Car (South Africa)

Hyundai Venue 1,0 TGDI Fluid DCT

It’s spacious and characterf­ul but the Venue faces some stern cross-examinatio­n from its establishe­d rivals

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Price: R339 900 0-100 km/h: 11,15 seconds Top speed: 187 km/h Power: 88 kw Torque: 172 N.m CAR fuel index: 8,28 L/100 km CO2: 148 g/km

Quite a few eyebrows have been cocked by those taking in the sizeable Venue badge adorning the tail of Hyundai’s latest crossover, no doubt associatin­g the word with a place where events are held rather than a funky little car. Delving into the proper derivation of the word reveals it’s a legal term: the jurisdicti­on where a trial would take place. While the Venue may not be culpable in anything malicious, its arrival has landed it in the dock of the South African market to be rigorously scrutinise­d by a jury of gifted competitor­s in an already burgeoning segment. It faces a tough jury and will need to plead its case for a slice of the lucrative small-crossover segment. Will the Venue be vindicated, or will the verdict be harsh?

Slotting in below the Kona and Creta, the Indian-built Venue is the latest addition to Hyundai’s already comprehens­ive crossover stable and looks to lock horns not only with the rivals mentioned in our Match-up box, but also a broad cross-section of the local automotive demographi­c that includes the entry-level Jeep Renegade, Ford Ecosport and Renault Duster. It’s likely to also pop up on the radars of buyers in the market for a small hatchback.

The Venue’s 3 995 mm frame is noticeably shorter than most of its rivals and shows virtually nothing in the way of overlap when parked next to most small hatchbacks. This compact form is the by-product of legislatio­n that sees cars measuring under the four-metre mark bene ting from tax concession­s in the Indian market. And while such incentives are sadly absent here, the Venue’s resultant packaging makes it a viable option across a larger buyers’ demographi­c than many

segment-equivalent models.

Despite its proportion­s, the Venue still cuts a distinctiv­e figure. The chunky, pseudo-suv bodywork, crowned with a purposeful-looking set of roof rails and playing host to such features as that egg-crate grille flanked by a stacked headlamp/daytime-running light array, is a pleasing departure from its curvier stablemate­s.

By contrast, the cabin, with its predominan­tly black trim, is far more conservati­ve. The ergonomics are a little hit and miss. The facia is neat and simple; ancillary controls are easily legible and logically sited; and the seats are comfy and supportive (although their raised position, compounded by a lack of reach adjustment on the steering, make it difficult for taller folks to find a comfortabl­e driving position). Perceived quality lags slightly behind the competitio­n. Hard, lightweigh­t plastics aren’t quite on par with those in the VW (itself not exactly a shining example) and Citroën. Even so, everything feels well screwed together and the 7 000 km covered by our test unit – including some dirt roads – failed to unearth any trim rattles.

But while its finishes may appear somewhat sombre, the cabin is surprising­ly spacious. Headroom in excess of 850 mm, fore and aft, combine with a generous glasshouse that lends the interior a pleasing airiness. The 647 mm of rear kneeroom also means even the longer limbed will see some daylight between their kneecaps and the front seatbacks. It may lack the sliding rear-bench modularity of its rivals but the boot still manages to accommodat­e a respectabl­e 272 litres of ISO measuring blocks with the rear seats in

place, swelling to a cavernous 904 litres with the (oddly single-piece) seatback stowed flat.

At best, the marriage of small-capacity petrol engine and automatic transmissi­on is a rocky relationsh­ip, yet the Venue’s turbocharg­ed 1,0-litre three-pot is a solid performer. With 88 kw on tap, it’s one of the more powerful units in its class and revs willingly. By and large, it melds well with Hyundai’s in-house dual-clutch transmissi­on, swapping gears smoothly and responding quickly to overtaking throttle inputs.

The only criticisms that can be levelled at the Venue’s powerplant are its rather coarse tone under accelerati­on and some noticeable turbo lag off the mark that occasional­ly blunts its urban nippiness. This is possibly the upshot of its somewhat modest 172 N.m peak torque output. Enthusiast­ic as they are, Hyundai-kia powerplant­s are not always the most frugal and Hyundai’s claimed (although real-world tested) consumptio­n figure of 6,90 L/100 km is merely reasonable. Our mixed-use fuel consumptio­n testing told a different story, with the little turbocharg­ed unit gleaning a far more respectabl­e 5,70 L/100 km.

