Hyundai is adding a subcompact crossover to its SUV lineup that already spans small to large with the Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe and Palisade.
The South Korean automaker opted not to name its newest addition after a geographic location like its other large vehicles. Instead, the Venue is representative of a place where everyone wants to be seen. The 2020 Venue compact crossover made its debut at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday.
Hyundai is targeting the tiny, entry-level crossover at 20-somethings who need a little extra space to haul a range of lifestyle commodities, including perishables from the farmer’s market or musical instruments. It will slot below the Kona, which has been Hyundai’s smallest crossover.
HYUNDAI’S SMALLEST
The Venue, which is 5 feet shorter than the Kona in length, retains about the same height and width as its slightly larger sibling. Its wheel base shrinks by 3 feet. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are available in addition to the 15-inch standard wheels.
The 2020 Hyundai Venue is the brand’s smallest SUV. (Photo: Brian Williams/Trucks.com)
It’s powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that is paired with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Hyundai estimates that the small engine will deliver up to 33 combined mpg in city and highway driving.
To fit irregularly shaped items, the rear seats feature a 60/40 flat-folding split. With the rear seats up, cargo space is just shy of 19 cubic feet. Capacity expands to nearly 32 cubic feet with the seats completely folded. A dual-level cargo floor shifts the position of the cargo area from top to bottom.
The cockpit is small but features some premium amenities such as an 8-inch display touch screen, rearview camera, a USB fast-charging port and heated front seats and side mirrors. The Venue also has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Capability. Drive modes include a snow setting for improved forward-wheel-drive performance in inclement weather.
DRIVER ASSISTANCE
Hyundai has stuffed the crossover with a host of standard driver-assistance technologies, including forward-collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear collision cross-traffic alert and driver-attention warning, which monitors the driver’s behavior for inattention.
The 2020 Hyundai Venue is full of driver-assist technology. (Photo: Brian Williams/Trucks.com)
Venue also has Blue Link integrations with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, which means the driver can use Amazon Echo or Google Home to start their car and control its temperature.
Eight exterior colors are available: Ceramic White, Black Noir, Steller Silver, Galactic Gray, Scarlet Red, Intense Blue, Green Apple and, if the buyer is feeling very brave, Denim. Denim can be coupled with a denim cloth and leatherette interior with a white contrasting roof. Interior colors include gray or black cloth.
Hyundai did not say how much the Venue will cost or when it will go on sale.
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