Hyundai introduces a new Venue

According to Hyundai, it’s a place of freedom, a place of safety, fun and comfort, and for them, that place is in a car. I travelled to Cape Town, for what would be my last motoring launch of 2019 and the decade, to sample a new Venue.

What is the Venue?

Unlike the dictionary’s explanation of a venue, the Hyundai Venue is a compact SUV that has been designed to take on the likes of the Volkswagen T-Cross, Ford EcoSport and Haval H2 to name a few. The segment is highly contested and the offerings are very similar. Hyundai decided to call it the Venue because the name works on a global platform meaning that they will use this one name for all markets. This, in turn, builds brand awareness and because they have the belief that driving the Venue is an event in itself.

The Styling

When I first saw pictures of the car I was not impressed, it looked like all the other vehicles in this segment but when I saw it in the metal, my initial perception changed. I first noticed the somewhat flared wheel-arches, bold grille, strong character lines and a rather interesting headlight design; with the indicators just below the bonnet line and the headlights mid bumper, this gives the Hyundai Venue a rather muscular look and can become somewhat intimidating in the rear-view mirror as it appears bigger and bolder than what it actually is.

The rear of the car is also stylistically design and, if I’m honest, looks near identical to that of the Volkswagen T-Cross thanks to its small square taillights. I particularly like the car specified in white with the contrasting black roof and 16-inch alloy wheels. At launch, my test unit was finished in a colour called The Denim and resembled a dark blue jean colour with a contrasting white roof.

Interior

The interior was light beige the same denim blue as found on the exterior. Was I impressed? Yes. Another characteristic of the interior that I liked was the quality. The plastics, although hard, did not give the impression that it is cheap, it made the interior feel solid. I particularly enjoyed the 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen situated in between the central air-vents. The facia is neatly designed and despite the cars compact dimensions, the cabin is rather spacious.

My biggest issue is the fact that the passenger seat is not height adjustable and I found myself sitting a bit higher than what I would like. The fact that the car has a host of features such as a reverse camera, Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto is worth noting as well.

Is it practical?

The Hyundai Venue offers around 195mm of ground clearance which is enough to tackle a pavement or the odd dirt road, here and there. It also provides around 350 litres of luggage space. The sculpted the front-seatbacks and contoured the rear bench also provide for more space for the rear occupants. The car features a host of safety systems and representatives from Hyundai South Korea said that the car was tested in India where it is built, however, the official results have not been released as of yet.

Venue power

The Hyundai Venue is offered with one engine in the form of a 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit. The motor which develops 88 kW and 172 N.m of torque comes mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While both gearboxes are good, the 7-speed DCT provides an effortless driving experience with the eager little engine. Sampling the car on Western Cape roads allowed me to fully experience the ride quality and I can confirm that it felt good, although the Cape winds which did unsettle the car now and then. Hyundai claims a 6.5L/100km for the manual and around 6.9L/100km for the automatic.

Verdict

Hyundai will be offering three Venue derivatives namely the Motion, Fluid, and Glide. With each succeeding variant, the specification level is increased. The entry-level Motion variant is fitted with 15-inch steel wheels while the higher-spec offerings feature 16-inch alloys. At the very least, all Venues comes with air-conditioning, electric windows, anti-lock brakes, an electronic stability program, hill-holder with hill-start assist, dual front airbags, remote controls on the steering wheel and keyless entry among others. What impressed most of us during the launch is entry-level price, R274 900.

Warranty

Prices include a three-year/45 000 km service plan, five-year/150 000 km manufacturer’s warranty with an additional two-years/50 000 km on the powertrain.

Pricing

Hyundai Venue 1,0 Motion (man) R274 900

Hyundai Venue 1,0 (DCT) R304 900

Hyundai Venue 1,0 Fluid (man) R309 900

Hyundai Venue 1,0 (DCT) R339 900

Hyundai Venue 1,0 Glide (DCT) R369 900