We've been expecting a small, affordable new crossover SUV out of Korea for a little while, and now, it has a name: the 2020 Hyundai Venue. The new entry-level model, which is slated to slot below the automaker's already-inexpensive and small Kona range, will bow at the New York Auto Show on April 17.
In an official announcement, Hyundai says the name Venue references a "place where people want to be seen, or in this case, inside the vehicle." The automaker even paired the press release with helpful photos of a couple of suitably attractive examples, including an overhead shot of Singapore's Chinatown (above) and a rooftop concert scene.
The name "Venue" strikes as something of an odd break from the company's successful run of SUV names associated with cities or places, including Santa Fe, Tucson, Kona and most recently, Palisade, which echoes California's tony Pacific Palisades.
To that end, Hyundai argues that "Venue embodies the characteristics of 'the place to be,' en route to the final destination, wherever that may be." That feels like a bit of a marketingsplain stretch, but then again, the crossover craze has already given us similar-feeling names like Enclave (Buick) and indeed, Vue (Saturn).
Regardless of what inspired its name, the 2020 Hyundai Venue is promised to be shown at the NYIAS accompanied by some sort of augmented reality production. Roadshow will have the latest from New York's Javits Center -- the venue set to play host to the Venue's reveal -- on April 17.
Stay tuned.