News
Hyundai is expected to roll out the next-generation Venue later this year. The compact SUV has already been spotted testing on Indian roads, and now the sporty ‘N Line’ variant has been seen for the first time. It was recently caught testing in South Korea.
Spy images suggest that the Venue N Line will feature subtle sporty details on the outside. The test mule was seen sporting dual-tone alloy wheels with red brake calipers, dual exhausts, and a red pinstripe along the rocker panels. Other details include black ORVMs, blacked-out A and B-pillars, and roof rails with red highlights.
The overall shape of the next-gen Venue, though, looks similar to the outgoing model. It is expected to feature a split headlamp setup with a large grille and new LED taillights.
The new Venue will also get an updated interior with added features. The top-of-the-line N Line variant is expected to be equipped with Level 2 ADAS.
The next-gen Venue N Line could be offered with the same 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine as the current model. It produces 118 BHP and 172 Nm and is paired with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT.
Source: Healer TV
News
Earlier this week, Hyundai launched its third N Line model, the Creta N Line, in India. It is an indication of how these models have gained popularity.
According to the company, over 22,000 units of the Venue N Line and i20 N Line have been sold. N Line models contribute to over 20% of the brand’s overall sales of the turbo-petrol models.
On the sidelines of the Creta N Line launch, Tarun Garg, Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai India, stated that at 13%, women N Line buyers cross the average women buyer consumer base in India’s passenger vehicle market. He added that 82% of N Line buyers prefer the top-spec variant.
Hyundai’s N Line range not only offers a sportier design but also comes equipped with decent performance upgrades. The N Line cars get a stiffer suspension setup, retuned steering and a sportier exhaust.
Source: Autocar India
News
Hyundai introduced the N Line range in India in 2022, starting with the i20. The carmaker later launched the Venue N Line and is now looking to bring in more products from its N Line range.
Tarun Garg, COO of Hyundai India, has stated that the company will launch more N-Line products in India very soon. N Line is a niche product and despite the cars being more expensive than the standard models, they have generated decent sales numbers. With new models being introduced, Hyundai is expecting N Line sales to reach 15,000-20,000 units in the next few years.
The Hyundai Creta is all set to get the N Line treatment soon. The Creta N Line is rumoured to be launched later this year and will be based on the upcoming facelift version. It will feature a sporty exterior with gloss black surfaces and red accents, unique alloy wheels and an all-black interior with an N Line-specific steering wheel and gear lever; among others.
The Creta N Line could be powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The SUV will also get a few suspension tweaks and a throaty exhaust note.
Source: Autocar India
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There are cars and then, there are cars. As BHPians, we aren't looking at a mere mode of transportation from point A -> point B. To us, the journey is as important as the destination...be it that simple early morning drive in the city, or the pleasurable 1000 km road trip with our families.
Good thing is, the vibrant Indian market offers petrolheads a wide variety of fun-to-drive cars. Turbo-charged petrols and EVs have spiced up the game too. And if you thought you need to spend big bucks to have fun, think again. Excellent options are available at each & every price point.
Best part is, most of these rides will keep the driver as well as the family man in you happy. After all, the car of a typical Indian household just has to be a multi-tasker (ghat cornering on Sunday, work on Monday, kids to football ground on Wednesday, late-night revving on Friday, visit in-laws on Saturday, breakfast run with BHPians on Sunday morning).
Listed below, in no particular order, are the best enthusiast cars on sale today. Only those with a price tag of ~75 lakhs & under have been included, to keep the line-up relevant to gearheads.
Each of these cars will bring a smile to your face (*guaranteed*) in their own special way, every time you head out for a drive ! What's more, if you wish to enhance the driving experience, they are modification-friendly too.
BMW M340i xDrive
What's hot: Ferocious 6-cylinder turbo-petrol motor with 382 BHP on tap! Lives for 7,000 rpm, all-wheel-drive gives the BMW M340i leech-like grip & solid stability levels, sporty and well-tuned exhaust note is addictive at high revs, ZF 8-speed AT is the best gearbox in the segment...fast & smooth, 0 – 100 in 4.4 seconds with 4-door everyday practicality...go touring with the family, lovely cabin, premium build, very supportive seats & a fab driving position, BMW’s strong track record for reliability (among the luxury marques), 5-star NCAP rating, awesome brakes & a laundry list of safety equipment
What's not: Ride is much firmer than a regular 3-Series...liveable, but you feel everything on the road, sad boot space with a spare wheel, we don’t like the radiator grille, rear floor hump is enormous! The car is better as a 4-seater than 5, your fuel costs will be a lot higher than say, a 530d, runflat tyres come with many compromises...wear out soon & are expensive to replace, we hate the all-digital instrument console...also, the rev counter is weirdly inverted, some irritants such as w-i-d-e 6-meter turning radius & annoying speed warnings
Citroen C3 1.2L Turbo-Petrol (you'll be surprised!)
