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Hyundai

Venue

QX· 2019-2026 suv-soft Value

Top issues

8 known problems · 2 high

high

Seatbelt pretensioner inflator rupture (2020-2022 recall)

Any (affected 2020-2022 build) · Recall (free)

high

EGR valve electrical short (2024 build recall)

Any (affected 2024 cars) · Recall (free)

medium

12V battery drain when parked

Any · ~$50-400

All 8 problems ↓ Inspection checklist →

Recalls

1 on record

REC-005535 2022-09-29

Defect: A manufacturing issue may cause the seat belt pre-tensioner inflator to fracture when deployed in a collision.

Hazard: Fractured inflator components could injure occupants during deployment.

Remedy: Hyundai dealer inspects/rectifies the pre-tensioner, free of charge.

Affected: 15,080 units; Venue (QX) 2020-2022 (campaign 21D089)

Official notice: www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au · details checked 2026-09-30

Check a specific car by VIN at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.

At this odometer

See which of this car's known problems are due at that mileage, which should already have been dealt with, and what's coming up.

Before and after

Before: None (new nameplate; slots below the Kona as Hyundai's smallest SUV)

After: Continuing / replaced by next-generation Venue or absorbed by Kona/Inster EV range

Price (AUD)

$15k-$30k

Body styles

5-door wagon (light/compact SUV)

Drivetrain

Front-wheel drive (FWD only - no AWD offered in Australia)

Origin

Korea

Built in

Korea (Ulsan)

Overview

The Venue (QX) is Hyundai's smallest and cheapest SUV in Australia, launched here in mid-2019 as a high-riding light crossover sitting below the Kona. It is a simple, front-wheel-drive-only monocoque - there is NO all-wheel-drive, NO diesel, NO hybrid and NO turbo version sold in Australia. Every Australian Venue across the whole 2019-2026 run uses the same single drivetrain: the 1.6-litre Gamma MPi naturally aspirated four (engine code G4FG) driving the front wheels through either a 6-speed manual (base Go, early cars) or a conventional 6-speed torque-converter automatic. Critically for used buyers, the Venue is one of the few small Hyundais that did NOT get the Smartstream GDi/dual-clutch (DCT) hardware that causes shudder and oil-consumption headaches elsewhere in the range - the Gamma engine is PORT-injected (MPi), so it largely avoids the GDi intake-valve carbon and the Theta/Smartstream oil-consumption sagas, and it uses a timing chain. The trims are Go, Active and Elite (with various run-out and special editions). The realistic caveats are modest: a torque-converter auto that can hunt or shudder at low speed when cold, a documented body-computer/central-locking fault that flattens the battery, a couple of important safety recalls (the exploding seatbelt pretensioner on 2020-2022 build, and an EGR-valve electrical short on some 2024 cars), tinny interior plastics, and for a long time no Android Auto on the wired-only infotainment. As a cheap, light, easy-to-own city SUV with Hyundai's 5-year warranty and a fundamentally simple, proven engine, it's a sensible value buy - just confirm the recalls are closed and the service history is clean.

Engines & variants

1.6L Gamma MPi petrol

Engine

1.6L Gamma MPi naturally aspirated DOHC multi-point (port) injection petrol I4 with Dual CVVT

Engine code

G4FG

Config

I4 NA

Displacement

1591cc

Power

90kW @ 6300rpm

Torque

151Nm @ 4850rpm

Drivetrain

FWD

Economy

7.0-7.2 L/100km combined (real-world ~7.5-9)

Tow (braked)

Not rated to tow / very low (Hyundai AU does not publish a meaningful braked tow rating for the Venue)

Tow (unbraked)

Not rated to tow

Transmission

6MT, 6AT

Timing chain / belt / gear

Timing chain (no scheduled belt replacement)

Pros

Port-injected (MPi) engine - largely avoids the GDi intake-valve carbon and Theta/Smartstream oil-consumption problems seen elsewhere in the Hyundai range
Timing chain, no belt to replace; simple naturally aspirated four
Conventional 6-speed torque-converter auto (or 6MT) - NOT a dual-clutch (DCT) or CVT, so no DCT shudder/mechatronic risk
Cheap to buy, insure and run; covered by Hyundai's 5-year unlimited-km warranty when new
FWD-only, light and easy - genuinely undemanding city ownership

