Hyundai announced it will travel to the 2019 New York Auto Show to unveil the Venue. We’re not talking about a sponsorship deal with a football stadium or the grand opening of a concert hall. Venue is the name of the South Korean firm’s next crossover.
Aimed at what Hyundai identified as “urban entrepreneurs,” the Venue will join the company’s growing family of crossovers and SUVs. It will be positioned below the Kona in terms of size and price as an entry-level model. Preview sketches published by the company show an assertive front-end design with a wide grille, thin headlights, and low-mounted fog lights. We’ll have to muster a little bit of patience to find out whether it’s as bold in person.
The Venue’s pocket-sized dimensions will take Hyundai into a segment of the market most of its rivals have steered clear of due to paper-thin profit margins, and a perceived lack of interest from buyers. Time will tell whether Hyundai’s bet will pay off. What’s certain is that small won’t mean basic, and the Venue will be available with a long list of connectivity and driver-assistance features. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility will be available on most trim levels.
While technical specifications haven’t been released yet, it’s reasonable to speculate the Venue will come standard with a four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive. We don’t know whether all-wheel drive will be available yet; the model won’t be a true off-roader, so Hyundai may choose not to offer the configuration to keep it simple and affordable.
Why Venue? Hyundai explained it chose the name because other members of its crossover and SUV lineup are named after places. It makes the Kona, the Tucson, and the Santa Fe, for example. The Venue “embodies the characteristics of ‘the place to be,’ en route to the final destination, wherever that may be,” according to the company.
The 2020 Hyundai Venue will make its debut during the 2019 New York Auto Show, and Digital Trends will be at the venue — pun intended — to bring you full details as soon as it breaks cover. Though pricing information hasn’t been announced yet, its sub-Kona positioning suggests it will start in the vicinity of $18,000.
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Author: Ronan Glon
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