2023 Lexus RX Hybrid vs 2024 Hyundai Venue

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid, redesigned and tested in Santa Barbara, California, presented a sleek yet understated appearance. The RX 350h Luxury model, with its Iridium silver finish and 21-inch wheels, looked nearly identical to the standard RX 350, lacking any overt hybrid indicators. The RX 500h F Sport Performance, however, stood out with its Copper paint, blacked-out grille, and aggressive styling. Despite its popularity, the RX maintained a somewhat blunt-nosed design, with a wheelbase stretch that made it appear smaller. Inside, the RX offered a minimalistic and contemporary cabin, featuring ambient lighting and improved infotainment. The RX 350h Luxury boasted Macadamia leather and Ash Bamboo trim, while the RX 500h F Sport Performance had a darker, sportier interior.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue, available in SE, SEL, and Limited trims, offered a stylish and mature design, especially in the Limited trim with Ecotronic Gray paint. Despite its affordability, the Venue displayed genuine style, with appealing fabric inserts and artificial leather bolsters in the interior. The Venue's cabin, though featuring hard plastics, was thoughtfully designed with unexpected style elements like striped seats and white dashboard trim. The digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system were well-suited to the Venue's youthful appeal, providing a high-quality feel for a small SUV.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid offered two distinct hybrid models. The RX 350h, with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, produced 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque, achieving 36 mpg in combined driving. It accelerated to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds, providing a balance of efficiency and performance. The RX 500h F Sport Performance, with a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine, delivered 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, reaching 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. Despite its power, it averaged 20.9 mpg, falling short of its estimated 27 mpg. The RX 500h featured adaptive damping suspension and rear-wheel steering, enhancing its dynamic capabilities.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue, powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, produced 121 hp and 113 lb-ft of torque. Weighing 2,612 pounds, it was agile in urban settings, though less powerful on highways. The Venue's CVT maximized available power, but the engine sounded strained under heavy acceleration. With front-wheel drive and 6.7 inches of ground clearance, the Venue managed snowy conditions better than typical cars. It achieved 31 mpg in combined driving, though our tests averaged 30.3 mpg.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid provided comfort and space, with the RX 350h Luxury offering ten-way power-adjustable seats and premium leather. The RX 500h F Sport Performance had eight-way adjustable seats with larger bolsters. Both models featured heated and ventilated seats and effective climate control. The RX's battery placement under the rear seat improved leg support but reduced headroom. Cargo space was 29.6 cubic feet behind the rear seat, expanding to 46.2 cubic feet with seats folded.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue, with increased ground clearance, offered easy access to its cabin. The driver's seat had manual height adjustment, and the steering wheel was tilt-and-telescopic. Rear seating was tight for three, with limited storage and no air vents. Cargo space was 18.7 cubic feet, expanding to 31.9 cubic feet with the rear seats down.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid featured a new infotainment system, requiring subscription services for full functionality. The Lexus Interface included cloud-based navigation and an Intelligent Assistant. However, the system had usability issues, such as screen reflections and a lack of a tuning knob. The head-up display, while useful, was problematic with polarized sunglasses.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system was user-friendly, with logical menus and physical knobs for volume and tuning. Standard features included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Limited trim added navigation and a wireless charger, though it required wired connections for smartphone integration. The Venue's voice recognition system was sophisticated, enhancing its appeal to younger drivers.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid came with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, featuring advanced driving assistance systems like motorcycle detection and evasive steering assistance. Proactive Driving Assist and Traffic Jam Assist were notable features, though some systems had usability issues, such as the front cross-traffic alert and curve-speed reduction.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue included Hyundai SmartSense, with forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. The Venue received Good ratings from the IIHS and a four-star rating from the NHTSA. However, it lacked adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist.