Kia EV5 vs Hyundai Venue

What's the difference?

The size is right, the price is right and the drive is right – three things that make the Kia EV5 a pretty formidable foe, and the kind of vehicle that might finally be able to break through the wall of the temple of Tesla in Australia.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

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.

If you’re familiar with any of Kia’s EV designs, and specifically the EV9, you’ll already know the Kia EV5, which looks a lot like a shrunken version of the company’s biggest electric 4WD.

But this one looks a bit smaller, a bit more familiar looking, and maybe a bit more accessible than the hyper-modern EV9.

Honestly, it looks like a contemporary, mid-size SUV that could be powered by anything.

There are a couple of EV5 design elements I really like. The first is the combination of hard edges and subtle curves, which combine really well. I also love the lighting treatment up front, which gives the EV5 a bold and unique light signature, especially at night.

Inside, it’s another story of familiarity, with a clean, high-tech cabin and Kia’s common twin-screen set-up. Actually, it’s more a triple screen, with two 12.3-inch screens, and a 5.0-inch climate monitor between them.

The materials are all nice, and they look great, but they don’t exactly melt under the touch, and that gives the EV5’s cabin a hard edge I don’t love.

I do, however, love the inclusion of some physical buttons, so you’re not pawing through the screen to access every in-car function.

And one final design quirk. I know it looks like it has an old-school bench front seat, but you can’t use it as a third seat in front. Kia says it’s just a design flourish. But it is also somewhere safe to pop your phone or other small valuables to stop them sliding about when you're on the road.

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. 

At 4615mm in length, 1875mm in width, 1715mm in height, and with a wheelbase of 2750mm, the Kia EV5 is roughly the same size as a Tesla Model Y, so if you’re ever sat in the back of the Tesla, you’ll have a fair idea of what to expect here.

Sitting behind my own 175cm driving position, I found I had a heap of knee room, more than enough headroom, and I reckon you could fit three adults across the back seat pretty easily, too.

There are a couple of design flourishes I really like, too. The pull-down divider that separates the backseat is home to two cupholders, which isn’t unusual, but what is new to me is the unique positioning of the USB charge ports, which are in the middle-back of the front seats, right above the storage pocket, so you have somewhere to pop your phone and cable when you're charging.

There is also a deep storage draw between the two front seats. It’s just for extra storage in the Air and Earth, but in the GT-Line it’s heated and cooled, which means hot pies or cold drinks when you’re on the move.

The EV5 might be an all-electric vehicle, but it’s still a mid-size SUV, which means there are certain standards it has to hit to be taken seriously, and one of those is boot space.

Up front there’s 67 litres of space in the fruit, or frunk, while the boot holds 513L with the rear seats in place – that number obviously growing as you begin folding them flat.

It is also a hugely customisable space. There’s heaps of under-floor storage below the removable panels. There’s also vehicle-to-load capability, which takes the form of a standard power point in the boot that can use the vehicle’s battery to power pretty much whatever you want.

Finally, there are adjustable luggage hooks, so you can carry bigger or smaller bags as you wish.

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.

Even though the Elite is the top model for the Venue line-up, it’s just $28,500 before on-road costs.

That puts it on par with the Mazda CX-3 in Maxx Sport guise, but about $4500 cheaper than the Toyota Yaris Cross Urban.

The Elite has an okay spec sheet but is a few items short of feeling like a top model should.

For example, this has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, whereas the lower grades enjoy wireless.

This is a common trait in Hyundai and Kia products due to a quirk with the vehicle architecture. It also just makes do with halogen headlights but they stand out against the rest of the LEDs on the road.

However, the other standard equipment for the Elite still makes it a competitive player, like the tilt and slide sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, temporary space-saver spare tyre, steering wheel-mounted controls, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system and wireless charging pad.

The entry-level EV5 Air is available in Standard Range or Long Range guises, both powered by a single front-mounted electric motor, producing 160kW and 310Nm. 

The Standard Range will clip 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds, while the extra weight of the bigger battery slows down the sprint in the Long Range, taking around 8.9 seconds. 

The Earth is a twin-motor AWD offering, with a motor at each axle, lifting outputs to 230kW and 480Nm, dropping the sprint to a brisk-feeling 6.1 seconds. The incoming GT-Line gets the same powertrain.

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. 

The Air Standard Range gets a 64.2 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, weighing in at a hefty 428kg, which delivers a claimed driving range of 400km. The Air Long Range, the Earth and the incoming GT-Line all share the same 88.1kWh battery, upping the range to 555km, 500km and 470km, respectively.

So, if driving range is at the very top of your must-have list, the Air Long Range is the car for you.

All cars can take 7.0kW home AC charging, while the dual-motor versions are set up for 11kW AC charging. Fast charging. When it comes to fast charging, all models can plug into a 350kW charger, taking them from 10 percent to 80 per cent in less than 40minutes.

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.

First things first – I spend most of my time behind the wheel of the EV5 Earth, which though it shares its dual-motor powertrain with the GT-Line, is actually the fastest of the lot owing to the extra weight of Kia's flagship.

That means zero to 100km/h in just over six seconds, and trust me when I say this, that is more than fast enough. I know you read about EVs knocking off the sprint to 100km/h in supercar-besting times, but you don't need that sort of crazy acceleration in a family-focused mid-size SUV.

Actually, forget needing, you don't want it. The EV5 feels more than punchy enough, without shaving years off your life every time you plant your foot.

Fit for purpose, then, which is exactly how I'd describe the rest of the EV5's very good drive experience. Kia's Australian ride and handling wizards have once again had their way with the EV5, and the result is an EV that handles most everything Australian road surfaces can throw it at it with ease.

Surprisingly, it's maybe not quite as dynamically sharp as the bigger EV9, but it's always comfortable, without feeling floaty or disconnected, and it will happily grip its way around tighter corners without tipping from side to side, either.

There are a couple of small quirks, though. The first is the steering, which is definitely responsive and confidence inspiring, but it also has a kind of artificial weight or heaviness at times that feels a bit disconnected from what's happening beneath the tyres. And the cabin can be a little noisy through wind, too.

But these are small beans, really. The EV5 is comfortable and capable, and without the harsh ride or too-sharp steering that can be found in some of its rivals.

We drove it for hours across all sorts of road surfaces, and in all sorts of conditions, and found very, very little to complain about.

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.

This little SUV has some good safety features that come as standard, like: blind-spot monitoring, auto emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning - car, pedestrian and cyclist detection (operational from 5.0 – 60km/h), rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, driver attention warning, check rear occupant alert, lane keeping aid, rear view camera with dynamic guidelines and tyre pressure monitoring.

However, the Venue was awarded a four-star ANCAP safety rating back in 2019. It missed out on that extra star because of the forward collision system, which had a lower ability to avoid rear-end impacts with vehicles in front. That dropped the Safety Assist and Vulnerable Road User scores down to just 62 per cent. That’s something to consider for the sort of traffic you’d get in an urban setting.

It only has six airbags but that does include curtain airbags covering the back row.

The EV5 is covered by Kia’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and you can prepay your servicing costs, too.

Three years will set you back $980, five years is $1535 and the full seven years will set you back $2431 ($347 per workshop visit), which is category competitive.

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.