2025 Nissan Armada vs 2024 Hyundai Venue

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was offered in SE, SEL, and Limited trims, with prices ranging from $21,275 to $24,525, including the destination charge. The Venue SEL, priced at $23,275, was recommended for its enhanced exterior appearance and additional convenience and safety features. The Limited trim test vehicle, painted in Ecotronic Gray, had an MSRP of $24,735. While the color was subdued, it lent the Venue a mature look. The Venue's design was appealing, with a sense of genuine style uncommon in affordable cars. Inside, the Venue featured hard plastics that didn't appear cheap, with stylish seat stripes and white trim accents. The digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display were highlights, showcasing Hyundai's attention to quality and design.

The 2025 Nissan Armada boasted a high beltline and a taller grille and front fascia, reminiscent of its luxury counterpart, the Infiniti QX80. The PRO-4X trim stood out with a skid plate and unique front lighting, featuring C-shaped LED lines. The Armada's imposing grille made a strong impression, setting it apart from its predecessor. From the side, the third-generation Armada appeared larger and more business-like, with a parallel beltline and distinctive D-pillar accents. The PRO-4X trim added rugged character with black plastic cladding and unique wheel designs. The Armada's rear featured standard LED taillights and a fashionable red lightbar on higher trims. Wheel sizes varied from 18-inch on the SV to 22-inch on the Platinum Reserve, with two-tone paint options available on select trims.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. Weighing 2,612 pounds in base SE trim, the Venue's power was maximized by a continuously variable transmission (CVT), allowing it to navigate city and suburban environments with ease. Its small size, nimble handling, and excellent visibility made it ideal for urban settings. However, the Venue's suspension struggled on rough surfaces, resulting in a busy ride quality. On highways, the Venue could maintain freeway speeds, but the engine and CVT became noisy under pressure. The Venue lacked all-wheel drive, with power directed to the front wheels, but its 6.7 inches of ground clearance allowed it to handle snow with winter tires. The Venue achieved an EPA rating of 31 mpg in combined driving, though our testing averaged 30.3 mpg.

The 2025 Nissan Armada featured a new 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, delivering 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, an increase over its predecessor. The nine-speed automatic transmission replaced the old seven-speed, with rear-wheel drive or Nissan's Intelligent Four-Wheel Drive available on most trims. The PRO-4X trim was 4WD-only, equipped with all-terrain tires, an electronic locking rear differential, and skid plates. The Armada's adaptive electronic air suspension, shared with the Platinum Reserve, provided a 33-degree approach angle and 9.6 inches of ground clearance. The Armada's towing capacity reached 8,500 pounds, with standard trailer sway control and other towing aids. On-road, the Armada's electric power steering offered engagement, while the adaptive air suspension enhanced comfort. Off-road, the PRO-4X excelled in Mud/Rut mode, raising the SUV for better clearance.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's increased ground clearance facilitated easier entry and exit. Despite its small size, the Venue offered decent comfort, with manual height adjustment for the driver's seat and tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel adjustment. The front seats featured fabric inserts, artificial leather bolsters, and heated cushions. The back seat technically accommodated three people, but two would be more comfortable. Taller passengers might find the hard plastic front seatbacks uncomfortable. Rear-seat USB ports were provided, but storage space was limited, and there were no air conditioning vents. The Venue's cargo space was comparable to a compact car, with 18.7 cubic feet available, expanding to 31.9 cubic feet with the back seat folded.

The 2025 Nissan Armada introduced a push-button transmission, freeing up center console space for a wireless charging pad. The Armada Platinum Reserve featured "Zero Gravity" seats, offering comfort but feeling deep. The front seats provided eight-way power adjustment, increasing with each trim level. Heated front seats were standard on the SL trim, with cooling and second-row heating available on higher trims. The Armada's three-row configuration included a 60/40-split bench for the third row, with power one-touch folding. Cargo volume increased across the board, with 20.4 cubic feet behind the third row, 56.3 behind the second, and 97.1 in total. Headroom and legroom varied with the sunroof option, with the third row gaining 4.5 inches of legroom.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display with modern graphics and logical menus. Standard features included Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and a six-speaker sound system. The Venue Limited added a navigation system, SiriusXM satellite radio, a wireless smartphone charger, and Bluelink+ connected services. However, the upgraded infotainment system required wired connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reducing the wireless charger's utility. Despite this, the Venue Limited's infotainment system was sophisticated, with an impressive native voice recognition system.

The 2025 Nissan Armada came standard with two large screens, 12.3-inch on the SV and SL trims, and 14.3-inch on higher trims. The screens were housed together, sitting lower in the dash but remaining visible from the driver's seat. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with six USB-C ports. The SL trim added a wireless charging pad and Google Built-In, allowing Google Maps to be viewed on the driver-information display. A head-up display was optional from the SL trim level. The base Armada SV had a six-speaker sound system, while a 12-speaker Klipsch Premium Audio System was standard on higher trims. The Klipsch system impressed during a demo, appealing to audiophiles.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue included Hyundai SmartSense, a suite of driver assistance systems. Features included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. The Venue SEL added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and the Limited trim included cyclist detection. However, adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist were not available. The Venue received Good ratings in three IIHS crash tests and an Acceptable rating for the Limited trim's LED headlights. The NHTSA awarded the Venue an overall four-star rating.

The 2025 Nissan Armada featured Nissan's ProPILOT Assist suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies. The SV and PRO-4X trims had the basic version, while other trims included ProPILOT Assist 1.1, which managed speed based on navigation data. ProPILOT Assist 2.1, available on higher trims, offered hands-free highway-driving assist technology. The Armada also came with Nissan Safety Shield 360, including traffic-sign recognition, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and more. A surround-view camera was standard on the SL trim, with higher trims featuring Nissan's 3D Around View Monitor and Invisible Hood View.