The 1.2-litre petrol engine does duty across Hyundai’s small-car range in India – powering the Grand i10 Nios, Aura, Exter, i20 and even the Venue. While this engine is offered with both manual and automatic gearbox options in Hyundai’s smaller cars – a CVT in the i20 and an AMT in the rest – the Venue gets it exclusively with a 5-speed manual. Even so, the Venue 1.2 petrol accounts for a significant 63 percent of total Venue sales, with the turbo-petrol and diesel contributing 16 percent and 21 percent respectively. We put this version through our real-world fuel-efficiency tests to see how frugal it actually is.
- Claimed range is 18.05kpl
- No automatic engine stop-start function
- Weighs 1,127kg
Hyundai Venue 1.2 petrol-MT mileage explained
Powered by a four-cylinder, 1,197cc naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 83hp and 115Nm, the Venue 1.2 boasts of an ARAI-rated fuel efficiency figure of 18.05kpl. However, in our real-world tests, it delivered 10.7kpl in the city and 14.9kpl on the highway.
Unlike some rivals, the Venue 1.2 misses out on an automatic engine stop-start system, which could have helped curb fuel consumption in traffic. Another factor working against efficiency is weight – at 1,127kg, the Venue is over 130kg heavier than the Exter that uses the same engine. To offset this added mass, Hyundai has opted for shorter gearing. As a result, the engine is spinning at a rather high 3,200rpm at 100kph in fifth gear, making it less relaxed during highway cruising.
Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing
Before our real-world fuel efficiency tests, we fill our test cars’ tanks to the brim and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops in and around Navi Mumbai, and we maintain certain average speeds. Throughout the tests, there is only one person in each car, and the aircon is set to 22-deg C in full-auto mode. We operate and other electricals, such as the audio system, indicators and wipers, just like a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by refilling the tanks to full.
