Hyundai Santa Fe Limited: Enriching a well-received recipe

Hyundai’s translation of ‘facelift’ is especially bold – really, you’re dealing with a complete refit.

Price: $89,990

Powertrain and economy: 2.0-litre turbo diesel four cylinder, 148kW/ 440Nm, 8-speed automatic, AWD, combined economy 6.1L/100km.

Vital statistics: 4785mm long, 1710mm high, 1900mm wide, 2765mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 571 litres, 20-inch alloy wheels.

We like: Improved powertrain, enhanced refinement, quality build, strong safety spec, better interior.

We don't like: Tech integration quirks (phone, speed sign recognition), challenging premium over equivalent Sorento.

 FIRST, the obvious ‘funny’: Yes, Santa did come to ‘ours’ for Christmas.

More than that. He arrived four days ahead of the 25th and stuck around for three more afterward, and though there was plenty of travel involved during that period, I can attest every kilometre clocked was in our company. Moreover, he never left out property on the night of the 24th, which all the more undermined the whole Claus and Co ‘people to see, places to go and just a few hours to do it in one global hit’ mission statement.

Okay, so that about as far as the ‘punny’ side can be stretched; you’ll should have surely already fathomed by now, hopefully with some ho-ho-ho, that the Santa in question wasn’t a bearded stout bloke but the updated version of Hyundai’s now second-largest (having been bumped by Palisade) sports utility.

Having the new Santa Fe Limited for test during the Christmas break was a treat. Hyundai New Zealand’s car even provisioned in a seasonally-appropriate hue; what they call it ‘lava orange’ is really quite red-tinged. Even if you think otherwise, you’d agree it is the best hue you could have for this car. It accentuates all the design highlights and makes it look properly premium.

Again, that’s fitting, given the circumstances. Santa Fe stickers have progressively, and often significantly, stepped up with every model change for some time now. The latest continues that trend; the Limited now in optimal 2.2-litre turbodiesel format leaves just $10 change from a $90,000 outlay.  

Is that rare air for a high flier? Here’s the thing: Every new generation has become an even bigger success than the last. On top of this, the most expensive version are consistently the biggest sellers.

Hyundai NZ will say this shows that, as gambles go, the strategy has so far been pretty much a safe bet. But I’d offer two counter-points. First, from everything I can see, NZ seems to have become one of the more expensive places to buy the car in right hand drive.

Also, look at where Kia slots the new Sorento. Their Premium variant that is a doppelganger in all but styling to the Limited is a full $13,000 cheaper. How the subordinate and parent brand can site so far apart is for each to explain; what it means is that the biggest threat to the car on test comes from another family member.  

Back to the Santa Fe. What we get is a mid-life facelift of the car that has been in production since 2017. What we see is something much more.  So much has changed that impression of it being a new thing, though technically wrong, can hardly be called misguided.

The exterior stylists have been busy – a different nose and tail are the most obvious changes - the cabin’s been extensively made over, there’s a lift in driver assistance tech, it switches to another platform from within the wider family and gains a next generation engine, now matched to an eight-speed twin-clutch automatic, continuing with all-wheel drive.  

The front-end refurbishment is take-or-leave at Limited level; Hyundai configures the car with two grille designs this time, with the premium edition taking the larger, more chromed version. I understand that big grilles are a thing now, but this one is … erm, overwhelming in its glam-ness. The new Tucson that will soon show here has something similar, but also achieves a really cool back-lighting effect that changes the whole thing. Perhaps it’ll become a running change for the big brother. In respect to lighting, the Santa Fe places running lamps up high and the main headlights down low; again, it’s a bit out of the norm, but there’s no qualms about their effectiveness.

From the inside looking out, much better. The step up in interior quality and ambience grab you immediately; soft quilted leather, double-glazed front door glass, a very decent stereo and a whole new, LCD-predominant instrumental layout all firm up the luxury image. Sure, there are a few harder-wearing plastics to be found, but overall it feels high tech and prestigious.

The emphasis on enhanced minimalism has resulted in one of the core controls being divested. Losing the traditional gear shifter comes with the adoption of fully electronic operability; having buttons for drive, reverse, park and neutral is not ground-breaking even within Hyundai ranks (the Kona EV has gone this way) and you cannot fault argument that the tranny is so smart it hardly requires hand-motivated involvement (which can still be enabled by steering column-mounted paddle shifts). Still, the button layout looks a bit chintzy and it’s a layout that will require some practicing with before it becomes instinctual.

Below this, something else new. A Terrain Mode selector. Santa Fe achieving a control knob to switch between modes for sand, snow and mud, as well as eco, sport, comfort and smart modes, the last of which automatically recognises the driving style and selects a mode so the driver does not have to, is intriguing.  

Does it make this car a Land Rover hunter? Well, no. It’s hard to imagine the Santa Fe being taken on expeditions into truly tough terrain; ground clearance is modest, there’s no robust underbody protection and it drives on road tyres. That makes it more crossover than cross country in my book, but maybe Hyundai knows otherwise.

The centre touch screen and the wholly LCD display directly ahead of the driver are also start again and are well sorted, packed with smarts and really lift the interior presentation.

Santa Fe has all the usual driver assists and accident avoidance systems, and was also one of the first SUVs with child-minded features such as a reminder about seat occupancy and doors being opened. That sense of responsibility carries into the new car with a camera set-up that checks out blind spots, activating when you’re indicating into a turn. The speedo or tacho dials transform into camera views down the relevant inside flank. It’s a good safeguard and a reminder, perhaps, that cheeky cyclists are a worldwide problem. Another assist is a self-park feature that allows you to stand beside the car and, from pushing a button on the key fob, activating it into a self-drive mode, moving either directly forward or reverse at low speed. It’s really just for tight parking spots, obviously, and is carefully calibrated (it won’t work unless the car is locked and cabin vacated), with self-stopping to avoid striking solid objects. 

Some of the technology implementation is a bit haphazard. The car’s speed sign recognition and phone integration set-ups are deserving more attention, in both instances because there’s been failure to embrace latest practices. Simply to save dollars? 

With the first function, Hyundai would be better off with what others tend to now use; a camera-dedicated system with smarts to recognise and relays signs in real time. However, instead Santa Fe relies on navigation data from the onboard sat nav. The drawback there is that this can often be outdated, because mapping doesn’t tend to be updated regularly. So it transpired on this test.

