Hyundai’s Venue has been a huge success for the brand, ever since it made its debut in India last year, equipped with a whole lot of features and various engine-and-gearbox options. With the addition of the new intelligent manual transmission and the absence of a clutch, the new iMT Venue brings with it the advantages of a manual gearbox while bringing with it the ease of not using a clutch pedal. We dig in deeper to tell you how it is…

Let’s talk appearance

Design wise, the Venue continues to impress with its muscular wheel arches, high-set bonnet, strong belt line, its bold grille and of course, the tidy looking rear end. However, there are some bits on the SUV that make it stand out from the regular Venue. The gloss black grille sports red accents in its slats, while the headlights and tail lights receive a smoked out look. There are also red highlights on the wheel arches, roof rails and the lower half of the doors. Apart from that, you also get red brake calipers.

Stepping in

By and large, the cabin of the Hyundai Venue iMT remains the same but there are some details that separate it from the regular Venue. We tested the Sport variant, and this model gets red stitching on the seats, the sporty flat-bottom steering and the gear lever. There are also red highlights on the dials and AC vents. The cabin is well put together with lots of soft touch plastics around and stowage spaces. The second row could’ve been roomier, but the 350-litre boot is huge for a car in this segment.

On the road

The Venue iMT is sold solely with a 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine that produces 118bhp and 172Nm of torque, with power channeled to the front wheels through a 6-speed intelligent manual, which is basically a manual gearbox with an automated clutch mechanism. You start the car in the same way you start a manual: foot on the brake, gear lever in neutral, engine start. Put into first gear, release the brake, and car begins to roll. The gear shifts are smooth, and the car pulls in a linear fashion. It reaches three digit speeds within no time as well. The gear shifts are light, and if you shift into the wrong gear, you’ll be given a warning beep from the instrument cluster. The steering is light but is lacking in feel, just like on the regular Venue. It soaks in the rough stuff well, but you do feel the bigger bumps filter through.

Buying one

Compact SUVs are hugely popular in India, and automatic ones only seem to double in numbers. The idea of eliminating the clutch while keeping the essence of driving a manual alive sure seems like an attractive idea. It may not be a quick transmission, but it surely works without any fuss. However, it is available only in the top-spec SX and SX (O) variants, making it rather expensive. Also, grab the latest info on the upcoming cars, only at autoX.