Hyundai Tucson VS Kia Stonic
Hyundai Tucson
Likes
- Lots of drivetrain options, no matter grade level
- Well-specified for grade
- Hybrid powertrain proves frugal
Dislikes
- Drive experience is mixed
- Higher price point than before
- Safety tech improved but still intrusive
Kia Stonic
Likes
Dislikes
Summary
Hyundai Tucson
For the first time in Australia, the mid-sized Hyundai Tucson is being offered with a hybrid powertrain – which combines its spritely turbo-powered engine with a fuel efficiency-improving electric motor. And it might be enough to swing you to becoming a hybrid fan.
The new powertrain makes the Tucson a proper competitor against Australia’s darling, the Toyota RAV4 but the Nissan X-Trail e-Power and Kia Sportage remain strong rivals.
This week I’m family-testing the mid-spec Elite Hybrid with the N Line option pack to see how the newly updated Tucson handles family life.
Read more about
- Hyundai stalking Toyota RAV4 with new Tucson Hybrid: "We're really bullish on the hybrid specification and bullish in terms of where Hyundai's heading in its hybrid roll-out"
- "We're running our own race": Hyundai Australia confident in product and strategy path in the face of increasing competition from Chinese newcomers like Geely, Smart, Skywell, Xpeng and Zeekr
- 'The industry's all about hybrid': Hyundai Australia boss confirms importance of new Tucson Hybrid in taking the fight to the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, joining Kona, Santa Fe and i30 sedan hybrid models to challenge market leaders
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.6L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.3L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Kia Stonic
Rising interest rates and the cost of living is causing many household budgets to tighten and for many of us big purchases are being rethought. A lot of people are asking if they really do need another large car especially in the city; or if it is the right time to buy an EV when they’re still so expensive?
That’s why we've decided to present you with a comparison of affordable urban alternatives to 'going big 'or 'switching to electric'. We've put two of the cheapest and smallest SUVs from Hyundai and Kia in a head-to-head battle.
That’s right, we have the Kia Stonic GT-Line versus the Hyundai Venue Elite - two very similar SUVs – from the same parent company – which share a lot of the same engineering parts, tech and features.
Read more about the Hyundai Venue and Kia Stonic
But as we found out, one of these two very similar SUVs stood out as better for value, safety, tech and practicality. Yup, we’ve done the testing for you, including how much fuel each uses and what they’re like to drive.
Which one wins? You’ll see...
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.4L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Hyundai Tucson8.1/10
The updated Hyundai Tucson Elite Hybrid N Line offers families space, features and easy-enough handling for everyday stuff and the occasional weekend adventure pursuits.
The price point is higher than the previous non-hybrid model but you get a lot of bang for your buck and my family was comfortable this week.
Kia Stonic/10
If there’s proof that not all SUVs are exactly alike - even two like the Stonic and Venue which are so similar that they even share parts - then this comparison is all the evidence you need.
Both SUVs are good choices, you can’t really go wrong. But one of them is clearly a better choice for those looking more value for money, along with extra practicality, safety equipment and tech - and that’s the Venue Elite.
Sure, the Venue Elite doesn’t get the Stonic GT-Line’s sporty turbo engine and dual-clutch transmission, but for the everyday driver we feel the Venue’s smooth automatic and fuss-free engine make for better city driving.
So, the Venue wins here. Along with being better to drive in the city, it's smaller in size for better parking, the visibility is better from the driver's seat, the big and clear digital speed is vital in urban areas, and it does a better job of tech and practicality, too.
 | Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
Price and features | 7 | 9 |
Design | 8 | 8 |
Practicality | 8 | 10 |
Under the bonnet | 8 | 7 |
Efficiency | 8 | 8 |
Safety | 8 | 8 |
Ownership | 8 | 8 |
Driving | 7 | 8 |
OVERALL | 7.8 | 8.3 |
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Design
Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson has seen a minor facelift on the exterior but most of the changes are in the cabin.
The N Line pack means that you get 19-inch alloy wheels over the standard 18-inch version as well as extended body panelling instead of black plastic trims. There is N Line badging across the car too, but N Line option pack does limit you to just four exterior colour choices.
