Introduction

The Hyundai Venue might currently be the hottest choice in the sub-four metre SUV segment. But it was the Ford EcoSport which kick-started this niche segment when it was introduced earlier this decade. It made car buyers realize that the SUV need not have a footprint of a mammoth to be fun to drive. Now, the Venue has merited all its quality and then some.

But which of the two offer more cabin space should you be looking for a spacious runabout for your family. Let’s find out:

Front Row Space

Since its last update, the EcoSport has had one of the most subtle and understated cabin in the segment. Its floating touchscreen is still one of the best in business but we found the one in the Venue as the segment’s benchmark. Where the EcoSport has an old-school instrument cluster with simple dials, the Venue’s detailed driver’s display has a host of information available on the go. Ergonomics-wise, both these SUVs have got it spot-on and are also high on the build quality front. And in terms of features, the Venue seems to have an upper hand with many first-in-segment features on offer.

As for the numbers, the EcoSport appears to be a clear winner here. With 40mm of extra headroom and almost 150mm of more shoulder room, the EcoSport is much more spacious than the Venue. But surprisingly, the Hyundai offers slightly more legroom for the front passengers while the seats are also marginally bigger than the ones in the Ford.

Second Row Space

When it comes to rear space, there’s some interesting thing to notice here. Firstly, the EcoSport wins this round with more legroom and around 90mm of extra shoulder room. But the Venue offers extra 20mm headroom compared to what you get in the American. It also has slightly larger seats at the back which should make it more comfortable – but only for two. As the shoulder room is tighter than what you get in the EcoSport, the rear bench of the Venue should be a comfortable affair for two occupants as three would be a squeeze. Also, the EcoSport misses out on rear AC vents, which the Venue readily offers.

Boot Space

Where the first two rounds were won by the EcoSport, the Venue takes the third round win thanks to its larger boot. Not only it is larger, but it also has a deeper lip and more usable space compared to the EcoSport's flat loading and intrusive wheel arches. Moreover, the hatch opening instead of door-type opening of the boot that – you get in the EcoSport – makes the Venue more conventional too.

Conclusion

In the end, the EcoSport still manages to offer sufficiently more interior space than what you could get from the Venue. But that doesn’t mean you should rule out the Venue, since this little Hyundai has won the coveted ICOTY 2020 award for a reason.