross-traffic alert. Lower grades of Venue miss out on blind-spot and cross-traffic technology. ANCAP assessed the suite as ‘adequate’ in performance overall, singling out the Venue’s autonomous emergency braking system and calling it ‘marginal’ in its ‘ability to avoid a rear-end impact with vehicles in front’.
Other safety technologies include front and rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitoring system and a rear-view camera, while a complement of six airbags covers both rows of occupants.
Toyota Yaris Cross
The Yaris Cross has been tested by ANCAP and, as expected, earned a full five stars for safety. It scored 86 per cent in adult and child occupant protection, 78 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 82 per cent for safety assist systems.
All Yaris Cross grades have eight airbags, including a first-in-class front centre airbag that guards against lateral contact between the driver and front passenger in a crash.
Active safety features – what Toyota calls Toyota Safety Sense – includes a pre-collision safety system featuring autonomous emergency braking with day/night pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, lane-trace assist, emergency steering assist, lane-departure alert, daytime intersection turn assist, road sign assist and adaptive radar cruise control.
The GX does not get blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert, both of which are reserved for GXL and Urban grades.
The Yaris Cross GX has the Toyota Connected Services facility, which automatically places an emergency call in a serious collision.
The Yaris Cross has a number of active safety features listed above that help the driver stay safe and in their lane while driving. It also reads speed signs and will beep at you if you exceed the posted speed limit, although this does not actively influence the radar cruise control’s speed setting.
The Yaris Cross GX has auto high beam, rain-sensing wipers, and a reversing camera with guidelines.
There are four drive modes – Power, Eco, Normal and EV mode. The first three adjust throttle sensitivity and CVT ratio selection to prioritise efficiency or performance. The fourth – EV mode – uses electricity to move the car until battery charge drops too low or the driver’s throttle pressure exceeds the electric motor’s ability to deliver.
The 4.2-inch multi-information display in the instrument cluster has an Eco driving score page to keep you focused on minimising fuel use and maximising mileage. It also has the usual array of trip computers, audio settings and energy monitor.
At a glance | 2021 Hyundai Venue Elite | 2021 Toyota Yaris Cross GX 2WD Hybrid |
ANCAP rating & year tested | Four stars (tested 2019) | Five stars (tested 2021) |
Safety report | Link to ANCAP | Link to ANCAP |
Value for Money
Hyundai Venue
As one of the most affordable SUVs on the market, the Venue makes a compelling case, although with this top-spec Elite asking for over $30,000 drive-away, the value equation loses a little of its shine. Still, even in its highest grade, the Venue represents decent value in terms of included equipment.
Hyundai covers the Venue with its standard five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, while a trip to the workshop is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Hyundai offers a range of prepaid service plans for the venue offering three ($857), four ($1316) or five ($1575) years of coverage.
Hyundai claims the Venue in this specification will sip 7.2L/100km of regular unleaded. Pleasingly, we saw an indicated 6.1L/100km after a week of typical use covering predominantly urban kilometres with some longer, loping highway runs. The Venue’s fuel tank measures in at 45L. That makes for a circa $60 visit to the bowser based on Australia’s national fuel price average ($1.293 per litre) for the 2020-21 financial year.
Toyota Yaris Cross
This is an easy one. The Yaris Cross is currently the only hybrid in Australia’s Light SUV market, which makes it unbeatable value for money if that’s what you’re after.
Many will no doubt see the benefit in buying a hybrid costing $2000 more than a purely petrol equivalent to reduce their fuel bill by $450 per year and reduce emissions. Fuel economy during our time together saw a best of 3.9L/100km and a worst of 4.3L/100km. That’s pretty close to Toyota’s claim of 3.8L/100km. The Yaris Cross Hybrid runs on 91RON unleaded fuel and has a 36L tank.
The Yaris Cross comes with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. This is extended up to seven years on the engine and driveline if all servicing is done on time at an approved Toyota service centre. The hybrid battery has up to 10 years warranty, with an approved annual hybrid system health check.
The service schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Servicing costs are capped at a very affordable $205 for each of the first five services.
At a glance | 2021 Hyundai Venue Elite | 2021 Toyota Yaris Cross GX 2WD Hybrid |
Warranty | Five years / unlimited km | Five years / unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months / 15,000km | 12 months / 15,000km |
Servicing costs | $857 (3yr) | $1575 (5yr) | $615 (3yr)/$1025 (5yr) |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.2L/100km | 3.8L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 6.1L/100km | 4.1L/100km |
Fuel type | 91 octane unleaded | 91 octane unleaded |
Fuel tank size | 45L | 36L |
Driving
Hyundai Venue
In its natural environment, the streets and suburbs of cities everywhere, the Venue has enough in the tank for effortless motoring. The Korean carmaker flies in the face of modern convention by not turbocharging its 1.6-litre inline four-cylinder petrol. It makes 90kW and 151Nm, and while on paper those outputs seem meagre, it’s decent enough for the Venue’s most likely use scenario.
