Hyundai Venue facelift launched, prices start from Rs 7.53 lakh

The compact-SUV segment has always been a hotly-contested one and even with new metal being a frequent sight, the Hyundai Venue has consistently managed to emerge as one of the more popular offerings, contributing to 22 per cent of Hyundai India’s sales. And three years after it was first launched, Hyundai has given the Venue its first facelift and few more updates in terms of equipment. Prices for the facelifted Venue start from Rs 7.53 (ex-showroom), and it goes up against the likes of SUVs like the Kia Sonet and the Tata Nexon.

Hyundai Venue facelift design

When the Venue was first launched in 2019, it was a very attractive looking SUV and that’s one of the reasons for its sheer popularity amongst buyers. And while the earlier model did get gradual updates in the form of a Sport variant to spruce up things, the Venue has now received a proper refresh. Viewed head-on, the facelift does bear familiarity to its predecessor with the DRLs up top and the LED projector headlamps placed lower down, with the main change being in the form of the all-new parametric jewel grille that resembles the one present on the upcoming Hyundai Tucson. The bumpers too have been re-profiled as compared to the earlier car and the Venue continues to get 16-inch alloy wheels on the top-spec variant with a different design. Move over to the rear and the tail lights get a fresh design with the two lights being connected by an LED strip that runs across the rear hatch. The rear bumper too has been reworked with black moulding and overall the Venue now looks more edgier and aggressive than before. And if poring over the dimensions, the eagle-eyed find that the new Venue is marginally taller than its predecessor by 12mm, the height being 1617mm.

Hyundai Venue facelift interior

The interiors of the Venue continue to have the same layout as the outgoing model with additional kit on offer. You continue to get an 8-inch touchscreen for infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (now wireless) and the facelifted Venue now gets USB Type C ports replacing the earlier Type A ports. You also get Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa connectivity along with Hyundai’s Bluelink which now supports 10 regional languages. The infotainment system is also capable of receiving OTA (over-the-air) firmware updates. The The Venue also gets a digital instrument cluster for the first time and there’s no dearth of equipment, as is the case with Hyundai cars. You get an electric sunroof, wireless charger, a six-speaker sound system with tweeters, rear AC vents, six airbags and the Venue also gets an electrically-adjustable driver’s seat for the first time. The rear seat of the Venue also gets a two-step seat reclining function now.

Hyundai Venue facelift engines

The Venue continues to be powered by the same engine and gearbox combos as before, with two petrol and a diesel options. The 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol makes 81bhp of power and 114Nm of torque and is mated to a manual transmission. The 1-litre turbo-petrol on the other hand can be had with six-speed iMT clutch-less manual transmission and it makes 118bhp of power and 172Nm of torque. You can also opt for a DCT with this engine, which also gets three drive modes for the first time – Normal, Eco and Sport. The 1.5-litre diesel on the other hand can only be had with a manual transmission and it produces 98bhp of power and 240Nm of torque.

Hyundai Venue pricing and rivals

Prices for the Hyundai Venue start from Rs 7.53 lakh (ex-showroom) and it rivals the likes of compact SUVs such as the Tata Nexon, the Honda WR-V, the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and its own cousin, the Kia Sonet. With its aggressive pricing, the Hyundai Venue once again has the potential of making a killing in this segment, but only a proper comparison against its rivals will help us find out if the Venue still has what it takes to fend off the competition