Three months ago a 50kmh sector was implemented within a section of 100kmh road near me. That obviously hasn’t made the mapping update; the system was oblivious to it. I’m sure that wouldn’t wash as an excuse. On the other hand, the Santa Fe did insist on warning about a fixed speed camera … removed ages ago.

The Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration is also irksome. The wireless charging that now includes really asks for wireless tethering to meet best practice now. Here, though, you get a Qi recharging pad yet, to enable your phone as an audio source, there’s requirement for cable tethering. Which is self-defeating. If I cable in, there’s no need for a charger; the phone will simply pull in power from the USB; yet conversely, the charger is the most logical place to leave the phone. Also, the charge mat and US inputs are poorly-sited, by being on each side of the front cupholders, which raises potential of fouling any drinks with the cable. If the holders are empty, you can hide the whole area under a cover; except that, occasionally, the cable would get caught in the mechanism. A Bluetooth audio connect would resolve everything. So, if the facelift gets a facelift, let’s hope that’s a priority.

The car’s overall strength continues to be spaciousness. In that respect, the usual attributes from the previous Santa Fe - plenty of oddment storage in the doors and consoles – are enlivened by improvements Hyundai has facilitated by eked out some extra human occupancy room, especially for the second row of seats, which is claimed to have 39mm more leg room. 

With all seats in place boot capacity remains unchanged at 130 litres, but drop the rearmost, child-prioritised pews and 571-782 litres (up from 547) is available depending on the position of the middle seats (they’re on sliding rails). With all rear seats stowed 1649 litres of commodious cargo capacity is afforded.  

The driving side of things is also a story of progression. The ‘newness’ of the N3 platform it has moved to is valid only in respect to the Santa Fe itself.

Hyundai and subordinate Kia have a strange habit of building outwardly sister cars on slightly different underpinnings; in this instance the one that the Sorento has had for several years (and maintains) is also adopted by Hyundai.

Change to driving mannerism is beneficial; Santa Fe continues to trade on its core appeal of a resolved ride quality, but perception that dynamic confidence – the area where the Sorento has perhaps eked ahead – also comes transmits with equal clarity. It’s not outright sporty, but neither is the Kia; to go that way would be self-defeating, given the primary audience. 

All the same, it deports with a surety that will not disappoint and strikes as being a car in which long journeys will be achieved in comfort and without the driver feeling as though they’ve had to work all the way. All the key controls perform well and in line with a sorted seven-seat SUV. The driving position is solid – a little more side support from the seat wouldn’t go amiss – the steering feels well weighted, the brakes feel reassuring, and there’s good visibility all around thanks largely to the decent glass area and wide-view side mirrors.

Santa Fe’s refinement has always been decent, but seems all the more impressive now. There’s obviously been ongoing work on quelling and road noise – Hyundai doesn’t specifically say that more sound-insulation has been added, but it would make sense if that was the case. You’d expect to achieve some tyre roar from the 20-inch rubber that the Limited runs with, but it’s very well-contained on seal, including coarse chip. What’s also apparent is the lessened mechanical tone from ahead of the firewall. The alloy engine is markedly less guttural than the old item at start-up and is smoother and less invasive on the run.

A 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel has been a mainstay for almost as long as the Santa Fe nameplate has been around and it’s interesting that Hyundai has invested in a new interpretation, this time with an alloy head and block, when it has a battery-assisted petrol, in mild and full-out plug-in hybrid, formats also coming into line. Conceivably, the latter will ultimately become the priority for meeting environmental mandates.

The diesel is lighter by 19kg and said to be more efficient. Whether it will remain the thriftiest engine remains conjecture until Hyundai releases the hybrids’ claimed economy, but it looks good for the type. Claim of it delivering an optimal 19 percent greater efficiency and 6.1 litres per 100km economy wasn’t supported on the test week; but the driving cycle was hardly conducive. Still, it hardly gulped.

Like its predecessor, the diesel delivers its best attributes through the low to medium rev range; there’s a load of easy-going pull from the get-go. Some high-end Euro diesels are smoother still, but Hyundai has nothing to be ashamed of. The unit’s muscularity will doubtless hold it in good stead when accessing the 2500kg braked towing capacity.

A variation of the one to be fitted to the i30 N hot hatch, the new eight-speed box undoubtedly also enhances the engine’s capability. It uses oil-submerged clutch packs, so it’s deemed a ‘wet’ gearbox, which aids cooling and NVH levels. It’s a slick unit, with swifter responsiveness than the old auto. The real test for DCTs is how they perform in low-speed, stop start driving – basically your end-of-work day urban crawl. Good to say that, when subjected to this, it rarely seemed to fall into the jerkiness that blights some DCTs. It’ll rev-match on down changes, while there’s a Sport mode should the mood take you.

A slicker, smarter, more refined and far from-anonymous Santa Fe relates how confident Hyundai has become as a car maker. Brand assertion about the car having assumed a ‘a new level of luxury’ is fair; the flagship definitely has a premium look and feel. The manner in which it drives and performs also speaks volumes. It’s a class act; good enough to mix more comfortably with Euro elites in this sector.

But you might well say the same about a certain close relation. Talk about the art of the deal.

Hyundai Venue Elite: Passenger car by any other name

Isn’t it time we stopped marketing very urban models as sports utilities?

 

Price: $33,990
Powertrain: 1.6-litre 16-valve OHC petrol engine with CVVT, 90kW at 6300rpm, 151Nm at 6850rpm. Six-speed auto with SportShift. Combined economy 7.2L/100km, 165g/km CO2.
Vital statistics: Length 4040mm, width 1770mm, height 1592mm, wheelbase 2520mm. Luggage capacity 355 litres. 17-inch wheels with 205/55 R17 tyres.
We like: Excellent interior design, good room, easy drive.
We don’t like: Engine gets a little breathless; it’s not an SUV

HYUNDAI’S Venue is a sports utility vehicle, right?

It certainly looks like an SUV, its ground clearance is slightly higher than a passenger car and so its ride height is also slightly more elevated. Armed with all that detail, the Hyundai marketers tell us that makes the Venue an SUV.

But it isn’t. What the Venue is, is a front-wheel drive hatch with new-age bodyshell design, and with ride and handling characteristics that are all passenger vehicle.

That’s no criticism of the Venue, which is an excellent example of latest trends in passenger vehicle design. But it is also a latest example of the current blurring of the lines regarding what is an SUV and what is a passenger vehicle.

The Motor Industry Association, the organisation which represents the interests of New Zealand’s motor vehicle distributors, classifies vehicles according to a market structure set down by Australia’s Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.

