Hyundai Venue 2019 Review

The all-new Hyundai Venue made its global debut in the US just five months ago in April, making Australia among the first markets in the world to receive it.

Measuring just 4040mm long, 1770mm wide and 1565mm tall, the Hyundai Venue is about 130mm shorter and 30mm narrower but 16mm taller than the Kona, as well as about 300mm shorter than the i30 and 80mm shorter but 70mm wider and 115mm taller than the Accent it replaces.

The compact SUV is not only Hyundai’s smallest model, but also it’s cheapest, with a starting price of $19,990 plus on-road costs for the entry-level Hyundai Venue Go.

That’s the same as the i30 but more than the Accent hatch and sedan, which remain available from $15,990 drive-away until stocks are exhausted, and makes the Venue one of the cheapest SUVs available (the Suzuki Ignis remains the cheapest at $15,990 plus ORCs).

It undercuts the most popular models like the Mazda CX-3 (from $22,710), Mitsubishi ASX ($23,490) and Hyundai’s own Kona, which starts at $23,500 and is Australia’s third best selling small SUV.

Three Hyundai Venue model variants are offered in a simple range all powered by a 90kW/151Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine matched to six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, the latter costing $2000 extra on the base and mid-range Active grade, which is expected to be the most popular.

For $20,000 there’s plenty of standard equipment, including an 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system – the biggest in its segment -- with Bluetooth streaming and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus cruise control, trip computer and roof rails.

A strong standard safety suite comprises autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane keeping, driver attention warning, auto high-beam, tyre-pressure monitoring, reversing camera and six airbags.

In Hyundai proprietary-speak, the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) system is designed to detect vehicles and pedestrians via a windscreen-mounted camera and provide full auto-braking at speeds between 8-60km/h, and partial braking to minimise the severity of impact with other vehicles at speeds of up to 180km/h.

Lane Keeping Assist – Line/Road-Edge (LKA-LR), meantime, uses the same camera and incorporates Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) functions to keep the car in its lane at speeds between 60-180km/h.

About the only things missing at base level are alloy wheels (the Go gets 15-inch steelies with plastic wheel covers), which come standard on the Active version along with rear parking sensors, LED daytime running lights and indicator repeaters, power-folding wing mirrors, front armrest and a leather-appointed steering wheel and gear shifter for an extra $1500 (from $21,490).

For $25,490 plus ORCs, the top-spec Hyundai Venue Elite adds Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW, 30km/h-plus), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW), climate control, satellite-navigation with SUNA live traffic updates, six-speaker audio with DAB+ digital radio, 17-inch alloy wheels, auto up/down driver’s window, a second front USB outlet, rear privacy glass, LED tail-lights and a two-tone roof, wing mirror and interior treatment.

The only option is metallic/mica paint for $495 and, like all Hyundais, the Venue comes with Australian chassis tuning, a five-year/unlimited-km warranty, 10 years of roadside assistance and map upgrades, free 1500km first service and capped-price servicing.

In this case the latter costs $259 at 15,000km or the first 12 months and 30,000km/24 months, rising to $339 at 45,000km/36 months and $459 at 60,000km/48 months, and returning to $259 at 72,000km/60 months.

The only real caveat here is Hyundai Australia says it doesn’t expect the Venue, which isn’t on sale in Europe and hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP, to score a maximum five-star safety rating from local safety body ANCAP, which has a vehicle for testing now.

In an indication of how tough ANCAP’s scoring regime has become, that’s partly because it’s the first Hyundai to come with a camera-based (rather than radar-based) AEB system and it therefore lacks cyclist detection and adaptive cruise control.

Despite its compact dimensions, the Hyundai Venue is roomy inside. Thanks to its high roof height and large windows, there’s especially generous head room up front, good visibility in all directions for every occupant and plenty of stretching space even for 180cm-tall bodies in the rear, making it comfortable for four full-size adults.

Even more surprisingly given the short wheelbase, rear legroom is sizeable and the boot can swallow up to 355 litres – 91 more than the CX-3 by 38 less than the ASX. Its spare-saver spare can also be replaced by a full-size wheel/tyre that will fit under the cargo area floor.

