086 JULY 2019 →TOPGEAR.COM
to manoeuvre this car through the chaotic traffic of our
cities. Despite the decent room on the inside, which
allowed five people to comfortably fit in, along with
photography kits and some overnight bags in the boot,
the overall dimensions of the car are pretty compact.
It doesn’t feel a handful at any point and that turning
radius, which Hy undai had been stressing upon in press
briefings and releases, was indeed marvelous.
Customar y appearance at the resort done, we
headed back towards Guwahati. It was time to take
stock of Hy undai’s trademark strength – the features.
Aside from conveniences such as touchscreen
infotainment system, rear-view camera, a wireless
charging dock (quite the offering in the segment),the big highlight of the Venue is Hy undai’s Blue Link
connected car technolog y. Of course, there’s an app
for that. Once downloaded, you can do the usual
things such as have ser vice reminders and book
appointments, much like what most other apps from
rival manufacturers offer. But where Hyundai has
hit the ball out of the park is with the added jazz. For
instance, you can remotely fire up the engine, lock or
unlock the car and set off an alarm so you can locate
your car in those massive mall parking lots, among
other things. You can also set the air-con to a desired
temperature so that the cabin is exactly how you
want it by the time you get in. This would be a life-
saver for those hot and bright summer months, when8
10HYUNDAI VENUE
Price: `9.54 lakh (ex-showroom)
Engine: 998cc, turbo-petrol
Power: 118bhp
Torque: 172Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Boot: 350 litres
LWH: 3995x1770x1605mm
Wheelbase: 2500mm
Pros: Solid ride, decent handling,
good performance, useful technology
Cons: Rear legroom
Bottom line: A solid product that should set
the cash registers ringing