As much as we love cars, we can’t deny they can be expensive to maintain. Along with paying the initial MSRP, you also have insurance, maintenance, and fuel costs. Some automakers, such as Hyundai, produce more reliable vehicles that have a better chance of lasting over 200,000 miles.

One of the automaker’s latest models, the Venue subcompact crossover, recently won the Best Value Award for 2021 from Cars.com. To win this award, a vehicle’s performance and tech features must justify its retail value. The Hyundai Venue boasts an impressive number of features at a highly competitive price.

Under the hood of the 2021 Hyundai Venue

The 2021 Venue has a fairly unassuming engine, a 1.6-liter four-cylinder capable of 121 hp and 113 lb-ft of torque, Hyundai reports. It’s also paired with a continuously variable transmission, but Autotrader says it feels closer to a true automatic transmission. It’s definitely not the fastest SUV, but it’s quick off the starting line, and the steering is sharp.

The Hyundai Venue isn’t available in all-wheel drive, but it has a selectable drive mode for snowy terrain. Sure, that’s not a substitute for power to all four wheels, but it still gives better traction. The Venue also gets great gas mileage, an EPA-estimated 30/33 mpg city/highway.

Inside the Hyundai Venue

The Hyundai Venue’s small size becomes apparent once you climb inside. Both rows provide a good amount of headroom, but legroom in the second row is somewhat restrictive. Compared to its rivals, it also doesn’t offer that much cargo space behind the rear seats.

Besides a few stylistic touches, the interior is also covered in hard plastic. However, the Hyundai Venue’s seats are comfortable and supportive, especially the Denim trim’s leatherette ones. The Hyundai Venue SEL, the middle-ground trim, boasts available heated seats and a moonroof.

The Hyundai Venue also provides an impressive number of tech features for the price. The infotainment system is equipped with smartphone integration, HD Radio, and Bluetooth, all controlled via an eight-inch touchscreen. You can get up to two USB ports, but satellite radio and navigation are standard only on the Denim trim.

Advanced safety features include forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, driver drowsiness monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking. Rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitors come standard on the two higher trims.

Pricing for the Venue

According to Cars.com, the base Hyundai Venue retails for $19,935. That’s a fantastic deal when you consider all of its included technology and highly efficient engine. A decked-out Venue Denim’s starting price barely breaches $22,000, so you can feel free to splurge on extra features.

The Hyundai Venue also boasts a generous bumper-to-bumper warranty, lasting five years or 60,000 miles. It also has a 10-year powertrain warranty and three years (or 36,000 miles) of free routine service. The only downside is that the powertrain warranty will revert to a shorter coverage period if sold to another owner.

How rivals compare

Sure, there are more exciting subcompact SUVs on the market, such as the Mazda CX-30. In addition to its larger engine and sportier handling, the CX-30 has a roomier luggage bay. It’s also disappointing that the Hyundai Venue’s cabin isn’t as well-appointed as its Kona sibling.

But with its bargain of a starting price, the Venue blows most competitors out of the water. Additionally, though it’s not as dependable as other Hyundai SUVs, J.D. Power gives the Venue an above-average predicted reliability rating. The Hyundai Venue proves you can have a well-balanced subcompact SUV without breaking the bank.