Meet the Hyundai Venue. Slated to launch on May 21, 2019, it is without a doubt the most important product for the South Korean carmaker this year. Built to take on the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Mahindra XUV300, Ford EcoSport and the Tata Nexon, the Venue will pack a lot to lure customers away from those established products in the segment. Of course, that’ll depend on the kind of pricing Hyundai comes up with. But before we get to that, let’s unravel the confirmed set of details.

First up, the engine line-up. As expected, customers will have three engines to choose from – a 1.4-litre diesel with 90PS/220Nm; a 1.2-litre petrol producing 83PS/115Nm; and the debuting 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbo-petrol with 120PS/172Nm. Hyundai fanatics will immediately tell you that the first two engines are already on offer with the Elite i20. As far as transmission options are concerned, the diesel will only come with a 6-speed manual unit and the 1.2-litre petrol will be offered only with a 5-speed manual. However, the most powerful of the lot will be available with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission – a segment-first.

Unsurprisingly, the Hyundai Venue will pack a lot of creature comforts and a bunch of first-in-class features. Let’s focus on the latter category first. Apart from the BlueLink technology, the Venue will introduce a wireless mobile charger, projector fog lamps, a built-in air purifier, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with HD resolution and an Arkamys-tuned sound system. The rest of the features list includes an electric sunroof, cruise control, voice recognition, smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED-powered DRLs and taillamps, cooled glovebox and rear AC vents.

While Hyundai’s BlueLink tech brings its own set of safety and security features, the Venue will enhance the safety net by offering features like six airbags, ISOFIX anchorages for child booster seats, hill assist control, vehicle stability management, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and ABS with EBD and Brake Assist.

As standard, Hyundai’s first-ever sub-4 metre SUV will come with a 3 years/unlimited kilometres warranty and 3 years of free roadside assistance membership. As far as pricing is concerned, it is expected to be at par with the Mahindra XUV300 which, as we already know, is on the expensive side. That being said, the Venue’s package will surely take the sub-compact SUV game to another level. What do you guys think?