Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- At a motor show in New York, Hyundai Motor has showcased "Venue", an entry-level compact sport utility vehicle which targets tech-savvy young people with fully-packed driving-assist features.

The compact SUV, which made its debut at the 2019 New York International Auto Show, is the most affordable Hyundai SUV which will be released globally in the fourth quarter of this year, Hyundai said in a statement.

"The all-new Venue might be small in size, but it’s big on practicality and personality," Hyundai Motor America's product, corporate and digital planning division vice president Mike O’Brien was quoted as saying. He said Venue houses bold and unique designs as well as top-technology features regarding safety and connectivity.

Lee Sang-yup, Hyundai's executive vice president of design, compared the company's SUV lineup as pieces on a chess board. "Our new Palisade is the King, but we are missing the smaller piece. And that’s where Venue comes in," he said. Palisade, a full-size premium SUV, became a best-seller at home when it was released in December.

Hyundai said that because Venue was designed to be an entry-level car, it provides various safety features which would help inexperienced drivers to feel confident on the road. Venue's forward-collision-avoidance assist (FCA) will detect an imminent collision and avoid it or minimize the impact by automatically braking.

The Lane-keeping-assist (LKA) feature will help drivers accidentally veering off lanes by sensing the road ahead and controlling the car's direction. The compact SUV also has a feature which helps drivers detect other traffic driving in blind spots.

Venue will be fitted with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that is fuel-efficient and powerful enough for active driving in urban and suburban areas.