Hyundai Venue Active 2021 Review

The 2021 Hyundai Venue is the surrogate light car in the local Hyundai range.

It replaces the Hyundai Accent from two years ago, and slots in underneath the excellent Hyundai Kona – carsales’ Best Small SUV 2021 – as a car-like and smaller-than-small crossover vehicle that should appeal to a broad range of buyers.

Prices start from $20,940 plus on-road costs for the Venue entry-level model with manual transmission, and top out at the flagship variant, the auto-only Hyundai Venue Elite for $26,740 plus ORCs.

There’s only one engine powering the range, but the two lower grades offer manual transmission as well as the automatic option. The vehicle on test is the Hyundai Venue Active with automatic for $24,890 plus ORCs. Typhoon Silver metallic paint adds $495 to that price.

As standard, the Venue Active is fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels, halogen projector-beam headlights, a power fold-in facility for the heated exterior mirrors, remote central locking, electric windows, cruise control, a multifunction leather-bound steering wheel and leather-clad gear knob, 12-volt power outlet, trip computer with 3.5-inch LCD screen, and manual air-conditioning.

The infotainment system for the Active comprises an 8.0-inch touch-screen, a six-speaker audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, USB port and Bluetooth with audio streaming.

Features the Venue Active misses out on that are standard in the Venue Elite include push-button starting, keyless entry, satellite navigation, digital radio, sunroof, one-touch auto function for driver’s window, climate control and rear privacy glass.

So at Active level and price the Venue is a mixed bag. It comes with automatic high beam assist and wireless smartphone integration, but turning a key in a lock barrel to start the car is old-school.

The absence of digital radio may also be a deal-breaker for some buyers.

All 2021 Hyundai Venue models are equipped as standard with driver fatigue monitoring, forward collision warning/autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, high beam assist, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, reverse parking acoustic guidance (ultrasonic sensors), a reversing camera and tyre pressure monitoring.

There are ISOFIX anchorage points for the outboard rear seats and top-tether anchorage points for all three rear seats, plus six airbags including two thorax-protecting side-impact airbags for the driver and front passenger, plus side curtain airbags for both rows of seats.

The Venue has a system like that in EyeSight-equipped Subaru models to let you know when the car in front has moved forward. As much as ‘real drivers’ will disparage this as an enabler for smartphone-distracted drivers, I like it and welcome it. For a parent turned around to attend to a child in the back it’s a useful feature.

ANCAP has rated the Venue just four stars for crash safety, based on the 2019 test protocol applied to local testing.

That compares unfavourably with five-star results for the same test from its rivals, including the Ford Puma, Nissan JUKE and Volkswagen T-Cross.

All three competitors have achieved better scores than the Venue in the areas of vulnerable road users (pedestrians/cyclists) and safety assist technology.

In the US, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the Venue a ‘Top Safety Pick’, but only for variants fitted with optional LED headlights, which we don’t get in Australia.

The test vehicle was fitted with halogen projector beams, but the Venue’s lighting was one of the better examples of the type than many in this market. Objects ahead on dark country roads were quickly picked up on low beam, and the Venue also came with (LED) static cornering lights that were both useful and effective.

The automatic high beam assist also worked well, dipping the lights in immediate response to any oncoming car and keeping the lights dipped in built-up areas.

It has to be said, the 2021 Hyundai Venue Active is a fairly noisy little beast at cruising speeds. There’s a whole symphony of discord from powertrain, the road and wind.

At 100km/h the engine is revving at 2400rpm, which is relatively high these days. Up to 80km/h the Venue is not objectionable, but the Hyundai better suits urban motorists rather than country owners who spend a lot of time on the open road.

The naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre engine didn’t feel lively, not after stepping out of the slightly larger Hyundai Kona, which is quite a lot punchier. There’s adequate torque at lower speeds for around-town work in the Venue, but demands for more performance will be met by a distinctly soft, long-travel accelerator action, but little actual pick-up.

A blip occurs at 4500rpm and the thrashy engine noise from there up to the 6300rpm redline is complemented by slightly improved acceleration.

If there’s one advantage to the long-stroke engine’s meagre output, it’s the real-world fuel economy of the Venue. On a 70km test run during the week, the Hyundai posted a fuel consumption figure of 7.7L/100km, which is pretty close to its official combined-cycle figure of 7.2L/100km.

Hyundai offers different drive modes in the Venue, for Sport, Normal and Eco motoring, or, with the press of a button, a sort of off-road Traction mode that theoretically keeps both front wheels spinning in unison on low-friction surfaces (Snow, Mud and Sand, which can be selected by turning a dial, just like the drive modes).

The drive modes might be of use to owners at times, but the traction modes will probably only help driving the Venue off a dew-covered lawn.

If the powertrain for the 2021 Hyundai Venue leaves something to be desired, the suspension and steering more than compensate.

For such a small car, the Venue’s ride and handling balance is impressive.

The Hyundai is firmly damped, but the spring rates are about right. The Venue is pretty compliant at lower speeds, but holds the road well and feels altogether sorted at higher speeds.

The electric power steering is light enough and feels direct and communicative as the car turns in towards the apex of a bend.

Inside, everything is located where it should be – with controls that are in easy reach of the driver and super-simple to use. There’s a lot of switchgear on the steering wheel, but it takes very little time to get to know the functions of those.

The conventional analogue instruments are straight out of ‘Principles for Instrument Design 101’, offering the sort of legibility that will suit the driver in the car behind.

Upholstered in a durable cloth featuring an interesting ‘repeat’ in the pattern, the front seats are cushy and nicely shaped. The interior is not premium, but the wiper and indicator stalks are softly damped and the Venue appears to be assembled carefully.

No rattles or knocks were evident during the test drive.

There are no adjustable air vents in the rear, nor USB/12V charge ports. Rear seat accommodation is very generous for adults up to about 180cm tall, however.

The 60/40-split folding rear seats are heavy to lift and lower, and they leave a step back to the boot floor, so larger loads will balance precariously on that step with the seats lowered. With the seats raised, the boot is deep enough to accept a week’s supply of groceries for a family of four or five.

The Venue rides on Nexen 205/55R17 tyres, but a space-saver spare resides in the boot.

There’s a case for doffing the motoring journalist’s hat when it comes to judging the 2021 Hyundai Venue.

It’s a car that won’t find particular favour with driving enthusiasts – driving dynamics notwithstanding – but it’s an easy car to drive, economical to own and covered by a competitive warranty – five years and unlimited kilometres.

And the Venue also offers a reasonable level of safety – despite what the below-par four-star ANCAP rating suggests – and comfort to make it a credible choice for its target audience, including singles and young families.

How much does the 2021 Hyundai Venue Active cost?
Price: $24,890 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 90kW/151Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 165g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Four-star (ANCAP 2019)