Introduction

So, it has been a couple of months already with our long term Hyundai Venue diesel SX(O) manual and the SUV has clocked over 9,500 km. Having spent a significant amount of time with the SUV, I've come to realize that the Venue is a trusty workhorse that offers surprisingly good performance and comes with many creature comforts. Be it for our review shoots or the quick food jaunts that the CarWale team undertakes, the Venue is the preferred vehicle of choice.

The Quirks

But first, let's get the shortcomings out of the way. So, on several occasions that we took the Venue out on a team outing, we found that the narrow cabin is unwelcoming for three adults to seat comfortably. And the dark interiors, though they look upmarket, doesn't feel that roomy. But, on the upside, even after being subjected to multiple shoots, the all-black interiors held up well and didn't get dirty easily.

The seats offer good lateral support, both front and back. But, on the few occasions when I had to sit in the back seat, I found that the window-line felt a tad too high for my height, which is 5ft 7in. And on the odd instances when we took the Venue out in late evenings, I wished this top-spec SX(O) trim (at over Rs 13 lakhs on-road) came with an auto-dimming IRVM.

Practicality and Comfort

The Hyundai Venue scores highly when it comes to practicality and comfort. In the two months we've had it, we haven't noticed any major rattles or interior panels protesting against each other. Then, getting in and out of the car is easy. And once in, you'll notice that in addition to a large bottle holder, the door pockets have enough space to stow your wallet or other knick-knacks.

What's more, simply put your wireless charging enabled phone on the charging pad, thereby cutting out the hassle of cables. Then, the touchscreen infotainment system on this top-spec SX(O) trim is a delight to use. It is intuitive, and in addition to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, it also comes with Hyundai’s Blue Link smart connectivity suite. However, we couldn't test it out as it wasn't activated on our long termer.

The Workhorse

Over the period of time, I've come to like the diesel manual combo of this Hyundai. On paper, the 89bhp and 220Nm of torque from this 1.4-litre motor may look insufficient, but it is more than enough for daily commutes. The linear power delivery and minimal turbo-lag helps commuting in the urban jungle without having to frequently downshift the gears. And the six-speed gearbox is a delight to operate. Even in the confines of the city, the Venue manages to deliver over 17kmpl on a regular basis.

What's Next?

Next-up, we plan to take it out on the highways as we have a few outstation trips lined-up. It will also serve as a good test-bed for us to gauge its highway manners, ride quality and handling.

Vehicle Log

Odo - 9,560

Km this month - 2,038