Hyundai Kona 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.

Archive comparison

These models are no longer sold new in South Africa. Verified final local specs and last-listed prices remain available for owners and used-car shoppers.

Hyundai Kona Hyundai Venue
Hyundai Kona in South Africa

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol Automatic Archive reference
ZAR 565,900 last listed
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 15.5 km/l
VS
Hyundai Venue in South Africa

Hyundai Venue

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol Automatic Archive reference
ZAR 414,900 last listed
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 16.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Kona
Fuel Economy Venue
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Kona
🔑 Ownership Tie
Venue starts ZAR 459900 cheaper Kona from ZAR 459,900 · Venue from ZAR 343,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Kona Venue
Engine Power 88 kW 88 kW
Torque 172 Nm 172 Nm
Engine Size 998 cc 998 cc
Claimed Mileage 15.5 km/l 16.4 km/l
Ground Clearance 165 mm 188 mm
Boot / Load Bay 466 l 355 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1460 kg 1180 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Kona +1 pts
Efficiency Venue +3 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Kona +3 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Kona

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Venue

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Kona

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Venue

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Kona Venue
Model Introduced Year 2018 2019
Generation Second generation Kona on Hyundai's K2 GEN platform; the design is more conservative than the first gen but better resolved First generation Venue — the global model adapted for SA with minor market-specific changes; no second-gen yet in SA
Facelift History Second generation launched globally in 2023 and brought to SA; softened styling compared to the sharper first gen, improved interior quality and tech Launched in SA in 2019; subtle updates to safety and infotainment tech followed in subsequent years
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2019
Facelift Version Ending Discontinued - exact end year not confirmed Discontinued - exact end year not confirmed
Spec Kona Venue
Ground Clearance 165 mm 188 mm
Wheelbase 2660 mm 2520 mm
Length 4355 mm 4040 mm
Width 1825 mm 1770 mm
Height 1570 mm 1619 mm
Kerb Weight 1460 kg 1180 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 466 l 355 l
Load Bed Length 466 l 355 l
Load Bed Width Not confirmed Not confirmed
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Volume 466 l 355 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 45 l
Ground Clearance Max 165 mm 188 mm
Ground Clearance Min 165 mm 188 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 165 mm 188 mm
Height Mm 1570 mm 1619 mm
Length Mm 4355 mm 4040 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 466 l 355 l
Loadbox Width Mm Not confirmed Not confirmed
Cargo Volume 466 l 355 l
Tare Mass Kg 1460 kg 1180 kg
Width Mm 1825 mm 1770 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight Not confirmed 1670 kg
Boot Space Seats Folded Not confirmed 1106 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg Not confirmed 1670 kg
Boot Space Seats Folded Not confirmed 1106 l

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Kona leads by 1 points

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

Winner 65 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 88% confidence
65
#1 Winner

Kona

88% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 60
Safety 92
Practicality 67
Ownership 65
Leads by 1 points
64
#2

Venue

88% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 63
Safety 92
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Kona +1 Efficiency Venue +3 Safety Level Practicality Kona +3 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Kona

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 60/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 65/100

Venue

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 63/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Kona wins with 65 pts vs 64 pts for Venue

In structured scoring, Kona emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Venue 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 Kona 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: Kona 60 vs Venue 63. 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: Kona 92, Venue 92. 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: Kona 65, Venue 65. 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: Kona 67, Venue 64. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Kona 40, Venue 39. 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 Kona edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Kona scores 40 vs 39.

Efficiency: Kona scores 60 vs 63.

Safety: Kona scores 92 vs 92.

Practicality: Kona scores 67 vs 64.

Ownership: Kona scores 65 vs 65.

Final structured scoring gives Kona the advantage in this comparison.