Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue: Design, Comfort, Specifications, And Prices Comparison

by Kshitij Rawat | 17/09/2019
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We compare the on-paper stats of the Tata Nexon and the Hyundai Venue, to check how the two cars stack up against each other.

Hyundai Venue is arguably the most significant product release in the south Korean auto makers Indian portfolio. Within a mere month of its launch, it scaled an attack on the segment leader, Maruti Vitara Brezza, and then won! Currently, the Venue is India’s largest selling subcompact SUV. So, does that mean it is the best car in its segment? Let’s check with another of its closest competitor, the Tata Nexon.


Tata Nexon is one of the best subcompact SUVs in the market, owing to its great handling, comfortable ride, spacious interiors, and most importantly, its safety ratings. Tata Nexon is the first car by an Indian manufacturer to have secured a 5-star rating in Global NCAP crash tests. It has sold more than 1 lakh models in under 2 years, and is still going strong.

Also See: 10 Best-Selling SUVs In August 2019 In India: From Hyundai Venue To Honda WR-V

Let’s go through a detailed Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue comparison to understand where the cars stand relative to each other in different aspects. Let’s begin with the design.

Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue - Exterior Design Comparison

Front


From the front, these two cars are as different as night and day. The Tata Nexon has large, bulbous headlamps which look extremely cute. The Hyundai Venue’s face, however, sports the vertically split headlamp design that has become popular in modern SUVs. It looks extremely slick and modern, and extremely eye-catchy. What it doesn’t look though, is distinctive. The recently launched MG Hector, Hyundai Kona EV, and even Tata’s Harrier SUV, they all share the vertically split headlamp design. Not only that, every upcoming Hyundai SUV will sport the same kind of headlights too. While each car has their own unique twist on it, we can’t help but feel like there will be a very quick saturation of this design.

Also See: 2020 Hyundai Creta Vs Kia Seltos – Design, Dimensions, Specifications Comparison

With all our concern out of the way, the Hyundai Venue feels slightly more handsome from the front, at least for now.

Side


Just like the front-end, the side profiles are also quite different on both these cars. The Nexon prefers curves, while the Venue takes its boxy theme very seriously. The Tata Nexon has a beautifully arching roofline, and even comes in a dual tone colour scheme, which further enhances the side profile. There is a sharp shoulder-line, starting low from the front wheel arch, slowly rising up as it runs backwards along the side, cutting through the door handles, and then finally meeting with the taillights. Compared to that, the Venue feels plain and boring. Except for its wheels, there is no design element at which to marvel.

Rear


In a bizarre coincidence, the rear-end of both these cars are not-very-pretty. The Nexon has a very high tail lamp with a plastic cladding running from one side to another, connecting with the strip running on the side profile over the doors. The lower half of the tail-end is an empty stretch of nothingness. There is a huge fake plastic diffuser type rear bumper, which invites divided opinion. Some like it while others don’t.

Also See: 2020 Tata Nexon facelift spotted for the first time

As for the Venue, it sticks to its boxy theme very religiously. Hyundai designers were probably going for something unique. The result is definitely unique, but at the expense of beauty. The tail-end is overwhelmingly square, and the indicators feel like on the wrong end of the individual taillights. The fake skid-plate underneath with silver finish looks good though.

Overall, there is no clear winner on the design front. Objectively, the conclusion is this: The Tata Nexon is pretty and classy, and the Hyundai Venue looks aggressive and modern. For now, it's the new SUV that's the winner of our Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue comparison. 

Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue - Interior Comfort Comparison

Seating Layout


Both the cars have the same seating capacity, five people, but there are major differences between the two. The Nexon is the more spacious car, and is comfier as well, and it has more shoulder room due to it bigger width. You could seat five people in moderate comfort, and four in utmost comfort. There is plenty of room, even in the rear seats, but sadly, there is no option for leather or leatherette option for the seats or the steering wheel.

Also See: Hyundai Elantra Facelift Spotted Testing Prior To Its Launch

The Venue has very spacious front seats, but the rear seats are not as impressive as the Nexon. Seating five people will be a pain, so it’s better to stick to just four occupants. Thankfully, you get leather seats in higher trims, which feels more premium than the fabric seats on the Nexon.

Interior Features


Hyundai prides on the features in the Venue, and it is India’s first connected car, followed by the much more expensive MG Hector. It features an embedded SIM card that works the connected tech of the car. Other than that, the Venue also offers a sunroof, and it is the only car in the segment to get wireless charging. Both the cars feature Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, which is a huge plus-point.

Also See: 2020 Hyundai Creta To Feature 360-Degree Camera and Multiple Drive Modes

The Nexon, on the other hand, feels like a low-tech cabin, the 6.5-inch touchscreen is smaller than Venue’s 8-inch touchscreen unit, but in terms of design, the Tata wins. Where the Hyundai feels largely plastic-y and dark, the lighter colour of the interior along with smartly placed metal inserts. This makes the cabin feel more premium. Sadly, there are a few inconsistent panel gaps, which spoil the feel once you notice them. Even in the section of our Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue comparison, it's the new model that triumphs. 

