2024 Hyundai Venue vs 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE

In Canada, the 2024 Hyundai Venue was available in Essential, Preferred, and Ultimate trim levels, with prices ranging from $23,581 to $28,081, including the destination charge. The Venue Preferred, priced at $25,581, was recommended for its enhanced exterior appearance and added convenience and safety features. The test vehicle, equivalent to the U.S. Ultimate trim, featured Ecotronic Grey paint, bringing the MSRP to $28,331. While the grey colour lent a mature and subdued look, the Venue's design was generally appealing, offering a sense of genuine style uncommon in affordable cars. Inside, the Venue's interior, despite its hard plastic, did not appear cheap. Unexpected style elements included seat stripes and piping, and white trim around the dashboard air vents and transmission shifter. The digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display were highlights, with controls exhibiting typical Hyundai quality.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE, last redesigned in 2020 and facelifted in 2024, was not a mere replica of other Mercedes-Benz SUVs. It shared some visual bulk with the GLS, GLC, and GLB but had a more rounded profile reminiscent of previous generations. The GLE's styling, while not the most handsome in the lineup, adhered closely to the brand's orthodoxy. The interior offered a range of colours beyond the usual black, grey, and tan, with features like chunky air vents, mesh speaker grilles for the optional Burmester audio system, and 64-colour ambient lighting creating an upscale and special feel. The GLE's interior was noted for its luxurious ambiance, although the styling of the GLE Coupe models, with their bulky lower body and fastback-style roofline, resulted in odd proportions.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. Despite its modest power, the Venue's lightweight, ranging from 1,200 to 1,250 kilograms, and its continuously variable transmission (CVT) allowed it to perform adequately in urban settings. The Venue excelled in cities and suburbs, offering nimble handling and excellent visibility. However, its suspension, featuring MacPherson strut front and torsion-beam rear axle, struggled on rough pavement, resulting in a busy ride quality. On highways, the Venue could maintain speed but sounded unpleasant when pushed hard. The Venue lacked all-wheel drive, with power directed to the front wheels, but its 17 centimetres of ground clearance and winter tires made it capable in snowy conditions. Fuel economy was rated at 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, with a test average of 7.8 L/100 km.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered five powertrain options, including a plug-in hybrid and two AMG variants. The GLE 350 featured a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a mild hybrid system, producing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard 4Matic all-wheel drive. The GLE 450 4Matic had a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six with 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, while the GLE 450e 4Matic combined a turbo-four with electric assist for 381 hp and 479 lb-ft, plus 80 kilometres of electric range. The AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ delivered 429 hp and 413 lb-ft, achieving 0-100 km/h in 5.0 seconds, while the AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ boasted a 603 hp and 627 lb-ft twin-turbo V8, reaching 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. The GLE's refinement impressed, but it felt larger than it was, even with AMG chassis upgrades. Maneuvering in tight spaces was challenging, despite the powerful engines.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's increased ground clearance made entry and exit easier. Despite its small size, comfort was decent, with a manual height-adjustable driver's seat and tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The front seats featured fabric inserts, artificial leather bolsters, and heated cushions. The back seat technically accommodated three, but two passengers were more comfortable. Taller passengers disliked the hard plastic front seatbacks, and rear storage was limited. The Venue offered 528 litres of cargo space, expanding to 902 litres with the back seat folded.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE was available in two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations, though third-row space specs were not published. The GLE offered similar headroom to rivals but slightly less legroom than the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, and Genesis GV80. The high seating position provided an SUV-like feel, but visibility was limited. Second-row passengers enjoyed more space than in most competitors, with slightly more headroom than a BMW X5 and additional legroom compared to the BMW, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Lexus RX. The GLE offered 894 litres of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 1,790 litres with all seats folded. The centre console provided reasonable storage for small items. The GLE's towing capacity was 3,500 kilograms, matching the Audi Q7 and surpassing some rivals.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display with modern graphics, logical menus, and simple operation. It included Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and a six-speaker sound system. However, the Venue's stereo speakers could have been better, considering its target audience.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE's interface consisted of two 12.3-inch screens, one for the digital instrument cluster and the other for infotainment, creating a continuous horizontal display. The Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) included wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and built-in navigation. Multiple access methods, including a centre console touchpad, steering wheel touchpads, and voice recognition, were available. The AMG GLE 63 S Coupe test car featured additional settings, including six drive modes and adjustable damper firmness, stability control, and exhaust noise. Some GLE models offered an off-road display and a "transparent hood" function for the 360-degree camera system, enhancing off-road capability.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue came with standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and a driver monitoring system. The Venue Preferred added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. However, adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist were unavailable. The lane-keeping assist system occasionally issued inaccurate alerts, and the forward-collision warning gave one incorrect warning. The Venue received Good ratings in three IIHS crash tests and an Acceptable rating for the Ultimate trim's LED headlights. The NHTSA awarded the Venue an overall four-star rating.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered numerous driver-assist features, though some were optional. Standard features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, crosswind assist, parking assist, a driver attention monitor, and a 360-degree camera system. The Pre-Safe system mitigated collision effects by tightening seatbelts and closing windows. The optional Driver Assistance Package added adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, and expanded driver monitoring. The GLE was named a 2025 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, though its front-crash prevention tech received "Marginal" and "Acceptable" ratings. NHTSA ratings were unavailable at the time of writing.