Hyundai Readies “N” Variants of New Venue Crossover

Hyundai Motor Co. is developing up-level versions of its all-new Venue small crossover vehicle.

An “N-line” variant with styling and suspension upgrades already is in the works, Brian Smith, the company’s chief operating officer in North America, tells Drive. He also hints that a souped-up Venue N could follow sometime later.

Hyundai took the wraps off the base Venue (pictured) earlier this month at the New York auto show. The vehicle is powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission.

The carmaker debuted N-badged performance options in 2017 with the i30 N small car, which is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter mill that makes 271 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Hyundai also offers the Veloster N sports coupe.

The first model to get cosmetic upgrades is this year’s Elantra GT N-Line. The car features a lower front splitter, silver-accented grille, sport instrument cluster and special badging.