2021 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2020 Hyundai Venue

The 2020 Hyundai Venue filled a gap in Hyundai's lineup by offering a more affordable subcompact SUV option compared to the Kona. While the Kona was more premium and powerful, the Venue focused on being a practical 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 the larger Hyundai Palisade. 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 offered three trims: SE, SEL, and Denim, with the SEL being the recommended choice when paired with the Premium package for added features.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, in its final year of production, offered a Heritage Edition trim to celebrate its 65th anniversary. The standard Land Cruiser, however, was more subdued in its Magnetic Gray paint and Terra leather upholstery. Its exterior design was basic, with large headlights and chrome accents, while the interior mixed Toyota parts-bin switchgear with high-quality materials. Despite its dated appearance, the Land Cruiser's interior was plush, with premium leather upholstery and a commanding view from the driver's seat. The SUV's off-road capabilities were legendary, with features like a Torsen limited-slip differential and Multi-Terrain Select traction assist, making it a formidable choice for rugged adventures.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue was powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. It was available with a manual transmission on the base trim, but most trims came with a continuously variable automatic transmission (IVT). The Venue was front-wheel drive only, lacking an all-wheel-drive option, which limited its off-road capabilities. Acceleration was underwhelming, and the engine was noisy, especially when pushed to highway speeds. Despite its SUV aspirations, the Venue drove more like a compact hatchback, with noticeable road feedback and a lack of power that could hinder maneuverability in tight spots. Fuel economy was decent, with the CVT achieving 30 mpg city, 34 highway, and 32 combined.

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, on the other hand, featured a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine producing 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a full-time four-wheel-drive system, the Land Cruiser excelled in off-road conditions. It offered features like a Torsen limited-slip differential, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Select, making it capable of conquering challenging terrains. Despite its size and weight, the Land Cruiser provided a smooth and refined ride on pavement, though its fuel economy was less impressive, averaging 14.7 mpg in combined driving.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue, while not particularly fast or sporty, offered a practical interior with ample head- and legroom for front passengers. The rear seats provided decent legroom, even with the driver's seat pushed back. However, cargo space was limited, with only 31.9 cubic feet available when the rear seats were 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, though the automatic climate control display could be confusing.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser's interior was luxurious, with plush leather upholstery and heated and ventilated front seats. The second-row bench seat was roomy and comfortable, with heated cushions and a four-zone automatic climate control system. The third-row seat could accommodate adults if the second row was adjusted, but leg support was lacking. Cargo space was more generous, with 16.1 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 82.8 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded. The Land Cruiser's split clamshell-style liftgate and tailgate provided convenient access to the cargo area.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system was user-friendly, with logical layouts and large icons, minimizing distracted driving. The screen placement allowed for easy use while driving, with redundant hard buttons for major functions.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser's technology felt dated, with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that lacked swipe or scroll functionality. It ran on Toyota's Entune system, which was straightforward but lacked depth. The Land Cruiser did not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and its dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system was outdated. However, it featured a 14-speaker JBL Synthesis premium audio system, providing good sound quality.

The 2020 Hyundai Venue offered a range of standard safety features, including a reversing camera, traction control, and a full array of airbags. It also came with advanced driver-assistance technologies like forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, and a driver-attention warning. The SEL trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, which were standard on the Denim trim.

The 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, with its 10 airbags and substantial curb weight, provided a sense of security in collisions. However, it lacked crash-test ratings due to its older engineering. Toyota Safety Sense (TSS-P) driving assistance systems were standard, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. The Land Cruiser also featured blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, but it did not offer more advanced driving assistance systems like stop-and-go adaptive cruise control.