2021 Audi Q3 vs 2020 Hyundai Venue

The 2020 Hyundai Venue filled a gap in Hyundai's lineup by offering a more affordable subcompact SUV option. While the Kona, introduced in 2018, was more premium and powerful with AWD, the Venue focused on being a budget-friendly people-mover with an upright design. It featured distinctive touches like a contrasting white roof on the Denim trim and a large chrome grille reminiscent of the Hyundai Palisade. Inside, the Venue boasted a modern, clean cabin with ample space for both front and rear passengers, providing excellent visibility and comfort.

In contrast, the 2021 Audi Q3 embraced a postmodern automotive styling with its massive corporate grille and chunky design, suggesting utility and dynamic handling. The interior echoed this modern aesthetic, with a standout dash design framing the center touchscreen. Although Audi's non-luxury sibling Volkswagen was catching up in interior design, the Q3 maintained a refined and modern feel. The Q3 offered trims like Premium and Premium Plus, with features such as leather upholstery, power-adjustable seats, and a panoramic sunroof, enhancing its luxury appeal.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue was powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. Most trims came with a continuously variable automatic transmission (IVT), sending power to the front wheels without an AWD option. Despite its SUV label, the Venue's performance was more akin to a compact hatchback, with modest acceleration and noticeable engine noise. It offered drive modes like Normal, Snow, and Sport, but acceleration remained underwhelming. Fuel economy was a highlight, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2021 Audi Q3 featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission to Quattro AWD. The S-Line trim offered a more potent 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The Q3's performance was lively, with solid power for passing and engaging drive modes like Auto, Comfort, Dynamic, and Off-Road. While turbo lag was present in the base engine, the Q3's handling was nimble and comfortable, providing a balanced driving experience.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue offered limited cargo space, with 31.9 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded, compared to the Kona's 45.8 cubic feet. However, it provided ample head- and legroom in the front and decent legroom in the rear, even for taller drivers. The Venue's control layout was intuitive, combining new technology with traditional buttons and dials for ease of use. Automatic climate control on higher trims featured a unique display that could be confusing at first glance.

The 2021 Audi Q3 provided 48 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 23.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats. While cargo space was subpar for its class, the Q3 excelled in passenger comfort, offering spacious front seats with deep cargo pockets and impressive rear headroom and legroom. It comfortably seated four passengers for longer trips, emphasizing passenger space over cargo capacity.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The logical layout minimized distracted driving, with large icons and redundant hard buttons for major functions. The screen placement allowed for easy use while driving, enhancing the overall user experience.

The 2021 Audi Q3 featured a standard 8.8-inch touchscreen running Audi’s MMI system, with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. An upgraded 10.1-inch touchscreen with navigation was available, along with features like wireless device charging and a Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Audi Virtual Cockpit offered a customizable digital display, replacing the conventional instrument cluster for a modern touch.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue included standard safety features like a reversing camera, traction control, and a full array of airbags. It also offered forward-collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, and a driver-attention warning. The SEL trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert with the Convenience Package, standard on the Denim trim.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came with Audi Pre Sense and Pre Sense Front, including forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Lane-departure warning was standard, with optional features like blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera system. Additional options included parking sensors and self-parking assist.