2024 Hyundai Venue vs 2025 INFINITI QX80

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was available in SE, SEL, and Limited trims, with prices ranging from $21,275 to $24,525, including a $1,375 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 stylish look. Inside, the Venue featured hard plastics but maintained a sense of style with striped seats and white trim accents. The digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display were highlights, showcasing Hyundai's attention to quality and design in this small SUV.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 underwent its first redesign since 2017, growing slightly in length and width while maintaining its height. It retained a body-on-frame architecture with a new frame that improved torsional and lateral stiffness. The QX80's styling was more expressive, particularly at the front, with a large grille and stacked-headlight setup. The rear end featured full-width LED taillights, and blacked-out roof pillar trim added a cleaner profile. Available in Pure, Luxe, Sensory, and Autobiography trims, the QX80 offered 20-inch wheels on the base model and 22-inch wheels on higher trims. The interior received a high-tech makeover with a large horizontal display and 64-color ambient lighting, though shiny black plastic trim detracted from the premium feel. Leather upholstery varied by trim, with Autograph models featuring semi-aniline leather across all rows.

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 power was maximized by a continuously variable transmission (CVT), making it suitable for city and suburban driving. Its small size, nimble handling, and excellent visibility were assets in urban environments. However, the Venue's suspension struggled on rough roads, resulting in a busy ride quality. On highways, it could maintain speed but sounded unpleasant under hard acceleration. The Venue lacked all-wheel drive, with power directed to the front wheels, but offered 6.7 inches of ground clearance. It achieved an EPA rating of 31 mpg in combined driving, though our testing averaged 30.3 mpg.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, replacing the previous 5.6-liter V8. The V6 produced 450 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The QX80 felt more energetic than its predecessor, though active sound enhancement added artificial noise during acceleration. Base models had steel-sprung suspension, while higher trims featured air suspension and adaptive damping. The suspension system adjusted ride height for off-road and aerodynamic purposes. Despite its size, the QX80's handling was average for a large SUV. The air suspension improved ride quality but couldn't eliminate bumps entirely. The QX80's reinforced frame didn't match the solidity of unibody vehicles.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's increased ground clearance made entry and exit easier. Despite its small size, comfort was decent, with manual height adjustment for the driver's seat and tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel adjustment. The front seats featured fabric inserts, artificial leather bolsters, and heated cushions. The back seat technically accommodated three, but two passengers were more comfortable. Taller passengers disliked the hard plastic front seatbacks, and rear-seat amenities were limited. Cargo space was comparable to a compact car, with 18.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 31.9 cubic feet with the back seat folded.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80's redesign increased cargo space by 6%, 17%, and 28% behind the first, second, and third rows, respectively. It offered 22 cubic feet with all seats in place, 59 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 101 cubic feet with both rows folded. The QX80 featured a power liftgate and power-folding second- and third-row seats, though second-row seats had limited movement if the driver's seat was set for taller occupants. Passenger space was generous, with increased legroom in the first and third rows. Heated, ventilated, and massaging seats were available, and the QX80 had a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds.

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, Bluelink connected services, and a six-speaker sound system. The Limited trim added navigation, SiriusXM, a wireless charger, and Bluelink+. However, the upgraded system required wired connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reducing the wireless charger's usefulness. Despite this, the Venue's infotainment system was sophisticated, with impressive voice recognition.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80's cabin featured dual 14.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment, with a 9-inch touchscreen for climate control. It was the first Infiniti model with Google built-in apps, including Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play Store. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were supported. The dual-screen setup looked impressive, but graphics resembled those in Nissan vehicles. The lower touchscreen required firm presses, which could be distracting. All models had Klipsch sound systems, with higher trims featuring a 24-speaker version with Individual Audio tech. The QX80 offered a 360-degree camera system with multiple views and a digital rearview camera.

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

The 2025 INFINITI QX80's crash-test ratings were unavailable. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and a trailer blind-spot warning system. The QX80 offered ProPilot Assist, with adaptive cruise control and lane centering. The advanced version allowed hands-free driving and automated lane changes. We couldn't test ProPilot Assist, but it performed well in other vehicles.