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AUTONETWORK: 2020 Hyundai Venue

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Venue’s design was comprised of small body forms, mostly squares. But it looked measurably better than that sounds. Its side profile featured solid and full volume wheel arches, strong character lines, while the front cascading grille included Hyundai’s the new signature face.

Published

6 years ago

September 25, 2020

Frank S. Washington

2020 Hyundai Venue (Photo by Frank Washington)

By Frank S. Washington, Editor of AboutThatCar.com and NNPA Newswire Contributor

DETROIT – Whoa!

That’s what we thought when we looked at the price of Hyundai’s 2020 Venue. This small crossover had all the comfort of a larger and more expensive vehicle.

When we got inside, it occurred to us that we might be seeing the last days of old-fashioned keys. The Venue had push button lock and unlock. And of course, along with that feature, push button start and stop is normal.

The next thing we noticed was the drive mode button on the center console. The Venue had three modes: normal, sport and snow. And we did notice the moonroof too.

We thought the use of plastic was nicely camouflaged with the grainy texture they used on the dash. The infotainment touch screen was embedded on the face of the dash with a climate control vent on each side.

The instrument layout was simple. Two large circles holding the analogue odometer and speedometer. There was a smallish TFT screen between them. The instruments were black with white numerals reversed out. And the numerals were large and, thus, easy to see. We appreciated it.

Our Venue SEL had heated front seats and voice controls. It also had a two-tone interior, black and gray cloth. There was some stitching that went around the seats, the steering wheel, and the sleeve for the gear shift.

The front seats were comfortable, though we thought they could have been a little wider. It seems that with a twist here or a turn there and we sort of overflowed out of them on the sides. Then again, we have picked up weight.

We got into the back seat and found plenty of headroom. Leg room was a little snug but that was with the front seats extended rearward. We thought three people could sit in the back seats, but it would definitely be uncomfortable for whoever caught the hump.

We checked the cargo area; it was not bad for a vehicle this size. There was 18.7 Cu. ft. of cargo space with the back seats up. That expanded to 31.9 cu. ft. with the back seats down.

The 2020 Venue had a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that made 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. It was mated to what Hyundai called an intelligent variable transmission or CVT.

This combination got 30 mpg in the city, 34 mpg on the highway and 32 mpg combined. The engine had a bit of oomph, the Venue mustered some speed. Handling was particularly good and the ride smooth, especially for a small vehicle.

The Venue’s design was comprised of small body forms, mostly squares. But it looked measurably better than that sounds. Its side profile featured solid and full volume wheel arches, strong character lines, while the front cascading grille included Hyundai’s the new signature face.

The design included composite LED lights and cube-shaped headlamps. This character line continued through the LED tail lamps. Our test vehicle had 17-inch alloy wheels.

And what’s more, it was well equipped with forward avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, a robust lane keeping system, rearview camera, and driver attention warning.

There were voice controls, satellite radio, and a navigation system. This 2020 Hyundai Venue had Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, blind spot collision warning and rear cross-traffic collision warning.

For $23,405, the 2020 Hyundai Venue stuffed a lot of car into a relatively small package.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com

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Frank S. Washington

Since 1988, Frank Washington has covered the automotive industry. He has been honored by the Detroit Press Foundation and he has received the International Wheel Award and the Golden Wheel Award. Frank was also a part of a team of reporters that won a National Magazine Award.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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