The Korean carmaker was doing quite well considering all the segments in India. So, what was the requirement to introduce Hyundai Venue here? Let’s straightaway head to find out.
First of all, the current market conditions are in favour of SUVs. To be precise, people nowadays are more attracted to cars that offer an ample amount of road presence. As a result, carmakers have even witnessed a steep decline in sales of sedans when compared to the past. Another important factor is obviously value for money these sub-four meter SUVs offer.
Just before this launch, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza were the best sellers for their respective brands under a specific budget. On 17th April 2019, Hyundai revealed the Venue and soon after that, it was launched with a starting price tag of just Rs.6.5 Lakhs (ex-showroom, pan India).
Planning to buy the Hyundai Venue? Here is a detailed review of the SUV with our verdict.
Key Specifications
- Engine: Kappa 1.0-litre Turbo GDi Petrol
- Engine Displacement: 998cc
- Fuel Type: Petrol
- Power: 118.35BHP @ 6000 RPM
- Torque: 171.6Nm @ 1500-4000 RPM
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 45 Litres
- Transmission: 7-Speed DCT
- Body Type: Sub 4 Meter SUV
Dimensions
- Length: 3995mm
- Width: 1770mm
- Height: 1605mm
- Wheelbase: 2500mm
- Ground Clearance: 190mm
Design & Exterior
Hyundai Venue is the perfect SUV to fill the gap between Hyundai i20 and Creta. Infact, it is even the perfect choice for a city drive because of its well-calibrated dimensions. For starters, the all-new Venue is 3995mm long, 1770mm wide and 1605mm tall. Then, is it appropriate to call it an SUV?
It is definitely not a crossover in terms of design and size. The height and width might not be the best in class, but they are not even the worst anyway. The mid-size SUV from Hyundai comes with a wheelbase of 2500mm alongside a ground clearance of 190mm which is even suitable for adverse road conditions in India.
At the front, it gets a large grille, wide air intake, split headlight setup and a skid plate that all together contributes to the SUVish kind of look. The side profile remains similar to the last generation Creta with muscular lines running from one end to the other. Interestingly, a set of 16-inch alloy wheels, door handles, ORVMs, roof rails and large wheel arches further enhances the overall look. Coming to the rear, Venue features a simpler yet premium pair of tail lamps along with a diffuser. Also, the shark fin antenna at the roof looks absolutely staggering.
Interior
Enter the cabin and you will be able to realise that it is designed by Hyundai. To be precise, the carmaker has used an excessive amount of hard plastics all over. The dashboard comes equipped with nicely finished air vents, user-friendly switches and a floating 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that feels very intuitive to use. Below the infotainment display, it gets AC controls that are basically the rotary dials. Sadly, the instrument cluster on the Venue is an analogue unit with a tiny MID display.
The front seats are comfortable and provide the occupants with a decent amount of cushioning. Apart from this, the seat positioning is quite higher so as to give the driver and co-passenger a good view of what is outside. Coming at the back, the legroom for rear passengers is more than enough. However, it is only good enough as a 4-seater but can even seat 5 adult occupants if required. Multiple storage spaces including the front glove box, door pockets and a bottle holder on the centre console enhance the cabin’s practicality.
Go through the features and one might be able to realise that the Hyundai Venue is all about practicality and comfort. To begin with, the infotainment system offered on the SUV gets Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Smartphone Connectivity and voice commands just to name a few. Another interesting feature that might attract customers right now is the air purifier. Not to forget, it also gets a sunroof, wireless charging pad, automatic climate control and push start-stop button as well.
BlueLink Connected Car Tech
According to the carmaker, it is truly a connected car. Confused? There is no need. Owners of the Hyundai Venue just have to download the BlueLink app and pair it to their smartphones. After connecting, they will be able to access multiple functions including cabin pre-cooling, engine start-stop, vehicle health status and remote horn and light control. Safety features including roadside assistance, SOS, stolen vehicle notification, tracking and immobilisation are also a part of this entire BlueLink connected car tech.