At the highest level, vehicles are split into three classes – passenger, SUV, and commercial. The FCAI classifies an SUV as a vehicle based on a wagon body style and with an elevated ride height. And while typically an SUV should have either 4WD or AWD, the organisation says that 2WD variants of a model are acceptable.

But here’s the rub. While it used to be that a true SUV was a rugged medium to large vehicle with an elevated ride height via ground clearance of 200mm or more, these days that ground clearance is reducing so the ride can be more passenger car smooth than SUV lumpy.

With the Venue the ground clearance is 170mm, which isn’t much more than a hatch or sedan which is usually around 145mm-150mm. To my reckoning the Hyundai’s ground clearance is the lowest of all compact SUVs currently on the market – even the diminutive Suzuki Ignis, which is the smallest SUV of all, has a minimum ground clearance of 180mm. And by the way, the equally little Suzuki Jimny’s clearance is 210mm.

So the question needs to be asked: isn’t this getting just a little silly? Aren’t the vehicle marketers taking so much advantage of the current popularity of SUVs – they currently take up close to 50 per cent of all new vehicle sales here – that they are ruining the intent of the vehicle classification system?

MIA chief executive David Crawford agrees that motor vehicle design, and customer preferences, are evolving to the extent that the classification process needs to be reviewed.

“I think things are reaching a stage where we need to decide what constitutes an elevated ride height. It isn’t defined. Is there a need for us to specify what a vehicle’s minimum ground clearance needs to be for it to be called an SUV? I think the issue has to be discussed among MIA members.”

Crawford and his team might overcome this issue by reviewing how SUVs are segmented.

At present, decisions on whether SUVs are compact, medium, large or upper large are made simply by multiplying their length by their width to get their so-called footprint. If the total is 8100 or less, the SUV is a compact. If the total is 8101 to 8800 the vehicle is a medium, and so on.

Maybe if minimum ground clearance was factored into this calculation, then anything with a clearance of less than, say, 180mm could be considered a passenger vehicle. Or crossover. Or lifestyle. Anything – but not an SUV.

As I said towards the start, all this is no criticism of the Hyundai Venue, because it is an excellent new vehicle from the South Korean manufacturer. It takes all the good things from the SUV style – elevated ride height for higher seating hip points and improved visibility, and superior passenger and cargo accommodation – and combines it with the ease of use normally expected of an urban passenger vehicle.

Two versions of the Venue are available – a $29,990 entry model, and a $33,990 Elite. Both are powered by a 1.6-litre Gamma engine that is under the bonnet of a number of Hyundai and Kia vehicles, and which in this application offers 90kW of power and 151Nm of torque, and which is mated to a six-speed automatic with a SportShift manual function.

While that’s modest amount of grunt – which underlines the fact that the Venue is very much an urban-oriented vehicle – an interesting feature is a Driving Control/Traction Control function that is operated by a rotator control on the centre console.

Select Driving Control and the driver can choose Normal, Eco and Sport driving modes. In the Eco mode the engine and transmission logic is set to maximise fuel economy, while the Sport mode changes steering effort and the engine and transmission logic for better performance.

By selecting Traction Control, the driver can then choose traction modes that cater for Snow, Mud and Sand. What the system does is adjust left and right front wheel slip control, and engine torque and gearshift patterns according to available levels of traction.

It all helps, and Hyundai says that theoretically it could put all the vehicle’s power through a single wheel, but it’s nowhere near AWD. The vehicle’s instruction manual warns exactly that. It says the Traction Control system’s design is based on 2WD, and the Venue should not be driven in conditions that exceed the intended design. So there you go. It could be said that the Traction Control is halfway towards proper SUV operation – which is exactly what the Venue is anyway.

The model we drove was the Elite, which offers a high level of safety specification for the price. This includes blind spot collision warning, lane keep assist, driver inattention warning, rear cross traffic alert, rear park assist, forward collision avoidance, and a reversing camera. It’s all part of Hyundai’s SmartSense safety package.

Ironically, the Venue carries a four-star rather than five-star ANCAP crash safety rating, because it doesn’t have the European-style ISOFIX child seat harness system, and there is no cyclist detection in its automatic braking system.

Comfort and infotainment specification is very good, too. The vehicle carries an 8-inch multimedia system that caters for Apple Carplay and Android Auto, and at the Elite level it boasts such goodies as proximity key and push-button start, climate air, and a heated steering wheel. A connected car platform also allows remote operation of such things as air conditioning by using a smartphone.

How very urban is that? Which is exactly what the Hyundai Venue is intended to be. That’s why while it might look like an SUV, it isn’t. It’s a passenger vehicle folks. And that’s what makes the model so appealing.

Stinging mettle – so, you're looking for a performance hatch

In alphabetical order, here they are – the Abarth 595 Competizione, AMG 45 S and the Ford Focus ST. Oh, and just for good measure, a surprise mystery guest.

ON the right roads, in the right conditions, there’s nothing to touch a compact car packing a big punch – so here’s a big ‘yeah boi’ for that fantastic creation, the hot hatch.

Here’s an acknowledgement, too, of how far that formula has gone. The four cars on test today very much remind just how elastic the genre has become. 

Today’s ilk present across a span of abilities, from instruments of cost-effective fun to full-out, spend up large small-sized supercar slayers.

The common connect? Easy. All aim, of course, to deliver the base attraction of being driver’s cars of pedigree performance purity. Compelling zest, eye-popping pace, keen handling and an easily exploitable chassis … often, too, an ability to provide the most amount of laughs for the smallest amount of money. It’s right here.

Hot hatches – a category anything packing a tailgate of some kind fits into, even when the body stylings otherwise diverge – have been in our blood for 40 years now, but that’s not to say they’re here to stay. At least, not in the banging and burbling format we’ve got to know so well.

In case you still didn’t know, purely fossil fuel-reliant engines are on the way out. Cold hard fact, in the distant future, the hot hatch will follow every other passenger vehicle in having to ultimately abdicate its internal combustion engine entirely in favour of being completely electric.

Stricter emissions standards are already increasingly putting pressure on car makers to reduce their average CO2 emissions across their fleet of models or face hefty financial penalties; which puts pressure on low-volume but high CO2 producing cars like hot hatches. 

That’s why Ford cancelled plans for the next-generation Focus RS, why Peugeot, which has a long and illustrious hot hatch legacy, has reportedly added electric impetus into the formula for it next 208 GTi and why Volkswagen, arguably the inventors of the hot hatch with the 1975 Golf GTI, has committed to battery-assisted impetus for all almost all its performance fare. The new GTi coming next year will be spared, but anything from now on with an ‘R’ badge won’t.

