2025 Hyundai Venue vs. 2025 Nissan Kicks:
The SUV Choice for Midwest City Drivers
Shopping for a small SUV on a budget? You're not alone. The subcompact SUV market is booming, and two standouts keep catching buyers' attention: the 2025 Hyundai Venue and the 2025 Nissan Kicks.
Both promise to give you SUV versatility without the SUV price tag, but they take different approaches to get there.
Table of Contents
2025 Hyundai Venue vs. 2025 Nissan Kicks: Trim Comparison
The Venue offers a streamlined three-trim lineup, while the Kicks provides five distinct configurations to match different buyer preferences and budgets.
2025 Ford F-150
Hyundai Venue Trim Levels:
-
Entry Point
The SE serves as the entry point with standard Hyundai SmartSense safety features, an 8-inch touchscreen, and cloth seating.
This base trim includes essential safety technologies like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keeping Assist, and Driver Attention Warning. Standard features also include a backup camera, 16-inch steel wheels with covers, and basic connectivity options. -
Meaningful Convenience Upgrades
The SEL adds meaningful convenience upgrades, including 17-inch alloy wheels, a power sunroof, and proximity key with push-button start.
This mid-level trim enhances the driving experience with Blind-Spot Collision Warning and improved exterior styling elements.
The SEL strikes a balance between value and features for buyers seeking moderate upgrades over the base model. -
Most Comprehensive Venue Experience
The Limited includes LED headlights, heated front seats, and a navigation system. This premium trim adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control, and additional chrome exterior accents.
The Limited represents the most comprehensive Venue experience with enhanced comfort and convenience features. -
1.6 Liter 4-Cylinder Engine
All Venue trims feature the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower with front-wheel drive only. The engine pairs with a continuously variable transmission and achieves an EPA-estimated 31 MPG combined across all trim levels.
Hyundai's approach emphasizes simplicity with consistent powertrain specifications throughout the lineup.
2025 Ford Maverick
Nissan Kicks Trim Levels:
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Entry-Level Model
The S features LED headlights, a 7-inch display, and Safety Shield 360 as standard equipment. This entry-level model provides extensive safety technology, including Pedestrian Detection with Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
Additional standard features include wireless smartphone connectivity through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 16-inch steel wheels with covers, and Intelligent Key with push-button start. -
Premium Package
The SV enhances the experience with a larger 12.3-inch display, wireless device charging, and upgraded cloth seating materials. This intermediate trim incorporates SiriusXM satellite radio, 17-inch steel wheels, and improved connectivity options.
The available Premium Package brings heated front seating, panoramic moonroof, and remote start capability, offering extensive personalization options. -
Advanced Driver Assistance
The SR introduces advanced driver assistance with ProPILOT Assist, 360-degree camera monitoring, and twin 12.3-inch screens.
| Specification | 2025 Hyundai Venue | 2025 Nissan Kicks |
|---|---|---|
| Trim Levels | SE, SEL, Limited | S, SV, SR |
| Drivetrain Options | Front-Wheel Drive only | FWD standard, AWD optional |
| Warranty (Basic / Powertrain) | 5 yrs / 60,000 mi; 10 yrs / 100,000 mi | 3 yrs / 36,000 mi; 5 yrs / 60,000 mi |
| Complimentary Maintenance | 3 yrs / 36,000 miles | First three oil changes within 24 months |
Exterior Flair and Design
Hyundai’s 2025 Venue exudes a pragmatic yet sophisticated stance, incorporating refined, contemporary design cues that resonate well with the streets of Bethany and Norman. Though the facelift is subtle, the addition of the new Mirage Green exterior color adds a fresh, earthy character, accentuating the Venue’s urban appeal. The body’s compact footprint—with a wheelbase of nearly 99.2 inches and a width of under 70 inches—makes city parking and tight maneuvers seamless, an advantage over bulkier alternatives.
