Hyundai Venue

The Venue is Hyundai's compact SUV. The Venue is available with three engine options. There's a 1.2-lit...

The Venue is Hyundai's compact SUV. The Venue is available with three engine options. There's a 1.2-litre petrol, a 1.5-litre diesel and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol that can be had with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Venue rivals the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport and Mahindra XUV300 in India.    

The Venue’s basic shape makes it look like a scaled-down Creta but styling is far more flamboyant here pa...

The Venue’s basic shape makes it look like a scaled-down Creta but styling is far more flamboyant here particularly the split headlamp arrangement. The Hyundai Venue interior is neatly styled and the dashboard that places the 8-inch touchscreen high up is particularly user-friendly. Hyundai has also incorporated plenty of storage for small items in the Venue cabin and even the boot is large enough to hold two suitcases. Where the Venue loses out is in rear seat space. Legroom is far from class-leading and the relatively small rear windows make the cabin feel smaller than it is.
While we are yet to drive the Hyundai Venue with the 83hp, 1.2-litre petrol engine, we’ve tested the 120hp, 1.0-litre turbo-petrol-equipped version. And the news is good. The 1.0 unit is smooth and performance is pleasant. The manual gearbox with its short throws feels sporty while the optional seven-speed dual-clutch auto also works well with the engine, making the Venue automatic a good choice for urban buyers. We are yet to drive the new 1.5-litre diesel but the 100hp power figure promises reasonable performance.
In terms of ride comfort, the Venue is fairly well sorted with good bump absorption. The Venue’s handling is best described as tidy - there’s a fair amount of grip and the steering is well-weighted.

Hyundai’s 1.2 petrol engine is refined but dull and should be an option only if you are restricted by bud...

Hyundai’s 1.2 petrol engine is refined but dull and should be an option only if you are restricted by budget. The Venue 1.4 diesel makes sense for buyers with a lot of running though you experience the best of the new Hyundai with the new 1.0 turbo-petrol engine. Our pick of the range is the Venue petrol-automatic.
All Hyundai Venues get safety essentials such as dual airbags, ABS, seatbelt reminders, speed warning system and rear parking sensors. However, the lower-spec E and S trims don’t get all that much by way of comfort and convenience features. The mid-spec SX variant is a sensible pick as it gets plenty of goodies including an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, electric sunroof, cruise control and 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels.
It’s a shame that the Venue automatic isn’t available in top-spec SX(O) trim but in a grade lower. The features exclusive to the fully-loaded Venues are side and curtain airbags, keyless entry and go, wireless charging and an air purifier.