Safety Features

Tata Nexon boasts of a 5-star Global NCAP safety rating, and is the only car manufactured in India to do so. The Hyundai Venue has not been crash-tested, so the verdict on that awaits. Still it has an impressive list of safety features that not only matches the Nexon, but offers a slight upgrade in terms of Electronic Stability Control System, Impact Sensing Door unlock, Automatic Headlamps, and Day/Night Rear View Mirror.

Also See: Tata Nexon Keeps Occupants Safe Even On Being Crushed By A Giant Hoarding

Both cars feature an impressive list of safety equipment, including Anti-Lock Braking System, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution, Child Safety Locks, Front Row Airbags, Seat Belt Warning, Door Open Warning, Front and Side Impact Beams, Seatbelt pretensioner (front-seats), Crash Sensor, ISOFIX Child Seat Mounts, and Hill Climb Assist.

Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue - Specifications Comparison

Dimensions

Model

Tata Nexon

Hyundai Venue

Length

3,994 mm

3,995 mm

Width

1,811 mm

1,770 mm

Height

1,607 mm

1,605 mm

Wheelbase

2,498 mm

2,500 mm

 

Both the Tata Nexon and Hyundai Venue are subcompact SUV, meaning they fit within the sub-4-metre car category. The biggest benefit of that lie in taxes, as Government of India allows for tax exemptions on such cars. Smaller cars are also lighter, which means they consume less fuel, thus saving your wallets.

There are also some other, non-monetary advantages of the compact size as well, like ease of driving and higher manoeuvrability in the city. Driving in city traffic is tedious, especially when roads are narrow. Compact cars are easier to manage in such conditions. There is just a small difference in the dimensions of the two, with the Nexon being slightly wider.

Performance

Model

Tata Nexon

Hyundai Venue

Engine Size

1.2-litre

1.5-litre

1.2-litre

1.0-litre

1.4-litre

Fuel type

Petrol

Diesel

Petrol

Petrol

Diesel

No. of Cylinders

3

4

4

3

4

Max Power

108 bhp

108 bhp

82 bhp

119 bhp

89 bhp

Max Torque

170 Nm

260 Nm

115 Nm

170 Nm

220 Nm

Transmission

6-Speed Manual/6-Speed AMT

6-Speed Manual/6-Speed AMT

5-Speed Manual

6-Speed Manual/ 7-Speed DCT Automatic

6-Speed Manual

Fuel Economy

17.0 Kmpl

21.5 Kmpl

17.52 Kmpl

18.15 Kmpl

23.7 Kmpl

Tata Nexon offers two engine options, a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol, and a 1.5-litre Revotorq diesel. Both engines offer 108 Bhp of max power, although the diesel offers 90 Nm more torque than the petrol. You have the option of getting a 6-speed manual or 6-speed AMT automatic with either of those engines. The former is a hoot to drive, but the latter is a little disappointing. The AMT is slow to, and sometimes the gear changes are unexpected and jerky.

Also See: 2020 Tata Nexon EV Spied During Testing

With the Hyundai Venue, you have three engine options. The first is a 1.2-litre petrol, which is the affordable option among the three. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual. Then you have a 1.4-litre diesel, which is the most popular engine option for the Indian market. It is paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox. And lastly, there is the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol motor. This is the engine that will attract the auto enthusiasts. It can be had with either a 6-speed manual, or a dual-clutch transmission. While the DCT auto isn’t as quick as one in a German car, like a Volkswagen Polo, it still is much better than an AMT or CVT unit. With almost 120 bhp on tap, the turbo-petrol Venue is a really great performer. Both cars are currently BSIV compliant only, and BSVI engines are in pipeline for both the manufacturers. 

Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue - Prices Comparison

In terms of prices too, both the cars are evenly matched. The base variant of the petrol-powered Nexon is ₹6.58 lakh, and it goes up to ₹9.99 lakh for the top petrol variant. For the petrol-powered Venue, prices range from ₹6.5 lakh to ₹11.1 lakh. As for the diesel variants, the Tata Nexon is priced between ₹7.95 lakh to ₹11.0 lakh, while the Hyundai Venue is priced between ₹7.75 lakh and ₹10.84 lakh.

Also See: Tata Offers 3 Years/40,000 Kms Free Service Package on Tigor, Tiago, Hexa and Nexon

As seen from the data, the Hyundai is much more versatile in terms of pricing. It starts a bit lower than the Tata SUV, and retails for slightly higher in its top-most variant. There is a Venue for virtually every pocket.

Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue – Verdict

Also See: Hyundai Venue Vs Hyundai Elite i20 - Design, Specifications And Prices Comparison

While none of these cars are bad, there must be a winner in this comparison. In terms of looks and design, the scale tilts towards the Tata Nexon. It looks prettier, both on the outside and on the inside. It also offers better space, and has proven itself in safety testing as well. That doesn’t mean that its competitor is incompetent. The Hyundai Venue inches ahead in terms of equipment, pricing, performance, and while crash-test ratings are yet to be revealed, it’s plethora of safety features indicate that it will match, or even surpass, the Nexon. Overall, our preference would be the Hyundai Venue. Taking into account all of the above, it's the baby-Creta that wins our Tata Nexon vs Hyundai Venue comparison. 

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