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-   -   Hyundai Venue : Official Preview. EDIT: Launched @ 6.5 lakhs (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/208969-hyundai-venue-official-preview-edit-launched-6-5-lakhs-30.html)

What bothers me even more is that the other manufacturers don’t see that sunroof really makes the products sell, at least in our country and at least at the moment. Ford has a sunroof (funroof) in the ecosport but they choose to not give it in the automatic variant. I have a kodiaq and the sunroof is absolutely drool worthy; so much that I don’t think I’d be comfortable buying a car without a sunroof now. Although the sunroof in the venue is small, it does lift the cabin up very well. It happens in every car equipped with a sunroof and that’s evident even in the ecosport. If only ford decides to equip the automatic ecosport with a sunroof as well, I am sure it’ll find many buyers. Even if it costs 30-50k more. I am sure I’ll buy one.
I am waiting to test drive the venue as I am currently out of country and if I love the way it drives, I’ll compromise on the airbags and the rear wash wipe. I’ll get a newer model with better engine/transmission and some nice features as well. But if it’s as good as the ecosport, or even if just a little bit better, ford will get my business.

Hi everyone! I got the chance to take the new Hyundai Venue out for a test drive this evening. Truth be told, it was a very short 10-minute drive, but here's what I observed:

1. When I first saw the Venue's design in pictures, it didn't really appeal to me. But in person, it looks really neat! The massive cascading grille sure is polarising, but I think it complements the car's design, making it appear much larger than it is.



2. On the inside, you get your typical Hyundai interior - high-quality and loaded with technology. I really liked the clean and clutter-free layout of the dash. I drove the SX+ DCT variant, so it had almost all the bells and whistles, such as the 8" touchscreen, wireless charger, and a sunroof, all fitted as standard.

On the flipside, the interior is, umm, tiny. I drive a Ritz and a Grand i10, and I must say, the Venue feels just a smidgen more spacious than the latter, but lesser than the former. Granted, I'm 5'11", and I lie on the heftier side, but for me, the Ritz feels roomier than the Venue. That aside, ingress and egress are a cinch given the height of the car, the seats are comfy, and it was easy to find a comfortable driving position.

Rear seat space is decent, but not if the driver's seat is set low and pushed back to accommodate a tall driver. I can say there's just about as much room as a Grand i10 at the back.

The boot seems spacious for a car this size. I reckon it'll fit a full-size trolley suitcase and a couple of cabin carries as well with ease.



3. I drove the 1.0 Turbo GDI DCT variant. The 3-pot motor sounds and feels a tad less smoother than Hyundai's creamy 1.2 inline four. The DCT is very smooth, and you can't really feel it slur through the gears. It was also pretty quick to respond to when I floored it, and it didn't shift up until I lifted off the throttle. There is no sport mode on the transmission, but there is a manual mode on offer.

I couldn't really test the engine's performance since I was driving on city roads, but for the most part, driving the Venue was quite effortless. I really didn't feel the lack of power as far as city driving is concerned. The steering was really light, which combined with the small footprint of the car (and big ORVMs) made light work of tackling city traffic. Low speed ride quality was quite good too, with the Venue comfortably soaking up all the raised drain covers, potholes and speedbumps I drove over. Dynamics at high speeds remains to be seen though. I hope it is just as good.

Overall, it seems that Hyundai clearly has a winner on its hands with the Venue. The tiny interior is a bit of a letdown, which detracts from the big car feel that its exterior design exudes. That aside, the Venue has so many things going for it, chief of which is the attractive price tag. At that price point, forget C2 (crossover) segement customers, I feel that even those planning to buy a B2 (premium hatch) or C1 (compact sedan) segment car might be tempted to go for it.

Cheers!

Thanks, this looks more like the picture posted by Hyundai than the one above. We can notice the orange/red stitch line running through the seats, steering wheel, gear & armrests. Also, A.C vents have red sliders and some interior panels seem to have a greenish tinge to them. Attaching some screenshots from the same video -

I took test drives of 1.0 DCT SX+ and 1.4 Diesel SX(O) earlier today, and boy, colour me unimpressed!