The front features new stacked LED DRLs which tie in with the fang-like design of the rear LEDs. The origami-styled panelling looks more severe than the previous model which helps it stand out in a class that’s heavy on rivals.Â
The cabin features a completely reconfigured dashboard and now sports a large curved display panel that houses those upgraded tech screens and a new 6.6-inch climate control panel.
The centre console has been redesigned to look like it’s floating and now adds an extra-large storage cubby underneath it.
The upgraded interior makes the Tucson a leader for the mid-sized SUV segment and is very pleasant to spend time in.
Kia Stonic
The Stonic and Venue are like sisters in that they share the same engineering genes and tech from parent company Hyundai, but they are anything but identical.
The Stonic looks more like a raised, sporty hatchback with its narrower windows, pointy nose and a sloping tailgate.
The Venue has a more traditional upright and boxy SUV shape with a rugged but cute look.
Both are premium looking in their design from the crisp edges in the metal work to the LED running lights.
The premium look almost carries through to the cabins with sporty fabric seats and modern dashboards, but both have hard plastics used in the door trims which lowers the tone to a budget feel.
The Stonic’s carbon fibre-effect trim on the dash is good, but the Venue pulls off a more youthful, techy look with white elements around the air vents and a digital driver display.  Â
The Stonic measures 4140mm end-to-end and 1760mm wide, while the Venue is 4040mm in length, 4040mm long and 1770mm across.
What’s interesting is that despite the Venue being shorter in length, it has better practicality. Let’s talk about that.Â
| Â | Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
Length | 4140 | 4040 |
Height | 1520 | 1592 |
Width | 1760 | 1770 |
Ground clearance | 183 | 170 |
Wheel base | 2580 | 2520 |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |
Practicality
Hyundai Tucson
The cabin up front is spacious with plenty of head- and legroom on offer. You also won’t jostle for elbow room either when you have a passenger.
The seats are comfortable with their heat function but you might still get fatigue on longer trips as you only get adjustable lumbar on the drivers side and it's simple at best.
The back seat has really good space for the class and no matter the passenger, they were comfortable back there. The seats in the rear are well-padded and access to this row is good for sliding in a child seat as the door aperture is wide.
Other amenities are average with directional air-vents, a single reading light, and a fold-down armrest. My seven-year-old son found the window sills to be quite high, so he didn’t get the view he wanted.
The individual storage is excellent for the class with the redesign as you get a dedicated storage shelf in front of the front passenger and a massive cubby that easily fits a handbag underneath the mid-sized centre console.
There are two cupholders and two drink bottle holders per row but the rear storage bins are skinny. The rear row also gets map pockets but again, these are shallow.
The upgraded technology is a must have and the new multimedia system is easy to use once you spend time with it and looks great with its graphics. The system has built-in satellite navigation, over-the-air updates and wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Connecting the CarPlay is simple and maintains a strong connection.
Charging options are great with two USB-C ports per row and the front also gets a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket to choose from. The centrally located position of the charging pad is handy and the liner grippy - so no phone movement.
Rounding out the practicality is the boot, which has a wide aperture and a loading space level with 582L of capacity available with all seats in use, which is good for the class.
The back row has a 60/40 split but don’t fold flat – they sort of spring up a bit, which might annoy when you do a big Bunnings run.Â
There is a 12-volt socket, a space-saver spare tyre underneath the floor and you get a powered tailgate in this model – which I always like.
Kia Stonic
SUVs should be practical regardless of how small they might be. So along with enough room to seat five people, the Stonic and Venue have to be functional, versatile and have a reasonably sized boot.
Well, let’s start with the boots - both have impressively large cargo capacity for SUVs this small. The Stonic’s boot volume is 332 litres, while the Venue’s is 355 litres.Â
In the video of this comparison, we show how only the Venue’s boot can fit all the CarsGuide luggage and have its tailgate closed. We had to remove the Stonic’s cargo shelf to fit the same amount of luggage.
That leaves you with a cargo cover you have to either keep in the second row or leave behind.
The Venue has an ingenious solution to that cargo cover problem - a sidling rail which will accommodate the cover flat against the second row seat backs.Â
As for cabin storage, only the Venue gets a shelf above the glove box opening, but both SUVs have two cupholders up front and bottle holders in the doors.
