Hyundai Venue N Line

The Hyundai Venue N-Line is back in its second-generation. While it gets all the new features and tech from the Venue, Hyundai’s taken the N-Line packaging more seriously, adding some unique features, a fresh new interior, sharper and sportier design elements to make the experience feel more special. I’ve driven the Venue N-Line extensively and it’s clear who should make the leap for this over the standard Hyundai Venue.

Design and Build Quality

Hyundai’s recent design choices have been bold and out of the box. The theme continues with the new Venue N-Line but is even more pronounced thanks to the sporty styling elements. 

Hyundai is offering a total of five colour options: 

• Hazel Blue

• Abyss Black

• Atlas White

• Dragon Red

• Titan Grey

You can check out all the colour options of the Venue N-Line in detail in this article. Save for Titan Grey and Abyss Black, all the colours are available with a contrast-painted roof as well. 

The front design is upright and boxy, with more vertical design elements. The Venue now gets a connected lighting setup just like the Creta and the Alcazar. With fang-like daytime running lamps and full-LED headlights, the lighting signature of the Venue is impressive. Indicators are tucked away under the DRLs at the top, and only the N-Line gets sequential/dynamic turn indicators. 

Other highlights include black and grey bumpers, a different front grille than the standard Venue, red painted brake calipers, red pinstriping on the side skirting and bumpers, along with a sporty looking set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

From the side, the comparisons with the Exter are bound to happen. This is mostly because of the pronounced design of the fenders. While the standard Venue gets black cladding here, the body coloured finish of the N-Line does look cleaner.

Smaller details are executed tastefully: whether it’s the sleek design of the mirrors with integrated indicators, the tall ‘bridge-type’ roof rails, or the C-pillar garnish with Venue branding. 

From the rear, the Venue almost looks as wide as a Creta, which is a good thing! The diffused lighting effect looks premium, and I particularly like how the ‘Venue’ branding has been embedded within the central connected element. The N-Line also gets a more prominent roof spoiler, N-Line badging and dual chrome exhaust tips that look absolutely fantastic!

While the Venue N-Line was mainly a sportier-looking avatar of the Venue, in its new generation, it feels like a fresh new personality too. And this differentiation is equally remarkable inside too.

Design and Quality

The interiors of the Venue are a lesson in packaging. Within the small size of the Venue, it is quite difficult to do so. But Hyundai has managed to do it very cleverly. First, the size of the dashboard has been compressed quite a bit. In fact, the windscreen is about a palm-length away from the instrument cluster. Second, Hyundai has reduced the thickness of the door pads. This has enabled them to open up a sense of width in the cabin. 

While the standard Venue gets a dark navy blue and off-white interior, the N-Line opts for a sporty black and red combination. In fact, the red contrasting ambient lighting in the dashboard and around the gear level looks especially cool at night.

In terms of design, here too Hyundai has opted for a lot of straight elements that amplify the height and width of the cabin. There are plenty of design elements that we’ve never seen before on a Hyundai in India. For example, the curved housing for the infotainment screens, the chunky steering wheel are refreshing. Hyundai has also used soft white ambient lighting on the dashboard and floor console, that ups the premium quotient.

As far as quality is concerned, the Venue continues to be among the better SUVs in the segment. Plastics are still hard, but Hyundai has used interesting textures such as a cross-hatch pattern on the top half of the dashboard, and a smooth ‘ceramic’-like finish for the central section. Hyundai could have added a soft-touch element on the dashboard to make it feel richer. My personal favourite element though, would have to be the N-Line exclusive steering wheel with traction and drive mode buttons on it. It truly delivers the feeling of driving a sportscar.

Front Seats

Getting in and out of the Venue N-Line is quite easy. The doors open wide and you can ‘walk’ into the cabin. Even the elders in the family are unlikely to complain. Once seated in the front seat, you will appreciate the high-seating position that gives you a clear view of the edge of the bonnet. This will boost the confidence of newer drivers. 

Even for those with a tall/large build, space is plenty with enough headroom, footroom and more importantly width. Earlier, the Venue’s cabin felt narrow which isn’t the case anymore. The seats are wider and more accommodating of those with slightly broad shoulders. There’s ample support for the lower back and shoulders, and the seat feels comfortable to spend long hours in. 

