Inexpensive cars are growing rare, but there are still a handful of reliable rides under $25,000 on the market in 2023. Most of them are subcompact SUVs – small enough to handle easily in even a crowded urban setting but with the added cargo space of an SUV.
Though they have that much in common, they can have very different personalities.
The Mazda CX-30, for instance, is fun to drive and quite attractive – two traits almost no one associates with this segment.
The Hyundai
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Venue is a value leader, with a low starting price and a long warranty. It has its own quirky personality, so the window sticker isn’t the only appealing thing.
Let’s compare them.
2023 Mazda CX-30
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+2.09%
has mastered one thing better than perhaps any other non-luxury automaker: fun. The 2023 Mazda CX-30 has the traits you expect of a small SUV, like more cargo space than you might expect in a small footprint. But it also has things you wouldn’t, like steering technology from more expensive cars, making it fun to toss into hard corners. Pricing starts at $22,950.
Mazda CX-30 highlights
Standard all-wheel drive (AWD): Every Mazda SUV ships with grippy AWD. Hyundai doesn’t even offer it on the Venue. The added traction that comes with AWD isn’t necessary everywhere, but if you live with heavy winters or mountains make up a regular part of your driving, only one of these SUVs offers the added grip you almost certainly want.
That advanced vectoring system: Mazda builds torque vectoring technology into the CX-30. That’s frankly stunning. The technology, which brakes each wheel separately to help point the car into turns without much body roll, is often found on luxury cars. Hyundai doesn’t offer it on the Venue, and we’re surprised to find it at this price range in the Mazda.
Two engine choices, both more powerful: The Venue’s 121 horsepower is fine for most of your daily needs. But the base-model CX-30 easily beats it, with 191. Upgrading to the turbocharged model gets you 227 horsepower with regular gasoline and 250 with premium. Yes, you can more than double the Venue’s power with the right CX-30.
2023 Hyundai Venue
Automakers have been trimming the least-expensive models from their lineups in recent years, but Hyundai still understands the value of a reliable, low-cost car. The 2023 Hyundai Venue is one of just five models still for sale this year for under $20,000 (before delivery charges). It comes with a class-leading warranty. Prices start at $19,650.
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Hyundai Venue highlights
Tremendous value: We’re impressed that the base model Venue is less expensive than the base model CX-30. We’re amazed that the top-of-the-line Venue is less expensive than the base model CX-30. The Venue Limited has leatherette seating, heated front seats, wireless charging, and more, all for $50 less than the most bare-bones CX-30.
The best warranty available: Hyundai looks out for Venue buyers with a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Both are much longer than Mazda’s equivalent plan. Venue buyers don’t just get one of America’s most affordable cars; they get insulation from major repair bills for an entire decade.
Better fuel economy: These two get the same fuel economy on the highway, but the Hyundai is more efficient in the city. Chances are that makes up a good proportion of your driving, so the Venue can save you at the pump.
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Similarities
The CX-30 and the Venue offer similar passenger space and both use 4-cylinder engines. Otherwise, they’re as different as two subcompact SUVs can get.
Conclusion
The Mazda CX-30 is fun to drive, has curvy good looks (by the standards of a class full of oddball cars), and offers the added safety of all-wheel drive for no added cost. It’s far more powerful than the Venue, making it a better highway companion.
The Hyundai Venue has a lower starting price, a longer warranty, and saves you on gas with its fuel-sipping nature at neighborhood speeds.
Those are very different sets of traits. You might want to test drive both to find out if you’re willing to spend a little extra for a lot more fun with the Mazda.
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Specifications
| 2023 Mazda CX-30 | 2022 Hyundai Venue | |
| Starting Price | $22,950 | $19,650 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 191 hp @ 6,000 rpm | 121 hp @ 6,300 rpm |
| Torque | 186 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm | 113 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic | CVT |
| Fuel Economy | 26 city/33 highway/29 combined mpg | 29 city/33 hwy/31 combined mpg |
| Also Available | N/A | |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | TBD | 4 stars |
| Max Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 104.4 inches | 99.2 inches |
| Overall Length | 173.0 inches | 159.1 inches |
| Width | 70.7 inches | 69.7 inches |
| Height | 61.7 inches | 61.6 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 37.3 feet | 33.2 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 38.1 inches | 39.4 inches |
| Headroom, Rear | 38.3 inches | 38.6 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 41.7 inches | 41.3 inches |
| Legroom, Rear | 36.3 inches | 34.3 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 55.6 inches | 53.9 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Rear | 53.6 inches | 53.7 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 20.2/45.2 cubic feet | 18.7/31.9 cubic feet |
This story originally ran on KBB.com.
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