2021 Hyundai Venue vs 2022 INFINITI QX80

The 2021 Hyundai Venue was a stylish little crossover that seemed to defy the passage of time with its design. Its upright stance, nearly horizontal roofline, and steeply dropping tailgate gave it a robust appearance that belied its small size. The grille was appropriately sized, drawing attention without overwhelming the car's design. The Venue's exterior updates from the 2020 model were minimal, with the most notable change being the replacement of 15-inch steel wheels with alloys on the base SE trim. The top-line Denim trim, with its white roof and unique paint job, was particularly appealing to those drawn to the Venue's fashion-forward style. Inside, the Venue's cabin was filled with inexpensive materials, yet it managed to avoid feeling spartan. The interior was bright and modern, thanks to its large windows and thin A-pillars, despite the visible mechanical tracks of the optional sunroof.

The 2022 INFINITI QX80 shared a platform with the Nissan Armada, and while it was unmistakably large, it was sized just right. The QX80's front-end styling was unique, with a distinctive grille that was neither overdone nor imposing. LED lighting and tasteful chrome accents added to its upscale look. Inside, the QX80's cabin was furnished with upscale materials, including wood trim and quilted semi-aniline leather seats. However, despite its luxurious appearance, the QX80's style was beginning to feel outdated compared to its premium full-size SUV competitors. The cabin was comfortable and attractive, but it fell short of the high expectations set by its price tag.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue was powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. This small, economical engine was designed to provide just enough power for the Venue's lightweight frame, which weighed in at 2,612 pounds. The Venue's performance was comparable to competitors like the Nissan Kicks, Ford EcoSport, and Toyota C-HR, although it was smaller and lighter. The Venue was only available with front-wheel drive, and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) was the sole transmission option for 2021. While the Venue's powertrain didn't offer thrilling performance, its light weight allowed it to feel lively in lower-speed areas.

The 2022 INFINITI QX80 boasted a robust 400-horsepower, 5.6-liter V8 engine with 413 lb-ft of torque. This powerful engine was one of the QX80's strengths, delivering smooth and linear power through a seven-speed automatic transmission. The transmission offered adaptive shift control and manual mode, providing seamless shifts and quick kickdowns for passing. The QX80's off-road capability was enhanced by its body-on-frame construction and available four-wheel drive with a computer-controlled transfer case. With a towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, the QX80 was well-suited for hauling large trailers or boats. Despite its size, the QX80 managed to control body lean during cornering, thanks to the Hydraulic Body Motion Control system.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue offered ample headroom and legroom in the front seats, with a decent amount of storage space. The center console's bin was small but functional, and automatic climate control effectively managed the cabin's temperature. However, the back seat was tighter, with limited legroom for adults. Cargo space was also limited, with 18.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 31.9 cubic feet with them folded. Compared to competitors like the Nissan Kicks, Toyota C-HR, and Ford EcoSport, the Venue offered less cargo volume.

The 2022 INFINITI QX80 required a climb to enter, thanks to its tall ride height and body-on-frame construction. Inside, the cabin felt open and airy, with good headroom and legroom in the front seats. The QX80 could accommodate up to eight passengers with the optional second-row bench seat, but the third row was cramped for adults. Cargo space was not as generous as some competitors, with 16.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 49.6 cubic feet with it folded, and 95.1 cubic feet with all seats down. The power-operated liftgate and third-row seats were slow to operate, but the illuminated kick plates and welcome lighting added a premium touch.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto as standard features. The interface was designed for simplicity, with physical buttons for quick access to media sources and settings. The high-resolution screen supported swipe functionality, and the radio interface featured charming tube-amp-style bulbs. The Venue's infotainment system allowed for driver profiles with customized radio presets, appealing to families with multiple drivers.

The 2022 INFINITI QX80 featured a new 12.3-inch Infiniti InTouch display, providing access to Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The system included navigation with lane guidance and voice recognition. A Bose 13-speaker premium sound system was standard, while the Sensory trim received a 17-speaker Performance Series Bose system. The QX80 also offered a wireless smartphone charger and a dual-screen rear entertainment system, although the necessary HDMI adapters were missing during testing. Notably absent was Infiniti's ProPilot Assist advanced driving-assistance system, which was unavailable due to the QX80's older vehicle systems architecture.

The 2021 Hyundai Venue came with standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and driver-attention warning. The SEL and Denim trims added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The Venue's safety features were well-integrated, avoiding intrusive alerts. In crash tests, the Venue received four out of five stars from the NHTSA for driver-side and passenger-side front collisions and rollover resistance.

The 2022 INFINITI QX80 offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning, and adaptive cruise control. Additional safety items included driver attention alert and front knee airbags. The QX80 received a three-star rating for rollover resistance from the NHTSA, while the structurally similar 2021 model received four stars for overall crash protection.