2024 Cadillac LYRIQ vs 2024 Hyundai Venue

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was a striking vehicle with a design that commanded attention. Its exterior styling was reminiscent of a long sedan, despite being an SUV, with a long hood and low ground clearance. The design drew inspiration from the classic Seville, featuring a long wheelbase, short tail, and wide track. The front of the LYRIQ was adorned with vertical light bars and nine LED headlights that performed a light show upon unlocking. The grille varied between trims, with the Sport trim showcasing a dark triangular motif. The LYRIQ's wraparound taillights and fender-mounted vertical lights created a bold presence, while the interior boasted luxurious details like leather-wrapped seats and a sweeping 33-inch OLED display.

In contrast, the 2024 Hyundai Venue presented a more subdued yet stylish appearance. The Limited trim in Ecotronic Gray paint gave the Venue a mature look, while its compact size and jaunty design made it appealing for urban environments. Inside, the Venue featured hard plastics but managed to maintain a sense of style with striped seat patterns and white trim accents. The digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display were highlights, offering a user-friendly experience. Despite its affordability, the Venue's design and interior quality were commendable, making it a practical choice for those seeking a small SUV with a touch of flair.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, despite its sporty exterior, was more about comfort than performance. It excelled on the interstate, offering a calm and poised ride with a power output of 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque from its dual-motor setup. The standard single rear motor provided 340 hp and 325 lb-ft. The LYRIQ's 102-kilowatt-hour battery promised a range of 314 miles with RWD and 307 miles with AWD, though real-world testing showed closer to 260 miles. Charging was efficient, with the battery reaching 80% in about 30 to 35 minutes. However, the LYRIQ's handling was hindered by its 5,800-pound weight, leading to understeer and uninspiring steering feel. The absence of handling-enhancing features like torque vectoring and magnetic dampers was noticeable, and while braking was strong, the overall chassis performance left room for improvement.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue, powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque, was more suited for city and suburban driving. Weighing just 2,612 pounds, the Venue's CVT maximized its modest power, making it nimble and easy to park. However, its suspension struggled on rough roads, leading to a busy ride quality. On highways, the Venue maintained pace with traffic, but the engine and CVT became noisy under pressure. Lacking AWD, the Venue relied on its 6.7 inches of ground clearance for light off-road conditions. Fuel economy was decent, with an EPA rating of 31 mpg combined, though real-world testing yielded slightly lower results.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced challenges with build quality and functionality. Misaligned rear fenders, a faulty charging port, and a problematic pull-out tray were notable issues. The glovebox was inconvenient to access while driving, and the floating console offered limited storage. Despite these drawbacks, the LYRIQ provided generous headroom and legroom, with a spacious back seat at the expense of cargo space. The cargo hold measured 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 60.8 cubic feet when folded, smaller than most compact SUVs.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue offered decent comfort despite its compact size. The driver's seat featured manual height adjustment, and the steering wheel was tilt-and-telescopic. The back seat was better suited for two passengers, with limited storage and no rear air vents. However, USB ports were available for rear-seat passengers. The Venue's cargo space was comparable to a compact car, with 18.7 cubic feet available behind the rear seats and 31.9 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ's technology was highlighted by its 33-inch OLED screen, divided into three sections. The infotainment system ran native Google Maps and Google Assistant, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The Super Cruise system offered excellent hands-free driving capabilities, and the 19-speaker AKG stereo provided impressive sound quality.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display with modern graphics and logical menus. Standard features included Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Limited trim added a navigation system, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a wireless smartphone charger. However, the switch to wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the Limited trim was a drawback. Despite this, the Venue's infotainment system was sophisticated, with a strong voice recognition system.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and Cadillac's Safety Alert Seat. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera system, and rear emergency braking.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue came equipped with Hyundai SmartSense, offering forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist. 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. NHTSA awarded the Venue an overall rating of four stars.