Toyota Raize vs Kia Sonet vs Hyundai Venue: which small crossover to buy in 2026

Who cross-shops these three

The Raize, Sonet and Venue are for buyers who want a higher seat and crossover looks for roughly the price of a small sedan. Many are first-time buyers or small families. All three start under ₱800,000 with a manual and are around four meters long, so they park almost like hatchbacks.

They get there in different ways. The Raize uses small three-cylinder engines, one of them turbocharged. The Sonet has a 1.5 and the most ground clearance. The Venue has the biggest engine and is the only one with a conventional automatic instead of a CVT.

Price and variants

The Raize comes in four versions: 1.2 E MT at ₱757,000, 1.2 E CVT at ₱847,000, 1.2 G CVT at ₱942,000 and 1.0 Turbo CVT at ₱1,069,000. The turbo in two-tone White Pearl and Black costs ₱1,074,000.

Kia Philippines lists four Sonet trims for November 2026: 1.5 LX MT at ₱798,000, 1.5 LX AT at ₱948,000, 1.5 EX AT at ₱1,018,000 and 1.5 SX AT at ₱1,218,000. Hyundai's October 2026 list has three Venue trims: 1.6 GL 6MT at ₱798,000, 1.6 GL 6AT at ₱910,000 and 1.6 GLS 6AT at ₱998,000.

The Raize has the cheapest automatic. Its E CVT costs ₱63,000 less than the Venue GL 6AT and ₱101,000 less than the Sonet LX AT. At the top end the order flips. The Venue GLS is the only range-topper under ₱1 million, while the Sonet SX at ₱1,218,000 costs more than the cheapest Hyundai Creta (₱1,134,000) and Toyota Yaris Cross (₱1,210,000), both bigger cars.

If you can drive either, note what the automatic costs. Moving from manual to automatic adds ₱90,000 on the Raize, ₱112,000 on the Venue and ₱150,000 on the Sonet.

Engines, gearboxes and economy

The Raize 1.2 is a three-cylinder with 87 hp and 113 Nm, and its peak torque comes high, at 4,500 rpm. The 1.0 turbo, also a three-cylinder, makes 96 hp and 140 Nm from 2,400 rpm, so it pulls harder at the low speeds you use in traffic and on mountain roads. Both come with a five-speed manual or a CVT.

The Sonet's 1.5 four-cylinder makes 115 PS, about 113 hp, and 144 Nm. It pairs with a six-speed manual or Kia's IVT, which works like a CVT. The Venue's 1.6 four-cylinder has the most power of the three at 121 hp and 151 Nm, with a six-speed manual or a conventional six-speed automatic.

That gearbox is the Venue's clearest difference. Some drivers prefer a conventional automatic for its more direct feel when pulling away, while others like the smoothness of a CVT in crawling traffic. Try both on a test drive, ideally in real traffic rather than around the dealer's block.

We have no official fuel economy figures for these three, so we won't guess which is the most frugal. The Raize has a 36-liter tank and the Sonet a 45-liter one; the Venue's tank size isn't confirmed. A smaller tank only makes each fill-up cheaper; it says nothing about running costs.

Size, space and ground clearance

Lengths are close: 4,030 mm for the Raize, 4,040 mm for the Venue and 4,110 mm for the Sonet. In the Raize and Venue, rear space is the price of that compact size. Adults will feel cramped in the back of a Raize on long trips, and the Venue's rear seat and cargo area are compact too. Take your usual passengers to the showroom and have them sit in the back of each one.

Ground clearance separates them more clearly. Kia's brochure lists 205 mm for the Sonet, and the Raize has 200 mm. The Venue's 170 mm beats a sedan's but sits well below the other two, so take flooded streets more carefully. If your barangay floods every habagat season, the Sonet and Raize give you more margin.

None of them is meant for muddy farm roads. The Raize and Sonet are front-wheel drive, and the Venue is a city car at heart.

Features and safety by trim

Equipment is where our information on this trio is thinnest. For the Sonet, Kia's brochure lists DriveWise driver aids on the top trims, including forward collision avoidance, lane keeping assist and driver attention warning, plus remote engine start so you can cool the cabin before getting in. The brochure doesn't make clear which trims get which items, so compare the EX and SX spec sheets before paying the ₱200,000 difference.

Hyundai's price list doesn't show airbag counts or driver aids for the Venue, and our Raize data doesn't break equipment down by trim either. Ask each dealer for the official spec sheet, and check airbags, stability control and the reverse camera first. You will use those more than a bigger screen.

On the Raize, the biggest decision is the engine. The 1.2 G CVT is the middle option, and the 1.0 Turbo costs ₱127,000 more than the G.

Which one should you buy

The short version: the Raize gives the most for the least money in the city, and the Sonet is the safer bet if your street floods. The Venue makes sense if you want more power and a regular automatic without going past ₱1 million. In more detail:

• If you drive mostly in Metro Manila and want the cheapest automatic, the Raize 1.2 E CVT at ₱847,000 is the pick, and its short body is easy to park in mall and condo basements.
• Street floods every year? Start with the Sonet (205 mm) or the Raize (200 mm). The Sonet LX AT at ₱948,000 and EX AT at ₱1,018,000 cover most family needs.
• If you dislike how a CVT feels, the Venue is the only conventional automatic here. The GL 6AT at ₱910,000 suits most city buyers.
• If you often drive loaded or up to Baguio or Tagaytay, look at the Raize 1.0 Turbo (140 Nm from 2,400 rpm) or the Venue's 1.6 (151 Nm). The Sonet's 1.5 is adequate but needs patience with a full load.
• If driver aids are a must, the Sonet's top trims are the only ones here with them listed in our data. Weigh the SX's price against the bigger Creta and Yaris Cross first.
• If you drive a manual in the province, the Raize E MT at ₱757,000 is the cheapest. The Venue GL and Sonet LX manuals, both ₱798,000, have six speeds and four-cylinder engines.