 So, if you’re convinced petrol purity is an essential element of this concept, it’s potentially time to act fast. If you’re out to ‘get ‘em while they’re hot’, the following should all be considered.

ABARTH 595 COMPETIZIONE

 Base price: $42,490

Powertrain and economy: 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, 132kW/250Nm, 5-speed automated single-clutch transmission, FWD, combined economy 5.8L/100km, CO2 133g/km.

Vital statistics: 3657mm long, 1627mm wide, 1485mm high, 2300mm wheelbase, luggage capacity185 litres, 17-inch alloy wheels.

For: Giant-killing spirit, design’s longevity, sounds fantastic.

Against:  A touch too mad to be a daily driver, that gearbox!

BACK in 2007 I had the amazing good fortune to travel to Italy to drive the hot Ferrari of the moment, the 430 Scuderia.

In addition to that Michael Schumacher-tweaked model, we also had opportunity to drive a Fiat that, while highly familiar in teensy ambience and look, was then so new to the scene it was still months from being exported, let alone being built in right-hand drive. 

The ‘Scud’ was a fab but fleeting thing; a treasured veteran now, so increased in value most are no longer driven. 

The Fiat 500, on the other hand, has kept going … and going … and going. Thirteen years is sometimes two complete production cycles these days, yet the 500 endures. It’s more than just the life cycle; the design’s longevity is also something special. A very modest facelift in 2015 aside, it’s been completely unchanged.

The only version still around now is the 595 Competizione from Abarth, which has been spinning out heated versions of Fiat’s supermini since 2008. 

Really, the 595 is a reheat. You might recall that the most bonkers limited-edition Abarth 500 ever was a limited count tribute car to Ferrari issued in 2012; the maddest, most extravagant version of this bad-ass baby ever. 

Would we ever see the likes of it again? Yes. It’s this car.  Okay, the 595 isn’t a complete reissue, but only in sense that there’s less carbon fibre and there are no Prancing Horse badges now. 

But when it comes to the essentials and even some ingredients such as the steering wheel … well, I’d suggest there’d be an excellent chance of interchangeability. The turbocharged 1.4-litre powertrain, single clutch automated manual transmission, suspension, tyre type and wheel sizes are all as first rolled with that Fezza-aligned funster. Which, by the way, at $80,000 a pop, cost basically twice as much as a 595 does now.

At half the price, Italy’s smallest streel brawler obviously becomes a much better pitch against its most obvious competition - mainly the auto-only $39,740 Volkswagen Polo GTI and the manual-only $35,490 Ford Fiesta ST.

Well, in theory. In reality, it is a harder road to take. The Tom Thumb size, a transmission that’s the work of the Devil; the skateboard ride, Mack-like turning circle and dated ambience.

And yet, as an ultimate format of a car designed as 500s always were – as cheap, friendly choices for the cash-constrained masses. – it’s an impressive feat that, for all the annoyances and constraints, gets under your skin. 

Race seats, a fat-rimmed, flat-bottomed steering wheel. alloy pedals, leather-trimmed shifter, a boost gauge cum shift light, plonked boy racer import car-style atop the dash, a back seat that’s more a low-set parcel shelf … all ludicrous, I know, but superb to see. Likewise the 17-inch alloys, fat sill extensions, twin exhausts and Brembo brakes with red calipers.

Even if anything fails to draw your eye, it’ll certainly turn your head on strength of sound. Of the cars gathered here, it was by far and away the loudest for exhaust note. And bravo to whoever tuned those twin pipes to deliver such a barking - dare I say Ferrari-esque – stridency.

Does it go? Does it heck, though everything tends to be brought down to scale. A 0-100kmh time of 7.4 seconds and top speed of 215kmh isn’t hugely hot, but when the setting sites just centimetres above the road and in a wee capsule everything is somewhat ‘amplified’. Karters know what I mean.

Somewhere between extra-nippy and surprisingly rapid, it’s certainly busy enough at 100kmh to warrant your full attention, the engine being spirited and rev hungry, especially in Sport. This activates the turbo’s overboost function and makes the exhaust note raspier and is, of course, mandatory, as driving it like a loon is operating at ‘Italian normal’.

That “Competizione MTA automated manual” delivers with four buttons: 1, N, R and A/M translating to ‘first’, ‘neutral’, ‘reverse’ and ‘auto/manual.’ You need to start out in first and then either allow it to self-shift through the forward gears or go into manual, which requires you to change up and down with paddle shifters.

Auto mode is the default but hardly good; the shifts tend to be lurchy and ill-timed. Manual is far sportier, snappier and much more in tune with the engine’s effervescence … once you learn that the path to smooth, slick upshifts is to snap off the throttle just at the point of upshift, then smack down on it again as the gear engages.

Basically, it’s a wild wee ride …that (and you knew this was coming) due to the wee wheelbase, light weight and limiting strut front, torsion beam rear suspension, feels that way, too. Jauntiness evident around town becomes the primary attribute that will make or break long-distance travel at open road speed.

The patron saint of tyres is a saving grace; it relies hugely on the 17-inch Michelin tyres providing plenty of sticky grip (they do). Also, you’ll find those brakes are much more than titillation and the go-kart-like direct steering means it points faithfully. Yet bumps that would be shrugged off by larger, heavier fare cause it to jump and crash about and it’ll accomplish hard cornering with untidy, inside rear wheel-lifting brio.

There’s nothing to suggest there’s a lack of sincerity in its engineering yet it’s also a car challenging you to accept that, in its world, things are different.

MERCEDES-AMG A 45 S

Base price: $111,000

Powertrain and economy: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol inline four-cylinder, 310kW/500Nm, 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, AWD, combined economy 8.9L/100km, CO2 204g/km.

Vital statistics: 4419mm long, 1796mm wide, 1440mm high, 2729mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 355 litres, 19-inch alloy wheels.

For: Exquisite engineering, astounding engine, surprisingly flexible.

Against: So pricey, can we have the gear stick back?

WHEN the A45 first launched it was packing 265kW and, once the Audi RS3 achieved a touch more, AMG pumped it up to a class-leading 280kW, enhancing the torque by 25Nm to 475Nm for good measure. And that was enough to reinstate as the world’s most powerful 2.0-litre hot hatch, never to be troubled since.

Now there’s this while new generation. Which conceivably could have kept all the good bits of before and still been class king. Except, of course, it hasn’t. AMG was probably bothered, for one, that the old car was just 0.1 seconds faster to 100kmh from a standing start than the Ingolstadt worrier. Also, this is a brand whose credo is based on continual improvement.