What's hot: Striking design! Very funky, yet likeable at the same time, good-looking cabin that is practical too, fast 1.2L turbo-petrol is genuinely fun-to-drive, 6-speed MT is slick and light to operate...definitely one of the better gearboxes in the segment, sorted suspension offers a very good ride & handling package, compact size and light controls are perfect for the urban environment, 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay is excellent to use, lots of customization options and accessories to make your car truly unique
What's not: No automatic transmission on offer, quality of cabin materials doesn't feel great; cost-cutting is pretty evident in certain areas, some ergonomic issues like the placement of rear power window switches, unusable rear headrest, cabin width makes the interiors suitable for 4 adults...not 5, missing features like electric ORVM adjustment, climate control, and tachometer! long-term reliability & after-sales service quality are big unknowns; dealer network is tiny
The Hyundai N lines
i20 N Line
What's hot: Aggressive styling with distinctive touches that set it apart from the garden-variety i20, punchy 1.0 turbo-petrol motor with 118 BHP on tap, firm yet compliant suspension coupled with a weighted steering + paddle shifters + fruity exhaust note, tasteful N Line-exclusive steering wheel, gear selector, red accents etc. liven up the interior, feature-rich equipment list includes cruise control, LED projectors, voice-activated sunroof, wireless charging & more, spacious cabin with a 311-liter boot makes this a practical yet fun-to-drive car, price premium over the regular i20 is totally justified by the additions & improvements, safety kit = ESP, 6 airbags, rear disc brakes, Blue Link SOS, Hill Assist…
What's not: Although well-priced in relation to the i20 Asta variant, it is still an expensive hatchback, 1.0L DCT variant shows initial lag...even otherwise, it’s not as explosive as VW’s 1.0 Turbo, some misses such as auto wipers, split folding rear seats, you absolutely need a tyre upgrade...the OEM rubber gives up easily, this 3rd-gen i20’s styling can be polarizing, unlike the more neutral previous generation cars, dual-clutch ATs have had a troubled reliability record in India, more of a warmed-up hatchback in terms of power & handling, rather than a “hot hatch”
Venue N Line
What's hot: Aggressive styling and distinctive touches set it apart from the regular Venue, punchy 1.0L turbo-petrol motor with 118 BHP mated to a fast shifting dual-clutch AT, firm yet compliant suspension coupled with weighted steering + paddle shifters + fruity exhaust note that make the Venue N Line a fun little package, tasteful N Line-exclusive touches liven up the otherwise drab interior, feature-rich equipment list includes 4-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, auto-dimming IRVM, cabin air purifier, BlueLink telematics, Home to car (H2C) with Alexa / Google Voice assistant, voice-activated sunroof, wireless charging & more, price premium over the regular Venue is totally justified by the additions & improvements, safety kit = ESP, 6 airbags, rear disc brakes, Blue Link SOS, Hill Assist, factory-fitted dual camera dash-cam, Hyundai's wide & competent after-sales network
What's not: More of a warmed-up compact crossover than a proper hot crossover, 1.0L DCT variant shows initial lag...even otherwise, it’s not as explosive as VW’s 1.0 TSI, handling is not as confidence-inspiring as one would expect from a "hot" crossover...tyre upgrade is mandatory! The OEM rubber gives up easily, diminutive street presence...looks more hatchback than SUV from some angles, especially the rear, strictly a 4-seater; the rear bench has very awkward seating for the middle occupant, no manual transmission even as an option! Long term reliability of the DCT is a concern, missing kit (auto wipers, steering reach adjustment...)
