2020 Venue Is Hyundai’s Most Affordable SUV At $17,250, But Is It The Better Buy?

Just before it begins arriving in dealer lots across the United States towards the end of November, Hyundai has dropped pricing for its new entry-level small SUV.

The 2020 Venue starts from $17,250 rising to $22,050 for the most expensive version, to which you’ll have to add a $1,095 freight charge. On face value, the base price undercuts some of its direct rivals like the Nissan Kicks ($18,640), Kia Soul ($17,490), and -even more so- Ford’s EcoSport ($20,485).

All Venues come with a standard 121 horsepower 1.6-liter 4-cylinder hooked up to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed CVT that Hyundai calls IVT, as in “Intelligent Variable Transmission”.

Looking through the specs we see that the base $17,250 MSRP is for the manual gearbox SE model (as with other such models of the sort, good luck finding it readily-available in dealer lots), with the automatic being a $1,250 option on the sub-compact SUV, lifting its MSRP to $18,450.

Tip: You might want to look at the Kona too

That puts the spotlight on the larger Kona. Besides getting a more powerful 147 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder also comes with a standard automatic 6sp transmission. While the base 2020 Kona SE starts at $20,100, Hyundai is currently running a promotion (see here) through December 2, 2019, offering a $1,000 bonus cash bringing the MSRP down to $19,100 or just $650 more than the automatic Venue.

2020 Hyundai Kona pictured above

That not only sounds like a better deal to us (bigger car, more power), but also suggests that Hyundai wants to move more Konas off their lots before the end of the year, so it’s possible the salespeople will cut you an even sweeter deal if you play your cards (and poker face) right on the negotiation table. The Venue, on the other hand, is a brand new arrival, so don’t expect any favors for now.

The 2020 Venue’s trims and standard kit

Back to the Venue, there are three core trim levels, the aforementioned SE, the SEL that can also be had with the Convenience and Premium packages, and the Denim.

From Hyundai, we learn that the base SE has the following standard features:

3.5-inch TFT Instrument cluster display, rearview monitor, 8-inch AM/FM/HD® Radio Audio System with Apple CarPlayand Android Autowith four speakers, first row USB charge port, 12V outlet, Bluetooth hands-free phone, steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, automatic headlights, air conditioning, remote keyless entry and an exterior temperature display.

Venue also includes Hyundai SmartSense, a suite of standard safety features including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keeping Assist and Driver Attention Warning, Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) with Traction Control as well as front, side and head curtain airbags each as standard equipment.

Hyundai’s press blurb is not clear on what the plain SEL trim adds over the SE, but it does say what the Convenience and Premium packages contribute:

In addition to the SE package level details, the Convenience package includes a power sunroof, sliding armrest storage box, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW).

The Premium package requires the Convenience package and also includes: heated front seats and side mirrors, LED headlights, LED Daytime Running Lights and taillights, 17-inch alloy wheels with 205/55 R17 tires, proximity key with push button start, 8-inch Navigation AM/FM/HD/SiriusXM and Hyundai’s Blue Link Connected Car System.

As for the two-tone Denim model:

The Denim trim package includes exclusive Denim exterior color, contrasting white roof and select trim pieces, exclusive Denim interior color with cloth and leatherette combination front seats. This trim can be in place of or in addition to the SEL Premium package. A sunroof is not optional on the Denim trim.

You will be able to choose from seven different colors named Black Noir Pearl, Ceramic White, Scarlet Red Pearl, Intense Blue, Stellar Silver, Galactic Gray and Green Apple, with the Denim model featuring an exclusive “Denim” color. Selections for the interior are limited to black and grey.