Hyundai Motor Philippines has one of the most comprehensive lineups in the industry. While a few of its offerings have some questionable price tags, there are a few sleepers that deserve more attention. The most overlooked model is arguably the Hyundai Venue, a crossover with more power than its subcompact frame suggests.
However, it is easy to understand why car buyers wouldn’t immediately look toward the Venue. Its style doesn’t fall in line with Hyundai’s current design language, and its price bracket is filled with newer options—some even with electrified powertrains.
It is safe to say that the humble Venue has its work cut out. But despite a few shortcomings, Hyundai has a gem with this crossover. Read on to find out.
Styling
Let’s get it out of the way: The Venue is old—about six years now. Its shell is dated, sporting a lot of chrome, the old Hyundai typography, and noticeably no light bars. That may be a good thing if the brand’s current designs are too modern for your tastes, but in a showroom, the Venue definitely sticks out like a sore, wrinkled thumb.
Admittedly, I do think it has aged like a fine, inexpensive wine. It still looks neat, with minimal accents and clean cuts for its head- and taillights. It features cross patterns on its grille and both bumpers, but they don’t exactly pop out upon first glance. Overall, it’s an unassuming silhouette, but one you can look at for a long time without getting bored.
It could have done without the sport-style finish on its 17-inch wheels, but they aren’t an eyesore. The loudest aspect of the exterior is the taillights when they’re illuminated—they emit a deep, sparkling shine, but even that isn’t too crazy.
Interior
Things get even simpler inside with a cabin dressed in mostly cloth upholstery. Interestingly, the seats have strips of plaid-inspired accents, indicating some performance prowess (we’ll get to that later). In terms of comfort, they have decent cushioning, but not many adjustment settings. It’s more than fine for a few hours, but a stop to stretch your back every now and then might be required during long drives. Speaking of road trips, there is enough luggage space for about four passengers’ cargo, which is impressive for a car just measuring 4,040mm long.
The rest of the cabin is finished with plastic, which is appropriate and expected for this price tag. I do welcome this choice more than faux leather or other synthetic materials that attempt to simulate luxury. Notably, this is where Hyundai’s craftsmanship shines, as there are hardly any creaks throughout the cabin. With this, you know you’re paying for a sensible, well-built interior.
You get the same impression from the humble eight-inch infotainment screen, which is properly bright and legible. Two rows of physical knobs and buttons are mounted right under, and all are tactile and neatly organized. That includes the volume control knob, which controls a perfectly average four-speaker sound system.
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Engine performance
This is where things get a bit crazy. The lack of a sunroof and other creature comforts can be forgiven, thanks to the Venue’s spritely 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine. When you tap its full 121hp and 151Nm of torque, it offers a playful roar, inspiring you to step on the gas and accelerate.
However, that fun is interrupted in stop-and-go traffic as the transmission can’t always handle the engine’s enthusiasm. The six-speed automatic gearbox tends to get jerky when slowing down into lower gears in city driving. During our time with the car, switching between Normal and Eco driving modes doesn’t really affect the driving experience or fuel economy. Notably, Sport mode improves responsiveness for a smoother-feeling drive, but that comes at the risk of hurting your fuel consumption—we averaged 6.8km/L in mostly city conditions.
Newer drivers or first-time car buyers may be apprehensive about the less-than-stellar fuel economy and the peppy powertrain, but those looking for something more exciting will definitely have fun with the Venue.
Ride and handling
Generally, the Venue provides an inoffensive ride that won’t raise any complaints, but won’t generate praise, either. For an entry-level subcompact crossover, it feels well planted, with a simple suspension system that handles most minor road imperfections with average composure.
At speeds north of 80kph, NVH tends to worsen with engine noise and other exterior sounds seeping into the cabin. There is also a fair amount of interior rattling that prompts you to slow down and drive a bit more conservatively.
The Venue shines brightest as a city cruiser, as it can handle a drive to the office or a trip to the mall with ease. Given its subcompact frame, maneuvering into parking spaces and driving through smaller roads was pretty easy. I didn’t find myself relying on the rearview camera as much as I usually do, which can also be attributed to its prompt steering.
The second row is surprisingly comfortable, with an ample amount of legroom. At the same time, headroom is also commendable, thanks to the crossover’s high roofline. However, fitting five passengers is a bit of a tall ask, which really makes the Venue a spacious four-seater.
Extra features
At this price point, I was spoiled with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with automatic lights. These features come across as carefully curated additions, which speaks to the amount of thought Hyundai has put into assembling this car and keeping it as fresh as possible for the present times.
This being the top-of-the-line GLS variant, the carmaker has also thrown in electronic stability control and hill-start assist, the latter being surprisingly helpful when going up mall parking ramps. If these aren’t important to you, more affordable variants are available, and they still retain the wireless software and the automatic lights.
Verdict
Given the Venue’s price tag of P998,000 for the range-topping GLS, car buyers can save a few bucks and some gas if they opt for new offerings from China. At the same time, legacy carmakers have similarly sized products for around the same price, and they arguably look fresher.
However, none of those alternatives have an exciting 1.6-liter mill under the hood. With the power the Venue has, it is hard to recommend to those in search of their first vehicle. That said, those looking for a little more life and spirit in their daily driver will have a lot of fun with Hyundai’s pocket rocket.
SPECS: Hyundai Venue 1.6 GLS 6AT 2027
Price: P998,000
Engine: 1.6-liter gasoline I4
Power: 121hp @ 6,300rpm
Torque: 151Nm @ 4,850rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Drive layout: FWD
Seating: 5
Score: 8.5/10
More photos of the 2027 Hyundai Venue 1.6 GLS 6AT:
