Hyundai Venue 2020 Review
Hyundai Venue 2020 - Quirky Little SUV
The Hyundai Venue is the newest and by far the smallest compact SUV of the Korean automaker. Manufactured in South Korea and officially introduced at the 2019 New York International Auto Show last April, this entry-level car has just arrived in Australia this month.
Designed with a boxy body and large hexagonal grille yet tiny dimensions and great standard tech features, the Venue presents an urban vibe that’s expected to attract young urban professionals and entrepreneurs.
Source: www.hyundai.com
Hyundai Venue 2020 Aggregated Reviews
Motoring: 78/100
Car Sales: 78/100
Car Buzz: 8.6/10
Car Advice: 7.9/10
Cars Guide: 7.5/10
Which Car: 4.5/5
We Love
- Rugged yet quirky cute styling
- Quiet driving experience
- Various colour options
- Modern entertainment and tech features
- Affordable mass-market price
Pain Points
- Too small for many
- Lacklustre engine performance and no engine options
- No all-wheel driving system option
- Limited headspace and legroom in the backseat
- No Diesel Automatic option
- Anticipated 4-star ANCAP rating
Source: www.hyundai.com
The exterior of Hyundai Venue
Measuring 4040 mm long, 1770mm wide and 1592mm in height, the Venue is shorter than the Accent but taller yet dimensionally smaller than the Kona. Its rugged yet quirky cute look is expected to appeal to young urban dwellers and adventurers.
The car’s exterior features a bold front fascia and cascading front grille, which is a signature design that confirms its affinity to the Hyundai car family. Roof rails are standard across all variants and provide an attachment point for roof racks to secure loads. Other standard features include the rear spoiler and skid plate.
The car’s exterior can be personalised with colour accents and exterior mirrors that are power-adjustable to suit the driver’s height and driving position. Pronounced wheel arches and silver bumper extensions add to its bold look.
The Elite range exclusively has a two-tone roof with a colour that contrasts against the car’s body, rear privacy glass, cube-shaped headlamps that are framed by daytime running lights, and LED rear combination lights.
The machine-finished alloy wheels measure 15-inches in the Active range and 17 inches in the Elite variant.
Inside the Hyundai Venue
The interior of the car is designed with a clean minimalist layout in soothing colours. The cabin is basic and a bit narrow with its shorter dashboard. The controls are also simple, featuring an 8-inch Display Audio system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. The Leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, on the other hand, gives the car its premium touch. The car’s pillars are not overly thick to provide an unobstructed outside view.
The seats are firm yet comfortable. The 60:40 split-folding rear seats don’t force the passengers to sit bolt upright or fold down the entire backseat if not needed. The armrests on the door panels are quite hard and may beat up the elbows after a few hours inside the vehicle. The doors, meanwhile, close with a solid thud.
The Venue has 18.7 cubic feet of cargo space that extends to 31.9 cubes when the rear seats are folded. It almost has the same cargo volume as the Kona with the rear seats in use but offers a lesser space for cargo when the seats are folded.
Connectivity
Standard across all Venue variants is the car’s built-in intuitive 8” multimedia touch screen that’s compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also functions as the AM/FM radio’s interface and rearview camera display with dynamic parking guidance.
The optional Cruise Control System enables the driver to set and maintain the desired speed. The steering wheel-mounted interface is straightforward and especially helpful when driving on the highway.
Other essential technologies include the steering wheel-mounted audio and phone controls, 8” satellite navigation, and 3.5” instrument cluster that displays the trip computer, outside temperature indicator and other important driving details.
Elite has an optional single-zone climate control that allows the setting up of desired cabin temperature and keeps it comfortable regardless of the outside weather conditions.
What's it like to drive a Hyundai Venue?
Seating behind the wheels of this tiny ute is quite tight but agreeable even on gravel roads. It soaks up large impacts. The cabin isolation is also good and even at 60 mph or faster speeds. It allows driving for a max power of 90kW at 6,300 RPM and 151 Nm of torque at 4,850 RPM.
The rugged design keeps the car from looking flimsy on the road. The firm yet comfy seats and high seating position allows for a good driving experience. Essential technologies provide comfort and convenience include 8-inch infotainment display that also functions as a radio interface and rearview camera.
The 6-speed transmissions in standard automatic and optional manual allow for a smooth and light ride. The automatic transmissions have three traction modes (snow, mud and sand) to support efficient driving on rough terrains. There are also three driving modes to choose from--normal, eco and sport.
There are also several driving features that support an easy driving experience, including the standard autonomous emergency braking, optional cruise control, dusk-sensing headlights, and hill-start assist.
Accidents can also be easily avoided with the Venue’s essential safety features such as Forward-collision avoidance assistance with a camera, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic collision warning, driver attention warning, and high beam assist. The Elite model also comes with blind-spot collision warning and rear cross-traffic collision warning.
Despite all these features, Hyundai is not expecting a 5-star rating ANCAP rating for the Venue because of the variances in Isofix child seat specification between Europe and Australia and the lack of cyclist detection in its emergency braking system.
Who’s the Hyundai Venue for?
Hyundai is positioning the Venue as an entry-level car for urban professionals and entrepreneurs. Its standard driving features are best suited for teen drivers, young professionals and those who are new to driving automobiles.
Because of its small volume and unavailable all-wheel drive, it may not work well with families and those who constantly transport cargo.
Feature Summary
Price: $23,632 - $ 29,812† D/A
Range: Active and Elite
Dimension: 4040 mm long, 1770 mm wide, 1592 mm tall
Engine: 1.6L I-41.6-liter four-cylinder
Transmission: 6-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT)
Drivetrain: Front-Wheel-Drive
Output: 121 Horsepower / 113 Pound-Feet
Fuel: 7.2 l/100km
Curb Weight: 2,557 LBS
Cargo Volume: 18.7 / 31.9 Cubic Feet
Seats: 5
Doors: 4
Safety: anticipated 4-star ANCAP rating
AV and tech: 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 6 speakers and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, rear parking sensors, power-folding exterior mirrors with LED side repeaters, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, static bending lights, LED rear combination lights, single-zone climate control, LED daytime running lights, 8” satellite navigation system, front USB power outlet, Hyundai SmartSense
Accessories: Ski and snowboard carrier, dash mat, iPad holder, and 17" gunsan satin black alloy wheels
Colours: Fiery Red, Typhoon Silver, Polar White, The Denim, Cosmic Grey, Intense Blue, Phantom Black, and Acid Yellow (only in Elite)
Rivals: Nissan Kicks, Kia Soul, and Ford EcoSport
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Tom Caesar is the Managing Director of The Positive Group, a group of Australian financial services companies offering a broad range of finance to clients Australia wide. The Positive Group assist clients in the areas of car finance, mortgages, insurance & wealth management. Tom has been in car & asset finance for over 10 years. Tom regularly contributes articles on car finance, insurance, technology and business growth, drawing on his experience of starting his own brokerage in 2009.