Nissan Juke VS Hyundai Venue
Nissan Juke
Likes
- Funky looks
- Decent interior space and boot
- Full safety equipment
Dislikes
- Frustrating dual clutch auto
- Missing a few tech items rivals get
- Could do with a hybrid version
Hyundai Venue
Likes
Dislikes
Summary
Nissan Juke
The Nissan Juke was meant to herald a new era for Nissan in Australia.
It was the first in a slew of new-generation SUVs and has now been joined by the Qashqai, X-Trail, and Pathfinder as part of a new-look Nissan.
Unlike those others, though, the Juke hasn’t quite resonated with buyers. Since arriving to what Nissan probably expected to be fanfare back in 2020, the new Juke has since sunk to the bottom of its compact SUV segment, outselling only a handful of other models.
Read more about
So, what went wrong? Is the quirky styling of the Juke too much? Are there too many appealing choices in the compact SUV space? Alternatively, could the Juke be an underrated gem worth checking out?
I find myself in an upper mid-spec ST-L to find out.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.8L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
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 |
Verdict
Nissan Juke6.9/10
The Juke is a fun little car. It looks cool, it packs most of the important features and safety equipment, but while it can be fun to drive, it’s also a little clunky around town.
It’s so frustrating, because there is a great car in there somewhere, and it would take only small tweaks and enhancements to bring it out.
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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Design
Nissan Juke
Urban style is clearly what the Juke is about. It’s always been about this, but the original incarnation, while unusual, was a bit bulbous and awkward. The current version is a razor-sharp re-interpretation of the original.
Ugly duckling no more, the Juke blends the elements of Nissan’s current design language with its own unique take, in a clever way.
The roofline and bulbous face of the original car, complete with its ‘eye’ headlights are all maintained, but this time they look more contemporary with a splash of chrome and gunmetal plastic in the face, offset by gloss blacks running down the doorline.
The new light fittings look great and the curviness is also gently off-set with some sharp angles. The massive 19-inch wheels finished in a two-tone gloss black and aluminium brush keep this car looking like a concept come to life. Just don’t crash them into the curb. It would be very easy to.
The cool elements continue inside, with rotary air vents, a blend of textures, including a gloss grey for the vent claddings, with white stitching for the wheel, seat, and into the door cards, too.
There are touches of chrome about the place, and an ambient red LED light surrounding the shifter, which sits on its own little pedestal thing.
It’s quirky and punches above its weight when it comes to soft trims in the doors. Like most higher-grade Nissans the seats are pretty comfy, too, clad in a hard-wearing synthetic leather material.
But it won’t be for everyone, and it’s not without its downsides. The abundance of grey plastic down the centre console is a bit cheap, and the tech offering doesn’t match the youthful style.
The centre screen is adequate, but compared to many rivals it’s a bit small and dull, and the Juke is still missing a digital overhaul for its instrument cluster.
The black headlining, usually reserved for sportier cars, makes the cabin feel smaller than it is.
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 |
Practicality
Nissan Juke
The Juke is a small SUV in the true sense of the word, sitting below the Qashqai which is more like a mid-sizer these days in terms of dimensions.
However, it’s quite cleverly packaged on the inside and is more useful than it first appears.
The front seats, for example, offer heaps of headroom and a surprising amount of width, and while the seats are manual, they’re pretty adjustable. I was able to find a great seating position.
There are big pockets in the doors with an integrated bottle holder suitable for even the largest bottles, although the centre console area is a bit less versatile, choosing its funky design over additional storage.
It features two good bottle holders, but a tiny armrest box and a shallow tray with one 12V socket and a USB-A outlet, as well as an auxiliary audio input under the climate controls.
On the topic of climate controls, I love the fact the Juke maintains a dedicated ventilation panel complete with buttons and dials for all the core functions. No touchscreen nonsense here.
The media screen, as mentioned, is a tad small, and falls victim to glare easily.
The stock Nissan software is a massive upgrade on the brand’s previous-generation products, but while it’s functional it’s far from the prettiest or the fastest on the market.
The back seat offers more space than you might assume, but it’s not as well thought-out as the front of the cabin. At 182cm tall I fit behind my own driving position with just enough space for my knees and just enough headroom.
There are decent bottle holders in the doors, and a further two small ones in the drop-down armrest. The backs of the front seats are clad in that synthetic leather material, which is nice, and have soft pockets, too.
The back of the front centre console offers just a single USB-A outlet and a small cubby. There are no adjustable air vents for rear passengers. It also feels a little claustrophobic back there thanks to the black trim on everything and smaller windows.
Boot capacity for the Juke is impressive for an SUV in this class, with 422 litres on offer, which is close to the volume we’d expect from something a size-bracket up, and 1305L with the second row folded down. There is a space-saver spare under the boot floor.
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 |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 10 |
Price and features
Nissan Juke
The Juke range kicks off from just $28,390 which gets you into a base ST and reaches to $36,890 for the top-spec Ti.
We’re driving the $34,440 (before on-road costs) ST-L which is the upper mid-grade car.
