Here’s the Cheapest SUV in 2023: Should You?
Maybe you’ve forgotten about the Hyundai Venue. With the takeover of SUVs and trucks, there are still car companies that make affordable sub-compact SUVs. It’s still one of the only cars you can get new for under $20,000 in 2023. That won’t last long if Chinese automakers make inroads here, but it’s the cheapest for now.
So, what do you get for your $19,650? Actually, there are a fair amount of standard features. And if the base Venue SE isn’t quite as optioned as you like, there are two other reasonably priced trims. The SEL comes in at $21,000, while the top-of-the-line Limited increases that number only slightly to $22,900.
What comes standard with the base 2023 Hyundai Venue?
All SEs come with alloy wheels, digital gauges, and eight-inch infotainment screens. While eight inches may not seem like a big deal, keep in mind the cabin is small. Not in a cramped way; it’s spacious for its size, just not large enough to handle the same screen as a truck or SEL Mercedes.
Headroom is 39.4 inches, legroom is 41.3 inches in front and 34.3 inches in back, and it has a 31.9 cubic-foot cargo capacity with the rear seats folded down. With the base SE, a center-console armrest, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, too.
What safety features does the 2023 Hyundai Venue come with?
Interiors all come in black, with an optional gray fabric for the SEL trim. Options for the SEL include a leather-covered steering wheel and shift knob, heated front seats, and passive entry. These are all standard with Limited trim. Hyundai says power sunroofs are only available in the middle SEL trim for some odd reason.
Standard safety features for the sub-compact SUV include tire-pressure monitoring, rearview camera, electronic stability control, traction control, and ABS. As for driver-assist features, there are a bunch of them. Lane-keeping assist, pedestrian detection, collision warning, automatic high beam headlights, rear-seat occupancy alert, blind-spot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety took notice, giving the Venue a Top Safety Pick rating.
Does the Venue have a hybrid option?
Power comes from a 121 hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder, spinning the front wheels only, from a CVT automatic transmission. Fuel economy is good at 29 mpg City and 33 mpg Highway, with a combined 31 mpg. There is no all-wheel drive offered, nor hybrid of EV models.
A 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty comes with every 2023 Venue, with a five-year/60,000-mile new vehicle warranty. A 24-hour roadside assistance package is available with every Venue for five years.
In all, what you expect from the cheapest SUV available in 2023 and the reality of the Venue are two different things. For a sub-compact, it offers a lot of surprises and plenty of safety and warranty protection to ease buyers’ minds.
