It’s no fun to buy a brand new SUV, only to have it break down a short time later, or need expensive repairs and maintenance. It’s also hard to predict whether that will happen, though a little digging can help you stave off some of the worst offenders. When you want a small SUV for a reasonable price that won’t cost you major money down the road, you have several good options. According to Kelley Blue Book, the new 2021 Hyundai Venue is the best of the cheapest SUVs. That may surprise you, considering that the Venue is a new car, and Hyundai hasn’t had a lot of time to sort out problems. Apparently it hasn’t needed to. 

The 2021 Hyundai Venue is a new Sport Utility Vehicle

Kelley Blue Book calls the 2021 Hyundai Venue the cheapest subcompact SUV to own over the course of five years. It’s Hyundai’s smallest SUVs in a group of stellar SUVs. Some of Hyundai’s other SUVs include the Palisade, the Santa Fe and the Santa Cruz. 

To determine the cost of owning a vehicle for five years, Kelley Blue Book took several factors into account. These include the cost of the vehicle when you buy it, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. Kelley Blue Book also factors in depreciation, saying that should be an important part of deciding which SUV to buy. 

After doing all of these calculations, Kelley Blue Book determined that the five-year cost of owning the 2021 Hyundai Venue would be about $29,145. This is an astonishing $6,838 less than other subcompact SUVs in the Venue’s category.

Hyundai Venue pricing makes it one of the cheapest SUVs

The initial cost of buying the 2021 Hyundai Venue is pretty reasonable. A new Venue should cost you about $18,750. This is on the lower end of the range of subcompact SUV prices.

So what do you get for under $19,000? Automatic transmission, a 4-cylinder engine that gets 31 mpg, and a 10-year/100,000 mile warranty. The 2021 Hyundai Venue also comes with a pretty good infotainment system. It has an 8-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto. 

Does the 2021 Hyundai Venue have problems?

The biggest problems with the 2021 Hyundai Venue tend to be complaints about its size. Venue owners say that the rear seats aren’t as spacious as they’d like. Additionally, there isn’t a ton of cargo space in the 2021 Hyunai Venue. Still, if you’re buying the Venue because you want a smaller SUV, this likely won’t bother you. Its small dimensions should make it a breeze to park in the city. 

The 2021 Hyundai Venue does win the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick award. However, it didn’t win the IIHS’ top award, the Top Safety Pick+, in part because of its headlights. The headlights for the 2021 Hyundai Venue are rated just acceptable or marginal, depending on which trim level you purchase. This may be an important factor in determining which SUV to buy, as more than half of all fatal accidents occur at night. 

At the end of the day, if you want a small and affordable SUV, the 2021 Hyundai Venue may be just what you need. It’s got good safety ratings, a compact size, and a low initial purchase price. Additionally, it’s one of the cheapest SUVs you can own long term.