What is it?
Yet another cute little crossover from South Korea, this one they claim will be the smallest and most affordable in its now seven-strong SUV lineup.
Why does it matter?
Well, putting smallest and most affordable in the same sentence as SUV is always attention-grabbing. Power comes from Hyundai’s tried and tested 1.6L inline-four with dual-port fuel injection. Mated to Hyundai’s IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission), which marries CVT efficiency with artificial “gear shifts” so it feels like a traditional automatic. Overall, the combination is good for 7.1 L/100 km fuel consumption.
Stylistically, the Venue looks like a Kona that was mated to a Mini, cute to some, a little too boxy for others. Inside, the “highly function and expressive” interior, like the Venue’s price tag, is meant to attract all those budget-conscious Millennials that have been forced to shop the used car market for the trendy sport-ute they all covet. Hence, what Hyundai Canada calls its “youthful, fun” colour palette.
Shorter overall than Kona by 130 millimetres, the Venue’s wheelbase is only 81-millimetres, so the Venue is surprisingly roomy inside. In fact, passenger volume is only down a paltry 62 litres (just two cubic-feet). Even the cargo capacity is down by just 14 litres, barely enough to fit a purse or laptop. The Venue’s infotainment system features an eight-inch Display Audio touchscreen and rear-view monitor that also incorporates both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Heated seats and a heated steering wheel, meanwhile, lend a feeling of affluence in small packages.
When is it coming?
End of this year.
Should you buy it?
Like I said, prefacing the description of any SUV with “most affordable” is always a good way to start a discussion. Perky performance and decent fuel economy just add to the allure. The Venue’s styling might not be to everyone’s liking, but I suspect that the Venue’s low MSRP will more than make up for the somewhat tepid silhouette.