A six-speed automatic sends drive to the front wheels, and around town that combination is perfectly adequate. The transmission can be a bit noisy, much in the same way CVTs of old were, and it does display a tendency to hunt for gears a little too eagerly.
The Venue’s compact dimensions make it an easy SUV to live with around town, and navigating the tight confines of the inner city easily. It’s relatively light on its wheels, too, tipping the scales at 1225kg at its heaviest kerb weight.
Parking is a cinch, the Venue’s four-metre length (4040mm, exactly) able to cram into most parking spaces easily.
Getting up to highway speeds quickly isn’t so comfortable, the Venue feeling cumbersome when pushed too hard. Once up to 100km/h, it happily growls along, but ask more of it for an overtake, for example, and there’s a lack of urgency. In short, there’s not much in reserve.
The ride is adequate too. Around town, the Venue handles most of the scarred and tarred road surfaces comfortably, with only rougher surfaces eliciting any discomfit in the cabin.
And thanks to its tall stance on the road (the Venue measures in at 1592mm high), there’s some noticeable, albeit minor, body roll.
Toyota Yaris Cross
Press the start button and the Yaris Cross Hybrid starts silently, leveraging its electric power to get you out of your driveway. The petrol engine kicks from time to time to keep itself lubricated, and jumps in quickly once you’re on the road, providing a decent amount of acceleration for this 1215kg mini-SUV.
The 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine produces 67kW and 120Nm. A pair of electric motors make for a combined output of 85kW said to propel the Yaris Cross from rest to 100km/h in 11.2 seconds.
The hybrid system is smart and seamless in how it shifts from electric to petrol to hybrid modes, but it’s always noticeable because the petrol engine is not that quiet or refined. It is a three-cylinder unit, so no surprise it can be thrummy and you will feel the vibrations inside – soft but perceptible. Some may like this character, while some may find it unrefined.
Overall, the CVT/hybrid powertrain is competent but uninspiring. If you prefer the sound of engine revs changing and gear changes, then make sure you buy a petrol 2WD or hybrid AWD – instead of the hybrid 2WD – which have paddles on the steering wheel to give you access to 10 set ratios to mimic gears. Or maybe we should just get over our love of engine sounds in preparation for the silent electric future?
I’ll admit, I was surprised at how well the Yaris Cross handles itself. This is no hot hatch, not even a warm one, but it is light-footed and enjoyable to drive. The electric steering is light but has substance, and the 16-inch Bridgestone Turanza tyres provide decent grip in the dry and the wet. The Yaris Cross’s 10mm-longer wheelbase and 35mm-wider front and rear track give it a tangibly bigger footprint than the Yaris hatch too.
The Yaris Cross’s suspension keeps body roll under control in bends. The trade-off for this is a more reactive suspension tune that doesn’t glide over the road’s imperfections, rather it rides them out. So you feel pretty much everything, especially sharper ridges that can crash noisily through. It’s a busier ride than expected from 65-series tyres.
The Yaris Cross’s 10.6m turning circle is on par with rivals like the Mazda CX-3 (10.6m) and Ford Puma (10.4m), but bigger than the Hyundai Venue's 10.2m
Key details | 2021 Hyundai Venue Elite | 2021 MMV |
Engine | 1.6-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol | 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol, plus two-motor electric hybrid |
Power | 90kW @ 6300rpm | 85kW combined, 67kW @ 5500rpm petrol |
Torque | 151Nm @ 4800rpm | 120Nm @ 3800–4800rpm |
Drive type | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
Transmission | Six-speed torque converter automatic | Continuously variable transmission |
Power to weight ratio | 75kW/t | 70kW/t |
Weight | 1225kg | 1215kg |
Tow rating | 800kg braked, 500kg unbraked | 400kg braked, 400kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 10.2m | 10.6m |
Conclusion
There’s no denying Toyota’s ability to nail the needs of mainstream Australia. Practical, well-equipped, strong on safety, easy to drive and affordable to own. The Yaris Cross GX Hybrid 2WD ticks all those boxes. As the only hybrid in its class, there’s no direct rival to cross-shop either.
So, if a very compact hybrid SUV is on your shopping list, we can’t help but recommend the Yaris Cross. That it’s a highly competent car as well gives us peace of mind as much as it does you.
But is that enough to give it the win over the Hyundai Venue? The Venue may not bring anything innovative or inventive to the game - apart from its interesting styling - but it is one of the most affordable little SUVs, and very practical too.
If buyers can look past the four-star safety rating, the Venue rewards with a comfortable, well-equipped and practical compact SUV that does nothing exceptionally well, but neither is it terrible at any one thing.
But for us, the Yaris Cross is the more impressive package here, although you will pay up to 10 per cent more to park it in your driveway. Don't worry too much; you'll recoup that over time in the form of more affordable day-to-day running costs and servicing. And when it comes time to sell, the Yaris Cross will hold its value better than the Hyundai.