TWO CUTE COMMUTERS
It’s the little things that reveal the difference between these two subcompact crossovers
Brian Harper: Years ago, my father sometimes used “puddle jumper” to describe certain small, low-priced cars used for getting around. The term came from a slang description of a small passenger airplane, one typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.
We have two modern-day equivalents, subcompact crossovers with low (sub-$20k) prices marketed to young buyers, and while certainly capable of highway travel, function best as intra-urban transportation. The more senior of the two, Nissan’s Kicks, has been in production since
2016, first showing up in Canada in 2018. With Canadian sales exceeding 16,000 last year, it’s one of the more popular models in its class and part of the fastest growing segment in the country.
The Venue is a brand-new model for 2020, becoming the gateway vehicle for Hyundai’s burgeoning crossover lineup. Both the Kicks and Venue being tested are in topline trim.
Nick Tragianis: Let’s start with what’s under the hood. Both come with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine hooked up to a CVT, although you can spec a base Venue with a six-speed manual. The Venue puts out 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque, while the
Kicks is technically more powerful, with 122 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque. The Kicks and Venue are commuter vehicles built to take you (and a bit of extra cargo) from point A to B without making too much of a fuss.
And they don’t. Well, the Nissan doesn’t. There’s a fair bit of road and wind noise on the highway, and passing or merging certainly takes a bit of planning, but the Kicks feels surprisingly well composed around town. The light steering, diminutive dimensions, and the optional 360-degree camera mean the Kicks is easy to manoeuvre around town, and it soaks up bumps and rough pavement surprisingly well.
The Venue tended to buzz along at higher rpm with the cruise control set to a reasonable 120 km/h. For some reason it was constantly jumping between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm, despite my foot being off the throttle. Even around town, the Venue felt harsher over bumps and let in more road noise than the Kicks. But the interior made up for some of those pitfalls.
BH: I didn’t find either crossover particularly unpleasant. I agree that the Kicks was more comfortable, possibly due to its 300-millimetre-longer wheelbase. I thought the Venue was nimbler in traffic and easier to park.
Given that these two testers are close in price ($24,333 for the Kicks SR and $25,099 for the Venue Ultimate), virtually identical in the powertrain department, and very close in dimensions and weight, it’s the creature comforts and amenities that will get my attention. And this is where the Venue starts to shine.
NT: The Venue’s cabin is impressive. Our tester was fitted with the
Denim upholstery option, making the interior feel rather airy. Visibility is excellent, and ergonomics are on point — the gauges are easy to read, the climate control and infotainment have physical buttons and knobs, and the Venue uses a conventional armrest/centre console design.
Because the Venue is a Hyundai, the Ultimate trim comes with a list of bells and whistles: blindspot monitoring, automatic climate control, heated steering wheel, sunroof, and an eight-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and GPS navigation.
The Kicks’ cabin falls a bit short of the Venue’s. The touch screen is smaller and it’s missing a few creature comforts, such as a heated steering wheel and a sunroof — although the Venue doesn’t offer a 360-degree camera. As far as ergonomics go, the Kicks misses the mark a bit. Up front, the Kicks only has one flip-up armrest, kind of like what you’d find in an airplane. It’s only for the driver, and isn’t particularly comfortable.
The Kicks has a roomier cargo area with the seats up, and on paper it has a fuel economy advantage, but after a week of real-world wintry commuting, the difference was minuscule.
The Kicks’ trip computer was
8.3 L/100 km, 8.4 for the Venue. BH: You forgot the fact that the Venue has four-wheel disc brakes, while the Kicks has a front disc/rear drum setup. The Venue also comes with Snow and Sport modes. So, yes, if we’re looking at value per dollar, Hyundai’s newest is the better deal. Really, it’s a close call between the two on most accounts.
Driving.ca