Accordingly, with transference to a new platform, they’ve gone and redone all the performance hardware. Comprehensively. Power climbs to 310kW, torque to 500Nm, 0-100kmh falls to 3.9 seconds and … well, life with this wee smasher becomes even more of a blaring blur.

Well, that’s how it looks. In reality, there’s potentially a point where fast is fast, and faster doesn’t really feel it. I’d imagine that were all editions to be brought together, I guess you would have little trouble rating their respective blast values and picking the one that has, on the hot hatch scale, just gone into the equivalent of a thermonuclear zone. 

But among A45 constants is that it has always been so much about the thrusting rush. Every predecessor has offered what this one delivers so easily; the kind of heart-jolting accelerative excitement that normally only associates with roller coasters when they free-fall off the ride’s highest point.

So it keeps doing that. Just as it keeps on setting the mark for being a car that seems almost over-qualified for the job it undertakes. 

As a rule of thumb, you can generally take it for granted that any carmaker, when heating up any family car – which this still is, being an A-Class by birthright – will approach the process with some extra consideration and enthusiasm. But the AMG is more than that; the processes that involve here are astounding exacting, perhaps not to the point of overkill, but certainly to a level where the word ‘perfection’ seems to translate as ‘borderline acceptable’. 

Assuredly, some owners will wonder why it needs as many performance functions or even why it so patently factors in performance abilities that, let’s agree, are well beyond reach in our driving environment, even on some racing circuits, and perhaps even the average level of engagement.

Fair point? Well, maybe, though I think the colleague who reckons it has somehow become so good as to be sanitised is missing the point. 

For sure, it is a car that enforces you’d have to be driving like an utter loon – and then some - to reach beyond the point where it cannot cope. There’s a massive zone in which it will behave at a level that is as intoxicating as it is incredible, to the point where it will make you question all you thought you knew about physics. 

And yet as much as it does all that, it also gives greater acknowledgement to the probability that some drivers haven’t the skill level to meet its capabilities, and accordingly gives them a better chance when they mess up. Yet on the other hand it also plays to expectations of those who do have the talent.

You imagine it already very devilish in the daily drive modes, which reach to Sport, but turn the dial further into Race and it assuredly so much more evil evidences that you realise PDQ that with this car, there’s extreme and there’s EXTREME. 

The throttle sharpness is so much greater, every bit of the grunt is availed, it revs more readily to 6750rpm, which is where peak power occurs, and anything beyond light throttle translates into extremely quick forward motion. The latency is obvious when pegged at a standstill as the car positively quivers.

The exhaust note, too, finally releases the pop-bang, so reminiscent of Group A rally cars of old, that used to avail so easily in the first-gen car. Enforcing the seriousness here are the bonus facilities of launch control and drift modes; each open on presumption you already have a handle on the basics of their technique. Chucking an all-wheel-drive car into a slide is still a tricky business. 

As always, it isn’t shy in announcing the insanity. The test car’s special yellow paintwork, which is all part of the Edition 1 treatment, is barely necessary, because so much more about the car’s appearance draws attention anyway.

Those 90mm diameter quad exhaust pipes sitting either side of a diffuser marked out by two vertical twin fins, there to help to suck the rear of the car down – also the job of the big angled spoiler on the top of the boot lid and the dive planes jutting out of the DTM-ready front spoiler - the huge 360mm cross-drilled front discs and accompanying six-piston callipers sitting all too obviously behind the fat tyre-shod 19-inch alloys, plus all the performance shop stuff inside – in this case, including heavily-bolstered front chairs that are a no-cost option to wider, more roadcar-style types, plus the requisite flat-bottomed and flat-sided steering wheel in Alcantara and complete with yellow twelve o'clock marker on the top  … all lend very obvious clues to it being intended for rather more than a shopping run.

Those used to the old cars will find easily acquaintance with the new, save that they’ll search in vain for the stubby central gearshifter.

Notwithstanding that the new approach - shifting, when things get busy, by way of the now larger, alloy paddle, one on each side of the steering column, and then fine-tuning adjustment with chubby multifunction switchgear on the wheel hub – presents a more appropriate tie-in with  Mercedes’ F1 involvements, and definitely delivers good result from the new AMG Speedshift eight-speed dual-clutch auto, I do miss the shifter, if only because it looks far more ‘pro’ than what we get now: The Mercedes’ 101 of a plastic column wand to engage Drive, Reverse, Park and Neutral. 

The dials you’ll play with most are the shortcuts that can be set up for the damper settings and active exhaust, or something else should you prefer and another that lets you toggle through the different drive modes. Elsewhere, the broad double display setup of the MBUX infotainment system stretches across the top of the shallow dashboard and it’ll also impart loads of performance-specific info, in addition to undertaking all the everyday functions dedicated to infotainment and the like.

The active and fully variable 4Matic Plus all-wheel-drive transmission with its AMG Torque Control is a thing of beauty. Power is distributed between the front and rear axles, with torque vectoring by brake on the front axle and a more advanced twin multi-disc clutch setup on the rear. These electronically controlled clutches offer total variability in power distribution across the rear axle.

So it’s good to go. And go, and go. And though it can accommodate drivers who are compelled to keep it in Comfort mode and tootle within the posted limits, to the point of offering a reasonably cosseting ride and even some decent degree of comfort – notwithstanding those sports seats are probably only good for a couple of hours – it’s really designed to drive. Hard.

The most rewarding section of a two-hour final run was the quite country road section that was done and dusted in 20 minutes. On that piece, the reward was intense: The car was all but telepathic.

It’s really hard to see how the A45 could be improved. Except, of course, they’ve already managed to do just that three times already. So, undoubtedly, it will be.

Shame the price has to be so stratospherically high, though the one consolation is that A45s are among those AMGs that seem to hold remarkably good residual value. Surely that’s as much a nod of acknowledgement to their special qualities as anything else?

Ford Focus ST

Base price:  $59,490
Powertrain and performance:  2.3-litre four-cylinder DOHC 16-valve turbocharged petrol engine. 206kW/5500rpm, 420Nm/3000-4000rpm. Front-wheel drive. Fuel consumption 8.6L/100km.
Vital statistics: Length 4388mm, height 1492mm, width 1825mm, wheelbase 2700mm. Luggage 273 litres. Wheels: 19-inch alloys with 235/35 ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.
For: Best Focus ST yet.

