Just like many other automakers, Hyundai has a lot of SUV options in its lineup, and one of its more popular options is the Kona. While the latest version of the Kona is a solid SUV all-around, its sales numbers aren’t that great, especially compared to the rivals in the segment. Here’s a look at the Hyundai Kona and how Hyundai’s other subcompact SUV option might actually be hurting the Kona’s sales performance.

Here’s how the Hyundai Kona and the Venue are selling right now

Hyundai published its sales data for May 2023, and in general, the South Korean auto giant is doing well as its total sales in May 2023 were 18% larger than its sales were for May 2022. So far in 2023, the company has sold over 320,000 units, and that’s a 16% increase from last year. Unsurprisingly, the company’s best-selling vehicle right now is an SUV, and it’s the Tucson, which has sold about 83,000 units so far this year.

However, the Kona and Venue are not doing as well as their bigger siblings are. In May 2023, the Kona sold about 5,600 units, which is slightly fewer units than the company sold last year. Year-to-date, the Kona has sold around 32,000 units, which makes it the fifth best-selling model in the lineup. Additionally, that number is a 19% increase from last year.

The Venue, meanwhile, is doing worse than the Kona. In May 2023, the South Korean automaker sold about 2,400 units of the car, which only represented a 3% increase from May 2022. Year-to-date, the Venue has sold about 14,000 units, which is a 28% increase from last year.

While that growth is good, the Venue is one of the worst-selling cars in the lineup. Only EVs like the Ioniq 5 and discontinued cars are selling worse right now.

The Hyundai Venue may be hurting the Kona’s sales numbers

Hyundai has SUV options in multiple segments, but the Kona and the Venue are both competing in the same segment. They’re both subcompact SUVs, and compared to more popular subcompact SUVs, the Kona and Venue are simply selling worse. For example, the Honda HR-V has been hurting in terms of its numbers. However, in just the first four months of 2023, it’s already sold more units than the Kona has in five months.

If the Kona and Venue’s sales numbers were combined, then their year-to-date sales would only be roughly equal to the HR-V’s sales. That hints at the idea that the Venue may be dragging down the Kona’s sales numbers.

After all, they’re both subcompact SUVs from Hyundai, and they have a lot of similarities. The Kona is newer though, and the South Korean automaker may be stifling its success since the Venue is competing against it.

How the 2023 Hyundai Kona compares to the 2023 Hyundai Venue

While they’re both subcompact SUVs, they are different in some significant ways. The Kona is slightly bigger, and it’s more expensive as it costs $22,000 compared to the Venue’s $20,000 price tag. The Venue only has a single, 121-hp engine option, while the Kona has three options. The standard engine gets 147 hp, while the most powerful option gets 276 hp. 

Despite the more powerful standard engine, the Kona is more fuel efficient as it gets 33 mpg combined compared to the Venue’s 31 mpg combined. Since the Kona is larger, it’s more spacious on the inside too. In terms of cargo capacity, it maxes out at 45.8 cu-ft compared to the Venue’s 32 cu-ft. However, both subcompact SUVs come with an 8-inch touchscreen and similar smart safety features.