Hyundai Venue iMT vs Rivals: What Do The Prices Say?

Hyundai’s new clutchless manual is more affordable than its own sophisticated dual-clutch automatic (DCT), but is it more affordable than its petrol-automatic rivals? We find out

The Hyundai Venue is the first offering in the sub-4m SUV segment to introduce the new clutchless (two-pedal) manual transmission system called the iMT. It is only offered on the Venue’s 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine at a relatively small premium over the corresponding manual transmission variants.

The 6-speed iMT system simply uses a clutch-by-wire system that negates the need for a clutch pedal while still allowing the driver to shift gears with the same engagement as a manual variant. Since it requires fewer components than conventional automatic transmissions, even an AMT, the iMT is a cost effective way to make it more convenient to drive.

Here’s how the new Venue iMT’s prices fare against the Venue DCT as well as its rivals that offer conventional alternatives to the manual transmission with a petrol engine. But first quickly brush-up with the specs.

In case you’re wondering why left out the Mahindra XUV300, it’s because that offers an AMT option only with its diesel engine and not the petrol.

*All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.

• Tata offers the Nexon’s 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine with a 6-speed AMT option at a premium of Rs 60,000 over the corresponding manual variants. Since the AMT is offered from the XM variant onwards, one above the base-spec, it is still the most affordable petrol-auto option in the segment.

• The Hyundai Venue turbo-petrol engine comes with the choice of a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic along with the 6-speed iMT. The S variant is the entry-point for the turbo-petrol Venue but it does get the option of the most sophisticated DCT for under Rs 10 lakh.

• Since the new iMT option of the Venue starts from the much better equipped SX variant, it costs a bit more with a price tag of Rs 10 lakh. That’s a premium of just Rs 21,000 over the petrol-manual SX variant of the Venue.

• Now that the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine, it gets the option of an old school 4-speed automatic torque convertor. It also gets mild-hybrid tech in the petrol-AT variants which makes it pricier than the petrol-MT variants by Rs 1.4 lakh.

• The Ford EcoSport’s petrol-automatic option is only available from the Titanium variant, just one below the top-spec model. It uses a 6-speed torque convertor automatic for the 1.5-litre petrol engine.

• The top-spec petrol-automatic variant option for all four models manages to reach the Rs 11 lakh mark but the EcoSport Titanium+ is the most expensive. 

• The Venue SX(O) iMT is the second most affordable two-pedal top-spec option here, charging a premium of Rs 9,000 over the Nexon XZA+(O). For an extra Rs 27,000 over the SX(O) iMT, you can have the Venue SX+ DCT variant.

• The upcoming Kia Sonet will also feature the iMT system at launch and will be priced similar to the Hyundai Venue.

• Upcoming rivals Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite will introduce a CVT automatic to this segment, likely mated to their turbocharged petrol engines.

Read More on : Hyundai Venue on road price