Hyundai Venue iMT — Your questions answered!
Hyundai has just announced the iMT gearbox for the Venue — a two-pedal clutchless manual transmission that relies on a set of sensors and actuators managed by a transmission control unit to bring rest to your left leg, and engagement for your left arm. But as with any new technology, there are bound to be questions, and in this case, there have been a lot. So, we’ve got you the answers for five of the most asked questions from you enthusiasts.
Q: Will I need to use the clutch at all?
A: No. The iMT variant will not have a third pedal altogether, so the car will be doing all of the clutch work. This includes upshifts, downshifts and coming to a stop or setting off.
Q: What happens if I go slow enough to stall?
A: Well, much like what you would do, the clutch will engage to keep the engine from stalling, however since the gear engagement is in your hands, the car will freewheel till you put it into a suitable gear, while also warning you to do the same.
Q: Will the clutch wear out faster?
A: Not necessarily. If you were to set off from second gear in a manual car, you would burn the clutch in a conventional manual car and one with this system as well. However, under normal driving circumstances, there should be no more clutch wear than a regular automatic.
Q: How will I be able to set off on an uphill slope?
A: Very intelligent question. In fact, reverse uphill parking was the downfall of Saab’s Sensonic clutchless manual. It would tend to engage the clutch at slow speeds, like when you were parking, thinking you were about to stop but in turn send you freewheeling down a slope. However, technology has come a long way since then and the iMT gearbox will probably be equipped with a hill assist function to help you drive (or park) uphill.
Q: Will it shift as fast as I can?
A: That depends on how you drive. If you’re a rev-matching downhill touge-thrashing reincarnation of Takumi Fujiwara, no. However, if you drive calmly, or even reasonably briskly, the iMT ’box should have no problem keeping up. We’ll only know for sure once we get our hands on it!
We hope this clears up atleast some of your doubts about the iMT gearbox! It will be available as an option on the 1-litre turbo-petrol variant of the Venue, and should be priced between the conventional manual and DCT automatic varians, which start at Rs 8.46 lakh and Rs 9.6 lakh, respectively.
