The compact SUV segment of India is getting really exciting. We can call the Ford Ecosport as the creator of this segment. That's because it was the first sub-4-metre compact SUV to be launched in India back in 2013. The Ecosport was an instant hit and following the footsteps of the Ford other car manufacturers also launched their offering. Maruti Suzuki launched the Vitara Brezza in 2016 followed by Tata Nexon in 2017 and Mahindra launched its XUV 300 in February 2019. The compact SUV segment was already crowded but as it is said if you launch an extremely good product, people will accept you for sure. And that is the case with the Hyundai Venue. The Venue was launched in India in May 2019 and now in just a year of its launch, over 1 lakh Hyundai Venue has been sold. So, what makes it really special, let's find out in our today's article.
Multiple Powertrains with best-in-class Automatic Transmission
The Hyundai Venue was launched with not just one or two but three different engine options. So, there is a Venue for everyone. It is powered by two gasoline engines and an oil-burner. Also, Hyundai is among those very few car manufacturers who are offering a diesel engine even in the BS6 era. Earlier, it used to get a BS4-compliant 1.4-litre diesel engine but in the BS6 era, Hyundai has plonked in a new 1.5-litre diesel engine. This is the same oil-burner that also powers a slew of other Hyundai and Kia cars in India, but in Venue, it has been detuned. This new 1.5-litre diesel engine produces 100 PS of power at 4000 RPM and 240 Nm of torque between 1500-2750 RPM. It comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox only.
The next powertrain is a 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated Kappa petrol engine. This motor churns out 83 PS of power at 6000 RPM and 115 Nm of torque at 4000 RPM. It also comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox only. Then comes the most powerful and the most popular of the lot, the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. It is powered by a powerful 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that comes with gasoline direct injection (GDI) technology. This motor churns out 120 PS of power at 6000 RPM and 171 Nm of torque between 1500-4000 RPM. The engine comes coupled to a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DCT gearbox.
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This turbo-petrol engine of the Venue is an enthusiasts delight. It drives brilliantly and thanks to the 7-speed DCT, the gearshifts are lightning-fast and way better than the conventional AMTs. Hyundai claims that around 44 per cent of the Venue's total sales come from the turbo-petrol variants of the SUV. Moreover, out of those 44 per cent customers, over 15,000 owners have opted for the automatic trim with the 7-Speed dual-clutch transmission. Also, as we mentioned before, it now gets a BS6-compliant 1.5-litre U2 CRDi oil burner, borrowed from the Kia Seltos. Hyundai claims that since the introduction of this new engine, over 30 per cent of the Venue's total sales have come from the diesel variants. This indicates that despite the shift to BS6 emission norms, there is still a strong demand for diesel engines in India.
BlueLink Connected Car Technology and Advanced Features
Upon launch, the Hyundai Venue was India's first car with connected car technology. It gets Advanced BlueLink Connectivity wits 33 integrated connected car features out of which 10 are developed specifically for India. It also gets an in-built Vodafone-Idea eSIM and a smartphone application to interact with the vehicle. One can also get real-time traffic updates and navigation along with maps with this BlueLink connectivity. This connected car technology is proferred with the top-spec models of the Venue. Hyundai claims that over 30,000 customers have opted for the top-spec variants of the Hyundai Venue that come with the BlueLink Connected Car Technology.
Some other features of the Venue include an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. It also gets automatic climate control, wireless phone charging pad, cooled glovebox, air-purifier, Arkamys sound system, cruise control and also Indian's favourite feature, an electric sunroof. Some other segment-first features include remote engine-start-stop function, SOS alert, India-specific voice assist system, etc. Also, Hyundai is working to program the BlueLink connected car technology to recognise the regional languages of India. Its safety features include up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill Assist Control (HAC), Brake Assist System (BAS) and many more.
Attractive Price and Warranty Package
The BS6-compliant 2020 Hyundai Venue is available in E, S, SX, SX+ and SX(O) trims. It is priced between Rs. 6.70 lakhs - Rs. 11.50 lakhs, Ex-showroom, Delhi. The Venue gets three years of unlimited kilometres warranty and three-year roadside assistance (RSA). If we talk about its main rival, Vitara Brezza, the BS6-compliant Brezza is priced between Rs. 7.34 lakhs - Rs. 11.40 lakhs, Ex-showroom Delhi. The Brezza has always been the segment-leader in the sub-compact SUV segment of India. But, the Hyundai Venue has given a tough fight to Brezza. If we compare the sales chart from May 2019 to May 2020, around 94,866 units of Venue have been sold in the country. In the same period, around 99,428 units of Brezza have been sold. This shows that the Venue has definitely given a really tough fight to the Brezza, considering the fact that it is a brand new car.
Moreover, Hyundai Venue has been the best-selling subcompact SUV in India in the first quarter of 2020. Between January and March 2020, Hyundai sold over 24,400 units of the Venue. In comparison, between January and March 2020, Maruti Suzuki sold 23,085 units of the Vitara Brezza, Tata Motors sold 10,545 units of the Nexon, Ford sold 10,093 units of the EcoSport and Mahindra sold 7,862 units of the XUV300. The Venue is indeed one of the best sub-compact SUVs currently one can buy in the Indian market.
Commenting on the strong performance of the Venue, Mr S S Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India, said, Hyundai Venue is India's first fully connected SUV and most awarded car of the year 2019-20 setting a chord with new-age customers. Hyundai has been at the helm of innovation in the automotive industry, introducing revolutionary products and technologies that have established new benchmarks. With Venue, we have pioneered Fully Connected technology for customers. Additionally, the Venue has paved the way to democratise global technologies such as Kappa 1.0-litre T-GDi and 7-Speed DCT for Hyundai cars in India, offering customers' excitement, delight and enhanced value.
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