Hyundai's Venue high on value, but no cheap tricks

 Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- Leave it to Hyundai to come up with an inexpensive car that's tempting, feature-loaded and absolutely worth a test drive at the dealership.

Gone are the days when an automaker could put up something incredibly cheap -- a Google search of the Yugo will tell you all that you need to know -- and put it under the nose of the American consumer ... and expect said vehicle to actually sell.

But with the tested 2021 Hyundai Venue SEL, one gets a price leader with real fixings.

The sticker on my ride had a long list of perks that were marked "Included" in the starting price of, get this, $19,800.  And no, the standard features on this subcompact crossover sport-utility vehicle went far beyond floor mats or a leather-wrapped gear shifter.

Standard fare included an eight-inch color touchscreen, smart phone/USB ports, eight-way adjustable driver's seat, roof rails and much more.  Even a $2,000-plus package of options -- heated front seats, a power sunroof and LED lighting all around were part of it -- brought the bottom line to a still-practical $23,480.

So, right away, I'm thinking: Great second family car for handling the world's chores ... or maybe the perfect choice for a frugal family looking for a dependable ride for their college-student-to-be.

But wait, there's more.

It looks good.  Check that, it looks real good to my eyes.  Sporty lines and a spicy grille are bolstered by a long roofline that makes the Venue look larger than it really is.

Power comes from a 1.6-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine rated at 121 horsepower.  OK, that's not going to blow the doors off the rides of your fellow motorists, but then again, that's not the purpose of the Venue.

And when I'm thinking of that college-student-to-be, I have no problem sleeping at night knowing that he/she is not settling into the driver's seat of a 300-horsepower road warrior.  Just saying.

What you don't get on the power end is generously made up for on the fuel mileage front, with 30 miles per gallon in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

This was my second go-around in the Venue, and while it's not everyone's cup of tea, I remain impressed with Hyundai's ability to produce bargain-priced motor vehicles with plenty to like. And, apparently, I'm not alone as the Venue pulled down a "Best Value" of 2021 award from Cars.com.

Quality, value-laden, but no cheap tricks.  That's the Hyundai Venue in a nutshell.