Hyundai Venue vs BMW X3

What's the difference?

The Hyundai Venue Elite is a sweet-looking, compact SUV that should suit drivers who only need an A-to-B sort of car in the city. Or an empty nester who doesn’t want to feel flustered by any high-end tech and wants knobs and dials where they expect them to be.

Some elements of the safety set could be better though and that’s something to consider. However, for an urban landscape, you can practically fit it anywhere. With its engine specs, it's also happiest in the city - don't consider this a road trip car.

This is a highly competent all-rounder, given that it has the comfort and practicality for urban family duties yet with its revered M breeding can produce a level of performance which, in competent hands, could hold its own at a track day where its capabilities could be safely explored.

Cute is the adjective that comes to mind when you look at the Venue’s compact styling. And it is compact with its wee 4040mm length. The benefits of its dimensions means that you should be able to tuck this away in most garages or apartment car spots!

The Venue does have a boxier shape than I ordinarily like but because it’s small, it manages to get away with it and still feel sharp.

Our model’s paintwork and roof colour has been finished in Atlas White but you can customise the Venue with a two-tone roof job (either black or white, depending on main body colour), to add some more personality.

You just lose the sunroof with that option, which I actually think adds a lot of oomph to the interior and stops it from looking too plain inside.

Speaking of, the interior is pleasing but simplistic.  There are a lot of traditional design elements from the gear shifter and handbrake to the easy-to-access buttons and dials. This is a no-fuss interior that is banking on having a no-fuss sort of driver.

There is some cool cred with the white painted metal accents around the air vents and gear shifter. Plus, the contrasting piping and stitching on the cloth seats adds some fun, too. 

The fourth-gen X3, which has a lighter but stiffer body, shares the same wheelbase as its third-gen predecessor but at 4755mm end-to-end it's 34mm longer and it's 29mm wider.

It’s also 25mm lower, which combined with front and rear track-width increases and adaptive suspension damping to sharpen the handling underlines its sportiness and driver appeal, despite a substantial 2055kg kerb weight.

The new exterior design is characterised by short overhangs, flush door handles, a larger ‘split kidney’ grille, new LED taillights and L-shaped light elements for the LED headlights.

The new interior design is a classy mix of soft-touch materials and high-gloss hard surfaces in tastefully contrasting tones. The seats are upholstered in a new synthetic leather called 'Veganza' ('Espresso Brown' in our example) which according to BMW requires 85 per cent fewer CO2 emissions to produce than genuine leather (which is still available as an extra-cost option).

Combined with subtle use of ‘Magnolia’ fine-wood trim inserts, satin chrome, piano black, blue/red M highlights and slender ambient light-strips, it’s a cabin that exudes opulence.

It ain't a people mover. Period.

If you plan on having regular passengers and they’re tall, look elsewhere because they won’t find much comfort (especially in the back seat).

On the back seat, I barely fit with my 168cm (5’6”) height and had to accommodate my driving position by spreading the ol’ knees apart. So ladylike.

However, kudos to the clever high roofline because headroom isn’t an issue. The 170mm ground clearance also makes this a super easy car to get in and out of.

Front passengers definitely enjoy the most room and amenities but you will be jostling for the premium position on the armrest. The storage is good for this size SUV with a glovebox, middle console, two cupholders and a cute little storage shelf in front of the passenger.

There’s also a dedicated phone tray that has the wireless charging pad, a USB-A and C port plus a 12-volt port too.

The tech is simple to use and it was easy to get my iPhone connected to the Bluetooth and wired Apple CarPlay (there’s Android Auto, too for those users). The new-for-2023 4.2-inch digital instrument panel adds some pizzazz but unfortunately, isn’t customisable.

The boot is a solid size for this class at 355L. You can adjust the floor to sit a little lower and there is a space-saver spare tyre.

No Venue grade has a powered tailgate but honestly, you don’t need it.

This would make a great family weekend escape machine, for which BMW quotes a 645kg payload rating. It’s also rated to tow up to 2500kg of braked trailer, which could pose a challenge given the relatively low 100kg tow-ball download limit (TBD is typically around 10 per cent of trailer weight).

BMW also does not publish a GCM figure (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) so we can’t confirm if it can carry its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

Even so, the M50 has a useful-sized luggage area which offers up to 570 litres (or 0.57 cubic metres) of load volume with the rear seat upright.

This expands to 1700 litres (or 1.7 cubic metres) with the rear seat folded flat, which can be handy for a multitude of tasks like transporting a mountain bike or hauling home flat-pack furniture.

There’s comfortable space for the driver and front passenger, along with useful storage including large bottle-holders and bins in each front door.

The centre console has two small-bottle/cupholders plus wireless phone-charging and a pair of USB ports. There's also a glove box plus another box at the rear of the console with a padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

The rear bench seat is surprisingly spacious, given that I’m 186cm tall and when seated behind the driver’s seat in my position I still have about 40mm of knee clearance, which is optimised by the concave shape of the front seat backrests.

The spacious and airy feel is enhanced by the ‘panorama’ glass roof which spans the full length of the seating area and allows generous headroom even for tall people.  

However, shoulder room is tight for three adults and the centre passenger’s feet must contend with the transmission tunnel, so even though it would be fine for three kids we’d suggest a limit of two adults for longer trips.

Rear passengers get privacy glass and pull-up roller sunshades, large-bottle holders and bins in each door plus net-type pockets and anchorage points for media devices on each front seat backrest. There are also two small-bottle/cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

The rear of the centre console has two USB ports, adjustable air-vents plus controls for zone temperature, airflow preferences and seat-heating.

The bench seat features a 40/20/40 split, which allows the centre backrest to fold forward independent of the two outer backrests to allow long loads like snow skis, home hardware etc to be carried if securely fastened.

A power tailgate provides access to the luggage area, which is equipped with a handy 12-volt accessory socket plus load-anchorage points front and rear, extra storage nooks for small items on either side and a retractable roller-type load cover. Overall, this vehicle offers good practicality for family duties.

Our X3 M50 xDrive test vehicle, finished in new 'Dune Grey Metallic', comes standard with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine incorporating 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, plus an eight-speed automatic and permanent all-wheel drive for a list price of $128,900.

You’d expect a high performance prestige vehicle costing six figures would be packed with desirable standard features and the M50 xDrive delivers, starting with big 21-inch 'M' lightweight alloy wheels shod with wide 285/35R21 tyres.

However, there’s no room for a spare (not even a space-saver) so you get a tyre repair kit instead.

The standard equipment list also includes adaptive LED headlights (with matrix high-beam and blue design detailing), a power tailgate, an ‘Iconic Glow’ illuminated kidney grille with M-specific elements, quad exhaust outlets, a panorama full-length (fixed) glass roof, a choice of six premium metallic paint colours and more. The 'M Sport Pro' visual enhancement package is also included.

Step inside and the driver is treated to a head-up display and an elegantly curved digital dash display, which spans about two-thirds of the cabin's width. It seamlessly incorporates a 12.3-inch driver’s instrument display (made from recycled polyester) and 14.9-inch multimedia display controlled by BMW’s latest 'iDrive System 9' software.

Premium audio is provided by a 15-speaker 750-watt Harman Kardon surround sound system, which includes digital radio and wireless Apple/Android connectivity. There’s also wireless phone charging.

The driver gets a thick leather-rimmed and heated 'M Sport' flat-bottom steering wheel and the driver and front passenger are also treated to sumptuous bucket seats with multiple power adjustments and heating/cooling.

Up to three passengers can share the rear bench seat and indulge in the luxury of three-zone automatic climate control, heating for the outer seating positions, privacy glass, roll-up sunshades, two USB-C ports and lots more.

All Venue grades share the same engine – a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol drivetrain with a maximum output of 90kW and 151Nm of torque. Which sounds as gutless as it feels.

The six-speed auto transmission and under-powered engine can feel a bit rough on the open-road when you need to put your foot down.

Basically, you’re not going to do Daytona 500 in this. Think the odd bit of shopping, taking your small lap dog to get trimmed and going for a coffee with your friends. 

According to BMW, the M50 xDrive features the most powerful inline six-cylinder petrol engine fitted to an M Performance model.

This 3.0-litre unit clearly benefits from BMW’s twin-scroll turbocharging technology, which combined with variable valve timing and an extra 13kW/200Nm from the 48V mild-hybrid technology produces a stomping 293kW of power at 5500rpm and 580Nm of torque at 1900rpm.

It also has a ‘boost’ function, which provides an extra burst of power for short periods when maximum acceleration is required when overtaking etc.

It’s activated by the left paddle-shifter on the steering wheel and automatically optimises transmission/chassis settings to suit. There’s also a drive mode selector, with ‘Sport’ offering the most responsive and engaging experience.

The eight-speed torque converter automatic is a refined and efficient transmission well suited to this full-time all-wheel drive application. Rapid-fire manual shifting is also available using the steering wheel paddles.

It earns back some points with the fuel efficiency, especially considering how hard you have to drive this to wring out its power.

The official combined fuel figure is 7.2L/100km and I achieved the same according to the trip computer. Not too shabby but there are hybrid versions for the Venue’s rivals now - like the Yaris Cross - so it would be good to see one for this as well. 

It has a 45L fuel tank and based off the official combined figure, you should be able to get around a 625km driving range, which means you should be able to go a couple of weeks without filling up if you’re doing shorter commutes.

BMW claims an official average combined consumption of 8.2L/100km but the dash display was showing 9.9 at the completion of our 210km test, which included a mix of suburban, city and highway travel.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in slightly higher again at 10.5L/100km, which given our test vehicle’s two-tonne-plus weight and performance capabilities is still reasonable economy.

So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 600km from its 65-litre tank, which prefers premium 98 RON petrol.

This is an urban dweller for sure. It’s happiest going under 70km/h but it handles that range very well. You have enough kick to cross traffic without too much fuss and the steering feels direct.

Those feelings disappear on the open road where it’s a struggle to maintain your speed and the engine complains so loudly, I was nervous it was going to conk out.

The cabin also gets loud at higher speeds with wind and road noise, which just reaffirms that this is a city car. At lower speeds, it’s fairly quiet and you can chat without interruption.

There’s some roll when you tackle corners but once you get used to how to drive it, it won’t bother you. The ride comfort is good until you hit bumps and then, you probably feel more connected to the road than you might like but it’s short lived because of the short wheelbase.

I really like the 10.2m turning circle and compact size - it made navigating around tight city streets an absolute breeze. Parking? Hurrah for a small car. I got into spaces that would ordinarily elude me. I just would have liked a clear reversing camera, it’s a bit blurry for a top-spec model.

First, the fun stuff. It certainly feels like ‘the ultimate driving machine’ when you slide behind the chunky leather-rimmed flat-bottom steering wheel and hold it in your hands.

The driver’s seat offers not only powered adjustment of backrest and base-cushion rake, but also four-way lumbar support and side-bolsters that can tighten their embrace of your upper torso to contend with high cornering loads.

There’s also manual extension of the base-cushion length for greater thigh support and a big left footrest to brace against, so you could not ask for a more accommodating and purposeful driving position.

The steering is perfectly weighted and the quartet of enormous disc brakes provide ample bite with superb pedal feel. Combined with its adaptive suspension and wide grippy tyres, the X3 is a family car that’s also invigorating to drive, particularly when you select the ‘Sport’ mode.

The enhanced engine response and sharper steering that result (even the instrument panel display changes) make any twisting mountain road an engaging experience, enhanced by an intoxicating exhaust note that only a BMW M six can deliver.

The turbocharged engine offers an unyielding surge of acceleration from well below peak torque at 1900rpm to maximum power at 5500rpm, making BMW’s claim of 0-100km/h in a scant 4.6 seconds sound credible.

You can also manually change gears using the steering wheel paddles, but we found the gearing and shift calibrations so good that we preferred to leave it in auto mode.

However, the X3 M50 has two distinct personalities, as in more relaxed drive modes it’s just as happy serving as practical family transport during the week for grocery shopping, daily school runs and other common tasks.

It’s also a comfortable tourer for family getaways, with long gearing that requires only 1500rpm to cruise at 100km/h where low engine, tyre and wind noise allow highway conversations at lounge room levels.

No ANCAP rating as yet but this X3 comes with a long menu of standard safety features including multiple airbags, AEB with pedestrian/cyclist/junction detection, front collision warning with brake intervention, lane-keeping, active cruise control, head-up display with speed sign recognition, front and rear cross-traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring and lots more.

There are also ISOFIX and top tethers for the two outer rear seating positions.

Ongoing costs are great as the Venue comes with Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is a standard term for the class.

You can pre-purchase servicing plans for up to five-years or 75,000km (whichever occurs first). The five-year plan averages $315 per service, which is very competitive! 

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

It comes standard with a five-year, unlimited km warranty.

Scheduled servicing is determined by BMW’s vehicle monitoring system which advises when a service is needed, typically around 12 months/15,000km.

A capped-price servicing package covering five years/80,000km (whichever occurs first) totals $2475, or an average of $495 per service.