We don’t like: A manual option wouldn’t hurt, cheap interior plastics, RS fans need look elsewhere.

NEW Zealand’s association with fast Focuses (or should it be Focii? You decide) has been a wild ride through history.

Beginning with the 127kW/196Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder ST170 of 2003, the adventure really fired up with the thrilling and hugely characterful 2.5-litre 166kW/320Nm five-cylinder XR5 Turbo. Everything became all the more exciting after that when Ford doubled the mix; keeping a front-drive firework but also offering a more honed higher-tier model that, by adding in the ingredients of four-wheel-drive, tricky differentials and even more explosive power – initially in a five-pot format that performed sensationally and sounded superb - and then as a four-pot that kept everything on the boil, even that amazingly evocative burble, really shook things up. 

And now it’s … different, with all bets hinging on the lesser of the two formulas.

Which makes things interesting, when you consider that two letters have always explained not just why the ST has previously been sporty to a certain point, but still is. 

Ford ditching the RS was a late action. One that occurred well after the ST now acting in its stead had gone into production. You’d have to think that, had the determination to axe the previous flagship occurred before ST had been signed off, the latter might have been made even more sharp-edged than it is. But that’s not how it played out.

So the point is? Well, just this. Don’t hung up about how well this car compares to the RS. It was never designed to be an alternate so doesn’t deserve consideration as a stand-in now. How can it?

The only Focus it needs to be compared with is the previous ST and that’s an exercise in which the outcomes are pretty much entirely positive – it’s a major step forward.

Obviously, there’s significantly more fizz, though in spending time with it you quickly realise that’s not the only pull. Also adding to the value is the shift in transmission choice – yes, it’s a shame it no longer has three pedals, but an automated manual now is crucial for ongoing (and elevated) success. The car’s on a much better platform, the latest styling is more attractive and the ST equipment level is finally properly sorted. That previous ST was too ‘lite’ for comfort features and driver assists. 

Simply, what we get now is something that feels less a product of marketing hype than engineering can-do. Even though it retains rather more of the basic bits that go into a standard Focus than the RS ever would, it uses those shared parts well. And all the special extras are … well, more special.

 For instance, while the suspension components are basically the same, it takes adaptive dampers, which stiffen and soften according to which buttons you've pressed. There’s an electronically controlled differential, which uses hydraulically operated clutches - and a myriad of sensors and inputs - to shunt as much as 100 percent of the engine's power to the wheel that can handle it best. And to help keep it on the boil, the engine gets an anti-lag system, distantly related to that used by Ford's rally cars, which keeps the turbo spinning even when you've lifted off the throttle. 

While the body kit isn’t overly rakish, it takes Recaro front bucket seats – which, for the first time ever in a performance Focus, are properly low-seat - and the grey-finished alloy wheels are treated to the same, very grippy Michelin Sport Pilot tyres Benz puts onto the A45.

If you have to pick immediate allures, that’s easy. One is that engine, the other is the chassis.

It’s not just that it has 22kW more and another 60Nm; the more crucial element is that the new outputs are a lot more honest. The old car’s oomph unrolled in in intriguing fashion; it was an engine that felt faster than it potentially was, as evidenced by a claimed 0-100kmh sprint time that put it in the dust raised by the Golf GTi, the RenaultSport Megane and Subaru’s WRX manual back in the day.

The new is far less likely to feel the sting of sand in its face. An increased displacement is handy, but really this engine shines because it is of better pedigree, being basically the Mustang's 2.3-litre, turned sideways, and detuned just a little. Its maximum power output is more than you'd get in all but the most expensive versions of the Golf GTI, the same as from that Megane RS and a just a little bit less than a Honda Civic Type R. The big torque and that clever anti-lag system ensure it's sure not slow, that 5.7-second 0-100kmh time confirms it, though really it’s the wide slug of oomph that really seals the deal. This is an engine that feels robustly muscular all through its rev range.  It also sounds good, almost like the old five-cylinder engine, with some nice pops and crackles on the overrun. 

Such a gold medal effort for a car that previously struggled to find a podium place holder deserves the silver lining of a terrific transmission. Which the new seven-speed is … in the main. 

A six-speed manual alternate still exists – in other markets. Ford NZ has chosen not to bother, in belief the volume sales potential rests with the auto, so it wants to concentrate on a single variant. 

Logic suggests that’s going with the flow – for instance, almost all hot Golf buyers prefer direct shift and the Renault Sport Megane’s status has lifted by going this way. Ford’s box delivers pretty good shift quality. It’s as snappy as you’d want into the Sport and Track settings, smoother in the Normal you’ll revert back to for everyday driving.

However, there are irks. For one, as Colin Smith pinpointed in his own test, the gearing is slightly out of step with Kiwi speed limits; an irksome indecisiveness between sixth and seven incurs around 100km. Also, the rotary dial gear selector is a bit budget - as indeed are too many plastics within the cabin – and a bit underwhelming for a performance model while the  steering wheel buttons that initiate the sports functions could be more logical – why two, separated by a third that has nothing to do with going faster? The one closest to the wheel boss allows a primary access whereas the other opens into a sub-menu for the fully fun stuff that very much widen the car’s character. Track – which comes with the usual ‘circuit only’ nonsense advisory – very much amps up the engine note accompaniment and delivers pronounced throttle blipping down shifts. 

There’s some steering tug when you floor it, but with an electronically controlled limited slip differential assisting with power application, it’s nothing like the wrist-stretching torque steer that used to affect old-school types. The ST also achieves sharper steering than the regular Focus, too, so there’s less swivel.

Another high-end aid that delivers positively is the Continuously Controlled Damping, which monitors suspension, steering and braking inputs at 2 milli-second frequency to adjust damping responses. It’s a very responsive and clever system.

Ford has good history insofar as chassis development goes and the ST doesn’t let the side down. It’d be intriguing to put this model up against the ST Fiesta to judge which was the more athletic; potentially the smaller car has a touch more deftness, but it’d be close.

The Focus definitely has an ace card with the multi-link rear suspension it gains in place of the torsion beam axle used in mainstream Focus hatches; that it rides closer to the tarmac than the standard car also is a positive.

Basically, it has an exciting stick-like-glue feel, is hugely confident attacking corners and is rarely significantly rattled by ruts and bumps. How could it be improved? Well, there is a way … but it involves provisioning the enhanced traction that is delivered to the AMG 45. An all-wheel-drive ST would be a heck of a thing, but it’d also be a lot closer to being the kind of Focus Ford says it no longer wants to build.

