Compared: 2024 Hyundai Venue vs. 2024 Kia Soul

These two Korean subcompact SUVs offer a lot of goodies for little money.

William Clavey | 

Feb 7, 2024 | 2 min read

Kia | Hyundai

Since the death of the Hyundai Accent, the Venue subcompact crossover has served as Hyundai's most affordable option. It's a well-equipped if unspirited option for those shopping in the sub-$25,000 range.

Looking for something with a little more pep? Consider the Venue's corporate cousin, the Kia Soul, which is about the same price but a little larger and more stylish.

Kia

The Hyundai Venue Is Cheaper but a Bit Slower Than the Kia Soul

Both models start at about $21,000, though the base Soul is a few hundred dollars more. The range-topping Venue Limited costs about $24,000 and, unlike the other two trim levels, features LED headlights and taillights, heated seats, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The $25,000 EX that caps the Soul's four-trim lineup has much of the same.

As for power, the Venue gets a 1.6-liter four-cylinder, good for 121 horsepower, and the Soul gets a 2.0-liter, rated at 147 horsepower. This gives the Kia slightly quicker off-the-line performance. Both models come standard with a continuously variable transmission, and neither offers all-wheel drive.

Hyundai

The Soul Is Both Larger and Better Equipped

The Soul is 6.1 inches longer, 1.2 inches wider, and 1.4 inches taller than the Venue, so it should come as no surprise that it offers superior cargo and passenger space. Under the hatch, the Soul has a little more than 24 cubic-feet of space in which to put your gear, whereas the Venue has closer to 19 cu-ft. Lower the rear seatbacks and capacity increases to about 62 and 32 cubes, respectively. The Soul's second-row legroom is also a notable 4.5 inches greater than the Venue's — something you may appreciate if you travel with kids in car seats.

In base form, neither vehicle comes with blind-spot monitoring, but Soul buyers can at least option it. Venue shoppers have to move up to the next trim level for that feature.

While the least expensive Soul uses an 8.0-inch screen in the dash, all others feature a 10.3-inch unit that supports navigation. Both of Kia's infotainment systems offer wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, as does the 8.0-inch display in the top Venue.

Hyundai

The Venue Is a Tad More Efficient Than the Soul

The Venue, with fuel-economy ratings of 29/33/31 mpg city/highway/combined, comes in slightly ahead of the Soul in terms of gas mileage. The latter gets 27/33/30 mpg.

William Clavey

William Clavey is an automotive journalist from Montreal, Canada, who has nearly a decade of car-writing experience. His work has been featured on various automotive and newspaper websites.