Engine & Performance
Under the hood, the SX Plus variant comes with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. On papers, it is truly capable of producing a massive 118.35BHP @ 6000 RPM alongside a peak torque of 171.6Nm @ 1200-4000 RPM while being mated to a 7-Speed DCT gearbox. To be precise, there is a lot of turbo lag in the lower range. Meanwhile, the mid-range feels quite decent with a linear power delivery throughout. Not to forget, it is also available with a 5-speed manual and an iMT gearbox as well.
In terms of performance, this particular variant takes its own sweet time to do a 0-100kmph sprint. Just to put it in numbers, around 12.5 seconds will be required for the same. The mileage extracted totally depends upon your driving style. However, as per the ARAI, it returns a claimed mileage of 18.15kmpl. Surprisingly, customers will not get any insulation under the bonnet hood. Well, that shows how refined this motor actually is.
The USP for the Hyundai Venue is the engine and transmission options it offers. To begin with, there is a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine that is only available with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Talking in numbers, this motor is capable of producing 81.86BHP @ 6000 RPM and 113.76Nm of torque @ 4000 RPM. Apart from this, it comes with a 98.6BHP, 1.5-litre U2 CRDi diesel motor that gets a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard.
Safety Features
For now, Hyundai Venue comes equipped with 6 airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system, vehicle stability management, traction control, ABS with EBD, ESC and hill start assist. Also, customers need to note that these safety features can vary according to the variants.
The carmaker has also introduced three Telematics switches on the IRVM. But, sadly this IRVM is not an auto-dimming unit. The rearview camera might be a better option during the daytime. However, we are not sure if that works pretty well even at night as well.
After-Sale Services
Almost every customer in India thinks about the after-sales service and parts availability before going for any particular brand. To be very frank, Hyundai has improved a lot in recent times and has emerged as the second-largest carmaker for the Indian market.
Parts availability would have been an issue a few years ago. However, Hyundai is now a promising brand with low maintenance cost. As per a recent report, the approximate maintenance cost of Hyundai Venue for 5 years may vary between Rs.15,000-Rs.25,000.
Price List – Hyundai Venue
At the time of launch, Hyundai priced the Venue at Rs.6.5 Lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). But, it was soon updated as per the latest BS6 emission norms and this entire process forced the carmaker to revise the price as well. Currently, it comes with a starting price tag of Rs.6.92 Lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). Check out the revised price list of Hyundai Venue here.
| Variants | Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
| E | Rs.6.92 Lakhs |
| S | Rs.7.67 Lakhs |
| E Diesel | Rs.8.37 Lakhs |
| S Plus | Rs.8.54 Lakhs |
| S Turbo | Rs.8.73 Lakhs |
| S Diesel | Rs.9.28 Lakhs |
| S Turbo DCT | Rs.9.77 Lakhs |
| SX Turbo | Rs.9.99 Lakhs |
| SX iMT | Rs.9.99 Lakhs |
| SX Diesel | Rs.9.99 Lakhs |
| SX Sport iMT | Rs.10.30 Lakhs |
| SX Diesel Sport | Rs.10.40 Lakhs |
| SX Opt Turbo | Rs.11.12 Lakhs |
| SX Opt iMT | Rs.11.26 Lakhs |
| SX Opt Sport iMT | Rs.11.38 Lakhs |
| SX Opt Diesel | Rs.11.58 Lakhs |
| SX Plus Turbo DCT | Rs.11.58 Lakhs |
| SX Opt Diesel Sport | Rs.11.70 Lakhs |
| SX Plus Sport DCT | Rs.11.76 Lakhs |
Rivals
The sub-four meter SUV segment is one of the most competitive segments in India. To begin with, Hyundai Venue competes against Ford EcoSport, Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Mahindra XUV300, etc. among others.
VERDICT
For city drives, Hyundai Venue definitely stands out in terms of ride and handling. The steering wheel is quite light and is ideal to manoeuvre inside the city. The performance of this sub-four meter might not be exhilarating. But then, it fulfils the main motive of this segment and that are obviously the features and value for money factor.