While the Nissan Kicks flaunts a bolder redesign this year, including enhanced cargo opening width and raised ground clearance of 8.4 inches, which lends light off-road capability, this comes at the expense of increased exterior dimensions and vehicle weight—factors less desirable for city-focused drivers prioritizing nimble handling.
| Dimension / Feature | 2025 Hyundai Venue | 2025 Nissan Kicks |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Length | 159.1 inches | 171.9 inches |
| Width (excl. mirrors) | 69.7 inches | 70.9 inches |
| Height | 61.6 inches | 64.0 inches |
| Ground Clearance | 6.69 inches | 8.4 inches |
| Wheelbase | 99.2 inches | 104.9 inches |
| New Exterior Colors | Mirage Green replaces Apple Green | New bold color options |
| Headlights | Projector halogen (SE/SEL), LED (Limited) | LED with signature daytime running lights |
| Wheels | 15-inch to 17-inch alloys | 16-inch steel to 19-inch alloys |
| Roof Rails | Available (SEL and Limited) | Standard on SR trim |
Efficiency and Driving Performance
Comparing the 2025 Hyundai Venue and Nissan Kicks
2025 Hyundai Venue
Urban Efficiency Champion
At the heart of the Venue is Hyundai’s 1.6-liter inline-4 engine, generating a modest 121 horsepower and 113 lb-ft of torque, paired exclusively with a smooth Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive.
This configuration strikes an ideal balance for urban drivers commuting in Oklahoma City or Bethany, where ease of handling and fuel savings outpace the need for powerful acceleration or all-terrain capability.
2025 Nissan Kicks
Power with Versatility
The Nissan Kicks, however, utilizes a larger 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 141 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque,
delivering significantly more power, which comes with increased curb weight, and its AWD option, while augmenting traction,
slightly dulls its acceleration and fuel economy.
The Venue, despite a slightly slower 0-60 mph time near 8.8 seconds compared to Kicks’ faster base FWD result around 8.9 seconds,
excels in city drivability where consistent performance and reliability are prized.
Handling dynamics reveal the Venue’s compact wheelbase and tight turning radius (approximately 16.6 feet curb-to-curb), which make for superior agility when navigating the urban sprawl of Midwest City and Norman. While the Venue’s suspension tends to a firmer feel, this enhances predictability on paved roads without sacrificing essential comfort.
Detailed Performance Specifications
| Metric | 2025 Hyundai Venue | 2025 Nissan Kicks |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.6L I4, 121 hp, 113 lb-ft torque | 2.0L I4, 141 hp, 140 lb-ft torque |
| Transmission | CVT | CVT |
| Drivetrain | FWD only | FWD standard, AWD optional |
| 0-60 mph acceleration | ~8.8 seconds | 8.9 seconds (FWD), 10.4 seconds (AWD) |
| Top Speed | ~115 mph | ~120 mph |
| Suspension | Front MacPherson strut, rear torsion beam | Front control arm, rear multi-link |
| Turning Circle (curb-to-curb) | 16.6 feet | Not specified, larger overall size |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 11.9 gallons | Not specified |
Engineered Aggression: Cabin Comfort and Practicality
Inside the Venue’s cabin, occupants benefit from intelligently crafted space tailored to five passengers, blending functionality with upscale touches in the SEL and Limited trims. Front legroom stands at a generous 41.3 inches, and rear legroom measures 34.3 inches, slightly tighter in comparison to the Kicks but compensated by smart use of interior volume and thoughtful storage.
While the Kicks offers more cargo volume (30.0 cu ft standard, up to 60.0 cu ft folded in FWD), the Venue compensates by virtue of its compact dimensions that simplify loading and parking in tighter spaces.
Hyundai outfits the SEL and Limited trims with premium comforts such as leather-wrapped steering wheels, sunroof availability, dual USB ports, and an intuitive 8-inch infotainment touchscreen supporting both wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This intuitive interface is widely praised for ease of use, versus the Kicks’ base 7-inch screen, which lacks smartphone integration and requires stepping up trims for wireless connectivity.
| Interior Specification | 2025 Hyundai Venue | 2025 Nissan Kicks |
|---|---|---|
| Front Legroom | 41.3 inches | 41.0 inches |
| Rear Legroom | 34.3 inches | 36.0 inches |
| Cargo Volume (Seats Up) | 18.7 cubic feet | 30.0 cubic feet |
| Cargo Volume (Seats Folded) | 31.9 cubic feet | 60.0 cubic feet |
| Seating Capacity | 5 passengers | 5 passengers |
| Infotainment Screen | 8-inch, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (SEL and up) | 7-inch base, 12.3-inch on higher trims, wireless with SV and SR |
| Standard Comfort Features | Cloth seats (SE/SEL), leatherette on Limited, sunroof (SEL), dual USB ports (SEL+) | Cloth seats, leatherette accents on SR, sunroof (SR) |
Technology and Safety Innovations
Leading with industry-standard safety features, the Hyundai Venue provides drivers with peace of mind across all
trims, including forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist, and driver attention
alert systems.
