Hyundai Venue VS Holden Captiva
Hyundai Venue
Likes
Dislikes
Holden Captiva
Likes
- It's cheap
- It's big
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Dislikes
- It's old
- It's a bit noisy
- Lacks the finesse of the competition
Summary
Hyundai Venue
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 |
Holden Captiva
Holden wasn't the first manufacturer to find itself bereft of a big SUV when the fuse was lit by BMW and Mercedes as the last millennium came to a close. Ford responded with the Territory while Holden jacked-up a V8 Commodore and slapped the Adventra badge on it. Sadly, it didn't work, and so the Captiva was the next best option, procured from what was then called Daewoo.
As a result of that that little blip on the economic radar, the GFC, and an on-going re-organisation of General Motors, the Korean-built Captiva has lasted rather longer than anyone expected.
It first launched with two bodystyles, but is now down to one, the bigger and more practical seven seat body shell.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.2L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.2L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Hyundai Venue/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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Holden Captiva6.3/10
The Captiva is very, very long in the tooth and is heading towards retirement some time in the next twelve months. Before then, it's a lot of car for the money, particularly the seven seat LS. It's not fast, flash or futuristic but it will do the job and with all of the early problems sorted, will probably do it for quite some time.
The Captiva's low scores are mostly to do with the car just being old and feeling it, with dodgier plastics, slightly undercooked ride and handling and a lack of engine and safety tech. It doesn't mean it's a terrible car, because it isn't and Holden papers up the cracks with a low starting price and good after-sales.
Design
Hyundai Venue
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 |
Holden Captiva6/10
Formerly known as the Captiva 7, the seven seat body has remained mostly the same for its 11 years on sale. The only real changes have been around the front end, with Holden several times fiddling with the grille, lights and bumpers. There's nothing flash about the Captiva, but you know exactly what it is coming at you, with the double grille and big Holden badge.
In profile there's a lot of the original BMW X5 if you squint, right down to the copyright lawyer-dodging shape of the rear quarter window. It also has that X5's big gaps between wheelarch and tyres and a good view of the wheelarch itself. If that's your thing.
Little has changed at the back apart from bumpers and the LED effect lights added in the last update in 2014. It's unlikely you're buying the Captiva as auto haute couture, though.
Inside is basic, and you can place the Captiva's genesis in the mid-2000s, there's a certain generic GM feel to it. The switchgear feels old and clacky, the plastics are hard but do fit well enough. An Audi interior it isn't. The update in 2014 to make the 7.0-inch screen fit in the dashboard is fairly obvious and it's a shame the whole dash couldn't have been replaced. The huge steering wheel surrounds a tightly packed instrument cluster with small dials and a very old-looking LCD panel for trip computer duties.
Practicality
Hyundai Venue
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 |
Â
Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 10 |
Holden Captiva7/10
The Captiva's interior dimensions are impressive. In seven seat versions, the boot space starts at 87 litres, expanding to a handy 465 litres with the 50/50 split fold rear row stowed. Flop the middle row forward and you're up at 930 litres, a good size cargo area that could swallow a flat-pack wardrobe. If you snaffle a five-seat version, you can remove the boot floor panels to reveal another couple of hundred litres of hidey holes.
There are cup holders up front (two), in the middle row (two) and in the boot (one, strangely) for a total of five. In the seven seater, two will go thirsty.
Price and features
Hyundai Venue
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 |
Â
Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
7 | 9 |
Holden Captiva7/10
The Captiva's value is heavily dependent on the model you choose. Standard features across the range (starting with the LS) include a 7.0-inch touchscreen running MyLink, a six-speaker stereo with AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, cruise control, rear parking sensors, reversing camera, auto headlights, leather steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, three 12 volt power outlets, keyless entry and start and a tyre inflation kit in place of an (optional) spare tyre.
No Captiva comes standard with sat nav as they all feature Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which both use your phone's GPS apps.
There are four models, three 'standard' specifications - LS, LT, and the top of the range LTZ, with a fourth version in the form of the five seat only Active 'special' edition, that isn't.Â
Pricing starts at $26,490 for the 2.4-litre LS (with five seats and five-speed manual gearbox), $28,690 for the auto, and the diesel comes in at $31,690. Seven-seat LS pricing ranges from $30,490 for the petrol and $33,490 for the diesel, both six-speed automatics.Â
The Active enters the price list at $31,990 drive away. Based on the five-seat petrol LS (to be discontinued in May 2017), the auto-only Active adds 18-inch alloys, textile leather seats and a cargo cover. There's also a similarly specified seven seat version at $33,490.
On to the LT, and the price rises to $37,490 for the petrol and $38,490 for the diesel, both of them seven seaters. Part of the big jump for the LT is explained by the petrol engine switching to Holden's 190kW 3.0-litre V6 and the addition of all-wheel drive (AWD). The LT picks up a sunroof, bigger alloys, side steps, cloth trim with "Sportec" bolsters on the front seats and powered heated mirrors.
The LTZ's pricing is a mixed bag. Ordinarily, the V6-powered version would attract an rrp (carmakers insist we call it MLP, manufacturer's list price) of $40,490, with the diesel adding a thousand dollars to weigh in at $41,490. However, Holden is running a long promotion offering the LTZ V6 at $35,990 drive away with three years of free servicing.
The LTZ has 19-inch wheels, leather-look trim, electric driver's seat and front parking sensors.
