Two-tone is all the rage as this Hyundai Venue Limited Edition hits a chord.
It was a thing a hundred years ago. Cars finished in two colours, or two shades of a hue, were a status symbol right through to the mid-1930s. Two-tone cars faded away with opulence through the Great Depression and War however. Then double car colours made a cameo appearance in the ‘60s. Together with chrome and fins. And then it all disappeared, it seemed for good. Stripes and stickers became all the rage.
Now all of a sudden two-tone is back again. And it’s becoming something of a cult symbol too. Cars like this white-on-blue Hyundai Venue 1.0 TGDI carry two-tone paint to celebrate their Limited Edition status. Its unique two-tone exterior colour scheme and a bespoke beige and denim cloth interior treatment set this Glide version apart from the rest of the Venue range.
HYUNDAI VENUE SPECIAL EDITION — ONE OF 500
It’s a good looking little car, with futuristic and unique styling. Even better, only 500 units of this Limited Edition will come to South Africa. To ensure your urban adventurer remains quite unique as it stands you apart as the one with a taste for savvy, trendy design in your neighbourhood.
The bold, attractive exterior effect is emphasised by those striking 16-inch alloys. This flagship Glide also gets a flat-folding 60/40 split rear bench and a cargo cover to shield your load from prying eyes.
There’s 8-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring with Bluetooth and Dual USB ports. Add app-based navigation, streaming audio and voice-controlled search capability. And a rearview camera, all neatly integrated into that cool dark-denim-blue dashboard.
Some of that tech is slightly dated and the infotainment system may not be the easiest to navigate. The audio system is good however, and Venue packs sufficient technical features into a decent looking cabin with good quality both in materials and build.
ALL THE WAY DOWN
The glovebox is cooled and there are more than enough interior storage compartments too. There’s space in the back is just enough for a 1.8 meter tall adults. They also get their own ducts for the somewhat temperamental air conditioning. But only the left side rear occupant gets a pocket behind the front seat. The kids may bicker. We do like it that the rear windows roll all the way down though.
Settle into the comfortable driver’s seat and you’re greeted by 3.5-inch TFT dials behind the height (but not length) adjustable leather multifunction steering wheel.
Hyundai’s surprisingly nifty 88 kW 172 Nm turbo petrol three-pot Kappa 1.0 T-GDI engine. It turned a 7-speed dual clutch automatic in our test unit. It’s not the most energetic sounding lump beyond its gruff three-pot note. Hyundai claims a 6.9 litres per 100 km for this DCT. It wasn’t that frugal in the real world. But it will do.
We found Venue simple to drive and easy to get used to. It’s great once it gets going, but the little litre engine lacks power until some way up the rev range. It doesn’t feel like turbo lag, more like a shift in timing — like VTEec effect. We were frustrated by the double clutch autobox refusing to change up at slower urban speeds. And how long it takes to kick down a gear under hard acceleration.
THE SUV SUSPENSION COMPROMISE
Hyundai promises its stabiliser bar and coil spring McPherson struts up front and a torsion beam rear suspension to be a compromise between comfort and control. It is a compromise. Venue has a reasonably tall SUV ground clearance, a command driving post and good manoeuvrability thanks to its small footprint.
The trade off is that Venue is not the best handler on the block, although the driver’s connection with the road in more aggressive motoring isn’t too bad. It’s actually considerably better than rivals the likes of T-Cross in this neck of the woods.
Venue packs all the important safety spec — electronic stability control and hill start assist help hurry it on the boil, while ABS anti skid braking with electronic force distribution and brake assist stop it. Talking safety, this smart little Hyundai gets front, side-impact and side air curtain bags, seatbelt pre-tensioners with force limiters and Isofix child seat attachments as part of the deal.
Venue is covered by Hyundai’s remarkable 7-year/200 000 km warranty, a 3-year/45 000 km service plan. And roadside assistance for 7 years or 150 000 km.
HYUNDAI VENUE – GREAT DESIGN AND A QUALITY JOB
At R385K, there are some better positioned cars in this category and price range. Hyundai is however doing a great job indesign and quality. Maybe it’s time for it N-phasise a little more focus on drivability and driving experience and an easier to navigate infotainment system?
That said, the Hyundai Venue 1.0 TGDI Glide Limited Edition is a unique little car thanks to its rarity. So that does command a bit of a premium. All in all, it’s a neat package with more than sufficient spec. And a china doll allure all of its own. — Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Hyundai Venue 1.0 TGDI Glide
Limited Edition
Engine: 88 kW 172 Nm 1-litre turbo petrol I3
Drive: 7-speed Double Clutch Automatic FWD
TESTED:
0-60km/h: 4.47sec
0-100km/h: 10.22 sec
0-160km/h: 29.94 sec
400m: 17.2 sec @ 130km/h
80-120km/h: 7.68 sec
120-160km/h: 15.27 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 187 km/h
Fuel: 6.9 l/100km
CO2: 148 g/km
Warranty/Service: 7y 200K/3y 45Kkm
LIST PRICE: R393K
RATED: 7
