The Hyundai Venue becomes the most affordable new vehicle in Canada in 2026

• The 2026 Hyundai Venue starts at $24,970.

• The Nissan Versa was previously the least expensive new car, with a price of $23,415.

• The withdrawal of this subcompact sedan allows Hyundai’s smallest crossover to claim the title.

Due to the discontinuation of the Nissan Versa for the Canadian market after the 2025 model year, the Hyundai Venue becomes the most affordable new vehicle in Canada.

Indeed, the small Korean crossover, built on the platform of the defunct Accent, displays a starting price of $24,970.

This represents an increase of $1,555 compared to the starting price of the 2025 Versa, raising the cost of entry for new vehicle ownership in the country by the same amount.

The 2026 Hyundai Venue is offered in three trims: Essential, Preferred ($27,071), and Ultimate ($29,571).

Surprisingly, the Hyundai Venue features mechanics practically identical to the Nissan Versa on paper, with both vehicles powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, a CVT gearbox, and front-wheel drive.

Even more surprisingly, the power of the two engines is practically identical, with the Venue boasting 121 horsepower and 113 lb-ft of torque, while the Versa advertised 122 horsepower and 114 lb-ft.

As for the rest, the Essential version of the 2026 Hyundai Venue includes items such as 15-inch steel wheels with covers, automatic high beams, driver attention warning, lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8-inch touchscreen, keyless entry with alarm, heated front seats, a wireless phone charger, a 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen, illuminated vanity mirrors, and a six-speaker audio system.

Considering that the 2025 Nissan Versa S lacked several of these features, including keyless entry, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and heated seats, the higher price asked for the Venue is justified.

Nevertheless, it is disheartening to see affordable options disappear one by one from the Canadian market, pushing many buyers to turn to used models.