FOR THESE TWO, IT’S WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS
The Hyundai Venue and Kia
Soul are fresh and new for 2020 and are two compelling compact crossover choices to consider.
Here are some key points to think about, and a few additional models to look at as well.
INFOTAINMENT
The Soul and Venue share an excellent infotainment system. Common to both are easy-reading graphics, a responsive touch screen, and logical menu structures that make it a cinch to find the function or feature you’re after. If you find yourself lost deep within several submenus, a simple tap on the always displayed HOME button returns you to the main screen, making the systems easy to navigate without frustration.
Just plug in your compatible phone, and Apple Carplay or Android Auto come to life, after a few one-time onscreen prompts. Then it’s easy, voice-command access to hundreds of useful functions, using your phone’s native voice-command language and onscreen interface for selected functions.
ALL ABOARD
You’ll find both machines easy to board and exit. Both offer a slightly elevated driving position and have tall roofs and windshields, helping to maximize headroom for front-seat occupants.
Despite riding on the same platform, the Venue is shorter, narrower, and lower than the Soul, and interior volume is not as generous. A longer wheelbase helps give the Soul a smoother ride and additional room in the rear seats.
I’m five-foot-10 and 200 pounds, and I could sit behind myself in the Soul with more than enough leg and knee room, and with relatively easy entry and exit. The second row of seats in the Venue is a bit trickier to get in and out of — the shape of the door opening means adults may catch their thigh on the opening on the way in. Once they’re seated, rear-seat space is adequate but little more.
Not surprisingly, the Soul offers more cargo space. However, both have a notable lip or ledge at the rear of the opening, with the cargo floor sitting somewhat lower than the edge of the tailgate opening.
This may complicate jump-in entry for the family canine. That said, if you’ll frequently travel with three other adults or your family needs some extra room to grow, the Soul is your best choice.
STYLING
In the Venue, old-school Hyundai controls and interfaces are common throughout, the plastics feel fairly low budget if you are tapping or touching them, and on close inspection, you’ll see a few cost-cutting measures, such as exposed screws.
Still, with a playful use of colour and accenting, the Venue’s cabin dialed up the visual wattage with neon green on the dash and seat patterning in this particular tester, and there’s a solid use of contrasting textures and colours.
This mid-grade Venue Trend model clocked in around
$23,500, while the Soul Gt-line Limited tester came in at around $30,000. The Soul’s award-winning design heritage is on full display. For the higher cost, you’re getting an interior with richer materials, more modern controls and displays, and no shortage of unique styling touches. They include textured door panel inserts, metallic trim, and a leather-and-aluminum-accented steering wheel, complete with special badging.
The Soul’s climate controls, instrument set and steering wheel all look fresher and more modern. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is a racy touch, though its engine is not.
Ultimately, the Venue has little to complain about relative to the price point, while the Soul flaunts a more Europeaninspired execution that helps the interior fully support the asking price of a top-line unit.
THE ALTERNATIVES
If you’re shopping for a Venue or Soul, there are three more vehicles worth considering.
First is the Nissan Kicks. It rides better than the Venue, and has a larger and more useful cargo hold, with plenty of room for even taller items. You can get a Bose sound system and Nissan’s Around-view Monitor, too.
Next is the Honda HR-V. This would be my pick as a dog owner, mainly for the flexible rear seating that flips up and out of the way, enabling a walk-in canine lounge. Seats flip down, too. The HR-V, very flexible because of that seating system, has a great highway ride, and can be fitted with all-wheel drive.
Finally, there’s the Subaru Crosstrek, which offers AWD and has superior ride quality on really rough, real-world roads.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re a fan of simple and easy-to-use interiors, go with the Venue. Controls are fewer, more logically arranged, easier to find and use, and more clearly labelled. My tester’s drive-mode selector and heated steering wheel were nice bonuses at this price.
The Soul’s unique on-board touches may be a real draw for tech-savvy gadget-lovers. The head-up display, complete with a thin plastic blade to capture the projection in front of the driver, is a delightful touch, ditto the cabin mood lighting.
It’s always nice to have choices.