Showcased earlier this week, the Hyundai Venue is all set for launch in India on 21st May 2019, where it will take on the likes of Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 and Ford EcoSport. Expecting strong demand, the company has announced plans to produce 9,000 units of the Venue each month so as to ensure shorter waiting period.
This puts production of the new SUV below that of the Creta, of which 10,000 units are produced every month. As demand rises, the company could scale up production to comply with market demands. But, will the Venue manage such high sales? And if it does, will it be at the expense of rivals, or of Creta?
Hyundai Venue is positioned just below the Creta. It is about 275 mm shorter than Creta, but arguably comes with lot more features than its elder sibling. Hyundai Venue is not only the first Hyundai car to get eSIM and Internet Connected features, it is also the first car in India to get such hi-tech features. Hyundai believes that apart from the attractive design, it is the features of this car which will attract buyers.
With the Venue, Hyundai is targeting buyers in the age-group of 25-30 years. Hyundai says that buyers in this age bracket do not treat their vehicle as a means of transport but as a third space after their office and home. With the stream of connected features, the Hyundai Venue will be a place where a younger and more adventurous set of buyers in the country can stay in touch with friends, family and the office.
The main USP of the Hyundai Venue is its BlueLink connectivity system offering 33 features. These include location based services, alert services, artificial intelligence, vehicle relationship management, safety, security and remote functions. It also comes in with several segment first features such as wireless charging system, HD screen, wheel air curtains, 7 speed DCT and projector fog lamps. It also gets 3 years/unlimited km warranty and 3 years Road Side Assistance.
In addition to that, it comes with powerful engine options. Hyundai Venue will be powered by 1.0 liter T-GDI petrol, 1.2 liter MPI petrol and a 1.4 liter CRDI diesel engine options. The 1.0 liter T-GDI will be offered for the first time in India. This engine is capable of 120 PS power and 172 Nm torque mated to a 6 speed manual or 7 speed dual clutch AT.
The 1.2 liter MPI will offer 83 PS power and 115 Nm torque mated to a 5 speed manual transmission while the 1.4 liter CRDI diesel engine will be capable of 90 PS power and 220 Nm torque mated to a 6 speed manual transmission. Price range expected is Rs 8-12 lakhs. If Hyundai achieves their sales target with Venue, it will most likely result in a decline in sales of all rivals, and of Creta. But will they achieve 9k sales per month of Venue or not, only time will tell.