It scores concept-style 19-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather interior trim, an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 7.0-inch digital screen between the analog dials, a surround camera system, single-zone climate, keyless entry and push-start ignition, and LED headlights.Â
The quite attractive ‘Magnetic Blue’ paint our car wears is a $700 option. For an additional $1133 you can also step up to the ST-L+ grade which adds alternate two-tone seat trim, chrome and black highlights and a 10-speaker Bose audio system.
While this ST-L grade gets the lion’s share of Juke equipment without the price-hike to the Ti (and is therefore the pick of the range) there are some notable items missing at this price.
For example, there’s no wireless phone charging, no head-up display, no fully digital instrument cluster, and no electrical adjustment for the seats. The 8.0-inch multimedia screen is starting to look a bit dated, too.
Still, it looks trendy and those massive wheels are well above the standard for a car at this size or price. So, if you’re going for style over equipment there is a choice to be made here.
Nissan also hasn’t cheaped out on safety equipment, with most active stuff coming standard, even on the base ST. More on this later.
Pricing is about line-ball with its most direct competitors. It’s a tad cheaper than some like the outgoing similarly-styled Toyota C-HR (Koba 2WD - $35,695), or slightly more expensive than others like the current equivalent Ford Puma (ST-Line - $33,190) or Mazda CX-3 (Touring SP - $34,300) although it is also ever so slightly larger than those last two by width, height, and wheelbase.
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 |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
7 | 9 |
Under the bonnet
Nissan Juke
In the Juke’s messy engine bay lies a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine which sends 84kW/180Nm to the front wheels.
Nissan has its own 'HR10DET' engine code for this unit but it’s actually a Renault 'H5Dt' engine as evidenced by Renault logos all over the place.
Power is communicated by a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic which has been a source of strife for this car since it arrived. This very European engine and transmission combination is one which the Juke shares with its Renault Captur cousin.
I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I would prefer a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which Nissan uses elsewhere in its range. It would solve maybe the main issue with this car, which we’ll explore up next in the driving section of this review
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 |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 7 |
Efficiency
Nissan Juke
One of the reasons this car comes equipped with a dual-clutch automatic is to chase fuel efficiency as well as emissions output. On paper DCT autos don’t suffer the inherent losses of a traditional torque converter transmission.
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 5.8L/100km. My week of driving, weighted slightly more towards freeway conditions, produced a marginally higher average of 6.8L/100km. It’s not the claim, but it’s pretty good.
This little engine requires mid-shelf 95RON unleaded fuel, and the Juke has a 46-litre fuel tank, suggesting a driving range of 793km using the official fuel consumption number.
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 |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |
Driving
Nissan Juke
The Juke can be fun to drive, and I wanted to like it more, but the transmission its peppy little engine is paired with is frustrating.
Outputs of 84kW/180Nm doesn’t sound like a lot, but power isn’t the problem. The little engine has a fun turbo-surge which pairs with the Juke's light frame to make for a car which is quite athletic when you push it.
The issue is a mountain of turbo-lag conspires with the clunky dual-clutch automatic to make it far too sluggish off the line.
There’s a full second (or two, at times) to wait for any power to arrive, which simply isn’t good enough at T-junctions and roundabouts, the kind of situations a little urban SUV like this will constantly be encountering.
Nissan says the transmission software was even updated after the Juke’s launch, but it’s still not where it should be.
It has good traits, too. When you’re out on the open road, it has quick, snappy and well-defined shifts, and the engine is much better when it’s being properly pushed, too.
It has a gruff, entertaining tone, and the Juke’s light frame, firm ride, and comparatively heavy steering make it a joy to throw into some corners.
The long wheelbase for such a small SUV, paired with a decent set of tyres, also keeps it confident when its predecessor was a little clumsy.
Again, though, the reasonably hard ride, not helped by the very large wheels, isn't its best trait in an urban environment. The Juke is by no means uncomfortable, it just seems like the priorities for this little SUV aren’t in the right place.
I’ve said this before but there’s a great car in here somewhere. The Juke is fun to drive in the right environment, it’s just this environment is not where most prospective buyers will primarily be looking to use it.
What could fix this issue? A different transmission perhaps. Better yet, an e-Power hybrid powertrain.
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 |
Safety
Nissan Juke
The Juke's standard active safety features include freeway-speed auto emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.
Last time I reviewed this car I complained about the way it vibrates the steering wheel when the lane keep function decides you’re going out of your lane. But having since experienced so many more invasive lane keep systems, this one seems comparatively low-key.
Elsewhere, the Juke gets the standard array of six airbags (dual front, side, and curtain) and wears a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating to the 2019 standards.
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 |
Ownership
Nissan Juke
Nissan offers the Juke with a five-year, unlimited km warranty, with five-years of roadside assist included.
It requires servicing every 12 months or 20,000km and the cost is subject to a capped price servicing program for the first six years.
This averages $651.33 annually, which is not cheap for a small SUV in this class.
However, there is also the option of a pre-paid five-year service plan which brings the annual cost over five years down to a more reasonable $429.60.
But, notably, it does not include the pricy $1521 sixth-year interval. It’s worth asking yourself how long you’ll own the car for before splurging on it.
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 | ? | ? |
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Kia Stonic GT-Line | Hyundai Venue Elite |
8 | 8 |