[Mustang Sammy]

Nice review! Thanks for the detailed description and pics.
IMHO at these prices they could at least provide basic features like telescopic steering and ventilated seats.

[SuperSuri]

Originally Posted by DCTfanatic

I am wondering if it would be possible to have the N-Line exhaust sourced and retro-fitted onto the 1st generation Venue Turbo DCT?

I don’t think Hyundai would do that. However, you can go with a straight pipe exhaust with a valvetronic muffler for a good exhaust note.

[DCTfanatic]

Originally Posted by SuperSuri

I don’t think Hyundai would do that. However, you can go with a straight pipe exhaust with a valvetronic muffler for a good exhaust note.

That would be the ideal and also my first choice, but unfortunately something like that isn't available easily in Ahmedabad.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by sunikkat

Thanks for the review

Quick question if some one is looking for a fun to drive compact SUV, which one would be your pick as an overall fun package (engine+gearbox+handling+highspeed manners) - C3 vs. Venue NLine vs. Kushaq/Taigun 1 TSI?

On other note, personally, I would prefer i20 N Line over this, as i20 is more stylish (subjective), has better and more modern interiors and layout, more spacious etc and also would handle better with low GC.

It would be really hard to choose between the two.

The Kushaq’s 1.0 TSI is a far superior engine without a doubt. It revs and makes power all the way to redline, but the Venue N-Line sort of plateaus after 4-4.5K RPM. Also the Kushaq is a better built product comparatively.

So if the engine is really important to you and build quality too, the Kushaq is the way to go. But if you don’t mind a slightly inferior engine and build quality, the N Line offers a lot for the money relatively of course. It’s a more fun package thanks to the weighted steering, firmer suspension, fruiter exhaust and paddle shifters on the wheel.

I too prefer the i20 N Line but somehow the Venue N Line proves to be a greater overall package thanks to the added ground clearance.

Originally Posted by FrAgile

According to the review, the steering is accurate but feels disconnected and dead. I am keen to know that if this is worse than the i20 N-Line or they are more or less the same. The i20 N-Line is not having this feedback in the review, so my assumption is that being a hatch and lower ground clearance, the steering is a bit better tuned or feels better as compared to the one in Venue.

The steering is more or less the same as the i20 N Line’s. But the reason why the i20 felt a bit better on faster swooping corners or tighter twistiest is probably because the Venue sits a lot higher with more ground clearance. Both had very poor tyres and it’s absolutely essential that one upgrades to nicer stickier rubber.

[GTO]

Super delighted to see India's no.2 carmaker coming out with editions for enthusiasts . As Suhaas said, there are perceptible improvements to the driving experience. Plus, the enjoyable exhaust note!

This also adds some sheen to the brand, image & showrooms. Hope Maruti & Tata come out with sportier editions (Swift Sport, tuned Altroz etc.).

Originally Posted by DCTfanatic

I am wondering if it would be possible to have the N-Line exhaust sourced and retro-fitted onto the 1st generation Venue Turbo DCT?

Get a free-flow exhaust . But you will lose your warranty. Not a good idea to terminate the extended warranty on a complex turbo-petrol motor with a dual-clutch AT. Maybe after the warranty expires.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

It would be really hard to choose between the two.

Based on your review, I think the Kushaq 1.5L DSG will still be more fun to drive than the Venue N-Line. But it will come with the usual Skoda headaches. Thug dealers, reliability concerns and a DQ200 DSG that will almost certainly fail once or twice in a 10-year ownership period.

[yash1998]

Since safety features are mentioned in pros, overall unsafe car rating and unstable body shell structure should have been mentioned in the cons. Thanks for the review.

[UD17]

Thanks for a informative and detailed review. This review has everything which i as a buyer will look out for.

I would buy this for:

1. 118 BHP enthusiast taste
2. A perfect balance for a city car- small size, nice ride, boot space, drivability and features
3. SUVish so ground clearance is no worry. Venue is nice car to replace any premium hatch and yet provide much move over and above that

I would not buy this for:

1. DCT gear box
2. Cost for that puny presence
3. Service cost with Hyundai cars are relatively higher

Venue looks much better now with Taigun like rear extensions. Although it is becoming more difficult to identify Hyundai in IRVM due to similar grills (aka Creta, Tucson, Venue etc.)