My frame of reference

I am 6 feet tall, and most of my comparisons will be with EcoSport (and VW at times due to the DSG) because I think they are the leaps and bounds ahead of other cars under 14L ex-showroom - so my baseline is pretty high, I'm not even considering AMTs and CVTs of the world. I also took the test drives strictly in city conditions so I don't know what the behavior is on open roads and highways - there were very few stretches where I pedaled to the metal.

Engine

• 1.0 L Turbo Kappa Dual VTVT
  
  I could not make the most sense out of this engine because the manual variant was not available for a test drive, but what I could make out was -
  
  - This engine has turbo lag, buckets of it. It's a punishment to drive this engine with the DCT which does nothing to cover up the lag (Now I know why Ford does not offer the EcoBoost engine in the automatic trim - it conceals the lag with its first 2 gears instead in the manual trim.)
  - Once the lag goes away (I believe post 2000 rpm), the engine comes to life and is quite fun after that.
  - This engine is best mated to a manual transmission - a big no-no with the DCT.
  
  
• 1.4 L U2 CRDi
  
  - I drove Hyundai's omnipresent diesel engine for the first time today, and it is much more suited to the Venue with its manual transmission than the 1.0 L DCT.
  - Diesel clatter is not very evident but it's there if you specifically listen for it - so you will know it's a diesel engine.
  - The engine is linear and punchy at the same time, I think it suits the car.

Transmission

• The DCT
  
  Let's address the elephant in the room - The DCT gearbox - The segment first feature that Hyundai Venue brings to the masses - The greates... okay, that's enough.
  
  Do yourself a favour and keep your expectations as low as they can go before test driving the automatic - It's a hot mess! I thought I'd never say this about a DCT, but I prefer EcoSport's TC over this DCT any day.
  
  - The DCT is very smooth - no jerks, seamless shifts, very comfortable to ride - but that's where the goodness ends - don't expect this to be anything near VW's DSG.
  - DCT is horrible, to put it mildly, to drive in city traffic - it does all it can in its power to always keep you in the turbo lag zone - as soon as the lag is over, it upshifts right in it again.
  - You will feel the power deficit at all times in the traffic, thanks to no pedals, no sports mode and the stupid DCT - sure there is tiptronic which does hold gears for you just fine, but I'd prefer buying a manual over this any day.
  - This DCT needs a Sports mode to cover up the slouch. Forget quick overtakes in traffic.
  
  
• Manual
  
  - I liked it.
  - The throws are short and effortless - it's well behaved.
  

Steering

The steering is dead, like every other Hyundai ever. It weighs up fine at higher speeds, but at city speeds it's feather light aka dead. Remember XUV300's steering in comfort mode? This is exactly that at lower speeds. No feel or feedback, it's a long shot from a Ford or a VW.

Ride

It's all very "normal", in a good way! Suspension is neither too soft, nor too hard - there's acceptable amount of body roll.
But don't go in there expecting poise of an EcoSport or feedback of a Polo.

Rear seat space

This is strictly like EcoSport, probably about 5% better. I could not sit behind myself (6 feet tall) - my knees were rubbing against the front seat - under thigh support is average as well.
A 4-seater at most.
I also did not find ingress/egress as comfortable as I did in other compact SUVs.

Interior

- The car is well stitched together - it's a Hyundai after all, like others have mentioned as well. Everything feels at its right place, no oddity anywhere.
- Everything also feels small and compact on the inside - black interiors do not help either. There is no sense of space in the car, it's exactly like sitting in a hatchback - nothing more, nothing less.

Stance

Do not expect an SUV like stance or road presence from this car. This is a missed opportunity in my opinion because Hyundai developed Venue from the ground up, they could have made it more butch but alas, they've managed only a jacked up hatchback.

It looks too much like the Cretas, Brezzas, XUV300s of the world.

Other points

- Boot space is huge, right there with EcoSport.
- The car seems very well put together, except the air purifier which keeps on flying out of the cup holder.
- 1.0 DCT SX+ is not VFM at all - for Rs. 1,110,500 you end up with only 2 airbags, no rear wiper/washer, no auto-dimming IRVM, no rain sensing wipers, no rear armrest.
- The boot mat comes with cardboard stuck under it, see attached pictures. It's an eyesore and odd on so many levels.

