The 2022 Hyundai Venue was launched in India recently with prices starting at Rs 7.53 lakh. It is available in 16 variants across three engine and gearbox options. We have driven the 2022 Venue in the iMT guise and here are our top five observations.

Ease of use of the iMT

The iMT (intelligent manual transmission)/clutchless manual has removed all the effort involved in using a manual gearbox but without the reduction in control that a manual gearbox offers. With this 1.0-litre GDi turbo petrol offering ample torque, there’s a large amount available with a light flex of the right foot. The iMT also gets hill-start assist and a system that warns you of being in a gear too high or low for your current speed.

Upholstery

Hyundai has introduced a two-tone scheme of black and Greige (grey and beige) for the updated Venue. It’s a light shade and gives an airy feeling but is prone to staining and visible dust. Hyundai also offers various shades of seat covers under its Mobis accessory programme.

Steering is light and easy to use at low speeds

On the go, at city speeds, the Hyundai Venue’s steering felt light and easy to use especially while making manoeuvres that involved going from lock to lock. While it did weigh up nicely at highway speeds, it lacked feel especially in the dead ahead position.On a side note, Hyundai has fitted the Venue with a new design for the steering wheel.

Improvement in rear-seat space

At the rear, Hyundai has scooped out the front seat back and is offering a two-step recline for the left-rear seat. It has also scooped out the roof section above the rear. This combined with the two-tone upholstery has given a feeling of space in the cabin. However, we will provide you with real numbers once we get our hands on the car for a longer period.

Updated feature list

Hyundai has upped its game in terms of features. You now get a powered driver’s seat, TPMS, 40 added features for the Bluelink system, Alexa and Google assistant in 10 regional languages, wireless charging, a two-step recline in the rear seat and an electric sunroof.

Turbo DSG drive experience

In our video review, we also drove the 1.0-litre turbo petrol with the seven-speed DSG and discovered three major highlights. This turbo DSG version is priced at Rs 12.72 lakh (ex-showroom, Navi Mumbai).

Photography: Kapil Angane

Hyundai Venue iMT First Drive Review