Aiding the practicality of the high-riding wagon body are big door openings and tall seat heights that make getting in and out an effortless slide across affair and provide a commanding view of the road.

As well, there’s good storage space for bottles and paraphernalia in the centre console and doors, and the driver is afforded plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment (up/down and back/forward), accommodating all shapes and sizes.

Indeed Hyundai forecasts the vast majority of Venue buyers to be over-60s/empty-nesters or young females and couples. But it doesn’t expect the new nameplate to overtake the larger Kona SUV in popularity, let alone match the sales of the outgoing Accent, the mid-size Tuscon SUV or its best-selling i30.

But there are two obvious cost-cutting measures inside: the lack of rear air-conditioning outlets at face-level and that hard plastic dashboard and door materials. In fact, the only soft-touch surfaces in the Venue cabin are the seats and the front centre armrest.

That said, there’s a modern albeit understated interior design that’s dominated by the large and intuitive ‘free standing’ tablet-style central touch-screen and a deep-set instrument cluster with large, legible markings and full trip computer functionality including a large digital speedo on a 3.5-inch TFT LCD screen.

And the top-spec Elite’s cool denim seat trim and contrasting two-colour dash treatment with body-colour highlights are neat touches that compliment the two-tone exterior theme highlighted by a range of seven bright paint colours.

Let’s get one thing straight here: the Hyundai Venue might have the look, practicality and seat height of an SUV, but for all intents and purposes it’s a high-riding hatchback complete with front-wheel drive and small petrol engine.

That’s no different to key rivals like the Ignis, Nissan QASHQAI, Renault Captur, Honda HR-V, Holden Trax, Ford EcoSport, Fiat 500X, Haval H2 and MG ZS.

However, top-selling small SUVs like the CX-3, ASX and Kona, plus the Toyota C-HR, Nissan JUKE, Jeep Renegade, Suzuki Vitara and SsangYong are also available with all-wheel drive.

Like many of them, the Venue comes with a small-capacity, naturally-aspirated petrol engine (as with the Kona, there’s no diesel) and performance is not exactly spirited.

In fact, combined with either the manual or torque-converter automatic transmission (both six-speed) and left to its own devices on open-road inclines, progress can be slow with max power of just 90kW chiming in at 6300rpm and peak torque of only 151Nm not until 4850rpm.

But if you’re prepared to row the long-throw manual shifter or put the auto in Sport mode (as opposed to Normal or Eco), which also brings some welcome engine braking, we doubt anybody in this market will feel shortchanged.

The downside of that is increased (91 RON standard unleaded) fuel consumption, but given it didn’t stray too far from the claimed figure and remained under 7.0L/100km despite a full day of spirited driving, low running costs should complement the affordable purchase price and generous aftersales provisions on offer here.

In another nod to its SUV pretensions, there’s also a three-mode traction system offering snow, mud and sand settings, although we didn’t notice much difference between them on an extended gravel road drive, where stability and noise suppression was first-rate.

In fact, the Australian-tuned chassis is a highlight of the Hyundai Venue, the electric power steering in which is light, parking-friendly and almost completely free of any unwanted interference but nowhere near as sharp as, say, the i30 N hot hatch.

Likewise, the MacPherson strut front and low-cost torsion-beam rear suspension set-up allows a fair degree of body roll in corners, but the body feels tight and rattle-free ride quality remains plush over all manner of rough road surfaces.

Hyundai Australia says it evaluated 33 different front and 41 rear damper combinations before arriving at the Venue’s final production spec, with particular attention paid to the live rear axle, and the results have paid off in terms of comfort and suitability to broken Aussie roads.

Combining SUV looks and practicality with hatchback value and efficiency in a compact footprint packed with connectivity and safety and backed by strong aftersales service, the Hyundai Venue will be a small SUV to watch.

How much does the 2019 Hyundai Venue cost?
Price: From $19,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Six-speed manual and automatic