Hyundai Venue DCT Variant Off To A Flyer; Petrol Dominates Bookings

As was largely expected, the Hyundai Venue has got off to a great start. The Korean company's first subcompact SUV in India (or anywhere) has now seen bookings get close to 25,000 units and that figure is likely to double by Diwali. Hyundai has stated its intention of making the Venue the market leader - meaning toppling the very popular Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza off its perch. One key weapon in its arsenal is strength with petrol - something the rival does not have at all as of now. The Hyundai Venue comes with two petrol engines, and its more modern, turbocharged 1.0 GDI has the maximum demand. The only automatic in the mix is the new DCT or dual-clutch transmission, and it now accounts for 35 per cent of all bookings. Add the demand for the manual and the 1.0 GDI has the most interest amongst those booking the car. The diesel variant of the Hyundai Venue is next with 40 per cent off take while the 1.2 Kappa petrol has the least demand.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue: Most Value For Money Variant

The diesel and the 1.2 Kappa do not have an automatic option, though like the GDI, the diesel gets a 6-Speed manual gearbox, while the 1.2 gets a 5-Speed. The company has also told carandbike that of all the bookings, the most popular variants are the SX and SX(O) - the top two trims, which have options like bluelink telematics and the touchscreen infotainment suite.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue: Variants Explained

The Hyundai Venue is the first car to come equipped with the 1-litre GDI engine

Also Read: Hyundai Venue Features Explained

This follows recent trends that see more consumers opting for the higher-end or fully loaded variants in most new car launches. We have seen the same for even the last Hyundai models like the Verna or the facelifted Creta, as also amongst other cars like the Mahindra XUV300 or Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. An increasing number of consumers now want connectivity and some amount of luxury, and are also drawn by extra safety features that the top-end trim variants typically have.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue: Interior Design And Features Explained

The Hyundai Venue 1.0 GDI DCT is the only automatic option offered with the SUV

Hyundai is said to be examining a shuffle in its production plan for the next 3-6 months, since the demand for the Venue is likely to put a lot of pressure on its plant in Chennai; especially in the run-up to the festive season later this year. What will be interesting is to see how the Venue impacts the Creta's sales, if at all - since the smaller car is better loaded with tech and features. It also sports nicer materials an build quality as we have stated in our review. Read our detailed review here.