Fast Sedans
BMW 330Li
What's hot: Just the right size for a luxury sedan in India, punchy rev-happy engine & well-tuned gearbox deliver superb performance, a great combination of ride and handling; just how a 3 Series should be, big step up in interior quality & design (from the F30), loaded with tech, stylish speedometer & more...iDrive 7 is nice to use
What's not: Sad boot space with the spare wheel underneath, pricing is stiff for some variants, fake engine noise piped in; tad too fake for our tastes
Mercedes C300d AMG Line
What's hot: Powerful engine with a 0 - 100 time of ~6 seconds, lovely 9-speed gearbox, AMG Line body kit looks hot, suspension offers the perfect ride & handling balance for India
What's not: Very expensive, spare tyre placed on the boot floor chews into cargo space, some missing features
Continue reading this thread for more insights and information.
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BHPian jaibatrik recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hello, respected fellow forum members! I am here to share my own perspective to help those who come here after me.
I was driving a 2014 Hyundai Eon Magna+ that I purchased in 2017. After almost 5 years, the itch to upgrade caught me. My friends were always urging me to take a safer car, and I too wanted a car that would be suitable for the highway, not just the city.
At the same time, I was going through some trouble elsewhere in life and kept postponing the upgrade. But, as it would turn out, the situation dragged, and I finally decided to not let go of the joy of owning a new car by other things and bit the bullet!
A photo of my beloved Eon.
I was somewhat clear about the requirements. I wanted the car to have the following features.
With the above clear criteria, and a budget of less than 15 lacs, only two cars caught my fancy - the Kia Sonet and the Hyundai Venue. I wasn't too interested in Kiger / Magnite as they weren't from the OEMs with bigger footprints.
Further, I didn't like the styling of the new Venue, and the variant that came below 15 lacs didn't have climate control, alloy wheels, etc. So, I did a few test drives of the Kia Sonet, found nothing wrong with the car (I already liked it), and booked the HTX DCT variant in August, 2022.
They contacted me in December saying the car was ready, but there was another crisis that I was dealing with at that time and passed on the opportunity to purchase.
Finally, the storms were over, and I was ready to get the car in May, 2023. I contacted Kia showroom where I booked the car, but the prices got increased by more than 60k, and I was in dilemma again. And during one of these days, I came across the Venue N Line news on TBHP and enquired about it at the nearby Hyundai dealership. The price was around 50k more than Sonet HTX, but I was ready if there was value in that.
I took a test drive of the car, and really liked it. I felt the seating position was better than the Sonet, and the visibility of the road was definitely better. I liked the handling and the planted feel of the car, and the sports mode (which was easily accessible in Venue) literally put a smile on my face. I ended up booking the car at the dealership. They promised delivery in 3 months, but I visited another dealership afterwards, and they had one shadow grey N6 arriving that day itself that they could deliver to me in the interest of month end.
I did a PDI the next day armed with the TBHP checklist, and everything seemed okay. I got the delivery of the car the next day.
I have completed close to 4500 kilometers with the grey beauty till date, and have been thoroughly loving it. I haven't taken her to all the terrains yet, so this review is based on where we've gone so far - the office runs, in and around Hyderabad (Shamshabad, Shamirpet, Yadagirigutta, Vikarabad, etc. through ORR) and one recent trip to Bangalore, Mysore, and Bandipura through NH 44, and Bengaluru - Mysuru Expressway.
Here's what I think of different aspects (at least the ones that matter to me) of the car.
The drivability is good once you are in the power band. You can overtake most of the vehicles on the road without much effort. I have done speeds (slightly) exceeding 120 kmph and didn't feel the engine was strained. The power, at lower RPMs, comes as a sudden surge though - which I feel is very inconvenient when you are at a crawling speed and want to cover a limited distance quickly. The car might even feel out of control for someone unsuspecting. Overall, quite happy with the performance.
The DCT gearbox is quite nice, by virtue of being butter smooth. On plains or downhill slopes, you cannot feel the gear shifts at all. The default tuning of the gearbox is conservative though, and upshifts are quite quick. Mind that the gearbox, in conjunction with the engine, can serve you power when you need it - by going to the power band / turbo range, and holding the gear. There's turbo lag though, and you're better off using the paddle shifters to stay in the power band when the window of opportunity to overtake is limited.
Probably the best quality of this car that I like. I feel that this is tuned perfectly for our roads. The ride quality is not stiff, and be it lower speed or higher, the car absorbs the undulations of the road in such a composed manner. Even at higher speeds, the car stays composed when tackling sudden big potholes.
