The Hyundai Venue, which was launched over six years ago, is the brand's first compact SUV in India. Though the Venue is the second-best-selling SUV after the Creta in Hyundai's stable, its recent sales data reported a fall of 8 percent YoY in FY2025. Rivals like the Maruti Brezza, Fronx and Tata Nexon outsold the Venue in the same period; however, the Hyundai SUV was ahead of the Mahindra XUV 3XO and Kia Sonet. Here, we look at the reasons why buyers go for the Venue and why some choose one of its rivals.
1. Competitive pricing
Range starts at Rs 7.94 lakh
The Hyundai Venue is one of the two models in this segment to offer the flexibility of all three powertrains, including naturally-aspirated petrol, turbo-petrol, and diesel. For buyers seeking a naturally aspirated petrol engine, the Venue is the most affordable option after the Maruti Fronx, priced at Rs 7.54 lakh. Its turbo-petrol variants, though, may not have the lowest starting price, but are significantly more affordable at the top end compared to the XUV 3XO, Sonet and Kylaq, undercutting them by up to Rs 2.48 lakh.
| Hyundai engine-wise price range | |
|---|---|
| Engine | Price range |
| 1.2 litre naturally aspirated petrol | Rs 7.94 lakh-11.50 lakh |
| 1 litre turbo petrol | Rs 10 lakh-13.47 lakh |
| 1.5-litre diesel | Rs 10.80 lakh-13.38 lakh |
What also increases its value-for-money quotient is that Hyundai is offering huge discounts, benefits, and offers on the Venue this month. Select Hyundai Venue variants currently have up to Rs 85,000 off.
2. Refined petrol and diesel engines
1.2-litre NA petrol, 1-litre turbo petrol and 1.5-litre diesel
The Hyundai Venue has a diverse lineup of engine options, including 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol, 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol and 1.5-litre diesel. Our Hyundai Venue review noted that the diesel mill is smooth and refined at idle and city speeds, along with power delivery concentrated lower down the rev range. That said, the power band is narrow. On the other hand, the turbo-petrol engine offers a healthier as well as broader spread of torque. It's also quite refined both at idle and on the move. Though low on power, the naturally aspirated motor also boasts high refinement levels.
| Hyundai Venue powertrains | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.2 litre NA petrol | 1 litre turbo petrol | 1.5 litre diesel |
| Power | 83hp | 120hp | 116hp |
| Torque | 114Nm | 172Nm | 250Nm |
| Gearbox | 5MT | 6MT/ 7DCT | 6MT |
3. Easy to drive
Light clutch, smooth MT and AT units
In addition to powerful petrol and diesel engines, the Venue is known for its easy-to-drive nature. The light clutch and buttery smooth manual gearbox make commuting a breeze. For the more spirited driver, the quick-shifting dual-clutch automatic (with paddle shifters) offers closely stacked gear ratios and is a brisk performer; the DCT unit also gets drive modes. And thanks to its high seating position, the outside visibility is superb. Lastly, the sub-four-metre size further complements the ease of use in city driving.
Now, let's look at a few reasons why the Venue isn't the automatic recommendation from among its rivals.
1. Limited rear seat space
Three abreast will be a squeeze
To address the limited rear seat space issue in the Venue, Hyundai scooped out the front seats, increased the length of the rear seat squab and added a two-step recline for the backrest in the 2022 Venue facelift. Though the overall sense of space does feel enhanced over the pre-facelift model, it should be noted that the wheelbase is unchanged. And owing to its narrow width, three adults abreast at the back will still be a bit of a squeeze. Additionally, its suspension has an underlying firmness, and sharper bumps can lead to more road shocks inside the cabin.
2. Competition offers more features
No panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats
Compared to some of the Venue’s direct rivals, it does miss out on a lot of equipment that makes it feel outdated. For instance, the Venue comes with an 8-inch each touchscreen and driver’s display, a single-pane sunroof and a Level 1 ADAS suite. Whereas, a few competitors have moved to 10-inch or bigger screen pairings, a panoramic sunroof, and Level 2 ADAS. Some even offer ventilated seats and all-LED headlights, features that never made it to the Venue. That said, Hyundai may address these with the second-generation Venue due for launch in October this year.
