The smallest and least expensive SUV in Hyundai’s lineup is the spritely Venue. In fact, it’s nearly the smallest and least expensive Hyundai of them all, with only the subcompact Accent barely slotting beneath it. Small doesn’t have to mean stale, however. We’re already impressed with the Venue’s design and character, but it could use a bit more power.
Rather than wait for Hyundai to create a hotter Venue N edition, we took it upon ourselves to make it happen. Truth be told, from a visual perspective it wouldn’t take much to infuse the Venue with a bit of aggression. The basic design is already bold and a touch on the edgy side, which is a good foundation for a performance model. Minor design changes to the lower fascia include a chin spoiler, and further back we have squared-off rocker panels. The rear fascia sits a touch lower too, and really, those small changes are all that’s needed.
Our Take On The Venue:
Of course, deleting chrome and adding red trim always helps. Being an N we also had to give it the proper shade of blue, and while we don’t have a specific wheel design for our rendering, showing the Venue in-motion allows us to see the brake upgrade behind them. This is where we shift from mere aesthetic changes as one might find in an N Line (which is already in the works) to a full N model.
Power Up:
Clearly the Veloster N is on our minds with this rendering, so why not borrow the 250-horsepower (186-kilowatt) turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder from the hot hatchback? That would be a terrific step up from the Venue’s 1.6-liter, 121-hp (90 kW) engine. If that’s too much, the 201-hp (150 kW) 1.6-liter mill from the Veloster Turbo R-Spec could be another solution. Connect it either to a six-speed manual or the dual-clutch gearbox that debuted on the Veloster N in April.
Would Hyundai build such a machine? When quizzed on a high-performance Venue N the automaker didn’t say no. But with the Venue being a value-oriented small crossover, we see such investment not being in Hyundai’s best interest. Still, we can dream.