The Venue is better for power and charging outlets with two USB ports, a 12V point, and a wireless phone charger up front and two USB ports in the second row.Â
The Stonic doesn’t have a wireless phone charger, and along with a 12V outlet, has just one USB port in the front and one in the back.
The Venue also just beats the Stonic for rear headroom and legroom, but I have to say that even at 189cm tall, I can just fit behind my driving position in both and that’s pretty amazing given the tiny size of these SUVs.Â
| Â | Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
Boot space (behind second row) | 332L | 355L |
Cupholders | 2 | 2 |
USB ports 1st row | 1 Type A  | 1 Type A 1 Type C |
USB ports 2nd row | 1 type A | 2 type C |
12V outlets | 1 | 1 |
Wireless phone charging | No | Yes |
Privacy glass | Yes | Yes |
Directional airvents | No | No |
Roof Rails | Yes | Yes |
Cargo cover | Yes | Yes |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 10 |
Price and features
Hyundai Tucson
There are now six variants for the Hyundai Tucson with the release of the hybrid powertrain and all six have the choice of being either a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel drive with either the petrol engine or hybrid powertrain. And every grade gets the option of adding the N Line style pack. So, there is no excuse for not getting the combo you actually want now.
The model on test is the mid-spec Elite Hybrid with the N Line option pack and its priced from $55,100 before on-road costs. That positions it towards the top end of the market but you get an SUV that's more feature-heavy than most of its rivals.
The standard equipment for the upgraded Elite Hybrid N Line now includes dual 12.3-inch technology screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 6.6-inch climate control touchpad.
Other equipment includes a powered driver’s seat, heated front seats, suede/leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging pad, digital radio, four USB-C ports, keyless entry, push-button start, space-saver spare wheel and a powered tailgate.
The Kia Sportage SX hybrid is more affordable at $45,950 MSRP but unlike the Elite Hybrid it misses out on wireless connectivity for phone charging and phone integration apps.
The Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD is priced from $52,585 MSRP but misses out on the newer and bigger technology screens that the upgraded Elite Hybrid has.
The Nissan X-Trail Ti 4WD e-Power is the closest rival in terms of price ($55,090 MSRP) and available features.
Kia Stonic
We chose the top-of-the-range versions of our two models in this head-to-head, and so they’re also the most expensive in their line-ups.Â
The Kia Stonic GT-Line lists for $30,790 plus on-road costs and the Venue Elite comes in at $28,750. You don’t need to spend this much. The entry grades list in the low $20Ks but you won’t get the same features. Let’s talk about those…
OK, standard features. Both the Stonic GT-Line and the Venue Elite come with 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, rear privacy glass, a sunroof, a proximity key and LED daytime running lights.
The Stonic gets LED headlights, too, and they are much brighter and better for dark roads than the yellowish halogen lights on the Venue.
Inside, both come standard with fabric seats and single-zone climate control. They both have a 4.2-inch multifunction display and an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with sat nav, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and digital radio.Â
The Stonic GT-Line has a four-speaker stereo, while the Venue Elite comes with a six-speaker system.
The Venue has a wireless phone charger. That's not offered on the Stonic GT-Line and that's a big miss in my books - wireless phone charging is life-changing and means no more cables or plugging in.
The Hyundai also has a large, clear illuminated speedo that's ideal for the city where school zones, mobile camera and traffic light speed cameras are everywhere. The Kia, on the other hand, has a traditional dial-style speedometer and tachometer.
 | Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
Price | $30,790 | $28,750 |
Seat upholstery | Synthetic leather | Cloth |
Climate control | single-zone | single-zone |
Heated wing mirrors | yes | Yes |
Multimedia screen | 8-inch screen | 8-inch screen |
Digital instruments | 4.2-inch | 4.2-inch |
LED running lights | Yes | Yes |
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto | Yes (wired) | Yes (wired) |
Stereo | Four-speaker | six-speaker |
Built-in sat nav | Yes | Yes |
Digital radio | Yes | yes |
Promitiy Key and push-start | Yes | Yes |
Headlights | LED | Projector (Xenon?) |
Wheel size | 17-inch alloy | 17-inch alloy |
Privacy glass | Yes | Yes |
Sunroof | Yes | Yes |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
7 | 9 |
Under the bonnet
Hyundai Tucson
The Elite Hybrid N Line model features a hybrid powertrain that combines an electric motor with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. They combine to produce 172kW of power and 367Nm of torque. Which is more than enough to make the mid-sized Tucson feel spirited.
