2020 Hyundai Venue Review by Mark Fulmer
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There's a New Kid in Town
By Mark Fulmer
The Auto Channel
Say hello to the all-new entry level subcompact crossover from Hyundai, the Venue. This front wheel drive newcomer should be a welcome additional option for car buyers with limited budgets, as well as folks who are comfortable with the concept that less is more. What really matters is selecting the features that fit your personal and driving needs.
A 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine powers the Venue, creating 121 horsepower and 113 lb.-ft. of torque. If driving is a very small part of your life the Essential trim with a six-speed manual transmission starts at $17,099 and includes air conditioning, and an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
If your driving schedule involves a good deal of time spent on freeways you might consider the Preferred trim, at $21,499, which adds a CVT automatic transmission as well as safety features such as blind-spot monitoring (always a good idea), lane-keep assist, forward collision avoidance, and automatic high-beam headlamps.
The Ultimate trim, gives you GPS navigation, automatic climate control, LED headlamps, satellite radio, and a three-year subscription to BlueLink, which uses your phone to link to remote locking and unlocking, and roadside assistance. Whatever trim fits your needs, the Venue's size and weight yields peppy performance for 90 percent of your driving which rarely calls for neck snapping acceleration given todays jam-packed freeways.
A thoughtful window and windshield design yields good visibility and the front seat passengers have well padded seats as well as good headroom. The cargo space behind the rear seats is 18.7 cubic feet, and with the seats folded there is 31.9 cubic feet of space available.
The ride is quite carlike with a suspension that absorbs most of the bumps in the road. The steering is both precise and responsive, and there is a "snow mode" setting to handle traction on lightly snow-covered roads. The instrumentation is easy to use with a proper use of both touchscreen, knobs, and voice commands.
If your driving needs are urban and/or suburban and do not include going off-road (there is no all wheel drive model) and you prefer upright seating, ease of access, good visibility, cargo space, and very affordable payments, you'll want to put the Venue on your test drive list.