Subcompact sedans and hatchbacks have fallen out of favor, but that doesn’t mean value-conscious brands like Hyundai and Chevrolet have stopped making affordable cars. The Hyundai Venue and the Chevrolet Trax have the lowest starting prices in their respective brand’s SUV lineups, and they both offer a plenty of bang for the buck.
The 2025 Hyundai Venue and 2025 Chevrolet Trax offer buyers an abundance of style, technology, and fuel economy. Moreover, they accomplish all of that while providing plenty of cabin interior space and decent driving manners.
Let’s check out how these two subcompact SUVs stack up.
2025 Hyundai Venue
2024 model shown
The Hyundai Venue eschews some popular convenience features like power-adjustable front seats and automatic dual-zone automatic climate control to achieve its bargain pricing and retain its position among the least expensive models in its class. It’s a trade-off budget-conscious buyers welcome. Hyundai offers the Venue in three trim levels with pricing starting at $21,395, including the factory-to-dealer destination charge.
Powered by a 121-horsepower 4-cylinder engine, the Venue provides impressive fuel economy. Although all-wheel drive (AWD) isn’t on the menu, even as an option, it offers plenty of technology, including a proximity keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a bundle of advanced safety technologies.
Hyundai Venue Highlights
Budget-friendly: Without question, the Hyundai Venue boasts one of the best cost-to own records for subcompact SUVs, based on factors like purchase price, depreciation, insurance, maintenance costs, and fuel costs.
Top warranty: Hyundai vehicles are covered by an industry-leading 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. That’s much better coverage than what you get with the Chevy Trax, or just about any other subcompact SUV, for that matter.
SmartSense: An impressive list of standard driver assistance features includes automatic emergency braking, driver attention warning, lane-keeping assist, rear occupant alert, and automatic high beams. Additional features provided on upper trims include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and cyclist detection.
Read our Hyundai Venue Expert Review or see 2025 Hyundai Venue models for sale near you.
2025 Chevrolet Trax
2024 model shown
Chevrolet hit a home run with the latest version of its Trax subcompact SUV, completely redesigned for 2024. With exterior styling inspired by the Blazer, the Trax is now a head-turner. Like the Hyundai Venue, it’s incredibly inexpensive, but it comes in five trim levels (LS, 1RS, LT, Activ, and 2RS), none of which offer all-wheel drive. Pricing starts at just $21,495, including the destination charge.
For that money, you get a spacious cabin, including best-in-class rear-seat legroom. Standard safety technology includes automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist with lane departure warning, and more.
The Trax’s power comes from a 137-hp turbocharged 1.2-liter 3-cylinder, which is stronger than the engine in the Hyundai Venue.
Chevrolet Trax Highlights
Chevy Safety Assist: Standard on the Trax, it bundles driver assistance features like automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, a following distance indicator, forward collision alert, and automatic high beams.
Lots of space: The Trax boasts best-in-class rear-seat legroom and plenty of headroom. Ranked among the roomiest in its class, the Trax also provides 25.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, which exceeds that of the Venue.
Bigger screens: The size of the standard touchscreen in the LS and 1RS is an 8-inch display, while the upper trims feature an 11-inch screen.
Read our Chevrolet Trax Expert Review or see 2025 Chevrolet Trax models for sale near you.
Similarities
With only a few dollars separating the Hyundai Venue and the Chevrolet Trax, price probably won’t factor prominently in a buying decision. Furthermore, both seat five, provide an abundance of new technology, deliver comparable fuel economy, and are easy to maneuver and park in urban areas. They also both come exclusively with front-wheel drive.
Pricing
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Hyundai Venue vehicles and New 2025 Chevrolet Trax vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.
Specifications
| 2025 Hyundai Venue | 2025 Chevrolet Trax | |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder | 1.2-liter turbo 3-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 121 hp @ 6,300 rpm | 137 hp @ 5,000 rpm |
| Torque | 113 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm | 162 lb-ft @ 2,500 rpm |
| Transmission | CVT | 6-speed automatic |
| Fuel Economy | 29 city/32 highway/31 combined mpg | 28 city/32 highway/30 combined mpg |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 10 years/100,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | 4 stars | 4 stars |
| Max Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 99.2 inches | 106.0 inches |
| Overall Length | 159.1 inches | 178.6 inches |
| Width | 69.7 inches | 71.7 inches |
| Height | 61.6 inches | 61.4 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 33.2 feet | 37.4 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 39.4 inches | 39.6 inches |
| Headroom, Rear | 38.6 inches | 38.1 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 41.3 inches | 41.9 inches |
| Legroom, Rear | 34.3 inches | 38.7 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 53.9 inches | 55.7 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Rear | 53.7 inches | 54.3 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 18.7 cubic feet | 25.6 cubic feet |
Conclusion
These rivals give “entry-level transportation” a good name. Each represents an opportunity to score a solid vehicle with ample convenience and safety technology, and a surprising spark from the accelerator at an affordable price. We get that picking one is difficult. For us, the decision would probably distill down to choosing between the Venu’s best-in-class warranty or the Trax’s best-in-class space.