This particular variant is AWD and uses a six-speed automatic transmission, which can over rev at times but is mostly smooth with its gear changes.
Kia Stonic
The Stonic GT-Line and Venue Elite may share much of the same engineering, but their engines are very different.
The Venue has 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, while the Stonic has a smaller engine, but it’s a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol.Â
The Venue’s four-cylinder has more power than the Stonic’s engine but doesn’t feel as sporty and fun as the three-cylinder.
Adding to the sporty feeling of the Stonic’s engine is a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which shifts intuitively and is vastly different from the traditional six-speed auto in the Venue.
But wait - although the Stonic is equipped with the far better engine and transmission, the driving section of this review discovered that this didn’t translate well for city traffic.
| Â | Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
Size and Layout | 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo petrol engine | 1.6-litre V6 petrol engine |
Power/Torque | 74kW/172Nm | 90kW/151Nm |
Transmission | 7-spd dual clutch automatic | 6-spd automatic |
Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 7 |
Efficiency
Hyundai Tucson
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is a low 5.3L/100km, and my real-world usage came out at 6.0L after doing a lot of open-road driving where hybrids tend to be at their least efficient, so that is an excellent result.
The Tucson hybrid is the second best for fuel usage after the Toyota RAV4 hybrid, which sits at 4.8L/100km for combined usage. Overall, the new hybrid powertrain has proven itself to be pretty frugal.Â
Based on the official combined fuel cycle and 53L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up to 981km, which is great for a family road tripper.
Kia Stonic
When we test fuel consumption, we carry out a real world exercise in which we fill the tanks, drive the same route taking in a combination of different types of road conditions, and then fill the tanks again to find out how much each car used.Â
We took both the Stonic GT-line and Venue Elite on a 110km round loop of Sydney on a combination of city streets, suburban roads and motorways and as you can see in the table below, both used almost the same amount of fuel.Â
Both of them were impressively efficient, but I was expecting the Stonic to be more so - it should be according to the car makers, but this Stonic was brand new, with only about 500km on the clock and until an engine is completely run in after about 1000km, it will use more fuel. So I have a sneaky suspicion it is more fuel efficient than the Venue.
The Kia Stonic GT-Line with its 1.0-litre engine and 45-litre fuel tank, has a range of approximately 833km, while the Venue Elite with its 1.6-litre engine and 45-litre fuel tank, has a range of about 625km.
| Â | Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
Official/combined consumption | 5.4L/100km | 7.2L/100km |
Real-world test | 6.2/100km | 5.7L/100km |
Minimum RON rating | 91RON | 91RON |
Fuel tank size | 45L | 45L |
Approx range | 833km | 625km |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |
Driving
Hyundai Tucson
The new hybrid powertrain offers respectable power delivery that makes the Tucson feel zippy in the city and a relaxed cruiser on the open road.
There can be some over-revving when you’re trying to get up to speed and the accelerator and brake feel touchy at first until you get used to them.
On the hybrid side of things the Elite Hybrid has regenerative braking and there are moments of pure EV mode but it kicks in seemingly when it feels like it. When it is on, there’s practically no engine noise but when it's off, the cabin still remains fairly quiet.
My family went off the paved stuff this week and hit muddy and gravel roads on our quest to find a cool picnic spot, and the Elite Hybrid impressed with how it handled the different terrains. It’s not an off-roader but you can still do mini adventures.
The Tucson is mid-sized and has a very clear reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors, so it’s not too hard to manoeuvre or park.
The real negative feedback is that on three separate occasions, our test car randomly shifted into neutral while driving and to clarify, this did not occur while trying to shift into or out of 'drive' but while on the road, already in drive.
The first time it happened, I thought I had somehow bumped the column shifter but on the other two occasions, I happened to be watching my husband drive and he didn’t touch the shifter.
This is probably just a fault on out test car and not indicative of the model in general but it wasn't fun.
Kia Stonic
OK, back in the engine section of this comparison I sang the praises of the Stonic’s sporty three-cylinder and dual-clutch auto, and I maintain that it’s the better engine and transmission, but the Venue is better to drive in city traffic.
