The boxy little Hyundai Venue, a compact crossover SUV, carries over essentially unchanged for 2023. But there are a few minor upgrades:
A rear occupant alert, which uses door logic to remind you to check the back seat for a sleeping child or a pet before leaving the vehicle, has been made standard across the 2023 Hyundai Venue lineup. Also, all 2023 Hyundai Venues get a standard 4.2-inch color display (up from 3.5), a standard map lamp, and a center console with an armrest.
And the other notable change? Wireless smartphone charging, previously unavailable in the Venue, has been made standard in the top trim, which continues to be called the Venue Limited.
As before, the Venue slots in below its Hyundai Kona sibling in price and size, and it’s sold in three trim levels: SE, SEL, and Limited.
As an affordable compact crossover SUV, the Venue competes with the Kia Soul, Nissan Kicks, and Toyota C-HR. Like the Venue, all of these competitors are front-wheel drive (FWD), and none can be ordered with all-wheel drive (AWD). The Venue has 18.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind its rear seat — not quite as much as these competitors but still a respectable amount.
The Venue is not designed to tackle tough trails and help you reach remote campsites. Instead, Hyundai targets a young and urban audience, one that’s more interested in bopping around town in an attractively priced yet practical vehicle that’s easy to park.
The sole engine in the Hyundai Venue remains a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that sends 121 horsepower and 113 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). EPA fuel economy ratings remain a respectable 29 mpg city/33 mpg highway/31 mpg combined.
While the boxy design of this small Hyundai SUV is good for interior headroom front and rear, the 5-seat Venue gets tight on rear legroom when the front seats are all the way back. That stated, the Venue is remarkably roomy, given its compact size.
Let’s take a look at the three trim levels of the 2023 Hyundai Venue, each backed by an excellent 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and powertrain protection that lasts an outstanding 10 years or 100,000 miles.
2023 Hyundai Venue SE: $19,500
The Venue isn’t quite as basic at the SE level as you might expect. The infotainment revolves around an 8-inch touchscreen, and the 4-speaker audio system includes HD Radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
What’s more, there are three USB ports in front (two for charging, one for connecting your smartphone), plus Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition.
The Venue SE seats are covered in cloth. The 5-seat interior features a sliding center console armrest, power windows, air conditioning, cruise control, a rear defroster, lighted vanity mirrors, and audio controls mounted on the tilt/telescopic steering wheel.
On the mechanical front, the Venue SE comes equipped with 15-inch alloy wheels wearing 185/65R-15 tires, and the rear brakes are drums, not discs. Power mirrors also are standard, as are tinted glass and a fold-down rear seat with a 60/40-split seatback.
On the safety front, the 2023 Hyundai Venue SE comes standard with six airbags and a forward-collision warning system with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection. Also standard is lane-keeping assist, high-beam assist, and a Driver Attention Warning that sounds a warning if it senses you getting drowsy.
The Hyundai Venue SE, built in South Korea, isn’t offered with any factory options.
Adding the $1,295 destination fee to the SE’s base price brings the total to $20,795. If you put no money down and financed the Venue SE for 60 months at a 3% interest rate, you’d have a monthly payment of about $374. See 2023 Hyundai Venue SE models for sale near you
2023 Hyundai Venue SE includes:
- Six airbags – The Venue has a pair of frontal airbags for the driver and front passenger, plus two side-impact airbags for the front-row occupants and a pair of side-curtain airbags offering protection for both rows.
- Bluelink – This suite includes Automatic Collision Notification, SOS Emergency Assistance, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, and even monthly vehicle health alerts.
- 2-level rear cargo floor – The Venue’s rear cargo area floor has two settings, including a lower one to help accommodate taller items.
2023 Hyundai Venue SEL: $21,250
It’s smart to select a Venue SEL over an SE.
After all, the Venue SEL costs only $1,750 more than an SE, but it comes with lots of extra equipment. Most notable are the rear disc brakes and automatic climate control. Still, you also get Drive Mode Select (with Normal, Sport, and Snow modes), a power sunroof, a one-touch-up driver window, roof rails, and two of our favorite safety technologies — a blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert.
Inside the SEL, you also get an upgraded 6-speaker stereo, plus leather coverings for the steering wheel and shifter.
Also notable: The 2023 Hyundai Venue SEL gets upgraded to 17-inch alloy wheels equipped with 205/55R-17 tires. These fill out the wheel wells much better than the 15s of the base model.
Adding the $1,295 destination fee to the SEL’s base price totals $22,545. If you put no money down and financed the Venue SEL for 60 months at a 3% interest rate, you’d have a monthly payment of about $405. See 2023 Hyundai Venue SEL models for sale near you
2023 Hyundai Venue SEL includes:
- Automatic climate control – This set-and-forget system automatically maintains the preset temperature in the Venue’s cabin.
- Blind-spot monitor – This system makes lane changes much safer by letting you know when a vehicle is lingering in your rear three-quarter blind spot.
- Rear Occupant Alert – New this year, this system will warn you to check the back seat before walking away from your Venue.
2023 Hyundai Venue Limited: $22,750
The top Hyundai Venue is again the Limited. What exactly do you get for the extra $1,500 over the SEL?
For starters, you get LED headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights, along with a two-tone paint scheme in select colors. One thing you don’t get, however, is a sunroof. While that seems strange, the Limited is fitted with an overhead console with a map lamp, making it impossible to have a sunroof.
Other standard features on the 2023 Hyundai Venue Limited include a proximity key with a push-button starter, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and a navigation system with an 8-inch screen and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Venue Limited also gets the best collision-avoidance software to detect pedestrians, cyclists, and stopped cars.
Equipped as well as it is but still remarkably affordable, the Hyundai Venue Limited looks like an even better deal than the Venue SEL.
Adding the $1,295 destination fee to the Limited’s base price brings the total to $24,045. If you put no money down and financed the Venue Limited for 60 months at a 3% interest rate, you’d have a monthly payment of about $432. See 2023 Hyundai Venue Limited models for sale near you
2023 Hyundai Venue Limited includes:
- Proximity Key – Allows the unlocking of the car doors with the key fob. Includes a push-button starter.
- Wireless charging pad – Your smartphone will stay charged if you use the new wireless charging pad, exclusive to the Venue Limited.
- Two-tone paint – The Venue Limited is available in white or gray with a black roof or blue with a white roof. Looks good this way.
