Hyundai Venue DCT Long Term Review
Car Tested: Hyundai Venue DCT
Kms Done: 11,565 kms
Test Started at: 6476 kms
Test Concluded at: 18,041 kms
Mileage: 11.6 km/l, 21 km/l (best), 8 km/l (worst)
Fuel Consumed:- 996.96-litres
Total Fuel Cost: ₹ 1,05,979/-
Fuel Cost Per Km: ₹ 9.16/-
The Hyundai Venue DCT is a perfect compact SUV for daily duties with a lively engine and simple dynamics
Spending close to 9 months over 11,500 kms and almost spending a lakh on fuel, the Hyundai Venue DCT has served us really well. In our last report we did mention that the Venue had become our main shoot as well as backup vehicle. But at times it was being driven for office commutes as well as weekend family trips too. So a complete blend of highway, city, off-road and native visits, the Venue was always a part of it. I for once took it for a 1700 kms drive. It was over the weekend and it turned out to be a very quick yet a comfortable trip!
It is said that when multiple people drive one particular car it doesn’t suit well but not in our case. The Venue was driven by me, Parth and two more members from our shoot team. Never did it ever feel like something wasn’t right. Me and Parth always utilised the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine to its capabilities and didn’t really care about mileage. For us getting anywhere close to 11-13 km/l was fine and the car was quick on its feet and the DCT worked like a gem. For our camera crew, it was completely opposite. They would drive it really very calmly as there would be more people onboard with equipment and they would try to get the best mileage possible.
It was surprising when the camera crew had taken the car to Pune for a shoot and it returned a staggering mileage number of over 21 km/l. It was the highest and one of the best numbers we had ever seen. On the other hand, the worst number we ever saw was during the end of rainy season when it returned about 8 km/l after a refuel as we were stuck in a traffic for over 2 hours. The Venue DCT also did not get any start-stop feature which could have been useful in heavy traffic situations. The initial pickup, however, felt really addictive as it used to lunge ahead every time we took off from a signal.
The 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine has enough punch for a quick sprint and with the 7-speed DCT it is a gem to drive
With the 215/60/16 chunky tyres and good ground clearance we would take over bad roads without stressing too much. Our go-to car was actually turning out to be a do-it-all vehicle as it would carry enough luggage to get the shoot done without any problems. Cherry on the cake was the air-conditioning, as it would cool the cabin within minutes even on the hottest day. In the whole duration, there was not a single day where it felt like the Venue needed ventilated seats. Even on the lowest fan speed, it was comfortable for a long journey.
The dual-tone interior felt premium and nice but fabric seats would catch stains very quickly. If you have a clumsy family and they prefer to eat or drink in the car, one would definitely need seat covers. In our case not everyone was clumsy but from a day long shoot the crew would get sweaty or dirty and there were instances which left a few marks on the seats. This wasn’t really much of a problem as I would get the car cleaned and seats checked upon once every month. While the interior would attract some dust but it was easy to clean. For the driver, the flat-bottom steering wheel with the controls were always very useful. Similarly for the passenger there was a small storage section above the glovebox and it always came in handy to keep mobile phones and small items like coins or tissues.
Although the Venue DCT gets a very enthusiastic 1.0-litre turbo petrol, the car by itself does not boast any specific or aggressive character. It is a very neutral car and gels into the personality of the person driving it. If someone likes pushing the car and wants a lot of feedback, the Sport mode keeps the lower gears engaged for longer and the throttle response stays sharper. While if there’s someone who keeps it calm, the ECO mode is perfect. There would be, however, no change to the steering or the suspension feedback and hence it would feel the same. The suspension had a balanced feedback overall but it would get bouncy when driven solo. On the rumblers, the rear would unsettle a bit and it would get a little unnerving.
The Hyundai Venue is by far the most value for money compact SUV in its segment
In the compact SUV segment the Hyundai Venue was the first to get a facelift and it had been almost a year to the change but it still didn’t feel old. It got LED projectors in the update and even though the projector brightness was good, the illumination was limited and there is room for improvement. However, the Venue gets halogen cornering headlights which came to the rescue a lot of times. Venue has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and it worked without any glitches while the audio system was pretty good. The wireless charger did its job well but the 3 type-C ports charged the phone and shooting equipment much quicker.
During the last road trip, I did about 1700 kms in a span of 60 hours. I travelled with family and I could definitely say it is comfortable for 4 but a tight fit for 5. The 350-litres of boot space was enough to carry our luggage while the ride quality of the car became better when fully loaded. The 3-cylinder motor did make quite some noise when pushed on full load but the response was quite engaging. For the whole duration of the travel it returned a mileage of 15 km/l where most of my driving was on the highway but with a heavy foot. Kudos to enough headroom as the Venue was comfortable for my tallest family member too, it never felt cramped or restricted.
For this whole duration, the Hyundai Venue DCT became our workhorse, our go-to vehicle for shoots, and a travel companion for daily as well as weekend commutes. Everyone in the team got to spend a fair share of their time with the Venue and it had become an integral part of our MotorBeam team. Especially the camera crew as they were the most comfortable in the car and shooting from it was fairly easy too. With a few places where there’s room for improvement the Hyundai Venue DCT could do a lot more and has impressed us all. It is one of the most value for money compact SUVs in the segment and a reliable one at that!
What’s Cool
- Most VFM compact SUV
- Best air-conditioning in the category
- Super efficient and smooth DCT gearbox
- Powerful turbo engine with brisk performance
What’s Not So Cool
- Leather + Fabric seats are prone to staining
- LED projector headlamps aren’t suited for highways
- Rear had a bounce back effect when driven solo with no luggage
Further Reading –
Hyundai Venue DCT – First Report
Hyundai Venue iMT Long Term Review
