Stallion Group has launched a locally assembled Hyundai Venue into the Nigerian market.
On this year’s Valentine day, media reports highlighted the company’s plan to roll out a tropicalised version of the multiple award-winning and trendy SUV, which has consistently resonated its quality and unique character across the world.
Follow-up search has confirmed that locally assembled units of the Venue are now on display for sale in Hyundai showrooms across the country.
As revealed by the Brand Manager Mr. Gaurav Vashisht in a media chat, SKD (Semi Knocked Down) units for the cars arrived in the country about two months ago and were assembled at VON after the lockdown was lifted for COVID-19 pandemic.
“Although Stallion Motors did not stop operations as the online platforms were active,” he explained, “the company has, all the way, observed strict precautions to keep its staff and all those connected with the company safe. It is our responsibility to do so.
“If you look at the servicing side, we have been taking about two cars at a time, so that the parking bay is never overcrowded. There are specific points for sanitation, which are done on the interior and exterior of the cars before they are handed over.
“The same applies to the assembling lines. In our assembling operations, we take utmost care to ensure that all hygiene parameters are followed, which is why, right now, it takes longer to assemble our vehicles.”
“Notwithstanding,” Mr Vashisht added, “We have been assembling the Venue in the VON assembly plant at Gbagada, Lagos. We were just waiting for the ease of the lockdown, so that we could get them into our show rooms. And being assembled here locally and tropically modified, the Venue is good for Nigerian roads.”
For the Nigerian market, the venue comes in two variants, namely: Venue 1.6L Elegance GL and Venue 1.6L Evolution GLS.
Coming face-to-face with the venue at the Hyundai’s Victoria Island showroom, one gets an impression that it must have taken a bit of styling cue from its big cousin, the Hyundai Palisade. The sleek and compact SUV undoubtedly exudes fresh style, complemented with varieties of vibrant colours. Aside its distinctive eye-catching LED lights, both Elegance GL and Evolution GLS variants come with Black & Chrome Coatings Grill and sit on bold 15inch and 17-inch alloy wheels, respectively.
Equipment
Entering and starting the Venue is quite easy, fast and safe, as it comes with a proximity key, which means there won’t be a need to fumble for your key, when you want to drive the car. All you need do is get close to the car, open the door, settle on the driving seat, push a button to start the engine and off you go.
While both variants are equipped with Bluetooth and manual air-conditioning, Evolution GLS is equipped with 8-inch touchscreen as well as Smartphone connectivity, which provides seamless and easy access to all your essential mobile apps on the screen.
Safety
The locally assembled Venue comes with an innovative Hyundai Smartsense technology, surrounding its occupants with advanced safety features, enabling it to detect the closing gap between the vehicle and pedestrians ahead.
Built with Hyundai’s advanced high strength steel to deliver a safer, smoother and more responsive drive, both variants of the Venue made for Nigeria, are equipped with immobiliser, driver / passenger Airbags, Reverse Camera with Parking Sensors and anti-lock braking system (ABS), which prevents the wheels from locking up during braking, thereby maintaining tractive contact with the road surface.
Power
With a fuel tank capacity of 45- litres, the Venue is powered by a smartstream, 1.6-litre engine (Gamma 1.6 MPI, 4 Cylinders, 16 Valve, DOHC engine), a sophisticated and remarkable engine technology, which Hyundai introduced recently to achieve higher efficiency, lower fuel consumption and better performance. The engine delivers power through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Comfort and space
With 110.6 cubic feet of total interior volume, the Venue provides pleasant room for front and rear passengers. With its seats unfolded, cargo capacity is 18.7 cubic feet. Seats folded, it provides 31.9 cubic feet of space.
Selling Price
The Venue 1.6L Elegance sells for N10.7 Million. Whereas, for a load of added features and equipments, including: Leather Seats, Privacy Glass with Heated Function, Halogen Head Lamps with Static Bending, Day Time Running Light – LED, HMSL – LED / Position Lamp – LED, Electric Heated Mirrors, Electric Folding Mirrors, Supervision 3.5 inch LCD Cluster, Smart Key – Button Start and Audio System 8-inch Display, the 1.6L Evolution variant costs N11.7 Million.
While the Stallion’s marketing GM, Ms Arpita Roy Luthra attributed the Venue’s cost price to the fall in the value of Naira, she said responses from auto buyers have been impressive.
“We have seen increasingly that there is a larger demand for crossover and small SUVs in this market,” she said. “They have been doing phenomenally well owing to the growth of middle class and the consumers shift in buying new over used car in similar budget.
“More so, if you compare Hyundai Venue with similar cars in its segment, it has better features and value for money. It’s the smallest SUV in the product line for Hyundai however big in style and features.”
