Hyundai Venue 1.6 GLS 'S' (A) Review

Hyundai claims that the new Venue has been designed to target the needs of those living the 'urban entrepreneur lifestyle'.

In an age where our always-connected urbanites whole-heartedly embrace handphone-based ride-sharing mobility, does Hyundai's choice to push for car ownership amongst this market group seem like a sensible choice?

Chic and hip

Hyundai's newest crossover will need to deliver aesthetic appeal aplenty if it is to attract these new shoppers into the realm of car ownership, and luckily, its go at the entry-level crossover segment is quite the looker.

At the front, the car draws a parallel with Hyundai's flagship SUV - the Palisade - with its cube-shaped headlamps, while the flanks of the Venue curiously feature indented wheel arches that mimic those on the handsome Volvo XC60.

Our 'S' variant test car comes with a two-tone contrasting roof paint finish that is sure to appeal to the extroverted, while its chunky, boxy looks should sit well with the style-conscious, given that SUVs are all the rage now.

The exterior's boxy looks are also carried into the cabin, where the squarish dashboard and air-conditioning vents, couple with the two-tone interior (exclusive to 'S' models) that matches your exterior paint colour choice, giving it a good degree of design flair.

Always connected

Those that need to stay connected to their phones will also find the Venue packed with connectivity features enough to placate the worst sufferers of Nomophobia.

Hyundai's 8.0-inch Display Audio touchscreen packs an infotainment system that delivers high-resolution graphics and is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Colourful icons make navigating through the system a breeze when on the move, while cycling through the system's sub-menus is easy and fuss-free, rivalling those of any mobile operating system.

Take your eyes off the screen for a second and you'll find the front passengers in the Venue well-catered for space-wise, while dual-USB ports and a 12V port at the front further add to the car's connectivity suite.

Those looking for a runabout for their best buddies will also find headroom aplenty in the rear, but I'm afraid your friends might not appreciate the lack of air-conditioning vents or any phone charging options at the rear.

Social butterflies also ought to note that this is only a 1,770mm wide car, so despite the relatively narrow doors, you will do well to fit two in the rear without any shoulder squeeze.

Ferrying people and their luggage is made a breeze with the Venue's 355-litres of boot space, which is just six-litres shy of its larger sibling, the Kona. And while the Seat Arona may offer 400-litres of capacity at the rear, the Venue counters with a handy slot for convenient storage of the boot's parcel shelf when not needed.

Constantly on the move

For the inner-city commute, the Venue does a respectable job. The car picks up a fair amount of the road's undulations, but still rides with more compliance over larger bumps than the ubiquitous Honda Vezel. You drive this thing preparing to be wobbled, rather than shaken over bad roads.

Those cross-shopping against ride-sharing can take heart in knowing that Hyundai has gone to great lengths to ensure its Smartstream Gamma II engine returns high fuel efficiency, so you don't have to rack up a great commuting bill.

The 1.6-litre four cylinder features dual-port injection and is paired with Hyundai's Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), both of which contribute to the 13km/L observed fuel consumption during our test drive. Auto start/stop is curiously absent on the Venue.

The pairing does a good job of moving the car along as well. Acceleration is delivered in a smooth fashion and the Venue doesn't return the coarse, gravelly racket that other continuously variable transmissions are notorious for.

Even when pressed hard, it always manages to find you a suitable ratio, which is a good thing as our test car demanded a rather violent thug at the gear selector before it would register a request for a downshift.

Once at speed, the Venue's boxy shape does mean, however, that wind noise is always abundunt. This couples with the lack of insulation from road noise to ensure that raised voices are a staple for all sitting in the Venue. Our test car was riding on Nexen N'Fera SU1s, which are marketed as high-performance tyres.

A worthy investment

The Hyundai Venue delivers unique styling that matches its pleasing ride, reasonable space and practicality. At $87,999 (as of 26 February 2020), this car will certainly be an appealing investment for any entrepreneurial urbanite.

Need a better look at that interior colour, the denim seats, or the amount of boot space on offer in the Venue? Watch our handy video as well to learn more!