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This is a launch report. In other words, it's simply a new model announcement. The driving experience was limited to a short drive over a preselected course. We can therefore not tell you what it will be like to live with over an extended period, how economical it is, or how reliable it will be. A very brief first impression is all we can give you until such time as we get a test unit for trial. Thank you for understanding.

Bien-Venue: 2023 Hyundai Venue update

Loaded

Posted: October 27, 2022

The numbers
Prices:
1.2 Motion m/t at R294 900,
1.0 Motion m/t at R354 900,
1.0 Motion DCT at R394 900,
1.0 Fluid m/t at R389 900
1.0 Fluid DCT at R429 900
1.0 N Line DCT at R449 900
Engine specs and performance:
a)    1197 cc, 16-valve four-cylinder, naturally aspirated, developing 61 kW at 6000 rpm and 115 Nm at 4000 rpm. 0-100km/h in 14.2 seconds. Top speed 158 km/h.
b)    998 cc, 12-valve three-cylinder, turbopetrol developing 88.3 kW at 6000 rpm and 172 Nm between 1500 and 4000 rpm. 0-100 km/h in 11.5 seconds (m) and 11.4 seconds (a). Top speed 180 km/h (both)
*Average fuel consumption: 6.5 l/100 km manual, 6.9 l/100 km automatic
Tank: 45 litres
Boot, seats up: 343 litres
Ground clearance: 195 mm
Turning circle: 10.2 metres
Warranty: Five years, 150 000 km manufacturer’s warranty with added two years, 50 000 km mechanical warranty
Roadside assistance: Seven years, 150 000 km
Service plan: Three years, 45 000 km - at annual or 15 000 km intervals
*Tested in South Africa and declared ‘achievable’ by Hyundai Motor SA staff
 
When Life gets a little same-old, there’s nothing like a makeover. Because it was about time for a midlife refresh, Hyundai’s Venue crossovers were taken to the in-house beauty parlour and app store to see what was on offer. They came away remodelled and reloaded.

All received a new grille, headlamps, tail lights, derrière makeover, hatch doors slightly wider at the bottom to make loading easier, and wheel treatments.

One-Point-Two Motion, the base model, with 1200 cc engine and five-speed manual gearbox, scored indicator repeaters for the side mirrors, a bigger,4.2-inch, TFT cluster and new caps for its 15-inch steel wheels. Standard equipment includes cloth upholstery, two airbags, keyless entry, ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, automatic halogen headlights with follow-me, auto-locking doors, an 8” touchscreen like all the others, reversing camera, manual air conditioner, and rear park assist.

The one-litre turbo Motion cars, six-speed manual- and seven-speed dual clutch automatic, also gained indicator repeaters and bigger TFT, but were given wheel caps easily confused with the new alloy wheels on Fluid models. Hyundai then added back window wash and wipe and ventilation repeater vents for rear passengers. Additional safety kit on turbocharged models consists of electronic stability program and hill start assist.

Fluid versions added LED headlights and DRLs, reclining function for rear seatbacks and newly-styled 16” alloy wheels to an already upscale package of six airbags, combination cloth and leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, electrically-folding mirrors and roof rails.

Colours for Motion and Fluid are Typhoon Silver, Polar White, Titan Grey, Phantom Black, Fiery Red and Denim Blue.

Glide, the previous top model, was earmarked for major app realignment and a new identity. It emerged as N Line with special grille treatment, LED headlights with static bending, push-button starter, powered seat adjustment for the driver, roof spoiler, unique alloy wheels, rear disc brakes, artificial leather upholstery with red accents, aluminium foot pedals, slide ‘n tilt sunroof, automatic air conditioner, ambient mood lighting, and drive mode selection with Eco, Normal and Sport functions. Its makeover included dedicated, two-tone, colour schemes with black roofs; Polar White, Shadow Grey and Nicobar Blue.

Otherwise unchanged throughout the range are engine specs and McPherson strut- and torsion beam suspension.

A selection of one-litre turbo cars, driven on the familiarisation drive, showed themselves to be comfortable and well equipped with perky performance and reassuring handling.  We look forward to road testing one.

Information gathered at a manufacturer-sponsored launch event.

Read the review here



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This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is thoroughly researched, given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

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