Review - Hyundai Venue

With that in mind,  just how good of a deal is the Hyundai Venue as the company’s entry-level compact SUV, and how well does it serve those looking for a small, affordable runaround for the weekly commute and loads of luggage for a holiday road trip? Let’s find out. 

Starting Price: $20,690

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Hyundai Venue (ACTIVE) Specifications

For more details and other variants, check Hyundai Venue car page.

How Much Does It Cost?

The Hyundai Venue lineup kicks off from $20,690 for the entry level Hyundai Venue with a manual transmission, while an automatic gearbox brings the price to $22,710. The lineup then moves to the higher-grade Venue Active which, with a manual transmission, is priced from $22,620 and $24,640 for the Active automatic variant. Finally, the Venue range tops-out in the form of the Elite automatic, which is priced from $26,490. Keep in mind that these prices do not include on-road costs.  

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What Features Does the Hyundai Venue Have?

The entry-level Hyundai Venue comes packed with 15-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, heated mirrors, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto paired with a four-speaker audio system, reversing camera daytime running lamps, premium cloth seats, six airbags, roof rails as well as Hyundai’s SmartSense safety suite as standard, which we’ll cover in the safety section of this review. 

Moving up to the Venue Active variant adds a set of larger 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lamps, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, bluetooth connectivity for the infotainment system, powered, folding mirrors, premium seat bolsters, static-bending lights and rear-mounted parking sensors. 

Finally, Hyundai’s flagship compact SUV, the Venue Elite adds a set of LED tail lights, climate control, keyless entry and start, an updated 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts and a two-tone finish for the car with a contrasting roof for added style. 

Range Features: 

• 15-inch alloys 

• 8.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• Cruise Control 

• Hyundai SmartSense safety suite 

• Reversing camera 

• Daytime running lamps 

• 17-inch alloys (Active & above) 

• Leather steering wheel & gear lever (Active & above) 

• Rear-mounted parking sensors (Active & above) 

• LED tail lights (Elite) 

• Keyless entry (Elite) 

• Sunroof or two-tone roof finish (Elite)

Hyundai Venue Colours

Is the Hyundai Venue Comfortable to Drive? 

While it might be the entry-level compact SUV in Hyundai’s ranks, there are major indicators that the little Venue is anything but extremely competent on the urban commute, and on country B-roads. This is due to the fact that Hyundai invests millions into testing its vehicles specifically for Australian road conditions, and tunes its vehicles to be more suited to the rough surfaces that often feature here in Australia. As a result, the Venue is extremely comfortable in the confines of the urban environment, and perhaps more competent than a number of its key competitors when the road conditions get tough. 

Around town, the Venue’s steering is extremely light which, combined with a short wheelbase, means that the Venue is incredibly user-friendly and forgiving when it comes to making tight, important maneuvers. The Venue comes with one engine option across the range, which comes in the form of a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, which offers 90kW and 151Nm of torque. Translated to english, the Venue’s engine isn’t anything particularly exciting, but it’s got more than enough power for your daily commute, and the six-speed automatic offers quick and smooth shifts. 

While Hyundai is billing the Venue as a true compact SUV, there’s no tangible benefits of ride height increases like in other compact SUVs, rather, the styling makes it look like one, but the driver’s seat isn’t significantly higher than you’d find in a standard hatchback or sedan. If you’re looking for a Hyundai with added ride height, we’d point you in the direction of the Kona. 

Overall, though, for the price, the Venue is an exceptional little car and will likely prove the perfect addition to your garage, so long as you don’t have a large family. 

Is the Hyundai Venue Practical and Spacious? 

In terms of people-moving power, the Venue does its absolute best, with some clever designs and packaging from Hyundai, but you need to remind yourself that this is the entry-level compact SUV, and as a result, it’s not exactly a performer when it comes to family practicality. The front of the cabin has a simple, clean design that offers a lot of space and headroom for the front passenger and driver, as well as those seated in the rear of the cabin. From the driver’s perspective, the only negative about the design is a large blindspot on the rear three-quarter view, which is nothing new for compact SUVs. 

Rear legroom is also more impressive than you might expect for such a small car. Surprisingly, there’s more room in the rear of the cabin than cars like the Kona, which means if you’re looking for maximum rear legroom, this is actually the better - and cheaper -  option. There’s significantly more room on offer in the rear of the Venue’s cabin than almost all other compact SUVs on the market, although this has come at the expense of load volume in the Venue’s boot. In total, there’s 355L of cargo storage on offer in the Venue’s boot with a 60:40 split for the rear seats, which means you can throw larger, bulky items in the rear of the cabin without a problem. 

If you’re a couple, or a family with young children, the Venue is perfectly suited to your needs, with enough space in the rear for friends and family for short trips, as well as easily accessible ISOFIX mounting points for child seats. Installing larger child seats can be a bit challenging due to the tight dimensions of the rear cabin, but the Venue gets the job done. 

Is it Safe? 

The Hyundai Venue has been awarded a four star safety rating from ANCAP, scoring 91% for adult occupant protection and 81% for child occupant protection. Hyundai also packages the Venue with autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning and front, side and curtain airbags. Features like rear cross-traffic alerts and blind-spot monitoring are reserved for more expensive Elite variants. For the money, the Hyundai Venue is extremely well-equipped when it comes to safety equipment as standard, with even Hyundai’s entry-level models receiving a handsome amount of kit.

Is the Hyundai Venue Fuel Efficient?

The Hyundai Venue is officially rated at 7.2L per 100km on a combined cycle, which we were able to better in our time with the Venue with an economy figure of 6.5L per 100km. Overall, the Hyundai Venue’s economy is nothing groundbreaking for the segment, but it holds its own against its competitors with a relatively economical turbocharged petrol engine. Hyundai says these figures translate to around 625km on a single tank, which can extend to 763km in the right driving conditions. 

Our Verdict: Is the Hyundai Venue Worth it? 

As a complete package, the Venue is one of the most attractive cars in Hyundai’s lineup, simply due to the value for money proposition that is on offer in the company’s entry-level SUV. The Venue ticks all the relevant and significant boxes, and better still, Hyundai packs enough features into the entry-level Venue that there is no significant need to upgrade, unless you’re looking for those extra features. 

As a simple, feature-packed and affordable compact SUV, the Venue is hard to ignore, which is why we’d recommend you organise yourself a test-drive in the very near future. On that note, if you’re looking where to buy a new car, you can get a free quote and see how much OnlineAuto can save you on your next car, or call us on 1300 719 925.

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. One engine option: turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol 

2. Choice of manual or automatic transmissions (Automatic standard on Elite) 

3. Five-Year, Unlimited KM Warranty 

4. 355L of boot storage 

5. 7.2L/100km fuel economy 

Pros 

• Impressive rear occupant space and comfort for a compact SUV

• Feature-packed entry level model

• Affordable prices 

Cons

• Four Star ANCAP Safety Rating 

• Two key safety features reserved for Elite variant 

• Base model’s 15-inch alloys look undersized for wheel arches

OnlineAuto Rating: 7.5/10

Hyundai Venue Competition