Hyundai Automotive South Africa has launched the Venue Cargo featuring a spacious, secure cargo hold that promises to be a popular small commercial vehicle with a payload of 500 kg and the advantage that a VAT-registered business can claim back value added tax on the purchase.The new Venue joins its smaller Cargo range partner, the Grand i10 Cargo, which was launched in 2019 and has proved to be a very popular commercial and business vehicle. Both the Venue and Grand i10 Cargo features an enlarged cargo load area (by removing the rear seat bench) and fitting it with a steel mesh grille for extra security.The steel mesh or grid is positioned between the front seats (driver and passenger) and the enlarged cargo area. Smaller steel grids are fitted to the rear side window openings and the rear window in the hatchback.“We have had considerable success with the Grand i10 Cargo, which was the first car in Hyundai’s local range to be converted into a two-seater with a secure load area for commercial use. After careful consideration we identified the entry-level small SUV in our range, the Venue, to be well suited for a bigger Cargo derivative,” says Stanley Anderson, sales and operations director of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.“Compared to the alternatives available from competitive brands at a similar price, the running cost of the Hyundai Cargo vehicles is very low. Furthermore, they are backed by an industry-leading warranty for 7 years or 200 000 km which makes a lot of sense considering the high mileage covered daily by such a commercial vehicle.”Hyundai launched a refreshed Venue model range in 2022, and the Cargo is based on the entry-level derivative, the Venue 1.2 Motion. As its upgraded range partners, the Venue Cargo has abold new front grille with wider dimensions and a cascading chocolate-box appearance, with the indicator light cluster on the far top corners forming a unit with the grille. The headlamps are housed in separate clusters.On the Venue’s redesigned rear end, the new taillights are joined across the new hatch door with a horizontal strip to form a visual unit. The hatch door has also been made wider at the bottom, offering a bigger bottom opening that would – especially in the case of the Venue Cargo – ease the loading of large items into and out of the rear compartment.The Venue Cargo, equipped with 15-inch steel wheel rims with a styled plastic cover, comes in a Polar White exterior colour.Interior and convenience featuresThe Venue Cargo’s interior offers intuitive controls and excellent use of dimensions to create a spacious cabin for the driver and front passenger.The main feature of the Cargo’s interior is its big load compartment behind the front seats with a 1 296-litre capacity, enhanced by the security features mentioned earlier. The dimensions of the cargo compartment are:Length: 1 200 mm;Width: 1 200 mm; andHeight: 900 mm.Convenience features include an infotainment system that features an 8-inch display audio touchscreen system and rearview monitor in the front console. The system works with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions for intuitive operation of applicable smartphone applications, including app-based navigation which is a very useful feature for a delivery vehicle, as well as streaming audio and voice-controlled search capabilities.Consumers will also appreciate the USB cell phone charging ports, a Supervision 4,2-inch TFT LCD display to show useful information for the driver, a rearview camera with display on the infotainment system’s 8-inch screen, and Bluetooth hands-free phone operation. The Venue Cargo is equipped with a manual air conditioner.SafetyThe Venue Cargo’s passive safety features include two front airbags and three-point seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force limiters (for driver and passenger respectively). An Advanced Braking System (ABS) for active safety assists to keep the Cargo under control when having to stop suddenly in difficult road conditions. Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), which balances braking forces at each wheel when the car is dynamically loaded, and Brake Assist, which provides maximum braking force to the driver when an emergency stop is necessary, are also on the Cargo’s list of standard safety equipment.Drivetrain and suspensionThe naturally aspirated 4-cylinder Kappa 1.2-litre MPi petrol engine, delivering 61 kW maximum power and 115 Nm maximum torque, drives the Venue Cargo through a 5-speed manual transmission. The frugal engine boasts an average fuel consumption of 6,5 litres per 100 km, measured in a mix of open-road, highway and city driving.The Venue’s suspension configuration and tuning creates a good compromise between ride comfort and confident vehicle control. The suspension and steering deliver a combination of control and balance, as well as a decent ground clearance, to achieve utility and maneuverability in a small vehicle footprint.McPherson-type struts with a stabilizer bar and coil springs are used for the front suspension, while a coupled torsion beam axle with coil springs ensure secure road handling at the rear and the ability to carry a big cargo load.PriceThe price (VAT inclusive) of the new Hyundai Venue Cargo is R 329 900.Included in the price is Hyundai’s groundbreaking 7-year / 200 000 km warranty; 7-year / 150 000 km roadside assistance; and a 3-year / 45 000 km service plan.Service intervals are at 15 000 km, or annually when applicable.
