Lexus NX vs Hyundai Venue Cargo

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
Hyundai Venue Cargo in South Africa

Hyundai Venue Cargo

1.2 Premium Cargo MT Petrol Current
ZAR 309,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 114 Nm ⛽ 15.4 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Lexus NX vs Hyundai Venue Cargo: the short answer

NX has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Venue Cargo remains close.

Venue Cargo starts ZAR 764,300 cheaper NX from ZAR 1,074,200 · Venue Cargo from ZAR 309,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification NX Venue Cargo
Maximum Power NX205 kW @ 6000 rpm Venue Cargo61 kW
Maximum Torque NX430 Nm Venue Cargo114 Nm
Engine Size NX2400 cc Venue Cargo1197 cc
Combined Fuel Economy NX12.3 km/l Venue Cargo15.4 km/l
Ground Clearance NX195 mm Venue Cargo190 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Venue Cargo

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Venue Cargo

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec NX Venue Cargo
Model Introduced Year 2023 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV Current South African Venue Cargo listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style SUV Panel van
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published active
Segment Luxury SUV Van
Tare Mass Kg 1760-1860 kg 1250 kg
Vehicle Type SUV Van
Color Note - Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note - Base grade in the South Africa lineup
Spec NX Venue Cargo
Length 4660 mm 3995 mm
Width 1865 mm 1770 mm
Height 1670 mm 1617 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2500 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 195 mm 190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 45 l
Boot/Cargo Space 520 l 1296 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2370 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 1000 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 2 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m Not Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Kerb Weight - 1250 kg
Payload Capacity - 620 kg
Number of Rows - 1 rows
Front Headroom - Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom - Not Applicable
Front Legroom - Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom - Not Applicable

In depth: how these cars differ

This NX and Venue Cargo comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: NX 86 vs Venue Cargo 30.

Efficiency index: NX 49 vs Venue Cargo 61.

Safety-equipment index: NX 93 vs Venue Cargo 89.

Practicality index: NX 65 vs Venue Cargo 66.

Ownership-cover index: NX not separately scored vs Venue Cargo 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

NX leads by 14 points

NX has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Venue Cargo remains close.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 14 points
Data 70% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Leads by 14 points
61
#2

Venue Cargo

70% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 89 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 61
Safety 89
Practicality 66
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +56 Efficiency Venue Cargo +12 Safety NX +4 Practicality Venue Cargo +1

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

Venue Cargo

Performance 30/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 89/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus NX leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 61 pts for Venue Cargo

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, NX leads. However, Venue Cargo may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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NX vs Venue Cargo questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.