Verdict

Venue is a very normal car. It loses out on some key features, but gains some connected bells and whistles, but nothing is a deal breaker or a deal maker. It is one of the most highly anticipated launches of the year, and it is all set to make a dent in the market - which it will like its siblings i10, i20, Xcent, Santo - who are also very normal cars and safe purchases.

But there are very slim chances that this car will appeal to an enthusiast with options like EcoSport in the market.

There is nothing that makes you go :eek: in the Venue.
- EcoSport with its SYNC3 has a very modern cabin along with top of the class driving dynamics.
- Nexon has futuristic looks and build quality.
- XUV300 has segment best engines.
- Brezza has a well laid out cabin.

Venue has none of these, there is no deal maker. It's just a "car" - strictly a hatchback - but I'm pretty sure it's going to enjoy the number 2 spot in the market, because it's a Hyundai (and it also has a sunroof, OMG!)

Very well summed up review by BHPian kubectl.

This doesn't have that wow factor of Ecosport/Nexon/XUV3OO. While Pricing is lower compared to most of its rivals, I guess it doesn't have any aces to be the default car in the segment.

Just yesterday, I called my friend who had pre-booked Venue. He said that he expected top spec DCT. I asked him if he is willing to let go Venue and buy another car ? To which he replied what are other options ? I said, there is one sedan which has some essential features required in this age, is very efficient, doesn't have turbo lag like the Petrol DCT in Venue, is also cheaper by 2 lakhs, and last but not least, it has a Diesel Automatic option in it, he immediately said are you talking about Amaze Diesel CVT ? I said yes. He immediately said he'll check the car today and test-drive it.

I think the Amaze CVT despite being from different segment is a better choice then Venue Petrol DCT. The Amaze doesn't have some features, but is more spacious, efficient, has a reliable CVT gearbox paired with an extremely drivable and torquey Diesel engine at a price significantly lesser then Venue.

A Diesel Automatic cheaper then Petrol Automatic in a car that has same taxation is sure a big achievement. If someone isn't looking at CSUV, I am sure the Amaze will look VFM in front of Venue, even though Venue isn't overpriced.

I have i20 Diesel, and the Venue doesn't look like an upgrade to me.

I can't comment on Venue's pros and cons vs the competition right now but I can differ with your conclusion. To be honest, no car in Hyundai line-up makes you jump out of your seat against the competition. Hyundai has always preferred to take the neutral route with all its products in India. The strategy has been:
1. Have a modern design, but not too funky. The design language is always on the safer side (case in point - a neutral looking Creta against the Cheetah branding on XUV/ macho looks on Duster)
2. Have well-sorted interiors which feel solid with standard features (no fancy speaker system or analytical stuff that you get XUV)
3. Have an India essential feature list but nothing that stands out too much (case in point - cooled seats, rear AC vents across the range)
4. Have a reasonably reliable service network

The Venue follows this approach and will likely score over its competition on a feature-to-feature basis. For instance, it beats Brezza over interiors but not on cabin space; Ecosport over design language but loses on engine options.

I believe Hyundai never tried to make its customers go :Shockked: with Venue. Rather they intended it to grow over the market much like the Creta/ i10/ i20/ Verna.

I agree with you. I had my expectations sky high and hence the disappointment. I probably gave in to their marketing tactics about BlueLink, DCT, etc while the ground reality is vastly different.

But to be honest, even if I had set my expectations right, I'd still not be expecting a hatchback for the price ;)

The EON 'was and is' miles ahead of the Alto, but I was shocked when it did not overthrow the King. With Creta, they created a monster hit, and rightfully - it rules the segment. I did check out the Venue and though the engine is sprightly, the lack of space left me underwhelmed. Everything is so close to you and the rear seat is strictly for 2 adults. "It's the mini cooper of the mini-SUV world". All they had to do was benchmark the internals against Nexon or XUV300, and they have another monster hit!

I test drove the Hyundai Venue 1.4 Diesel SX(O) variant yesterday and I couldn't agree more with BHPian kubectl.

I was pretty excited for the Venue launch, the feature list and the prices only added to that excitement but after the Test drive the overall feeling became quite neutral, I'd expected more from it to be honest.