Where many cars built for the Indian market have a tendency to favour a softer, long-travel suspension calibratio­n that’s conducive to badly potholed roads on the subcontine­nt, the Venue’s ride caught us off-guard. It does possess generous market-associated ride height (195 mm) but it’s quite stiffly sprung, possibly in an attempt to rein in the handling characteri­stics of a car with a short wheelbase and high centre of gravity. This is something of a mixed blessing. Driven with vigour, the Venue is a surprising­ly composed little car. The steering, although light, is reasonably responsive and the front wheels start relinquish­ing their grasp on the tarmac only when pushed into a corner. However, Venues are not likely to regularly encounter this sort of driving. Driven more sedately, rippled road surfaces induce some choppiness. While it won’t render it unliveable, it is a little disappoint­ing for a car that’s going to spend much of its time round town.

In terms of standard specificat­ion, the Venue in Fluid trim ticks most of the right boxes, with features such as 16-inch alloy rims, touchscree­n infotainme­nt system with smartphone integratio­n via Android Auto and Apple Carplay, cruise control, auto lights and rear parking sensors with camera among the items that distinguis­h it from the comparativ­ely spartan Motion models. There are some odd omissions, though. The centre rear seat (which, as we mentioned, does not have a split backrest; only the flagship Glide offers this

With 88 kw on tap, the 1,0-litre is one of the more powerful units in its class and revs willingly

feature) makes do with a lap belt, which is a bit peculiar when the Fluid’s safety feature array includes six airbags, Iso x child-seat anchorage points, ABS with EBD and a stability control system.

TEST SUMMARY

Dispensing with the jury’s conspirato­rial muttering and overthe-shoulder glances, the verdict on Hyundai’s newcomer can be presented. In the Venue’s case, its virtues outweigh its shortcomin­gs, making it an appealing and competent addition to the local small-crossover market.

There are some words of caution regarding the rough edges in terms of powertrain re nement and an overly rm ride that sees it lose some ground to more polished offerings.

Even with such stern judgment, however, the Venue’s funky styling, class-leading warranty package, generous standard speci cation – at least in the Fluid model – not to mention the trust and degree of brand cachet attached to the Hyundai nameplate in our market, it will no doubt become a solid banker for the Korean rm’s local arm.

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 ??  ?? 01 Chunky SUV styling and a substantia­l 195 mm ride height give the Venue a pleasing air of purposeful­ness. 01
01 Chunky SUV styling and a substantia­l 195 mm ride height give the Venue a pleasing air of purposeful­ness. 01
 ??  ?? Nearly as spacious as rivals yet shorter than a small hatch. Impressive Terence Steenkamp
Nearly as spacious as rivals yet shorter than a small hatch. Impressive Terence Steenkamp
 ??  ?? Practical and charming in its own right but just lacks the polish of its rivals Gareth Dean
Practical and charming in its own right but just lacks the polish of its rivals Gareth Dean
 ??  ?? Venue blurs the lines in Hyundai’s current crossover offering Nikesh Kooverjee
Venue blurs the lines in Hyundai’s current crossover offering Nikesh Kooverjee
 ??  ?? Doesn’t feel at all hamstrung by its compact dimensions Ryan Bubear
Doesn’t feel at all hamstrung by its compact dimensions Ryan Bubear
 ??  ?? 01 Stacked headlamp/daytime-running light combinatio­n looks striking. 02 “Z” motif in brakelamp array. 03 Venue is shorter than most small hatchbacks but deceptivel­y spacious and practical.
01 Stacked headlamp/daytime-running light combinatio­n looks striking. 02 “Z” motif in brakelamp array. 03 Venue is shorter than most small hatchbacks but deceptivel­y spacious and practical.
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 ??  ?? 04 Cabin is neat and logically arranged. 05 Infotainme­nt system is Android Auto and Apple Carplay compatible. 06 Both analogue and digital informatio­n is legibly presented. 07 Plenty of head- and legroom for rear occupants considerin­g the compact exterior dimensions.
04 Cabin is neat and logically arranged. 05 Infotainme­nt system is Android Auto and Apple Carplay compatible. 06 Both analogue and digital informatio­n is legibly presented. 07 Plenty of head- and legroom for rear occupants considerin­g the compact exterior dimensions.
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 ??  ?? The 272-litre boot is on par with its rivals’ and expands to a cavernous 904 litres with the rear seats stowed.
The 272-litre boot is on par with its rivals’ and expands to a cavernous 904 litres with the rear seats stowed.

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