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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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