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by yash1998

Since safety features are mentioned in pros, overall unsafe car rating and unstable body shell structure should have been mentioned in the cons. Thanks for the review.

Has the Venue been through Global NCAP? I believe not but given the i20 and Creta both flopped, I agree that this should be highlighted in the cons section to help readers make an informed decision.

[VikramCS]

Great informative review, thanks for sharing.

One question that's lingering in my mind: Is the Hyundai's DCT more reliable than VW's DSG? Also, since both are mated to Turbo-petrol engines, overall as a package, which car would be more reliable in the long-run?

From fun-to-drive perspective, VW seems ahead of Hyundai, however, if a buyer wants to bet his money, which among above is better?

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by SuperSuri

I don’t think Hyundai would do that. However, you can go with a straight pipe exhaust with a valvetronic muffler for a good exhaust note.

Honestly, I would never recommend a valvetronic muffler unless it's from a reputed brand that has put in the time and R&D to develop the product.

Generic valvetronic mufflers use the valve/flap and actuators that tend to fail prematurely. And when they are closed, the backpressure is immense, and you will risk doing some serious damage in the long run. You will also lose power with the valve closed as a result of the immense backpressure.

Also, if you have closely examined a generic / universal muffler, you will notice that it is nothing but a perforated straight pipe with glass wool packed up around the pipe and the muffler body designed around it. The glass wool will burn away with time and it will essentially become a straight pipe.

I am not sure about others, but personally, a generic muffler makes the exhaust note sound a bit cheap and brash. The lack of a polished and tuned note is extremely obvious, and to me not appealing at all.

Compare this to a stock exhaust muffler - stock mufflers do not have a perforated straight pipe running through them. A cross section of a stock muffler would reveal several chambers and baffles and channels through which exhaust gasses flow. It has been designed and engineered with a lot of thought and science.

The Venue N Line's muffler is quite similar to a stock exhaust. The difference perhaps could be fewer baffles, larger channels and acoustically tweaked chambers. The basic construction remains the same.

This is exactly why I would always recommend purchasing exhausts from reputed aftermarket exhaust companies such as Milltek, Akrapovic, etc. While these exhausts are eye-wateringly expensive, you can be rest assured that you will get a finely tuned and developed product that does not merely make a lot of noise but instead makes the right sounds.

Originally Posted by GTO

Based on your review, I think the Kushaq 1.5L DSG will still be more fun to drive than the Venue N-Line. But it will come with the usual Skoda headaches. Thug dealers, reliability concerns and a DQ200 DSG that will almost certainly fail once or twice in a 10-year ownership period.

100% without doubt, the Kushaq with the 1.5 TSI and DSG will be a lot faster and potentially more fun too.

But the issues I see (apart from the obvious reliability concerns) are:

1) The Kushaq 1.5 TSI DSG is a whole 5 lakh or so more than the Venue N Line, and that could be a deal breaker for most. The 1.0 TSI is far closer to the Venue N Line in terms of pricing.

2) The Kushaq lacks the drama that the Venue N-Line has in spades. The tighter suspension + steering and the fruity exhaust note, not to mention the paddle shifts. The Venue N Line has character and personality than the Kushaq somewhat lacks.

Maybe it's time for Skoda to consider locally engineering vRS versions of the Kushaq, with paddles on the steering wheel and a tuned exhaust.

Originally Posted by VikramCS

Great informative review, thanks for sharing.

One question that's lingering in my mind: Is the Hyundai's DCT more reliable than VW's DSG? Also, since both are mated to Turbo-petrol engines, overall as a package, which car would be more reliable in the long-run?

Only time will tell if the DCT in the Hyundais are better than VAG DSGs in terms of reliability. At the moment, we have not observed a pattern as we did with VAG DSG. At least Hyundai provides you with a warning notification on the instrument cluster when the DCT begins acting up and also provide a disclaimer regarding the DCT - stating that the driver will need to stop the car and allow the gearbox to cool down before proceeding.