The seat gets 4-way power adjustment (fore-aft and recline), while height adjustment is manual. I think a 6-way powered seat should have been provided in the Venue N-Line, especially considering it’s priced on par with well-loaded variants of larger SUVs. Also, the steering wheel can only be adjusted for rake, not reach. While this isn’t a dealbreaker, taller drivers would’ve found a more comfortable driving position. I also like that the central armrest is set at a neutral height. However, it misses on adjustability of any sort. 

Rear Seats

The 20mm increase in wheelbase, coupled with the slim dashboard pays off at the back. Kneeroom is noticeably better. Even a six-footer like me has some room to spare, the knees don’t brush against the front seats. Sure, SUVs such as the Mahindra XUV3XO and Kia Syros offer better kneeroom, but by small SUV standards, the Venue N-Line does enough. There’s ample footroom and headroom too. 

Just like the front, the slim door pads mean you can move over to the side slightly to make room for the middle occupant. While seating three might still feel like a squeeze for longer journeys, it’s far better than the older model. The seat back is flat which makes for more shoulder room for anyone using the centre seat. A weird miss is the lack of a central headrest. 

Amenities for the rear seat occupants include sunshades, and rear AC vents. The seat back also gets a 2-stage recline function that lets you switch between a relatively upright and reclined position. That being said, even the more upright position is usable. Besides seating flexibility, it also helps you adjust for a bit more boot space when needed.

Storage and Practicality

The Venue N-Line is quite practical when it comes to storage options. Front occupants get an open shelf above the glovebox, a phone tray in front of the gear lever, twin cupholders (with a key slot/phone holder) and a small cubby hole under the front armrest. There are bottle holders in all four doors too. Oddly, Hyundai has skipped out on seat-back pockets.

Charging Options

Front occupants get a wireless charger, 2 type-C ports (one of which can be used for media) and a 12V charging socket. Rear occupants get 2 type-C ports as well, along with a phone tray below.

Features

All the goodies you would expect from a small SUV have been covered with the Venue. Basics include: 

• Keyless Entry

• Push-button Start/Stop

• Auto-dimming IRVM

• Automatic Headlamps

• Chilled Glovebox

• Automatic Climate Control

• Rear AC Vents

• 4-way powered driver’s seat

• Single pane Sunroof

• Drive modes

• Traction modes

Now, let’s deep dive into the highlights, starting with the infotainment package. 

12.3-inch Touchscreen: This new generation infotainment system is called ccNC by Hyundai. It is capable of receiving software updates over-the-air, just like your phone. This can potentially unlock new features and fix bugs if needed. The display is large, and the resolution is crisp too. It features a completely new user interface with an easy-to-use tile style interface. There’s no lag and everything functions perfectly. 

This new screen finally unlocks wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which also functions as intended. 

8-speaker Bose Audio System: The audio system delivers an immersive experience. It also includes a sub-woofer that’s neatly integrated into the boot. If you like Bollywood or Hip-hop music, you’ll enjoy this system. However, I found that the audio systems in the Tata Nexon and the Mahindra XUV3XO offer more range and a fuller sound. 

12.3-inch Driver’s Display: What a welcome change from the old digital display. This screen too has great resolution and clarity. There are configurable views and themes which can be synced to the drive mode. My favourite feature is that this screen displays the feed from the side camera when you indicate, making lane changes that much safer. 

Front Seat Ventilation: Super helpful on a hot and warm day. Has three fan speed settings, and the blower isn’t particularly noisy either. 

360° Camera: Offers a clear view of the surroundings. 3D mode lets you view the car from a third person perspective quite easily. Makes it convenient to park in (and get out of) tight parking spots.

The Venue N-Line also gets some exclusive features. The traction and drive mode buttons sit on the steering wheel instead of the central console while the side AC vents also get scent diffusing cartridges. The sunrise red ambient lighting is also exclusive to the N-Line.

Standard safety features on the Hyundai Venue include:

• 6 airbags 

• ABS with EBD

• Electronic Stability Control

• Hill Assist

• Rear Parking Sensors

Higher variants also feature a tyre pressure monitoring system, and side parking sensors. 

Note: Level 2 ADAS

The Hyundai Venue N Line features level 2 ADAS. It uses inputs from a front facing camera and radar to offer features such as emergency braking, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. It also has useful interventions like park collision avoidance and lead vehicle departure alert. Only the N-Line gets a rear radar which adds exclusive ADAS features like safe exit warning, rear cross traffic collision warning and avoidance along with blind-spot collision warning and avoidance.