The SEL and Limited trims advance this safety net, adding blind-spot collision warning and rear cross-traffic alert, matching many tech features offered by the Nissan Kicks.
-
ProPILOT Assist: While Nissan boasts the availability of advanced ProPILOT Assist—which combines adaptive cruise control with lane centering—this technology comes only at the higher trims and premium packages, pushing up sticker price significantly.
For the value-focused buyer searching for robust safety without excessive cost, the Venue’s comprehensive standard and mid-level safety tech outshines. -
Infotainment: On infotainment, the Venue balances screen size and connectivity smartly with an 8-inch touchscreen standard across trims, including wireless smartphone integration on most models.
The Kicks requires stepping into the mid or top trims for comparable screen upgrade and wireless interfacing, potentially leading to higher costs for equivalent tech.
| Technology Feature | 2025 Hyundai Venue | 2025 Nissan Kicks |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Safety Features | Forward Collision-Avoidance, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Warning | Nissan Safety Shield 360, including Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind-spot Monitoring |
| Blind-Spot Monitoring | SEL and Limited trims | Standard on all trims |
| Rear Cross-Traffic Alert | SEL and Limited trims | Standard across trims |
| Advanced Driver Assistance | No adaptive cruise control | ProPILOT Assist on SR trim |
| Infotainment Display Size | 8 inches | 7-inch base, 12.3-inch top trims |
| Smartphone Integration | Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto | Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto on SV and SR trims |
| Premium Audio System | Six speakers standard (Limited) | Optional Bose 10-speaker system on SR trim |
Fuel Economy and Long-Term Value
Fuel efficiency is a crucial priority for drivers in Oklahoma City and surrounding neighborhoods. The Venue delivers consistent mileage with EPA estimates of 29 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, accessible across trims without sacrificing features or driving fun. The Kicks edges slightly ahead in highway mileage at 35 mpg on the FWD, but its AWD variants reduce overall efficiency, bringing complexity that many urban owners may not require.
The Venue’s outstanding Hyundai warranty—10 years/100,000 miles on the powertrain—outclasses the Kicks’ 5-year/60,000-mile coverage, offering peace of mind and reduced ownership costs. Moreover, Hyundai's complimentary maintenance program for three years adds tangible value for Midwest City motorists looking to keep their vehicles in peak condition without worry.
| Category | 2025 Hyundai Venue | 2025 Nissan Kicks |
|---|---|---|
| EPA Fuel Economy (City/Hwy) | 29 / 33 mpg | 28 / 35 mpg (FWD) |
| AWD Fuel Economy (City/Hwy) | N/A (Not Applicable) | 27 / 34 mpg |
| Powertrain Warranty | 10 years / 100,000 miles | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Limited Warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Complimentary Maintenance | 3 years / 36,000 miles | First three oil changes only |
Why the Hyundai Venue is the Better Choice
For drivers prioritizing cost-efficiency, comprehensive safety, and effortless urban maneuvering, the 2025 Hyundai Venue epitomizes well-rounded value unmatched by the 2025 Nissan Kicks. Its lower starting price, generous warranty coverage, standard safety system inclusivity, and practical city-optimized dimensions cater seamlessly to local needs—from tight parking lots to family errands.
While the Nissan Kicks delivers higher horsepower and all-wheel-drive capability, these advantages come with added expense and complexity that may be superfluous for everyday urban and suburban journeys. The Venue’s straightforward, well-engineered package provides predictability, excellent fuel economy, and a refined infotainment experience praised by drivers.
Explore the 2025 Hyundai Venue here .