2024 Hyundai Venue vs 2025 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was available in SE, SEL, and Limited trims, with prices ranging from $21,275 to $24,525, including the 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, with Ecotronic Gray paint and carpeted floor mats, brought the MSRP to $24,735. Despite limited options, the Venue's design was appealing, offering a sense of genuine style. Inside, the Venue featured hard plastics but maintained a stylish look with striped seats and white trim. 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 Toyota Sienna, with its trapezoidal grille and upswept body lines, maintained the classic minivan look while attempting to add style. The Platinum trim, with new flower-petal wheel designs, was the top-of-the-line model, priced from $40,980 to $57,940, including the destination charge. The test vehicle, in Magnetic Gray paint, featured an extended connected services subscription and other accessories, bringing the MSRP to $58,634. The Sienna's interior updates included a new woodgrain finish, though opinions on its aesthetics varied. Despite its minivan appearance, the Sienna offered practicality with seating for up to eight and a focus on passenger and cargo room.

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 CVT maximized available power, making it suitable for city and suburban driving. Its small size, nimble handling, and excellent visibility were assets, though the suspension struggled on rough roads. On highways, the Venue maintained pace but sounded unpleasant under hard acceleration. Lacking AWD, the Venue's power was directed to the front wheels, with 6.7 inches of ground clearance aiding in snow clearance. The Venue's EPA rating was 31 mpg combined, but it averaged 30.3 mpg during testing.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and CVT, offering 245 net horsepower. The Sienna's electric assist motor provided immediate torque, preventing sluggishness even with four passengers. The hybrid system prioritized fuel economy, with an EPA rating of 36 mpg combined, though it averaged 26.3 mpg during testing. The Sienna's handling was predictable but not engaging, with squishy steering and brakes that struggled during hard braking. The XSE trim offered a sportier suspension, but the standard setup provided a smooth, quiet ride. The Sienna's AWD system added an electric motor for rear-wheel drive when needed.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's increased ground clearance facilitated easier entry and exit. Despite its small size, the Venue offered decent comfort, with manual height adjustment for the driver's seat and tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel adjustment. The back seat technically accommodated three, but two passengers were more comfortable. Rear-seat amenities included USB ports but lacked air conditioning vents and privacy glass. The Venue's cargo space was comparable to a compact car, with 18.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 31.9 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna excelled in form and function, with power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats. However, the cushions felt hard after extended driving. The second-row captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests were popular with teenagers, and the third-row seat accommodated adults. The Sienna's sliding side doors and hands-free power liftgate facilitated easy loading and unloading. Storage was generous, though finding secure spots for large water bottles was challenging. The Sienna offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 75.2 cubic feet with the third row stowed. Maximum cargo capacity was 101 cubic feet, less than rivals due to the non-removable second-row 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, 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 a native voice recognition system and music streaming capabilities.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna's higher-spec models boasted a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the Toyota Audio Multimedia system. The Platinum trim included a four-zone climate control system, a 10-inch HUD, and a digital rearview mirror. The TAM system offered five connected services plans, with varying subscription periods. The digital assistant in the Drive Connect plan was responsive, and the system supported Apple and Amazon Music accounts. The Sienna Platinum featured a 12-speaker JBL audio system, though sound quality was muddy. The four-zone climate control and digital rearview camera were appreciated, enhancing comfort and convenience.

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

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured TSS 2.0, with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna also had automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The TSS 2.0 system performed well, though the adaptive cruise control required vigilance in urban areas. The Sienna introduced a rear-seat reminder system, alerting drivers to movement in the cabin. The NHTSA gave the Sienna a five-star overall rating, but it scored three stars for driver protection in a frontal impact.