2025 Dodge Durango vs 2024 Hyundai Venue

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was available in SE, SEL, and Limited trims, with prices ranging from $21,275 to $24,525, including a destination charge. The Venue SEL, priced at $23,275, was recommended for its enhanced exterior appearance and added convenience and safety features. The Limited trim test vehicle, painted in Ecotronic Gray and equipped with carpeted floor mats, had an MSRP of $24,735. Despite limited options, the Venue's design was appealing, offering a mature and subdued look. Inside, the Venue featured hard plastics but maintained a stylish appearance with striped seats and white trim. The digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display were highlights, showcasing Hyundai's attention to quality and detail.

The 2025 Dodge Durango, particularly the SRT Hellcat Premium with the Silver Bullet special edition package, was a striking vehicle. Priced at $115,315, it featured Triple Nickel paint, a satin black hood, unique wheels, dark badges, and black exhaust tips, enhancing its visual appeal. Inside, the Durango SRT Hellcat offered dark red premium Nappa leather seats, a suede headliner, and forged carbon fiber trim. While the interior felt solidly constructed, some plastic surfaces detracted from the overall luxury. The Durango's design was both aggressive and refined, catering to those seeking a powerful yet stylish SUV.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. Weighing 2,612 pounds in base SE trim, the Venue's continuously variable transmission (CVT) maximized available power, making it suitable for city and suburban driving. Its small size, nimble handling, and excellent visibility were advantageous in urban environments. However, the Venue's suspension struggled on rough roads, leading to a busy ride quality. On highways, it maintained pace with traffic but sounded unpleasant under hard acceleration. The Venue lacked all-wheel drive, but its 6.7 inches of ground clearance allowed it to handle snow with winter tires. Fuel economy was rated at 31 mpg combined, though our testing yielded 30.3 mpg.

The 2025 Dodge Durango offered a range of powertrains, with the SRT Hellcat boasting a 710-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine and 645 pound-feet of torque. It accelerated to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, reached a top speed of 180 mph, and towed up to 8,700 pounds. Despite its power, the Durango's fuel economy was poor, with an EPA rating of 12/17/13 mpg. The SRT Hellcat featured a full-time AWD system, electronic limited-slip rear differential, and high-performance exhaust. Its adaptive damping suspension, performance steering, and Brembo brakes provided excellent handling. The Durango excelled in performance, rivaling sport and performance-tuned German SUVs.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue offered increased ground clearance, making entry and exit easier. Despite its small size, it provided decent comfort, with a manually adjustable driver's seat and tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The back seat accommodated three people, though two were more comfortable. Rear passengers had USB ports but limited storage and no air conditioning vents. The Venue's cargo space was comparable to a compact car, with 18.7 cubic feet available, expanding to 31.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The 2025 Dodge Durango excelled in form and function, offering a spacious and comfortable interior. The SRT Hellcat Premium featured heated and ventilated front seats with Nappa leather, though they lacked secure support during spirited driving. The second-row captain's chairs were heated and provided good leg support, with ample legroom for taller passengers. The Durango's center console offered plenty of storage, and rear passengers had access to climate controls, USB ports, and a power outlet. The third-row seat was accessible and comfortable for adults. Cargo space was generous, with 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 85.1 cubic feet with seats folded.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display with modern graphics and logical menus. Standard features included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and a six-speaker sound system. The Limited trim added navigation, SiriusXM, a wireless charger, and Bluelink+ services. However, the switch to wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a drawback. Despite this, the Venue's infotainment system was sophisticated, with impressive voice recognition.

The 2025 Dodge Durango came with a Uconnect 5 infotainment system, featuring a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a native navigation system. It included SiriusXM 360L, Dodge Connect, and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. The SRT Hellcat had an Alpine sound system, with the test vehicle featuring a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The voice recognition system worked well, though it required specificity. The SRT Hellcat also included SRT Performance Pages for tracking performance metrics, adding a unique touch to the family-friendly SUV.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue came with Hyundai SmartSense, offering forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and a rear-seat reminder. The Venue SEL added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the Limited trim included cyclist detection. The Venue received Good ratings in three IIHS crash tests and an Acceptable rating for its LED headlights. The NHTSA awarded it a four-star overall rating.

The 2025 Dodge Durango's safety features were basic, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Upgrades included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and trailer detection. The NHTSA gave the Durango a four-star overall rating, with a three-star rollover resistance rating for AWD models. The IIHS noted concerns in the small overlap frontal-impact test.