Hyundai Venue

Hyundai Venue

The Hyundai Venue has been a success story for the brand, ever since its arrival in 2019, and now the company has unveiled a new version of the same. The mid-life facelift is geared towards making the Venue more appealing for buyers.

How is the Design?

The Hyundai Venue sports a new parametric grille in the front, which is a rectangular and big addition with its unique pattern and dark chrome finish. It also gets a golden-bronze touch, which is quite attractive on the road. The LED projector headlamps and the split headlight unit are both attractive, while the indicators come from the earlier version. The fog lamps although are skipped throughout the entire line-up. The rear and front bumpers are revamped with the help of skid plates in faux silver. There are new black components to make the car appear wider than it is, while the rear tail light has a brand new LED bar as well. The 16-inch alloy wheels are also striking to behold.

What’s the Interior like?

The interiors fuse grey and beige to great effect. The cabin feels airier and vibrant in comparison to the black interiors of the previous version. The driver’s seat has reclining adjustment, while there are comfortable leatherette seats on offer. They do not however get ventilation features like the Kia Sonet or Tata Nexon. However, the Venue still does not offer substantial rear space and legroom, although the rear seat feels bigger with a two-step backrest reclining function. The rear seat comfort levels are higher than before, though the wheelbase remains the same as before. Three adults will fit in tightly at the back though.

Tech and Infotainment

There are several features now including a digital instrument cluster, electric driver’s seat adjustment, LED tail lights and headlights, drive modes, puddle lamps, air purifier, 8-inch touch screen infotainment unit with a new interface, voice commands, connected car features, and ambient lighting. There are new ambient sounds available as well. The Venue also gets Apple CarPlay, Android auto, DCT paddle shifters, tyre pressure monitor, wireless charger, a sunroof, ESP, and six airbags. There is Google Assistant and Alexa in 10 regional languages along with the BlueLink connected car suite. There is also a first-in-segment four-way adjustable electric driver’s seat along with USB Type-C charging ports. There is also a cooled glovebox and automatic climate control.

How does it perform?

The 2022 Hyundai Venue has the same engines as before, i.e. two petrol engines (1.0 litre turbo petrol and 1.2 litre MPI petrol engine) and a powerful diesel engine. There are also 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, and 7-speed DCT options along with the 6-speed iMT (clutch-less manual transmission system). The diesel engine is shared with the Verna, Alcazar, and Creta. However, it has a wastegate turbocharger. The engine is refined and smooth even while idling and also while driving in the city. It also has power delivery focused sometime lower in the revving range, while there is a lighter clutch and smooth shifting gearbox. It may have some rattling under heavier loads and also at higher revs as well. The engine does feel underpowered after 3,300 RPM. The turbo petrol engine has a bigger torque distribution setup and has good pulling power. It offers a sportier driving experience with ample refinement at idle and aso in the city. However, faster speeds give this some noise of its own. The iMT setup is easy to use and drivers can go through gears seamlessly without modulating/depressing the clutch pedal. The 7-speed DCT is a smooth-shifting option and boosts performance, while paddle shifters are a handy inclusion as well. There are Eco, Normal, and Sport modes available as well.

How’s the Driving Experience?

The Venue has a firmer suspension with wider 215mm tyres which can take shocks and bumps with grace. However, the ride is slightly rattling and may be disconcerting at times. The engine may sometimes feel a little underpowered and the overall driving experience, while refined otherwise, does not feel as plush as some rivals in this category.

How’s the Mileage?

Safety Equipment

The Hyundai Venue gets six airbags. There are standardized safety features included like dual front airbags, side curtain airbags, front-seat side impact airbags, and cornering lamps. There is parking assist rear camera with dynamic guidelines, vehicle stability management, electronic stability control, hill assist control, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Which variant to buy?

The Hyundai Venue has the E variant which is priced competitively and comes with two airbags, ABS, EBD and other decent features including a manual AC, power windows in front, and more. However, if you want more features like the touch screen infotainment unit, VSM, keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital instrument cluster, voice recognition and others, then you should go for the S variant which is costlier but more value for money. The S (O) or S+ variants get some more features like LED DRLs, projector headlights, cruise control, and paddle shifters at a substantially higher price, while the SX is even costlier and comes with features like two-step reclining rear seats, OTA updates, push-button start, auto-folding ORVMs, wireless phone charging, cooled glovebox, burglar alarm, HD infotainment unit, BlueLink, Google and Alexa voice assistants and a lot more. While the SX (O) is sizably costlier than the SX version, it gets the curtain and side airbags, with chrome finishing, fabric and leather upholstery, an air purifier, ambient lighting, and a four-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. The SX variant offers the most value for buyers, while those on a budget may consider the S variant.

Which Cars Compete in this Segment?

The Hyundai Venue takes on the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon, Renault Kiger, and Nissan Magnite in its segment. It also competes with its cousin, the Kia Sonet. The Venue is longer than the Nexon and even the Baleno. The Nexon has the highest width in the category while the Venue is the third-tallest here. The Brezza is now a costly proposition and does not get a diesel variant. The Toyota Urban Cruiser is also feature packed although the Venue may outstrip it comfortably on this count. The Mahindra XUV300 is more expensive and feels slightly dated in terms of the features, although it has powerful engine options. The Sonet gets similar features although the touch screen infotainment unit is slightly bigger. The Magnite is priced attractively although it does not get as many features and is not a premium model like the Venue. The same story holds true for the Renault Kiger. The Nexon is a safer car on paper with more connected car features and ventilated seats as well. The pricing is quite evenly matched as well.

Verdict

The Hyundai Venue offers a smooth driving experience with multiple engine options, a reasonable price point, and of course, good features. However, rear legroom is still restricted and a 360-degree camera or ventilated seats could have been added to the package. The Venue still makes for a good proposition with several engines, transmission options, and a spread-out price point. The engines are refined and perform smoothly, while the car also looks and feels good on the road. This should make it continue its successful run in the compact SUV segment.