In a U.S. market with a seemingly insatiable appetite for spacious crossovers and SUVs, there's plenty of room for their bite-size counterparts.

The Hyundai Venue will be the latest to join the growing roster of subcompact crossovers when it arrives in dealerships this fall. While Hyundai is pitching the funky little ride as a value play that stands out from the crowd and could even convert used-car shoppers into new-vehicle buyers, it will face tough competition in a segment that didn't exist a few years ago.