I haven't driven the best-handling cars, but this certainly satisfies the driving enthusiast in me. The body roll seems to be contained, and I am able to take corners with sufficient speed.
The steering also feels precise enough to guide the car precisely to where I want it to point. This, along with the suspension, makes driving quite interesting in my opinion. However, I am not fully satisfied with the steering. I find the steering to be unnecessarily heavy, and it's more pronounced at lower speeds. The steering is so heavy that I used to get shoulder pain after long city driving.
Not a big fan of the grill, but I like the overall styling of the Venue N Line. I do think that the car looks beautiful and I look back often at her after locking and going away.
We know that Hyundai does a good job here, and this is no exception. I didn't expect anything more at this price point. The cabin feels so premium, and the ergonomics are so sorted.
Coming from the Eon, I used to feel that the seats are hard, and they are indeed firm, but nothing that you cannot endure. The front seats are a nice place to be and they hold you in place even when you take corners at slightly higher speeds.
Great, nothing to complain about here. You even get to see the bonnet!
I'm a huge fan of this feature. You get three modes - Eco, Normal, and Sport; and the driving dynamics (at least power delivery) change completely depending on the mode. In Eco mode, the power comes very linearly, and I feel the turbo doesn't kick in perhaps? I use it in heavy traffic when all I can do is to match the speed of the traffic. The Sport mode delivers more power even from lower RPMs and acceleration is quite quicker. I generally don't use it as this drinks too much fuel, and the power delivery becomes very spiky for city conditions. I use it on twisted roads when I'm in the mood for some fun. I use the Normal mode for all other cases, which satisfies all general conditions.
The 8" touchscreen is nice and responsive, and for the most part, the wireless Android Auto works pretty well. What I'm not satisfied with is the sound quality of the unknown audio system. I'm not an audiophile, yet neither the lower or the higher or any frequency for that matter sound nice to me in this car. Even my Eon had better-sounding speakers.
I feel this is decent for the price. The engine is smooth for the most part, and the cabin is quiet enough to filter out the road noise while allowing some of those exhaust pops in. The journey overall feels relaxing and I don't feel tired even after longer journeys.
I don't know whether to be happy or sad about it. Coming from an Eon, the trips to fuel stations have increased manifold. Although, I understand that the fuel economy I'm getting, between 8 to 12 in slow traffic, 14 to 16 in smooth city traffic, and 16 to 20 on highways, is decent for this engine.
A few photos
... And that's probably it! Please reach out to me if you are looking for any particular information / opinion, and I'd be glad to help you on your new car selection journey!
Thanks for reading.
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BHPian clementj recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
We took delivery of a new Venue N Line N6 in Shadow Grey last month in Chennai. We have done about 900 kms in the car so far and the experience has been very good. The Venue N Line N8 has already been comprehensively reviewed here so I will try to focus on our buying decision and a little bit on how the N6 compares to the N8.
This car is technically a replacement for my wife's 2018 Grand i10 Automatic I have to admit that it was very difficult to find a replacement for the Grand i10 as it was perfect in many ways. A refined 4 cylinder engine with a smooth and reliable torque converter AT, quality interiors that never really aged, a cohesive design that still looks modern, spacious and practical for a family and the perfect city car that will get you around in a stress-free manner.
In the right senses, I would have kept the Grand i10 but then not all decisions are sensible and logical. While it was practical and convenient, it was a slow and boring point A to point B car that I was itching to replace. We had had it for 5+ years and the used car market offers were good with an offer at 70% of its original price in our hand.
Once we had made the decision to replace the Grand i10, we roughly agreed on what we would look for in the replacement. Our priorities were:
We spent more than 2 months evaluating multiple options but no other car tugged the heartstrings and made sense to the head equally as much as the Venue N Line.
When Hyundai launched the Venue N Line, the N6 variant came only with 2 airbags and missed out on features such as electrically adjustable seats, dual dash-cam, HD infotainment with connected tech, reclining rear seat with armrest. From a safety point of view alone, a lot of buyers would have skipped the N6.
In isolation, it was a very well-equipped variant nonetheless with everything you’d practically need and want. Over time, Hyundai added curtain airbags to the N6 as well as reclining rear seats making it even more sensible. The N6 also came with the added convenience of wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay which the Hyundai’s with connected car tech miss out on.
As the car was the 3rd in the family and was going to be used primarily in the city, the extra features weren’t really going to make a difference. Plus the fact that we have hardly ever found use for the famed connected car tech on 2022 GLA 220d made it easy for us to go for the N6 variant.
Choosing a colour wasn’t very difficult as it was only between a Thunder blue or Shadow Grey and we were OK with both. We had originally taken a test drive with Kun Hyundai in Chennai but they did not have any N Line’s in stock and we were quoted a waiting period of 1-3 months for the N6 variant.
It was by chance that I checked with V3 Hyundai, the dealer where we had earlier purchased our Grand i10 and we were in luck. They had one N6 Shadow Grey Venue in stock and they were willing to offer a discount on it. The car was manufactured a month earlier and the dealer was happy to let me check the car out in their yard. From the quoted price of 15.47L OTR, we agreed on a final on-road price of 14.82L ~ around 65k.
I also opted for a Graphene coat and Garware 70 film from the dealer as the price was competitive (~40k). We had the car registered and delivered in 5 days with the necessary work done.
In addition to the floor mats and flaps, the dealer included an N Line brand pack on delivery which included a set of seatbelt shoulder pads, a cap, a t-shirt, a sweatshirt and a hot/cold insulated cup - all N Line branded.
Overall, the experience was good and kudos to Hyundai for the consistency that they are able to maintain when it comes to their dealerships and service centres.
Overall, the experience has been very good for the most part. The ride quality hasn’t really suffered from the suspension changes and the steering is sufficiently communicative. While the competition offers more equipment and/or more spacious cabins, the Venue N Line scores higher on quality, function and desirability and it's a car that we’ll continue to look forward to driving for years to come.
A few parting shots of the car...
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The Hyundai Venue is now available with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), making it the first compact SUV in the segment to offer this safety feature. The SmartSense ADAS suite is available on both the standard Venue and Venue N Line, priced from Rs 10.32 lakh (ex-showroom).
The ADAS suite is offered in the SX(O) variant of the standard Venue and on the N8 trim of the Venue N Line. It comes with features like forward collision warning, forward collision avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, driver attention warning, lane following assist, high beam assist, and leading vehicle departure alert.
Hyundai Venue is available with three engine options. These include a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual, a 1.5-litre diesel paired with a 6-speed manual and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine which now gets a 6-speed manual option in addition to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Venue N Line
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BHPian coolboy007 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Got my N8 Shadow grey Venue 20 days back, have already completed a trip to Himachal and done with 1700 kms together with the first service. This car replaces our Baleno CVT which had done just 18000 kms but I was fed up with the poor return to center action on the steering and numerous rattles.
The only contenders were Sonet and Venue, Venue won because of the stiffer dampers, rear discs, better exhaust note and the lovely Shadow Grey shade.
Upgraded the stock audio with Blam components, Sony XM GS4 4 channel amplifier, Infinity sub and damped all 4 doors and boot. Also swapped the crappy MRFs for Yokohama Blu Earth in stock size.
Issue - I don't know if anyone has noticed this but the lowest part of the front windshield has a sort of concave/convex view and this gets very irritating in the hills, not noticeable in the city, need to check if our Creta has the same issue.
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BHPian KPS recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Did a trip to my home town in Kodagu/Coorg.
At my ancestral home, Suntikoppa, Kodagu.
The car peeps through the garage
This structure houses the granary on top
In my experience, the road handling, suspension and braking were excellent. Really enjoyed the car.
Mileage was a mixed bag. The small engine is very sensitive to driving style and terrain. For example, from Suntikoppa to Madikeri, which is mostly uphill, I got a mileage of 11 kmpl. On the way back, which is largely downhill, got close to 15 kmpl! I also found that in the hilly terrain, using the paddle shifts to change gears could get better mileage.
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Last week, Hyundai introduced the 2023 Venue with RDE-compliant engines and new features. Now, the carmaker has updated the Venue N Line as well.
The Venue N Line is available in N6 and N8 trims, but now costs Rs 30,000 more than before. That being said, Hyundai has added a couple of new features, including side airbags and an idle start/stop system.
The Venue N Line is powered by a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that is now RDE-compliant. It develops 108 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 172 Nm @ 1,500-4,000 rpm and is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
With the latest hike in prices, the Venue N Line range now starts at Rs 12.60 lakh, while the top-spec N8 dual-tone trim will set you back Rs 13.74 lakh (ex-showroom).