Hyundai i20 vs Hyundai Venue

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Hyundai i20 in South Africa

Hyundai i20

1.0T Fluid Petrol Manual
ZAR 328,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 74 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
VS
Hyundai Venue in South Africa

Hyundai Venue

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol Automatic
ZAR 414,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Venue
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
i20 starts ZAR 343900 cheaper i20 from ZAR 296,900 · Venue from ZAR 343,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec i20 Venue
Engine Power 74 88
Torque 172 172
Engine Size 998 998
Claimed Mileage 18.2 16.4
Ground Clearance 195 188
Boot Space 352 355
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1135 1180
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Venue

58
/ 100
+1
pts
#2

i20

57
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both i20 and Venue are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Venue +1 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Venue

Performance 8/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 20/20

i20

Performance 7/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

i20

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Venue

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

i20

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Venue

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec i20 Venue
Length 4040 4040
Width 1775 1770
Height 1505 1619
Wheelbase 2580 2520
Ground Clearance 195 188
Kerb Weight 1135 1180
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 352 355
Rear Track Width 1565 1495 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight 1610 1670
Front Track Width 1551 1499 mm
Turning Radius 5.2 5.1 m
Towing Capacity 600 kg (Unbraked) 800 kg (Unbraked)
Load Bed Length Not Applicable Not Applicable
Load Bed Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1165 1106
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Number of Doors Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec i20 Venue
Engine 1.0 T-GDI Turbo 1.0 T-GDI Turbo
Engine Type Petrol Petrol
Displacement 998 998
Cylinders 3 3
Power 74 88
Torque 172 172
Fuel System Direct Injection Direct Injection
Turbocharger Yes Yes
Top Speed 185 178
0-100 km/h 11.0 10.8
Power @ RPM 5500 5500
Torque @ RPM 1500 1500
Valves per Cylinder 12 16
Compression Ratio 10.0 9.9:1
Engine Position Front Front
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Code G3LE Available
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Naturally Aspirated
Maximum Engine RPM 6500 Available
Engine Oil Capacity 3.6 Available
Engine Type Config Inline Inline
Variable Valve Timing Yes Yes
Cylinder Bore Available Available
Piston Stroke Available Available
Power 150 150
Cylinder Layout Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Venue wins with 58 pts vs 57 pts for i20

In structured scoring, Venue emerges as the stronger overall package. However, i20 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Venue edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: i20 0 vs Venue 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: i20 18, Venue 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: i20 20, Venue 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: i20 12, Venue 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: i20 7, Venue 8. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Venue edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Venue scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between i20 and Venue in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: i20 scores 7 vs 8.

Efficiency: i20 scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: i20 scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: i20 scores 12 vs 12.

Ownership: i20 scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Venue the advantage in this comparison.