2026 Hyundai Venue vs 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2026 Hyundai Venue was a compact crossover SUV that leaned more towards a tall hatchback in its design. It featured a front-wheel-drive system and had a ground clearance of 6.7 inches, which was higher than a typical car but not quite as elevated as a standard crossover SUV. The Venue's design was more crossover-like, with a bluff nose, standard roof rails, and black wheel flares around its small wheels, giving it an SUV appearance. Inside, the Venue offered a simple and functional look, with a digital instrument cluster and a small touchscreen that resembled an iPad attached to the dash. The interior was accented with body-color trim around the air vents and shifter, adding a touch of the exterior's feel to the cabin.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold and potentially polarizing design, particularly with its flat, wide grille that spanned the front end. The vehicle's personality shifted with different color and trim levels, with body-colored vertical strakes that could appear jarring in lighter shades but blended more harmoniously in darker ones. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights. The side profile showcased unique faceted fender sculpting and black plastic tabs atop each wheel well, while the rear view adopted a Range Rover-like style with rounded corners and vertical taillights. Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard layout and a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim offered a luxurious two-tone palette, though the labeling on the buttons was difficult to read. The seats were covered in synthetic leather and suede, with somewhat firm cushions that could be uncomfortable on long drives.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue was not known for its performance, as it was powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing just 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. This power was delivered through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to the front wheels, with no all-wheel-drive option available. Despite its low power, the Venue managed a 0-60 mph time in the 8.5–8.8-second range, thanks to its lightweight 2,738-pound frame. The Venue felt peppy in city traffic but struggled at highway speeds, where the transmission was slow to downshift for more power. Handling was aided by its small size and low weight, making it easy to maneuver in traffic and fit into tight parking spots. However, the ride could be jiggly on broken pavement due to its solid rear axle.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid offered a more powerful and refined performance. The standard Telluride was equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Telluride Hybrid added electric motors and a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increasing output to 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. This setup provided a smooth and quiet ride, with seamless transitions between electric and gas power. The Telluride Hybrid was not available in the off-road-capable X-Pro trims but was offered in the X-Line trim, which mimicked the X-Pro's looks. The Telluride's ride was tuned for comfort, with the X-Pro Prestige trim offering a surprisingly comfortable ride despite its lifted off-road suspension. The Hybrid SX Prestige had a stiffer ride with its 20-inch wheels, but the suspension managed to keep bumps from jolting the cabin. On winding roads, the Telluride was composed and controllable, instilling confidence in the driver.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue offered cloth and H-Tex seats with manual adjustments, providing a comfortable driving position for most drivers. Headroom was plentiful, but legroom was limited for taller individuals. The rear seat could accommodate average-sized adults, but taller passengers would struggle for legroom. The rear seats folded flat in a 60/40 split, providing 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space, which was modest compared to other compact crossovers. The Venue's interior featured hard black plastic surfaces, with only the top of the center console and door armrests offering soft-touch materials.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid provided ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rearmost row was better suited for smaller passengers. The second row featured power-adjustable seats with heating and ventilation in the Hybrid SX Prestige trim, offering comfort comparable to business-class airline seats. The middle-row seats had significant travel fore and aft, allowing for more cargo or third-row legroom as needed. The Telluride offered up to 89.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the second-row seatbacks folded flat. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space compared to non-hybrid versions. The Telluride also featured a large center bin with deployable cupholders and additional storage options throughout the cabin.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue came equipped with a simple 8-inch touchscreen for basic infotainment features. While the screen size felt small by modern standards, it was functional and responsive. The Venue lacked features like navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio, but it did offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The audio system was a basic six-speaker unit, with no premium option available.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch touchscreen for climate controls. The infotainment system included a native navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual wireless phone chargers. The system was easy to use, though it occasionally required a hard tap to register inputs. The Telluride SX trim and above came with a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system, delivering powerful bass and clear tones.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue offered a good set of standard safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, a driver-attention monitor, and a rear-occupant warning. However, it lacked adaptive cruise control. The Venue received a four-star safety rating from the NHTSA, with some safety ratings from the IIHS still pending.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid included a comprehensive suite of standard advanced safety features, such as frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and more. Higher trims offered additional features like a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The Telluride's driver attention monitor had some operational issues, but the highway driving assist was particularly helpful on long trips. At the time of writing, crash test scores from the NHTSA and IIHS were not yet available.