Turbocharged and online. Literally.

If you require any more proof of how important automotive digitisation has become – meet the Venucia V-Online.

This new creation from the Dongfeng/Nissan joint venture falls under the Venucia brand and it is unashamedly targeted at the youth.

So keen is Dongfeng to target a youthful market that it has given this crossover a truly ‘online’ naming convention. Unsatisfied with merely having a large infotainment touchscreen in the cabin, Venucia’s product planners wanted to make a statement about their vehicle’s digitised nature – with badging.

Measuring 4.56m in length, the Venucia V-Online is about the size of a current-generation X-Trail.

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The design language and styling are quite daring, with the V-Online featuring an enormous hexagon pattern grille and headlights with a stack of LED daytime running diodes.

Around the rear, the V-Online has a peculiarly shaped and angular tailgate, with a distinct full-width taillight.

Powering the V-Online is a 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine, boosting 142 kW and 260 Nm. Drive is to the front wheels, via a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Beyond its peculiar exterior design, what makes this crossover interesting? Dongfeng has equipped it with the ability to process OTA updates, and that’s about it.

After a spate of new battery-powered models being released this year, it is almost odd to see a new Chinese crossover that uses a liquid fuel energy source.