Car buyers in India are increasingly drawn to all-black editions of their favorite models, a trend popularized by Tata with its Dark editions. The Tata Nexon recently received a facelifted Dark edition, but it's not the only sub-4m SUV in India with an all-black special edition; Hyundai offers the Venue in the 'Knight Edition' as a blacked-out version.
If you're considering either of these special edition models, here's a brief overview of the differences between the Nexon Dark and the Venue Knight Edition:
Design
The Nexon Dark features a split-LED headlight setup introduced with the 2023 Nexon facelift. Every chrome component on the bumper and the silver skid plate is entirely blackened out in the Dark variant. On the other hand, the Venue Knight Edition features a gloss black grille and brass inserts on the bumper, with both the 'Hyundai' logo and the skid plate blacked out as well.
Side Profile
The two special edition SUVs also see changes on their side profiles. The Nexon Dark comes with blacked-out ORVM housings and 'Dark' badges on the front fenders while riding on 16-inch black alloy wheels. Meanwhile, the Venue Knight Edition boasts brass inserts on its alloy wheels accompanied by red brake calipers, and blacked-out roof rails and ORVMs.
Rear
At the rear, the Nexon Dark showcases the 'Nexon' moniker and bumper, both finished in black. Similarly, the Venue Knight Edition features blacked-out 'Hyundai' and 'Venue' logos, along with the 'Knight' emblem. The Hyundai SUV also has bumper inserts made of brass.
Interior
Both SUVs have an all-black interior motif that goes well with the overall theme of their special edition vehicles. The Nexon has luxurious black leatherette upholstery with the 'Dark' headrest insignia and the carmaker's unique tri-arrow motif. On the other hand, the Venue Knight Edition incorporates brass-colored inserts throughout the cabin, along with black seat upholstery adorned with brass accents. The Venue Knight Edition also gets metal-finished pedals and 3D designer mats to enhance the sporty feel inside.
Features
Both SUVs come loaded with features. With the Nexon Dark, you get a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, a 10.25-inch digital driver's display, a sunroof, ventilated front seats, and wireless phone charging. Its safety features include six airbags, a 360-degree camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). The Venue Knight Edition comes equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, a sunroof, wireless phone charging, and an auto-dimming IRVM (new). Hyundai has also introduced a dual-camera dashcam with the Knight Edition. Additionally, it offers safety features such as six airbags, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
Engine Options
Both SUVs have the option of a turbocharged gasoline engine, while the Nexon also has a 1.5-liter diesel engine, and the Venue has a 1.2-liter normally aspirated gasoline engine. A closer look at the possible powerplant choices for both SUVs is provided below:
Nexon Dark
- 1.2-liter turbo-petrol: 120 PS, 170 Nm, 6-speed MT, 6-speed AMT, 7-speed DCT*
- 1.5-liter diesel: 115 PS, 260 Nm, 6-speed MT, 6-speed AMT *DCT- dual-clutch automatic transmission
Venue Knight Edition
- 1-liter Turbo-petrol: 120 PS, 172 Nm, 6-speed iMT*, 7-speed DCT
- 1.2-liter NA Petrol: 83 PS, 114 Nm, 5-speed MT *iMT - intelligent manual transmission
Price
The Hyundai Venue Knight Edition is priced between Rs 10.13 lakh and Rs 13.48 lakh, while the Nexon Dark is priced between Rs 11.45 lakh and Rs 13.85 lakh by Tata. They compete with the Nissan Magnite Red Edition and the Kia Sonet X-Line in addition to one another. They also compete with the Renault Kiger, Mahindra XUV300, and Maruti Brezza.