All the same, it’s this greater … ahem .. focus on hardcore dynamism that really makes this ST more impressive to drive than any before it. A touch more effort on cabin quality and perhaps a bit of a rethink about how to improve the gearbox’s actions and involvements and this direct, agile and purposeful model would be the best thing out there in the sub-$60k sector.

HYUNDAI VELOSTER 1.6T LIMITED
Base price: $52,990
Powertrain and economy: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, 150kW/265Nm, 7-speed dual clutch transmission, FWD, combined economy 7.1 L/100km, CO2 163g/km.
Vital statistics: 4240mm long, 1800mm wide, 1409mm high, 2650mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 303 litres, 18-inch alloy wheels.
For: Second generation car is so much better sorted than its predecessor.
Against: Too closely priced to the massively harder-edged i30 N and who needs this weirdo design?

THIS was, quite literally, the car in the background.

If not for a change in testing date, the Hyundai would not have been on the scene. And, truth be told, it wasn’t expected to be part of the scene when it did turn up. The intent was to leave it parked up and totally out of the picture until the ‘fast’ stuff story had been signed off.

Except that proved impossible. During those days there were occasions when the Veloster had to be driven. And, every time it was, it took opportunity to strive to impress that it, too, had a right to be considered picked for play. So should it?

Well … maybe. In truth, there are hurdles beyond the first and most obvious one; which is that asymmetric body styling. It’s not for me.

Frankly, I never warmed to with the first generation of this car and still see no point to with the second. Mostly, it’s because I’m just a person who enjoys the neatness of symmetry; so the Veloster’s ‘two doors on one side, one on the other’ approach straight away irks on that level.

But it also fails to convince because it lends no particular benefit in respect to practicality. If anything having front doors this long simply makes it awkward when you’re parking, because in angle slots especially you are always aware of the requirement for additional space in which to swing them, else it’s hard to get in or out. Beyond that, it just looks weird. So, yes, as much as I acknowledge that it’s always good to have a USP, basically any standout ingredient only becomes a plus when it has a purpose. And this doesn’t.

Anyway, putting all that aside – impossible, I know, but let’s try – the Veloster will have to convince that it’s basically as good as the established Hyundai hot hatch that is very good indeed; the i30 N.

Surprised it comes closer to the car the South Korean mega-brand hired former BMW M Division engineering supremo Albert Biermann to help make, and then poured huge R&D resources behind? Yeah, me too.

The Veloster in previous form has never been anything like that sporty. And, truth be told, it still isn’t feral enough to take on the N product in a straight-up fight, because outright performance still isn’t on par. And yet it does at least feel a lot sportier now than it previously did. Transference to a more competent chassis (the same platform as the i30, which brings a new multi-link rear suspension) seems to have inspired the development team, but perhaps they also began to spend time with Biermann’s group as well.

Whatever has happened, the Veloster has a lot more fighting spirit than previously. It has a nicely snappy version of the direct shift transmission – which, of course, the N has yet to get and very much needs – achieves much better suspension tuning than before, is given some decent brakes, is treated to good tyres (no points for guessing these being Michelin Pilots) and even has better seats. All of which makes it much more memorable.

Even that the colour range now includes the shade seen here, a dull metallic grey finish that seems identical to the hue that was once a very expensive option on very high-end performance cars (Ferraris and AMGs especially) and was so special care it couldn’t be hand-washed with anything other than an expensive solution … well, it adds to Hyundai taking this car in a route that was previously too hard. What’s always been a sports car by definition has, at least become sporty.

Mind you, that’s possibly just the version on test. An entry level model with Hyundai's 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is available, but you know it’s highly unlikely to be as sharp or as involving as the flagship Turbo Limited. 

This one is powered by a 1.6-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder. It’s the same size engine that does the i30 N such good and, though not as highly tuned here – with 52kW less at optimum - assuredly it has decent verve, particularly when you tap into the turbo over-boost though kick-off enthusiasm is reasonably good, too. It even manages a snarly exhaust note from time to time. 

It’s in marriage to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission whose character is in theme with the engine’s improved nature. Sure, it demands a moment to sort itself when transferring from forward to rearward motion – but, then, all transmissions of this type tend to ask for this. But if you’re pressing on and expecting swift, accomplished up and down changes, it’s really in the mood. 

The car’s ride is the most cosseting in this group, no arguing about that. Yet grip is good and the car now has a far more positive attitude, at least with just a driver aboard, than it previously demonstrated. The nose-led attitude has been vanquished for a sharp, responsive turn-in. The torque vectoring control system doubtless helps keep it tidy, but it doesn’t seem too intrusive.

It’s all good, if only to a point. Frankly, this is still the car that will struggle to keep the others in its sight; there’s not quite enough wick, for a start. But does deserve kudos for a demonstrating more tenacity than it appears capable of. 

If more madcap, it still stays sensible on safety grounds. In typical Hyundai fashion the car is loaded with assists. The SmartSense suite now standard on every Veloster incorporates driver attention warning, forward collision warning, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot collision warning, rear cross-traffic collision warning, adaptive cruise control, high beam assist and lane keeping assist systems. Some can be a little over-zealous, but it’s all for a good cause.

The second-gen cabin has a more affluent feel now and of course it has a large touchscreen with provision for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a heap on in-house developed functions. There’s wireless phone charging, too; on a decent-sized pad to boot. Heated and ventilated front seats, a head-up display, a full-width glass sunroof and an 8-speaker Infinity premium audio system are provisioned, plus the kind of leather that never convinces as being from a bovine.

So, all in all, it’s an intriguing car, albeit not one that ultimate sells itself easily. It’s become bigger, which helps free up more interior room – though not to the point of making it four adult friendly - and while the design proper doesn’t work for me, I’d have to agree the shape has become more attractive, particularly in silhouette.

Realistically, if any Veloster has a chance of getting into your life, it’s this one. But it’s probably only an outside chance. Especially with the family opus i30 N costing just $2000 more. Still, it was interesting and if you’re an absolute fan of ‘out of the ordinary’ …. well, it’s certainly that.

Kia Seltos, Hyundai Venue: Don’t sweat the differences

The Kia Seltos has stormed into the compact sports utility sector, but let’s not forget Hyundai has a contender in that arena as well.

HYUNDAI VENUE ELITE
Base price: $33,990 full RRP ($31,990 on test)
Powertrain: 1.6-litre petrol four, 90kW/ 151Nm, six-speed automatic, FWD, fuel economy 7.2 litres per 100km, CO2 160g/km CO2.
Vital statistics: 4040mm long, 1565mm high, 2520mm wheelbase, 17-inch alloy wheels.
We like: Strong spec, versatile cabin.
We don't like: Harsh and underwhelming drivetrain, challenging price position.

