2024 Hyundai Venue vs 2025 Subaru Forester

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was available in SE, SEL, and Limited trims, with prices ranging from $21,275 to $24,525, including destination charges. The Venue SEL, priced at $23,275, was recommended for its enhanced exterior appeal and added convenience and safety features. The Limited trim, tested with Ecotronic Gray paint and carpeted floor mats, had an MSRP of $24,735. Despite limited options, the Venue's design was stylish and mature, with a well-thought-out interior featuring unexpected style elements like seat stripes and white trim. The digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display were highlights, showcasing Hyundai's attention to quality and detail.

In contrast, the 2025 Subaru Forester focused on practicality and capability, with significant visual updates. Standard roof rails and 17-inch alloy wheels were added, and the design was smoothed out, giving it a more generic appearance. The Forester Sport featured bronze trim accents and 19-inch wheels, while the Limited and Touring trims had 18-inch and 19-inch wheels, respectively. The interior offered cloth upholstery with blue contrast stitching, and the Sport trim introduced StarTex material with brown stitching. The cabin had a more intentional design, with structural dash elements that felt high-quality.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 lb-ft of torque. Weighing 2,612 pounds in base SE trim, the Venue's CVT maximized power for city and suburban driving, offering nimble handling and excellent visibility. However, the suspension struggled on rough surfaces, leading to a busy ride quality. On highways, the Venue maintained speed but sounded noisy under acceleration. Lacking AWD, the Venue's power was directed to the front wheels, with 6.7 inches of ground clearance. It achieved an EPA rating of 31 mpg combined, averaging 30.3 mpg in testing.

The 2025 Subaru Forester featured a 2.5-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, paired with a Lineartonic CVT and standard AWD. The engine was quieter than expected, with minimal noise at low speeds. Subaru's X-Mode system, standard from the Premium trim, enhanced stability and traction on challenging terrain. The Forester Sport's performance was stable on various surfaces, with seamless X-Mode activation. Fuel economy was rated at 26 mpg city, 33 highway, and 29 combined, with a slight decrease for Sport and Touring trims.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's increased ground clearance facilitated easier entry and exit. The interior offered decent comfort, with manual height adjustment for the driver's seat and tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel adjustment. The back seat was better suited for two passengers, with limited storage and no air conditioning vents. 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 Subaru Forester introduced a hands-free power liftgate, increasing cargo space to 29.6 cubic feet with seats in place and 74.4 cubic feet with them folded. The cargo area featured eight heavy-duty hooks. The Forester's roomy second row slightly reduced cargo space compared to competitors like the Toyota RAV4. The interior included a dark headliner, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and heated front seats on the Premium trim. The Limited trim added power adjustability for the front passenger seat, while the Touring trim offered seat ventilation and heated rear seats.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display with modern graphics and logical menus. Standard features included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, 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. The infotainment system was sophisticated, with a native voice recognition system.

The 2025 Subaru Forester introduced an 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus infotainment system, standard on all but the base trim, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base trim had two 7-inch touchscreens and wired smartphone projection. Premium trims and above included dual USB ports, a wireless charging pad, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. The Touring trim featured a navigation system, an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, and additional driver-assistance features.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue came with Hyundai SmartSense, offering forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist. The SEL trim 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 Subaru Forester featured Starlink Connected Services, including Emergency Stop Assist on the Touring trim. The EyeSight suite of driver-assistance technology was standard, with enhancements for 2025. The Forester had not been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the 2024 model received a Top Safety Pick award and a five-star rating, indicating high safety expectations for the new model.