You can choose one of seven colours - black, white, red, silver, blue, brown and grey and all but white will cost you $550. Orange is no longer on the menu, no matter how much you want it to be 2007 again.
Under the bonnet
Hyundai Venue
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 |
Â
Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 7 |
Holden Captiva6/10
If you like a choice of engine size, you've come to the right place. The Captiva has three engine specs in the range - two petrols and a diesel.
The smaller petrol, a 2.4-litre four-cylinder, produces 123kW at 5600rpm and 230Nm at 4600rpm. Driving the front wheels, this motor is available with choice of gearbox, either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. This 2.4 is only available on the LS and Active.
The 24-valve 3.0 SIDI V6 is available on LT and LTZ and produces 190kW at 6900rpm and 288Nm at 5800rpm.
The single diesel is a 2.2-litre iron block with common rail direct-injection and makes 135kW at 3800rpm and a stout 400Nm within a very usable range of 1750-2750rpm. You can have the oil burner in all three trim levels, driving the front wheels in the LS and four-wheel drive in the LT and LTZ.
Both the V6 and diesel are available only with the six-speed automatic transmission.Â
Unlike earlier Captiva models, none of these engines feature a timing belt. Those early engines suffered from issues related to the fabric belt while problems with the later timing chain driven engines are less common. Reliability of the V6 is well-proven in the Commodore while later four cylinders also perform well.
Zero to 100km/h performance varies between the engines. The 2.4 will reach 100km/h in around 10.5 seconds while the V6 is rather quicker at 8.6. The diesel falls right in the middle at 9.6 seconds.
We've not yet carried out a towing review, but according to Holden, towing capacity is rated at 750kg for unbraked trailers and 2000kg braked.
Efficiency
Hyundai Venue
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 |
Â
Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |
Holden Captiva6/10
If you're after good fuel economy, the Captiva probably isn't the car for you.Â
The 2.4-litre petrol is quoted at 9.7L/100km on the combined cycle but, as we recently discovered, is more likely to return closer to 12.5L/100km.
Diesel fuel consumption on the official combined cycle is listed at 8.5L/100km but our most recent test yielded a slightly startling figure of 12.9L/100km. The diesel's performance, particularly in the gears, is better than either petrol but it appears you'll pay for it.
The big banger V6's official fuel consumption figure is listed at 10.7L/100km, but past CarsGuide reviews suggest 14.0L/100km is a more likely real world figure. As far as fuel economy goes, diesel vs petrol usually falls to the diesel, but not in this case.
Fuel tank capacity is identical across the range at 65 litres.
Driving
Hyundai Venue
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 |
Holden Captiva6/10
You sit on the Captiva rather than in it, a feeling encouraged by the flat, shapeless seats. It doesn't matter which Captiva you choose, the front seats are not exactly huggy but they'll certainly take people of all shapes and sizes.Â
You twist a funny knob where the key barrel used to be to start the engine. The view out front and out the sides is commanding as there is a fair bit of glass all around, with just the view out the rear window restricted as it's quite small. If you've got passengers, forget it, but the reversing camera will save the day there.
The ride is, for the most part, reasonable, but will deteriorate along with the road surface. The suspension isn't very quiet and the overall firm feeling delivers passable handling, which you'd expect from a big heavy machine like this. It doesn't have anything like the finesse of much younger metal from Hyundai, Kia and Mazda.
The diesel specs suggest strong performance and that's exactly what you get. It's by far the torquiest of the three engines and shifts the Captiva's two tonnes with reasonable verve. It's a noisy, grumbly unit but works well with the six-speed auto.
The engine specs of the two petrols don't really tell the story. While the V6 is quicker in a straight line, its extra weight knocks the shine off the torque increase and the engine itself isn't a shining example of modern engine tech. Actually, neither of them are, missing out on stop-start and other goodies.
This isn't an off-road review, but moderately ambitious mud-plugging is doable in the AWD models, with a ground clearance of 200mm but no low range or off-road mode. We even checked the manual to make doubly sure there wasn't a diff lock button hidden somewhere.
As ever, the idea here is that when you're buying a Captiva you're buying a lot of space and a cheap ownership experience.
Safety
Hyundai Venue
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) |
Â
Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |
Holden Captiva6/10
The Captiva carries six airbags, ABS, traction and stability controls, hill descent control, brake force distribution, active rollover protection, brake assist and three ISOFIX points, in addition to the reversing camera and rear parking sensors.Â
The Captiva's maximum five star ANCAP safety rating was awarded in November 2011.
Ownership
Hyundai Venue
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 | ? | ? |
Â
Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |
Holden Captiva6/10
As with all new Holdens, the Captiva owner benefits from a three year/100,00km warranty and lifetime capped price servicing. All prices are available on Holden's website.
Service costs for the diesel are significantly higher than the either of petrols, but do include oil changes.
The standard package also includes a year of roadside assist.
For common faults and complaints, check out our Holden Captiva problems page, which covers known automatic transmission problems, engine problems and diesel problems. There aren't any widespread diesel engine problems with the later version.
Resale value is often a consideration and we've looked at the last major update, released in 2014.Â
A seven seat Series II LS from 2014 - the second major update for the Captiva after the 2011 update addressed lingering problems - cost $30,490 when new and will trade at around $13000-$15000, below fifty per cent of the purchase price, with private sales a little higher.Â
An LTZ diesel from the same period sold for $41,490 and trades in the 45 to 50 per cent of purchase price and a little over 50 per cent in private sales.