Like the standard Venue, the sportier Venue N Line has been given a 5-star safety rating from Bharat NCAP. 

Hyundai claims a boot space of 375-litres for the Venue and the N-Line. Do note that this measurement is taken up to the roof of the car. The space below the parcel tray is sufficient for 3-4 cabin-sized trolley bags and some more small items. 

For added versatility, there’s a 60:40 split functionality available in the rear seat. You can also fold the rear seat flat for more cargo space. 

Here’s a quick look at the specifications of the new Venue N-Line. While the standard Venue gets turbo-diesel and naturally-aspirated petrol engine options, the N-Line continues to be a turbo-petrol only model. 

1-litre Turbo Petrol

This three-cylinder engine starts up with a mild thrum and shake. However, it settles into a smooth idle. Noise and vibrations are well controlled for the most part. You’d only notice the engine getting vocal when you are really pushing it. 

City Performance

There is some initial lag in the power delivery which can be a slight annoyance but most won’t need more than a day to adapt to it. Otherwise, inside the city, you will appreciate the peppy acceleration of this engine. It lets you pick gaps in traffic and overtaking is quite easy. In the case of the manual, the clutch doesn’t feel particularly tiring and the engine does not protest if you are in a gear higher than you should be. This means you can drive through city traffic without much effort. 

That said, we would tilt in favour of the 7-speed DCT for its smooth and quick shifting nature. It adds a layer of convenience that’s simply too hard to ignore. 

Highway Performance

The added torque of the engine means maintaining triple digit speeds on the highway is relatively effortless. Even making overtakes at 80-100kmph is dealt with easily. In case of the DCT, the gearbox does not hesitate in downshifting a gear or two if needed, giving you the acceleration you need instantly. If you have to have a petrol-powered Venue, we’d recommend the turbo for its versatility. 

The Venue’s turbo petrol is not great in terms of real-world fuel efficiency at least in heavy city traffic use. In bumper-to-bumper traffic it’s not unusual to see 8-10kmpl. In smoother flowing city traffic, you can expect mileage to be better at around 12kmpl. On longer highway drives, fuel efficiency will be noticeably better — in the range of 14-16kmpl.

In this new generation, the Venue’s ride quality has seen an improvement overall. The Venue N-Line continues to offer a stiffer/sportier suspension setup than the standard model. The benefit is a better and sharper handling experience at high speeds or through corners. It also behaves better with 3-4 people on board. However, it’s not as comfy over rough roads or sharp bumps. To the point of being impractical? Certainly not but if you prefer cushier/softer suspension setups, the N-Line may not be ideal for you.

The Hyundai Venue N-Line is offered in just 2 variants: N6 and N10.

Hyundai Venue N6

• Gets both manual and automatic transmission options..

• The exterior gets quad LED headlights, LED DRLs, LED tail lamps and 17-inch alloy wheels.

• The cabin comes in a black with red theme, leatherette seats and adjustable front headrests.

• Features include manual AC, rear AC vents, 4-speakers, 4 USB Type-C chargers, all four power windows and cruise control too.

• It comes with a 10.25-inch touchscreen which supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

• Safety kit comprises 6 airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management, hill start assist, rear parking sensors, and ISOFIX child seat anchors. All wheel disc brakes come as standard.

Hyundai Venue N10

• Only available with the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

• Exterior gets add ons like sequential turn indicators and puddle-lamps with the welcome function 

• While the cabin theme stays the same, it now gets red ambient lighting in the dashboard and on the centre console. Rear adjustable headrests get added too.

• This is the most loaded variant of the Venue range and gets a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, 6-speaker music system, 4-way power adjustable driver’s seat, rear window sunshade and 60:40 split rear seat.

• Safety kit gets front and side parking sensors, a 360-degree camera with a blind view monitor, and Level 2 ADAS features like lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, high beam assist, and autonomous emergency braking. 

• As part of its MY 26 update, a new dash camera has also been introduced. 

CarDekho Recommends

• Get the N6 variant if you’re mainly interested in the sporty look of the N-Line vs the standard Venue. The N6 variant is well-loaded with features too.

• Pick the top-spec N10 variant only if you want ADAS or the best feature experience.

The Hyundai Venue N-Line combines the sensible package of the Venue with sporty design and a more unique interior experience too. Its design keeps it focused on young car buyers, particularly those who want their car to have a more expressive personality. Thankfully, its features, space and practicality package means it’s still a car you can live with easily too.