See, the three-cylinder suffers from turbo lag and the transmission isn’t smooth. Combine this with a stop-start fuel saving system and around town the Stonic is a frustrating SUV to pilot.
The Venue’s dull and far from sporty engine and transmission actually nailed city driving perfectly because of the smooth and fuss-free operation.Â
Both the Stonic and Venue rode and handled almost identically, with the steering in the Venue feeling lighter and easier.
Visibility in the Venue was better than the Stonic due to the Hyundai’s large windows and more elevated seating position, too.
So despite the Stonic’s great little three-cylinder, the Venue wins overall for driving considering that most people will be piloting these little SUVs in the city and suburbs where the Venue is the easiest and best to drive.Â
Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
7 | 8 |
Safety
Hyundai Tucson
FINALLY! Hyundai has listened to the people.
They have found a workaround for the annoyingly intrusive beeping alerts associated with the traffic sign recognition and speed alert tech. Yes, they still alert unless you turn them off and yes, you still have to turn the damn thing off every time you get in the car, but you not longer have to access five to six menu pages to do so. Hurrah.
The Hyundai Tucson Elite Hybrid N Line has a robust safety features list and includes equipment like blind spot monitoring, driver attention monitoring, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert, forward collision warning, LED daytime running lights, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, and front/rear parking sensors.
Our test model misses out on lane departure alert and the lane keeping aid is too intrusive for every day driving. It gets to the point where you wonder who is driving, you or the car.
The Hyundai Tucson has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and the hybrid variants are covered by this as well. It has seven airbags, including, the newer front centre airbag.
The Tucson has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tethers.
Auto emergency braking (AEB) is standard and features car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction assist detection which is operational from 5.0 – 80km/h (85km/h for car) but it's usual to see a higher top speed for the car detection (usually 180km/h).
Kia Stonic
Both the Stonic and Venue have the maximum five-star ANCAP ratings, but the Stonic’s is from 2017 and Venue’s is from 2019, and that’s not as good as a 2023 five-star rating.
Still both have AEB, lane-keeping assistance and blind-spot warning.
The big difference is the Venue has rear cross-traffic alert which will tell you if somebody is about to walk behind the car or if somebody’s driving past while you’re reversing. That's great for driveways and carparks.
For child seats, both the Stonic and Venue have two ISOFIX mounts and three top-tether anchor points.
In their second rows, both have curtain airbags.
Both SUVs have space-saver spare wheels, which give you more room in the boot and is better than a repair kit.
| Â | Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
Auto emergency braking | Yes | Yes |
Lane keep assist | Yes | Yes |
Blind spot monitoring | Yes | Yes |
Rear cross traffic alert | No | Yes |
Rear AEB | No | No |
Front and rear parking sensors | Rear only | Rear only |
Airbags | 7 | 7 |
Airbags 3rd row coverage | Yes | Yes |
Child seat ISOFIX | 2 x 2nd row | 3 x 2nd row |
Child seat top tether | 3 x 2nd row | 3 x 2nd row |
Camera | Reversing | Reversing |
ANCAP rating (year tested) | Five (2017) | Four (2019) |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |
Ownership
Hyundai Tucson
Hyundai offers the Tucson with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty which is pretty standard for the class now.Â
You can pre-purchase servicing for up to five years and the breakdowns are as follows.
Three years or up to 30,000km for $1240 (average $413 per service).
Four years or up to 40,000km for $1700 (average $425 per service).
Five years or up to 50,000km for $2040 (average $408 per service).
The five-year pricing is comparable to its rivals and not outrageous for the class.
Servicing intervals could get annoying if you put a lot of kilometres on your car as they sit at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.
Kia Stonic
The Stonic is covered by Kia’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty while the Venue has Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre coverage.
The Stonic has capped-price servicing and, averaged over five years, it’s about $430 per year. The Venue doesn’t have capped-price servicing, but you can get a plan which works out at about $315 per year on average for each service.
| Â | Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
Warranty length | Five-year/unlimited km | Seven-year/unlimited km |
Yearly average service price (over five years) | $432 | $315Â |
Service interval | 12mnths/10,000km | 12mnths/15,000km |
Free roadside assistance | ? | ? |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |