[Vid6639]

Mod Note: Our Venue Report has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the new thread. Thanks!

There's a popular saying that if you're going to arrive late to the party, at least make a grand entrance! This is exactly what Hyundai did when pulling the wraps off its latest compact SUV in the sub-4 metre space. The Hyundai Venue was unveiled out in the Arabian Sea onboard a cruise ship, the Angriya, from Mumbai to Goa. The unveil for the Indian media was a few hours before the international launch event of the Venue at the New York Auto show. Hyundai will be launching the Venue and announcing the prices on the 21st of May in India.

What Hyundai did with this exercise is show just how serious and committed they are to India. Not only was the car unveiled to the Indian media before the International unveil, but the car itself is an international product (not one meant for India alone).

The Venue is an important car for Hyundai and has its work really cut out. The Creta relatively had it easier with just the S-Cross and ageing Duster to contend with. The Creta is the bestselling crossover in the midsize SUV space, but the segment below is crowded. Almost all manufacturers have a presence in this segment. Ford started it with the EcoSport in 2013 and ever since, the segment has been the most popular, attracting buyers who are either looking at sedans from C1 / C2 categories or those looking at hatchbacks from the B2 segment. Maruti's Vitara Brezza has been selling 12,000+ copies every month with no real competition anywhere near. Tata's Nexon and Ford's EcoSport sell between 3-5K units every month which in itself is very decent for a Tata, and commendable for a 6-year old Ford.

Even Mahindra's foray into the segment with the XUV3OO has gotten off to a good start. Honda's WR-V outsells the Jazz, the hatchback it is based on. Other than Toyota, Hyundai was the only manufacturer missing from this soiree. Hyundai had announced at the 2016 Auto Expo about entering the segment with a concept, the Carlino. After that, it was fairly quiet with no mention or display of it at the 2018 Auto Expo. The Venue has been a long time coming and at first impressions, it does not disappoint.

Hyundai has ensured it covers all bases and has learnt from others in the segment. As a result, you have a Compact SUV that looks the part, and not like a raised hatchback, has all the features expected in this segment as well as a few more, and gets 3 powertrain options (including an Automatic). Those engine options include a new 1.0L Turbo petrol mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission.

As is the norm, Hyundai has peppered the Venue with features. You get a sunroof, LED DRLs, projector headlights as well as foglamps, cruise control, wireless charging, auto headlights & more. In terms of safety, you get 6 airbags, ESP, Hill hold, auto crash notification and a few other smart features via the infotainment.

The highlight / USP of the Venue is the infotainment system. Hyundai says the Venue is the first "connected SUV" in India with a host of features through the ICE & mobile app. In fact, most of its marketing towards the Venue is focused on the connected features. Dubbed the Bluelink system, it has a 4G eSIM from Vodafone-Idea connected to its cloud server & used for a multitude of functions, without the need for your phone to be connected to it. More on this later.

For the US market, Hyundai has positioned the Venue as an alternative to buying a used car. Their launch event focused on the young crowd who goes out to buy their first car, which is usually a used car or new budget sedan. Why not get a new compact car with the latest connectivity options instead?

[Vid6639]

Exterior

There's no mistaking the Venue for anything other than a Hyundai. In fact, it looks like a baby Creta from a lot of angles. If it had a traditional headlamp design, it would have been difficult to tell them apart for the regular Joe:



Creta inspiration is most evident from the front 3 quarters. Because the Creta is expensive & successful, it's a great car to take heavy inspiration from:



The Venue follows the tried and tested recipe of styling for an SUV, boxy instead of curvy or funky:



Hyundai's design team has done a brilliant job to make the Venue appear bigger than it actually is. The Venue ducks under 4m at a length of 3995 mm, width of 1770 mm, height of 1590 mm and a wheelbase of 2500 mm. Very close to the EcoSport and Vitara Brezza. Only the XUV300 is wider with an even longer wheelbase (2600 mm). Surprisingly, the Venue is the shortest among the pack:



The face is dominated by the big grill and snazzy lights:



The imposing front grill with a funky weave pattern stands out the most. Many won't like the grill design and I agree with them. It looks too garish:



A closer look at the weave pattern on the grill. The exaggerated 3D effect is what makes it look toothy, rather than sporty. Perhaps would have been better in piano black instead of this smoked chrome:





The new design trend amongst SUVs now (starting with the Harrier). The indicator is the small strip on top. The projector headlight with cornering lights is where you would normally have the fog lights. No LED bulbs here sadly, only regular halogens. The entire housing is surrounded by the square LED DRL which looks chic:



Unlike the Harrier and upcoming MG Hector, Hyundai decided to keep the DRLs around the headlamps, rather than on top where the indicators are. As a result, it looks kind of blank when the DRL is on & the prominent light on top is just an indicator:



The fog lights, as a result, are placed way down at the bottom of the bumper. Even these are projectors. Notice the "+" pattern which resembles the design of the grill:



Hello Creta...sorry, Mini Creta! Side profile is literally a baby Creta with the floating A pillar, roof line and sharply cut rear door line:



215/60 R16 MRF Wanderer tyres on incredibly smart alloy wheels. Car is locked into place because it was, well, on a ship!



We've seen these small protrusions on the rear wheel arch for splash protection, but never on the front one like here:



Small winglets for reducing wind noise on the A-pillar ORVM housing:



The rear three quarter. Notice the haunches around the front and rear wheel arches. The sharp crease actually curves over the wheel arches, accentuating the look:





Black plastic cladding (for that "SUV" look) runs all around the car, including the wheel arches. It also sits a lot more flush with the body than others:



This rear angle looks very similar to the Creta, except for the tail-lamps & that kink on the rear door:



Compared to the front, the rear of the Venue is quite unremarkable. In fact, it loosely resembles the Grand i10:



Tail-lamps look smart, but the real party trick is when they are turned on:



When illuminated, the tail-lamps are sheer class!! They have the same crystal shimmering effect as the Mercedes E-Class:



Large spaced out V E N U E badge is unmissable. The Venue only gets 2 rear parking sensors. Might not cover the corners as well. Surprising in a Hyundai as their cars are usually kitted so well:



Turbo-Petrol gets a classy badge with a sporty red insert. This is one we'll never debadge!



Reversing light on both sides with a red reflector around it. Rather unique. Notice the "+" pattern on the lower part of the bumper that resembles the front grill:



Reversing camera just above the number plate:

[Vid6639]

As is the case with all Hyundais today, the interiors are topnotch. Even when it comes to features, this baby Creta is packed. Interior space is decent. The front seats are supportive and not narrow like in my Ford EcoSport.

The plastics are hard, but feel solid. Some bits like the knobs for the A/C vents feel superb in terms of quality, with a damped rubberised action. It's on par with the Elite i20, but feels a little like the Grand i10 in some aspects. Even that is no bad thing as both hatchbacks have segment-best interiors. While the Venue doesn't feel as robust and heavy like the Ford EcoSport, it still feels acceptably well-built. The sheet metal doesn't feel tinny and the doors shut nicely.

I love the all-black cabin, although it can look gloomy to some. Should have had a dual-tone black & beige option. The dash is very simple and neatly laid out:



Lateral view:



New design leather steering is absolutely brilliant to hold. Feels chunky to grip. Has buttons for music, the MID & cruise control:



The entire dash is tilted towards the driver. Sadly, the steering is only tilt adjustable and not for reach. This is highly disappointing as telescopic adjustment is critical to that "perfect" driving position. What's more, the Elite i20 has it!



Centre console is logically laid out with a touchscreen stuck on top (new fad I guess). Infotainment controls are below the screen, with the round air-con controls further down. All of these are easy to reach and not set too low:



AC vents have a knob to adjust the direction and can be completely shut. The sliding knob mechanism is topnotch, with a damped rubberised feel to its movement. Engine start button (outline in piano black instead of the usual chrome), traction control off, display illumination and headlight leveling controls reside just below the vent:



A closer look at the AC vent. Silver border is THICK!



8" touchscreen system is pretty responsive and reasonably sharp in clarity. Thankfully, there are physical buttons below for the important functions:



Inbuilt navigation with live traffic updates. The GPS works well - as you can see, we are in the Arabian sea



SD card slot for the maps is on top of the dash, just behind the touchscreen:



The IRVM is very unique. It is not auto-dimming (sadly), but has 3 buttons below it. The SOS button will place an emergency call to Hyundai customer care, the button with the tow truck will call Hyundai Roadside assistance and the third button will launch Bluelink. All of this, yet no auto-dimming? Seriously, how are such decisions made?


Dials are clear to read, with the MID screen in the middle. All the dials are analog, including fuel & temp:



MID is black and white. Resolution is good:



It shows which door is open...also has a warning for the sunroof:



Good looking, round climate control knobs. The one in the centre is the display, with the fan and temp control knobs on either side. Below the air-con controls are 2 USB ports and a 12V DC point:



A look at them illuminated:



Seen here is the automatic gear shifter. There's no Sports mode, but you do get the tiptronic function:



Padded centre armrest which also slides forward:



Front seats are pretty comfy. They are mostly cloth where your body comes in contact & the outer edge is leather. The seats also have the side airbags. Driver's seat is height adjustable:



Black seats with the mix of materials + white stitching look good:



The Venue comes with a sunroof as well:



Power window controls are standard Hyundai fare:



All black doorpads with hard plastics. Only the area where you rest your elbow is padded with leather. Storage space for a bottle plus some knick-knacks:



Rear seat legroom & width are better than in my EcoSport:



All black cabin makes things dark & gloomy at the back. Rising window line didn't pose an issue for me, but short folk might have a problem:



Rear doorpad is quite plain. Has a bottle holder:



A/C vents for rear passengers, with a 12V charging point below:



We haven't gotten the exact boot volume from Hyundai yet. It's more than my EcoSport, and way more than the XUV300:



A look at the boot with a camera bag for size reference. 60:40 split folding rear seats provided:

[Vid6639]

The talking point of the Venue is it's connectivity feature. Hyundai is calling it the "Connected SUV". There's more focus on the Venue's connectivity options than the engine & drivetrain options!!! The Venue features an eSIM with a 4G connection from Vodafone-Idea that is linked to Hyundai's cloud servers. Through this, you get access to 33 connectivity features, out of which 10 are India-specific.

The features are classified under 7 categories as shown below from Hyundai's slide deck:



An overview of how the full system works:



Most of the functions can be accessed via the 8-inch touchscreen, whereas remote features need the Bluelink app installed on your smartphone:



Some of the key features of the Bluelink system:



Hyundai is also developing its own navigation system with real-time traffic alerts. This doesn't seem to be via Google maps, as it's only available in a few cities initially and just a 100 km radius around the car. Until & unless every Hyundai car on the road is providing data, we find it hard to believe that it'll match Google Map's accuracy (and Google includes data from ALL cars, not just Hyundais):



Even the voice recognition is unique, using its own cloud servers as well as AI engine. Hyundai says the voice recognition system has been developed keeping in mind Indian accents. Again, we are skeptical if car manufacturing companies can ever beat pure tech companies like Google or Apple. Thankfully, the head-unit does get Android Auto & Apple CarPlay integration too:



The bluelink app can remotely control functions of the car like remote engine start with air-con, immobilize the engine if the car is stolen & more:



The full list of functions:

[Vid6639]

With all the hype around its connectivity, you would think that Hyundai has forgotten to put in an engine. Luckily, they haven't and you get 3 engine options to choose from, along with multiple gearboxes. There are 2 petrol engines on offer and 1 diesel.

The entry-level starts with a 1.2L petrol which is the same as the Elite i20 & Grand i10. On paper, this engine sounds quite under-powered and doesn't seem like the right option for a crossover. It's probably there only to bring down the sticker price at launch and bring crowds to the showroom. The engine is mated to a 5 speed manual and puts out 82 BHP / 115 Nm of torque.

The diesel remains the same as the Elite i20 as well. 1.4L turbo diesel with 89 BHP and 220 Nm. This is mated to a 6 speed manual. On paper, this looks to be on par with the Vitara Brezza, but not the Nexon & XUV300. However, we know Hyundai diesels are better than what paper specs suggest. My guess is, being lighter than the EcoSport (kerb weight is not known yet), this should be a close match. Again, just a hunch, but it should match the EcoSport in the power & torque-to-weight ratios. We wish a diesel AT was provided (like the Creta); the Amaze diesel CVT has proven there is demand for it.

Hyundai has also gotten an all-new 1.0L turbo petrol called the T-GDI or "Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection". This is a state-of-the-art 3 cylinder motor with an impressive 118 BHP output and 172 Nm torque. The engine is mated to a 6 speed manual or a 7 speed dual clutch transmission. Since Ford moved to a torque converter gearbox, the Venue is now the only car in this segment to get a dual clutch box. Let's hope this engine doesn't have the turbo-lag that is typical of small turbo-petrols with a high power output. We're also keen to know how the DCT drives in the real world, and its long-term reliability (neither VW's nor Ford's dual-clutch ATs have proven durable, but Hyundai does have a reputation for reliable products):



The Turbo GDI engine gets a host of technical innovations. It's quite a compact engine, with the exhaust manifold integrated into the block. You can see lots of plastic bits used on the intake manifold to reduce weight:



No under-hood insulation present for the petrol! Weird, considering we've seen it in the cheaper Grand i10 (image link):



The engine gets a direct injection fueling system, electronic waste gate actuator, a variable oil pump and oil spray jets for the pistons from the crank side:



The 7-speed DCT box is all new and uses a lot of electric parts for improved operation. Hopefully, this gearbox won't be unreliable like that of VW & Ford. That said, being how Hyundai has smoothened out an AMT (in the Santro), we're optimistic:



The DCT provides 6-10% improvement in economy (vs a 6-speed torque converter) and a 4-6% improvement in 0-100 km/hr times:



The rear suspension gets a coupled torsion beam axle that allows toe adjustments unlike the regular torsion beam axles:



In terms of safety, you get ESP, hill-hold assist as well as brake assist:



High strength steel has been used in various places to reduce weight and increase torsional rigidity (all manufacturers brag about the same these days - we'll believe just the NCAP results):



Hyundai has tested the Venue in India for almost 7 lakhs km. This includes testing in places like Rajasthan for extreme temperatures, Chennai, Delhi for traffic (should have come to Bangalore ) and Darjeeling + Nainital for ghats:

[Vid6639]

A short video from Hyundai on the Venue event. This was a spectacular unveil, a unique experience and some stunning views:

https://youtu.be/VVhpE25egV4

Product highlights shared by Hyundai:



The Venue was also displayed in a dark green (almost blackish-green) shade. Trivia = the two display cars were added in Goa on the eve of the launch because in Bombay, the cruise ship can't come right to the port. The cars were completely sealed in a tight cover, so no BHPian on the Mumbai-Goa cruise "scoops" it ! The cruise arrived in Bombay at 1000 hours on the day of the launch. Hat's off to the event team for preparing the car & everything else in time for the media who arrived at 1400 hours. See the last pic of this thread which shows the team preparing. Again, hat's off!









Random pictures from the cruise. 2 engines, 13500 BHP each. Cruising speed of 25 knots / ~46 kmph. There was one major problem on this ship = the morning after the unveil, the waste plumbing had clogged up and hence, all of the ship's toilets were blocked from about 0700 - 0900 hours. You should have seen everyone's faces! Trying waking up after a heavy dinner and not using the loo



Preparations for the unveil had to be done in super quick time as the cruise was on regular duties before this trip. Mumbai skyline in the background:



The hardest job was keeping the wraps on the car before the unveil. Easy when you are indoors on a stage, not when you're out on the open sea with strong winds. The models and event team really struggled to keep the car covered minutes before the unveil:





View from the top deck just before leaving Mumbai:



Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!



Yep, it was quite an extravagant show!



Want to show you how choppy the sea was. Half the pool was emptied out on the deck and several journos + photographers got wet!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSBYAWtL2Bw

Arriving at the Goa port. Seen in the distance is the much larger Jalesh cruise ship which is also starting the Mumbai - Goa route soon:





Yours truly...



We ended up "parallel parking" in front of the Jalesh Karkinka. I don't know how the captain managed to fit it in that gap. It was very tight. When you next have a tough time parking your car, think of this:



The man who parked this beast!


(Image source)


Disclaimer: Hyundai invited Team-BHP for the Venue unveiling. They covered all the travel expenses for this event.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Indian Car Scene. Thanks for sharing!

You managed this in just 2 hours with the car & sharing it with 100 journalists ? Whoa man, your preview is more detailed than any other journo's review will be. Thank God this ship didn't have a small driving track (like they do jogging tracks), else you would've come back with a full Official Review .

Can't wait to drive Hyundai's latest. The media drives are taking place in the end of May.

All the manufacturers are damn scared of handing over their in-car-entertainment (and with that, user data, connectivity, tech) to Google & Apple. That's why Hyundai is investing so much in stuff like maps & voice commands which Google has already perfected. It's also why Audi, BMW & Mercedes bought Nokia HERE maps - related thread. Car manufacturers don't want to give up the entire ICE experience to Silicon Valley as that's where future services & $$$ subscriptions are.

Our preview had perfect timing = bookings officially open today.

The Hyundai Venue will be available in 4 major trims with multiple powertrain options in 7 exterior colours, including 3 new colours – Denim Blue, Lava Orange and Deep Forest and 3 Dual Tone options.

Customers can book the Hyundai Venue online through the Hyundai website (https://bookonline.hyundai.co.in/) or visit any Hyundai dealership with a booking amount of Rs 21,000.

[kubectl]

Now that's the perfect preview. Other journalists released their first impressions weeks ago, but none of them covered the car in as much detail. Thank you very much!

Coming to the car, Hyundai has totally cut some corners here, not very nice of them -
- no paddle shifters and no Sports mode, and I'm pretty sure their DCT is not going to be as quick shifting as VW's DSG, so there goes the fun-to-drive factor down the drain!
- no auto dimming IRVM, wait what? That's a step back from the rest of the segment.
- no reach adjustment in the steering wheel. Wow!

I'm now reconsidering my decision of getting the Venue and going for Vento instead. With DQ200 mostly sorted out and a superior and less stressed engine (1.2 4-cylinder vs 1.0 3-cylinder), at least I get a fun-to-drive solid car without compromising on the features.

Waiting on the media reports and taking a test drive now. I'm not happy :(

[ValarMorghulis]

Loved this preview.
Larger boot space and more space on rear seats than EcoSport is sweet sweet music to my ears

Can't be stoked enough for the official review and the pricing announcement.

PS: Which drone clicked the first three pics?

[kubectl]

Venue finally shows up in the bookings page https://bookonline.hyundai.co.in/

Variants in petrol -


Variants in diesel -

[avisidhu]

Only Team-BHP would term this a preview

Brilliant effort, this should satiate everyone sitting on the fence waiting for more info before the actual launch. And respect for Hyundai, they are working hard and not resting on the laurels of being number 2 in our market. The overall improvement in their product portfolio in India over the past few years, is nothing short of incredible.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

The IRVM is very unique. It is not auto-dimming (sadly), but has 3 buttons below it. The SOS button will place an emergency call to Hyundai customer care, the button with the tow truck will call Hyundai Roadside assistance and the third button will launch Bluelink. All of this, yet no auto-dimming? Seriously, how are such decisions made?
Attachment 1872124

For those having kids or over inquisitive co-passengers, these buttons will become a serious headache. Hope there's a way to de-activate these!

[fiestarry]

It would be interesting to know as to which platform this has been built on. Has Hyundai developed a new platform just for this vehicle or is it an i20 platform which would easily fit ?

[KaranP]

Just booked the 1.0 Turbo DCT SX(+).

Really disappointed to not see the SX(O) here. We can see in the press shoot that the DCT has side airbags, let's hope the ESP gets included in the DCT too.

However, I'm not too sure about that happening now, as there wouldn't be much to differentiate the SX(+) from the (O).

Manufacturers should experiment being un-orthodox and shy away from sticker shock IMO.

Also in many cases it's unfair for the people who've booked the car during launch, because they end up releasing additional features later on.

[kubectl]

So, the highest one can go with the DCT is the SX+, and not SX(O) i.e. the top trim. Yet another example of not offering automatic in the topmost trim, unlike the Verna.

This translates to a maximum of 2 airbags for the Venue auto, which is such a stupid move because EcoSport auto comes with 6 airbags.

Combine this with missing out on auto dimming IRVM, rain sensing wipers, Sports mode, and telescopic adjustment, Venue makes lesser sense than it did an hour ago. It gets even more confusing because the remote engine start/stop and remote climate control is/can be only available in Venue auto and not in Venue manual. So well, the top end is not top end!

P. S. I've booked the 1.0 Turbo GDI DCT SX+ variant "just in case", but things don't look very promising at the moment.

Edit:

Originally Posted by Vid6639

As is the norm, Hyundai has peppered the Venue with features. You get a sunroof, LED DRLs, projector headlights as well as foglamps, cruise control, wireless charging, auto headlights & more. In terms of safety, you get 6 airbags, ESP, Hill hold, auto crash notification and a few other smart features via the infotainment.

Originally Posted by KaranP

Really disappointed to not see the SX(O) here. We can see in the press shoot that the DCT has side airbags, let's hope the ESP gets included in the DCT too.

Are you sure that DCT variant has side and curtain airbags? I probably missed some image. @Vid6639 can you please confirm? Thanks!

[vkrmchauhan]

The grill reminds me of the braces some of us had to wear on out teeth growing up - on this car it seems to serve as a metaphor for 'work in progress' - it will get better eventually, but it will take time!