Cons

Only 90kW - genuinely slow when fully loaded, on hills or merging at freeway speed
FWD only - no AWD anywhere in the Australian range
Not designed for towing - effectively a non-tow vehicle
Auto can hunt between gears and shudder at low speed when cold
Engine is buzzy and works hard; modest refinement for the segment

Known problems

medium

6-speed automatic low-speed shudder / gear hunting

Owners report the torque-converter 6-speed auto shuddering or 'searching' at low speed and light throttle - particularly the 1-2 and 2-1 changes when cold - feeling like it can't decide which gear to hold. Most cases are a software/adaptation or torque-converter lock-up characteristic rather than a failing gearbox, but a minority need valve-body or converter attention.

Fix: Transmission control software update / relearn first; fresh ATF service; valve-body or torque-converter repair only if a fault persists. Test-drive from cold and confirm smooth low-speed shifts before buying.

Any (often worse when cold) · ~$0-2500

medium

Body computer fault - central locking failure and battery drain

A documented Venue fault where the body control module (BCM) misbehaves: central locking stops working correctly while a parasitic draw flattens the 12V battery within days. Often misdiagnosed as a simply 'dead battery'.

Fix: Diagnose the parasitic draw; reflash or replace the BCM if faulty; fit a healthy battery. Fit a battery maintainer if the car sits for long periods.

Any · ~$200-1500

high

EGR valve electrical short (2024 build recall)

Certain 2024-build Venue (alongside some Kona and Elantra) were recalled for a possible electrical short circuit in the EGR valve assembly that can cause loss of drive power and, in the worst case, a fire/overheat risk.

Fix: Have the recall inspection/repair carried out free at a Hyundai dealer; confirm via VIN that the campaign is closed before purchase.

Any (affected 2024 cars) · Recall (free)

Common problems (all variants)

high

Seatbelt pretensioner inflator rupture (2020-2022 recall)

A major safety recall (over 15,000 cars in Australia) covers front driver and/or passenger seatbelt pretensioner inflators that can fracture when they deploy in a crash, firing metal fragments into the cabin and risking serious injury to occupants.

Fix: Have the free recall remedy completed at a Hyundai dealer; check the VIN against the recall database and confirm rectification before buying any 2020-2022 Venue.

Any (affected 2020-2022 build) · Recall (free)

low

No Android Auto / wired-only infotainment glitches

For much of the run the Venue's smaller 8-inch system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto only via a wired USB connection (no wireless), and some units suffer phone-mirroring dropouts, freezes and Bluetooth pairing issues. Early cars frustrated buyers expecting wireless smartphone mirroring.

Fix: Use a quality USB cable; software/firmware update for dropouts; replace the head unit only if hardware-faulty. Confirm CarPlay/Android Auto works on a test drive.

Any · ~$0-1000

low

Cheap interior plastics, trim rattles and wear

Reflecting its budget price, the Venue's cabin uses a lot of hard, scratchy plastic; owners report dash/door rattles and trim that scuffs and ages quickly, plus limited cabin storage.

Fix: Locate and pad rattling trim; cosmetic only - factor cabin condition into price rather than expecting a fix.

Any · ~$0-500

medium

12V battery drain when parked

Beyond the BCM-specific fault, the Venue (like many keyless small SUVs) can flatten its small 12V battery if left standing for one to two weeks, leaving the car unable to start.

Fix: Have the parasitic draw measured; fit a battery maintainer for cars used infrequently; replace a tired battery. Address any underlying module fault.

Any · ~$50-400

low

Thin paint and stone chipping

The paint is thin for the class and chips readily on the bonnet and front bar, with some owners reporting premature stone-chip damage and minor surface corrosion at chip sites.

Fix: Paint protection film on the front; touch-up chips promptly to prevent rust; respray affected panels if needed.

Any · ~$150-1200

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