Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) said on Tuesday that its Venue compact SUV has received over one lakh bookings since its latest generation launch, and that the company is adding a new HX8 Diesel Automatic (AT) variant to the lineup, priced at ₹13,69,900 (ex-showroom). The announcement was made from the company's headquarters in Gurugram, Haryana.
The 1 lakh booking figure marks a significant commercial threshold for the model, indicating sustained consumer interest in a segment that has become one of the most contested in the Indian passenger vehicle market. The Venue competes against a field that includes the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon, Kia Sonet, Mahindra XUV 3XO, and Nissan Magnite, among others. Compact SUVs — typically priced between ₹8 lakh and ₹15 lakh — have emerged as the fastest-growing category in India's automotive market over the past several years, driven by a preference for higher ground clearance, perceived road presence, and improving feature content at accessible price points.
The new HX8 Diesel AT variant is powered by Hyundai's 1.5-litre U2 CRDi diesel engine, a unit the company has deployed across several models in its India lineup. It is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, making it the first diesel-automatic combination available in the Venue's current generation.
The addition addresses a gap in the lineup for buyers who prioritise fuel efficiency on longer drives but prefer not to operate a manual gearbox in urban stop-and-go conditions — a combination that has found a consistent niche audience in Indian cities.
On the features front, the HX8 Diesel AT is positioned as the range-topper within the diesel family. It includes front ventilated seats, dual-tone leatherette upholstery with Venue branding, and a 4-way electrically adjustable driver's seat. Safety and convenience additions include an electric parking brake with auto hold, rear disc brakes, and ambient lighting across the crash pad and central console. The variant also supports paddle shifters, giving drivers manual gear selection capability without a clutch pedal.
On the technology side, the HX8 Diesel AT comes with Hyundai's Bluelink connected car platform, which enables remote vehicle monitoring, geofencing, and other telematics functions through a smartphone application. The variant also supports over-the-air controller updates, a feature that allows certain vehicle systems to be updated without a dealership visit — an increasingly common offering in this segment as automakers look to extend software functionality post-purchase. Three drive modes (Eco, Normal, and Sport) and three traction control presets for sand, mud, and snow round out the driving experience features.
Tarun Garg, Managing Director and CEO of Hyundai Motor India, said the booking numbers reflected growing consumer appetite for connected and feature-rich vehicles. "The introduction of the new HX8 Diesel Automatic variant further strengthens the VENUE lineup, offering customers the perfect blend of diesel efficiency, torque-rich performance and effortless convenience," he said in a statement, adding that the company remained focused on delivering "future-ready products that resonate with evolving customer expectations."
Hyundai has been among the top two or three passenger vehicle manufacturers in India by sales volume for much of the past decade, with the Venue and the larger Creta forming the core of its SUV portfolio. The company listed on Indian stock exchanges in 2024 in one of the country's largest initial public offerings, raising its public profile and increasing scrutiny of its sales and market share performance.