2020 Acura MDX vs 2020 Hyundai Venue

The 2020 Hyundai Venue filled a gap in Hyundai's lineup by offering a more affordable subcompact SUV option. While the Kona, introduced in 2018, was also a subcompact SUV, it was positioned as a more premium and powerful option with all-wheel drive capabilities. The Venue, on the other hand, was designed as a budget-friendly people-mover with a distinctive upright design. It featured unique touches like a contrasting white roof on the Denim trim and a large chrome grille reminiscent of Hyundai's larger SUVs. Inside, the Venue boasted a modern and clean cabin with ample space for both front and rear passengers, providing excellent visibility due to its upright layout and large windows. The Venue was available in SE, SEL, and Denim trims, with the SEL trim being recommended for its additional features and optional Premium package.

The 2020 Acura MDX, while not groundbreaking in its styling, offered a sleek and low-slung design for a three-row SUV. Its Jewel Eye LED headlights added a touch of sophistication to the front, while the trapezoidal grille with the Acura logo anchored its expressive face. The MDX's interior was modern and simple, featuring twin infotainment screens and a high-quality fit and finish. The center stack was a highlight, with a high-mounted LED screen for navigation and an On Demand Multi-Use Display touchscreen. The MDX's materials and controls exuded a sense of solidity and quality, making it a well-built and comfortable vehicle for both drivers and passengers.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue was powered by a single engine option: a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a manual transmission on the base trim, while most trims came with a continuously variable automatic transmission (IVT). The Venue was front-wheel drive only, lacking an all-wheel-drive option. Despite its SUV aspirations, the Venue's performance was more akin to a compact hatchback, with underwhelming acceleration and a noisy engine. It offered drive modes like Normal, Snow, and Sport, but even in Sport mode, it struggled to reach highway speeds quickly. The Venue's fuel economy was commendable, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2020 Acura MDX offered two powertrain options: a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a Sport Hybrid version with a 3.0-liter V6 engine and three electric motors, producing a combined 321 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque. The MDX's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system provided excellent straight-line performance and nimble handling, thanks to torque-vectoring technology. This system directed power to the outside wheel during cornering, enhancing turn-in and handling. The MDX's four-wheel independent suspension absorbed road bumps, ensuring a comfortable ride.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered decent interior space for its size. It provided ample head- and legroom in the front seats, even for taller drivers, and surprisingly usable legroom in the rear. However, its cargo space was limited, with only 31.9 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded, compared to the Kona's 45.8 cubic feet. The Venue's control layout was user-friendly, with traditional buttons and dials for essential functions, although the automatic climate control display could be confusing.

The 2020 Acura MDX excelled in interior space and functionality, with sliding and reclining second-row seats for easy access to the third row. It offered 15.8 cubic feet of luggage space behind the third row, expanding to 43.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a generous 90.9 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. The MDX featured numerous storage options, including a flexible center console, door panel pockets, and a covered underfloor storage space. Tri-zone climate control allowed for separate heating and cooling options for different cabin areas, enhancing passenger comfort.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims, featuring Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Hyundai's logical touchscreen layout minimized distracted driving, with large icons and fonts and redundant hard buttons on the dash. The screen placement was well-designed, allowing users to brace their hands while using the touchscreen.

The 2020 Acura MDX offered a range of technology features through its simplified trim packages. The base model included Siri Eyes Free, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an eight-speaker audio system. The Technology Package added features like rain-sensing wipers, navigation, and a premium audio system, while the Advance Package included additional tech like a surround-view camera and heated seats. The Entertainment Package provided a rear entertainment system with a large screen and wireless headphones, enhancing the MDX's tech offerings.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came standard with a reversing camera, traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a full array of airbags. It also featured impressive driver-assistance technology, including forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, and a driver-attention warning. The SEL trim with the Convenience Package added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, standard on the Denim trim.

The 2020 Acura MDX was equipped with AcuraWatch, a suite of safety features including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The Technology Package added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the Advance Package included a Head-Up Warning. The MDX's sophisticated body design, known as the Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure, enhanced crash protection. The MDX received high safety ratings from both the IIHS and NHTSA.