Lexus NX Hybrid vs Hyundai Venue

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid presented a bold and intricate design, typical of Lexus's current styling approach. Its front showcased a large, dark spindle grille, flanked by squinting LED headlights and blacked-out air intakes, creating an aggressive and complex face. While some found this design attractive, others felt it was overly stylized. The vehicle's profile was sporty yet understated, with smooth, rounded edges and body-coloured fender flares, suggesting a focus on road performance rather than off-roading. F Sport elements like dark trim and 20-inch wheels added to its sporty appeal, with the fastback roof shape echoing coupe-like crossovers. Inside, the NX Hybrid combined sportiness with modern technology, featuring a digital instrument cluster and a large touchscreen angled towards the driver for a cockpit-like feel. The F Sport 3 model's interior was particularly sporty, with dark graphite aluminum trim, metal pedals, and optional two-tone Circuit Red synthetic leather upholstery, providing a high-quality and upscale feel.

In contrast, the 2026 Hyundai Venue, classified as a crossover SUV, resembled a tall hatchback with its compact and narrow design. Its upright windshield and bluff nose gave it an SUV-like appearance, complemented by roof rails and black rocker panels. The Venue's high nose was flanked by lower headlights and high-set daytime running lights, while black wheel flares around small wheels added to its SUV cues. The rear pillars angled sharply forward, and a two-tone roof option added flair. Inside, the Venue's design was simple and functional, with a digital instrument cluster and a small touchscreen resembling an iPad. Body-colour trim around the air vents and shifter brought some exterior elements inside. Despite its simplicity, the Venue's interior was practical and straightforward, catering to those seeking functionality over luxury.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid, specifically the NX 350h F Sport 3, was not as sporty as its name suggested. It featured adaptive dampers with Normal and Sport settings and a firmer suspension, but it wasn't designed for aggressive cornering. With 18.5 cm of ground clearance, the hybrid SUV leaned in bends and lacked agility. Handling was controlled rather than sporty, with weighty steering that firmed up in Sport S and Sport S+ modes but offered little feedback. The ride was firm yet comfortable, even with 20-inch wheels and a stiffer suspension. The hybrid powertrain combined a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with three electric motors for standard AWD, producing 240 horsepower. It achieved a 0 to 96 km/h time of 7.2 seconds. Power delivery was adequate but not exhilarating, with a slushy drivetrain and engine drone under heavy acceleration. The NX 450h plug-in hybrid offered more power at 340 hp for those seeking a thrifty option with more grunt.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue, on the other hand, was one of the least powerful vehicles on the market, powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 lb-ft of torque. It featured a CVT driving the front wheels exclusively, with no AWD option. The Venue's 0-100 km/h time ranged from 8.5 to 8.8 seconds, aided by its lightweight of 1,251 kg. It felt peppy in city traffic but struggled at highway speeds, with a slushy transmission and limited torque. The transmission offered stepped gear ratios, but shifts felt slurred, and heavy throttle caused engine drone due to minimal sound deadening. Sport mode raised the rev range but increased noise. The Venue's small size and low weight benefited handling, making it easy to maneuver in traffic and fit into tight spots. However, its 17 cm ground clearance led to some lean in corners, though steering remained stable and direct. The ride was generally comfortable, but a solid rear axle made it jiggly on rough surfaces.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid's F Sport 3 model offered well-bolstered front seats with ample room for tall adults. Power seat and steering wheel adjustments allowed for a comfortable seating position, complemented by heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Heated rear seats were standard on the Executive and F Sport 3 packages. A wireless phone charger was available, and the centre console featured cupholders and a large bin for small items. The rear seat accommodated two average-sized adults comfortably, with 950 mm of rear headroom and 917 mm of legroom. The rear cushion was comfortable for long trips, aided by a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders. The NX's cargo space was relatively low for its class, with 643 litres behind the rear seats and 1,328 litres with seats folded, limited by the coupe-like roof shape.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue's interior featured cloth and synthetic leather seats with black upholstery and white contrast stitching, offering decent comfort. Six-way manual adjustments allowed most drivers to find a natural driving position, with standard front seat heating. Headroom was ample, but legroom was limited for tall occupants. The rear seat fit two adults comfortably, but three would be cramped. The rear seat bottoms were comfortable for long trips, but there was no fold-down armrest. The rear seats folded flat in a 60/40 split, providing 528 litres of cargo space, expanding to 902 litres with seats up. This was modest compared to typical compact crossovers, with the rear cargo floor lifting to access a compact spare tire. The Venue's interior featured hard black plastic surfaces, with soft-touch materials limited to the centre console and door armrests.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid came standard with a 9.8-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch touchscreen, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with SiriusXM satellite radio compatibility. Optional features included a programmable head-up display, a wireless phone charger, and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system. A three-year Remote Connect subscription provided a 4G connection and app-based remote features. The instrument cluster offered customizable information via touch-sensitive controllers on the steering wheel, including trip fuel economy and adaptive cruise control settings. The touchscreen was angled toward the driver for easy access, with quick response times and embedded temperature controls.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue featured a simple 8-inch touchscreen for basic infotainment, with large icons and quick response times. It offered phone, radio, media, and phone projection connections, along with voice memos and settings controls. While it lacked navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio, it did include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The digital instrument cluster displayed limited information and was not programmable. A wireless charging pad was standard in Canada, adding a premium touch. The audio system was a basic six-speaker unit, with no premium option available.

The 2026 Lexus NX Hybrid performed well in crash tests, earning the highest Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS. It received four out of five stars in the NHTSA frontal crash test and five stars in the side crash test. The NX 350h came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite, including blind spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, lane keep assist, and more. Optional features included automatic parking and a surround-view camera system. The safety systems worked well during testing, though the adaptive cruise control was slightly complicated to set.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue offered a good set of standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and a driver attention monitor. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available on all but the base trim. The Venue received four out of five stars from the NHTSA, with a top "Good" score in the small front overlap test from the IIHS. However, ratings for other tests were unavailable. The driver attention monitor was overly sensitive during testing.