VAG it appears like to surprise their customers with sudden failures and without any warnings whatsoever.

The only way to verify the health of the clutch-pack is to hook up the car to a computer via VCDS and examine the parameters and values closely.

Speaking of reliability on Hyundais generally, there have been reports of Hyundai's T-GDI motor's fuel pump failing prematurely. Hope Hyundai covers these failures under warranty and not bother customers, or they will quickly go the VW / Skoda way.

[AnshumanS001]

I too am looking out on options like the Venue N line, VW Virtus 1.0 or may be a electric one.


IMO the venue N Line didn't feel very crisp or every enthusiast upon driving. Still in a thought what to do.

[Blue_Silver]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Instrument cluster changes colour according to the selected drive mode. It is bathed in either blue (Normal), green (Eco) or red (Sport):

This just hit me. Is this just me or the instrument cluster looks very similar to that of KIA Carens. I might be wrong, however I felt this to be a direct part sharing between both brands.

[FarPatel]

Thanks for the review, Suhaas. I have a question which hope you or anyone else reading this can answer.
I'm looking for a suitable replacement for my Ford Classic and one of the points I'm looking at is the ability of the car to sail over the painted rumble strips that are rampant on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as well as on Palm Beach Marg in Navi Mumbai, without rattling all its nuts and bolts or my own bones. Have you taken this car over such surfaces in your test drive?
My Ford's brake light fuse has come loose during these drives on two occasions and this has me worried about anything else that may get loose.

[dotcombubbled]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

It would be really hard to choose between the two.


Both had very poor tyres and it’s absolutely essential that one upgrades to nicer stickier rubber.

In every thread, I’ve heard bad reviews only for MRF stock tyres in Sonet and venue.

Which tyres would you recommend for Venue n-line?
Preference would be something which provides :
1) riding comfort and absorption - top priority
2) stability


(Would recommended tyres be the similar ones people usually recommend for Sonet also?, owing to Sonet’s stiffer suspension)


I have booked Venue N line, delivery in early October. I would like to know where I can swap tyres?

1) Can I pay a little extra to the dealer to get better tyres of some manufacturer other than MRF?

2) if not above, people generally sell their stock tyres where?

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by FarPatel

Thanks for the review, Suhaas. I have a question which hope you or anyone else reading this can answer.
I'm looking for a suitable replacement for my Ford Classic and one of the points I'm looking at is the ability of the car to sail over the painted rumble strips that are rampant on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as well as on Palm Beach Marg in Navi Mumbai, without rattling all its nuts and bolts or my own bones. Have you taken this car over such surfaces in your test drive?
My Ford's brake light fuse has come loose during these drives on two occasions and this has me worried about anything else that may get loose.

Well, it does sail over ruts and expansion joints with ease, there is a muted thud and the suspension keeps you extremely aware of the road surface. It does not isolate you from the surface and I think that is what you are looking for in a car. It certainly won’t last the sustained punishment of rut riddled roads, most cars wouldn’t to be honest.

Only an Innova will be able to deliver that sort of experience without coming apart entirely.

Originally Posted by dotcombubbled

In every thread, I’ve heard bad reviews only for MRF stock tyres in Sonet and venue.

Which tyres would you recommend for Venue n-line?
Preference would be something which provides :
1) riding comfort and absorption - top priority
2) stability


(Would recommended tyres be the similar ones people usually recommend for Sonet also?, owing to Sonet’s stiffer suspension)


I have booked Venue N line, delivery in early October. I would like to know where I can swap tyres?

1) Can I pay a little extra to the dealer to get better tyres of some manufacturer other than MRF?

2) if not above, people generally sell their stock tyres where?

You can opt for Michelin Primacy ST if riding comfort and stability are your main requirements. It will work well on any car.

The dealer won’t get you the tyres in all probability. You could exchange the stock tyres immediately after leaving the showroom. You should get a half-price(ish) discount on the new set upon exchange. Any reputed tyre store in your city should do this for you. Madhus did this for me when I swapped out the MRFs on my Polo for Continental MC5s ages ago.