 KIA SELTOS LX
Base price: $30,990 full RRP ($26,990 on test).
Powertrain: 2.0-litre petrol, 110kW/ 180Nm, eight-step constantly variable, FWD, fuel economy 6.8 litres per 100km, CO2 157g/km.
Vital statistics: 4370mm long, 1615mm high, 2630mm wheelbase, 16-inch alloy wheels.
We like: Strong value, roomy cabin, perky performance.
We don't like: Secondary ride needs sorting, poor front seats.

WHENEVER Kia and Hyundai contest a common segment with a common kind of car you’d be brave to bet against their respective products not being related. 

Brand-specific styling inside and out surrounding core common parts (the chassis, engines, transmissions and other gear) … that’s been the recipe for years. 

Yet anyone considering the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Venue and expecting more of the same will be in for a surprise.

Even though these cars draw from other, already-established family members, what they lack is a direct relationship. 

Here’s how it goes. Venue bases on Europe’s i20 hatch, plucking the floorpan and 1.6-litre six-speed auto transmission. Seltos? It actually has a lot more in common with the 2.0-litre Hyundai Kona than you’d ever possibly imagine.

Yet insofar as finding any direct chromosonal link? Some say you’d have better luck looking for the lost city of Atlantis. They’re not only disparate in DNA, but Hyundai asserts – quite strongly – that the Venue is not a Seltos competitor.

Who’d bet on car buyers either (A) thinking as Hyundai does or (B) giving a jot regardless? Not I.

For all the technical disassociation and regardless that there’s also a degree of price disparity – less noticeable during now discontinued launch price promotions that were shaving $2000 from Venue’s recommended retail and up to $5000 from that entry Seltos LX) – they’re still two city slick front drive petrol crossovers of similar size chasing much the same crowd. So I’d suggest cross-shopping is going to be something of a certainty.

Straight out, both brands can take a bow for delivering a pair of interesting natural urban adventuring fits. On top of this, Kia can take extra kudos for its especially aggressive pricing strategy. It is possible to consider the base Seltos not only against the most expensive Venue but even the cheapest Kona.

For sure, Venue’s Elite designation means it packs more comfort and safety features. On the active and passive safety side, Venue stands well-sorted with a SmartSense package that includes Forward Collision Avoidance, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Hill Start Assist, and automatic high beams is. Seltos is also looking strong, though be aware that automated emergency braking at this level is tailored for vehicle-versus-vehicle scenarios and so lacks the pedestrian-sensing ability provisioned further up in the Seltos family and standard to the Venue.

Enough blanked switch locations to be impossible to ignore, a less creative interior, manual air con and old-school ‘key in the lock’ ignition also signal why the spending gap between a Seltos LX and next-up LX Plus is so wide. Stick at LX also asks for you to control any envy felt about the more expensive Seltos derivatives having a better, touch-activated media screen  But, hey, as much as keyless start would be nice – given its so commonplace nowadays - that’s not to say that it outright shouts out for more technology.

In fact, when you come to box-ticking what might be regarded as ‘essentials’, it really isn’t shown up to be way miserly. The most pressing imperative would be to negotiate putting in onto the dearer versions’ factory 17 inch rims. The 16-imchers the LX arrives with are fine for ride and fair for dynamics, but they just look too small for the body.

If the LX has any particular weak point, it is being cursed by pretty mediocre front seats. Anyone who appreciates the merits of good lower back support won’t be at all satisfied by the driver’s chair; it’s too soft and shapeless and not a patch on the one that goes into the other variants. In this test, too, if you had to pick which had the better driving position, Venue wins out. Hyundai just delivers a better span of  seat and steering wheel adjustment, accommodating all shapes and sizes.

Even so, Seltos through simply being a slightly larger car – appreciably so for wheelbase and overall length, a little less evidently for width and height – makes a more convincing choice if you’re carting stuff, including other people.

The cabin is simply roomier and the extra few millimetres it provisions in key areas, like rear seat lower legroom, is going help sell it. The Venue was also capable of carrying four adults in comfort, proved incredibly adept at swallowing some large, awkward objects and earned points for good storage space for bottles and paraphernalia in the centre console and doors. However,while lower leg and headroom is good, it hasn’t the same shoulder room and that might be telling with all-adult ensemble.

While the Seltos shape has a slightly more modern, appealing sharp-lined air, I really warmed to the Venue’s chiselled, upright body and stance and excellent visibility. Both cars are enhanced by a range of colour options; the two-tone, grey with green highlights and contrasting roof scheme applied to the Venue I drove also provisions with the Kia and lends a pleasing look to both. 

Out on the road, they’re similar in driving feel yet as far apart for performance as you’d imagine. Neither is what you’d call muscled, yet there’s simply no dispute about which has more zest.

It’s not that the Hyundai unit is utterly puny, yet the 20kW power and 29Nm torque that Kia’s bigger engine delivers is telling at kick-off and … erm, everywhere else. Really, though, what irks most about the Venue unit isn’t so much its more limited reactivity as its lack of refinement; it’s much more vocal and raw-edged and seems in constant dispute with the transmission. The Seltos would be better with paddle shifters to better engage with its eight-speeder, but it just operates more effectively and enthusiastically.

The dynamics are interesting. If you want something approaching youthful and sports-tinged, go straight to Seltos; it’s no outright GT, but drives with a level certainty not usual for this grade . For a more grown-up and measured feel, Venue is the place to be. It’s not vague or unduly remote, but there’s far more of an air of laidback amiability. 

Dimensional pertness and tight turning circles ensure they both work well around town and neither feels at all overawed by open road running, either, though it’s in the latter environment where the Seltos’ secondary ride seems a touch busy. It’s nothing a slight suspension retune couldn’t remedy.

Would you off-road? Venue’s provision of Sand, Snow, and Mud traction modes activated by a dial controller suggests it’s up for something, though we’d say keep it ‘lite’. Seltos has a control just like it, but turning it simply puts the transmission into a sports mode. So, yeah. There’s your answer from Kia.

Crystal ball gazing these cars’ futures is easy; consumer swing to crossovers and SUVs ensures each will find a ready audience. Venue does a reasonable job, but it lacks the Kia’s character and Kia’s value edge is much sharper. If you’re seeking to chase an ascending star, Seltos is definitely the one.