Positives
+ The car looks good in flesh, nice proportions
+ The fit and finish is typical Hyundai, the black interiors look and feel premium
+ Ingress and egress are very natural
+ The cabin is neatly laid out, and everything is within reach
+ Finding the perfect driving position is quite easy
+ As previously known, the 1.4 Diesel is quite refined and the turbo lag is not too prominent
+ Suspension and ride are quite neutral, which is a good thing

Negatives
- Space is at a premium inside, I felt a little cramped in the driving seat
- Although I love an all-black interior, this is one Hyundai in which they should have offered their usual dual-tone interior because the all-black cabin adds to that claustrophobic feeling
- Rear seat is best suited to two (Brezza and Nexon feel much roomier on the inside)
- There is no big car/CSUV'ish type feel when driving, everything feels a bit hatch like tbh
- The same diesel engine in the i20 feels a bit more sprightly, maybe the boxier design and the extra pounds don't help
- But the biggest disappointment of all is that the Venue lacks character and has a very limited driver connection; the steering lacks feedback, it's too light and does not weigh even at higher speeds; everything is a bit neutral.

To accentuate my last point regarding "character" & driver connection, I test drove an EcoSport 1.5L Diesel immediately afterwards and the Venue was no match to it's drive experience; Venue's drive-ability just won't appeal to the enthusiast in us.

But one thing is pretty certain, Venue would sell by the bucket loads because it is good looking, feature loaded and very decently priced for what it offers. If Creta can sell in the numbers it does, despite being overpriced, imagine what this Baby Creta can do!

Personal Dilemma
I am working around a budget of 10L for a diesel car and the Venue diesel SX variant looked pretty appealing. Ecosport Titanium diesel would cost around the same after some discounts but misses out on a lot of features viz a viz the Venue SX (Sunroof, rear AC vents, Cruise Control and Apple Carplay/Android Auto). So, the dilemma continues.

Speaking strictly from what I have read, it does seem like for the lower variant that you want, the venue feels more VFM as it has apple CarPlay android auto, a sunroof and cruise control as well. But once you go to the top variant, at least for the automatic variant, ecosport feels more VFM. I think for the manual variants, they do seem pretty similar, but the better Diesel engine coupled with driving dynamics should give the ecosport the edge. However, do note that the venue has an extra cog.

So I saw the Venue parked in between the i20 and verna. Might serve as a point of reference for anyone wondering about the size and presence (thankfully all cars were white making things easier clap:)

Thank you for sharing the price list on day 1 itself. Much appreciated.

I visited the Himgiri Hyundai showroom in Global Foyer, Gurgaon around 7.30 p.m. and was warmly greeted by the staff there. There were still a few customers checking out Venue. I must say that initial impressions by Team-BHP members was extremely helpful in setting the right expectations. I was looking out for a small car and it turned out to be much bigger than I thought. I quite like it and as you rightly mentioned this is fresh from the oven (oops factory!).

I noticed that total on road price is different in 3 showrooms for the SX MT which has ex-showroom price of Rs. 9,54,000. In the price list shared by you for DEE EMM Hyundai, MG Road, it comes to Rs. 10,86,694. I have attached the price list for Himgiri Hyundai and DEE EMM Hyundai Sohna Road - it is Rs. 10,96,549 for Himgiri and Rs. 10,91,332 for DEE EMM Hyundai Sohna Road.

Since the insurance amount was different, I checked with both the SAs and was informed that 0 dep is for 1 year and 3rd party is for 3 years, so the offering seems the same. Due to this reason I refrained from booking at the spot. In any event I will test drive tomorrow but MT petrol is not available. It is either DCT petrol or MT diesel.

I need help from esteemed BHPians to understand if such price difference (around Rs. 5,000 each and Rs. 10,000 overall) is common for new launches especially if it is the same dealer with separate showrooms please:

The car is overpriced for what it offers.

I consider this not as a compact SUV. Rather at the most its a premium hatchback disguised as an SUV.

My close friend test drove it, liked it very much, but he will be booking either Ecosport or XUV500! For him, this car didn't have the "Big car feel" for the price being quoted.

This might be the only major weakness in the design, rest of it is on point and amazing.

Might just be the replacement for my Polo GT which is getting fairly long in the tooth now. However Hyundai is notorious for overstating power figures for their petrols - can anyone validate how the performance for the automatic is vis a vis the GT ? Paper specs are similar if not better.