When: Late summer 2012
How Much: TBD
Our Guess: $23,000
Right now, the Veloster lacks the performance cred to back up its killer looks. But that will change once this 201-hp version hits the streets. The 45 percent boost in horsepower has most folks taking a second look at the Veloster, and hoping this Turbo is a signal that Hyundai is getting as serious about performance as it has been about quality and design over the last few years.
So far, though, signs remain cloudy—the stonking 1.6-liter motor with dual exhaust notwithstanding. Word is the Veloster Turbo gets the same suspension, which is disappointing. The stock Veloster is fun but stiff-kneed and less refined when compared to better-bred sporty cars like VW's GTI—or the Subaru BRZ, which is only somewhat costlier than what we're expecting to see from the Veloster Turbo. Also, ask Mini engineers about controlling torque steer in a 200-hp car with a short wheelbase. That, too, has probably made Hyundai sweat.
How Much: TBD
Our Guess: $23,000
Right now, the Veloster lacks the performance cred to back up its killer looks. But that will change once this 201-hp version hits the streets. The 45 percent boost in horsepower has most folks taking a second look at the Veloster, and hoping this Turbo is a signal that Hyundai is getting as serious about performance as it has been about quality and design over the last few years.
So far, though, signs remain cloudy—the stonking 1.6-liter motor with dual exhaust notwithstanding. Word is the Veloster Turbo gets the same suspension, which is disappointing. The stock Veloster is fun but stiff-kneed and less refined when compared to better-bred sporty cars like VW's GTI—or the Subaru BRZ, which is only somewhat costlier than what we're expecting to see from the Veloster Turbo. Also, ask Mini engineers about controlling torque steer in a 200-hp car with a short wheelbase. That, too, has probably made Hyundai sweat.
Even if the Veloster Turbo isn't perfection out of the gate, we hope it's a sign of better-performing Hyundais (and Kias) to come.
All Veloster Turbos come standard with perforated leather seats, heated
front seats with "Turbo" stitched into the seat backs, a leather-wrapped
multifunction steering wheel that tilts and telescopes, alloy pedals
and plush floor mats featuring the Veloster name. One of the unique
interior features of the Turbo is the blue accent trim found on the
seats, door panel pull handles and the center console uprights, and
while this is available as a no-cost option, our car stuck with the more
conservative cabin consisting of Graphite Black leather seats with
contrasting beige inserts and silver accents on the doors and center
console.
Hyundai hit the Veloster Turbo out of the park when it came to fuel economy with an EPA estimated 26 mpg city, 38 mpg highway. Targeting the tech-savvy millennials, the Veloster Turbo includes a decent amount of standard cabin technology ranging from the 450-watt Dimension audio system to Hyundai's Blue Link Telematics system. Our test vehicle had the $2,500 Ultimate Package that includes a navigation system, backup sensors, a 115-volt outlet in the center console and a panoramic sunroof.
Instead of going up on displacement, Hyundai kept the Veloster's 1.6-liter, direct-injected inline four-cylinder in place, but added an 18-psi turbocharger for boost. Up from the base 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque, the Veloster Turbo produces 201 hp and 195 lb.-ft. putting it in the same class as the Honda Civic Si, Mini Cooper S and Volkswagen GTI. There's nothing really special about tossing a peppy engine under the hood of a small hatchback, but Hyundai really hit the Veloster Turbo out of the park when it came to fuel economy with an EPA estimated 26 miles per gallon in the city, 38 mpg on the highway and a combined rating of 30 mpg.
Hyundai hit the Veloster Turbo out of the park when it came to fuel economy with an EPA estimated 26 mpg city, 38 mpg highway. Targeting the tech-savvy millennials, the Veloster Turbo includes a decent amount of standard cabin technology ranging from the 450-watt Dimension audio system to Hyundai's Blue Link Telematics system. Our test vehicle had the $2,500 Ultimate Package that includes a navigation system, backup sensors, a 115-volt outlet in the center console and a panoramic sunroof.
Instead of going up on displacement, Hyundai kept the Veloster's 1.6-liter, direct-injected inline four-cylinder in place, but added an 18-psi turbocharger for boost. Up from the base 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque, the Veloster Turbo produces 201 hp and 195 lb.-ft. putting it in the same class as the Honda Civic Si, Mini Cooper S and Volkswagen GTI. There's nothing really special about tossing a peppy engine under the hood of a small hatchback, but Hyundai really hit the Veloster Turbo out of the park when it came to fuel economy with an EPA estimated 26 miles per gallon in the city, 38 mpg on the highway and a combined rating of 30 mpg.
This is also while burning regular gas, while the Si, GTI and Mini all require more expensive premium fuel, and it is almost identical to the much smaller and less powerful Fiat 500 Abarth and Chevrolet Sonic RS.
Better yet, these are real-world attainable fuel economy estimates.
Keep the Turbo out of its 6,000 rpm power band and you will have no
problem hitting those EPA figures
With as many changes as Hyundai made to the turbo model, the suspension tuning was left alone.When not focused on fuel economy, the Veloster Turbo is a downright
blast to drive, feeling nothing like your average, run-of-the-mill
C-segment hatchback. It might not be as nimble as a GTI or as visceral
as a Mazda MX-5 Miata,
but it is fun and easy to drive at any speed. Speaking of the Miata,
the Veloster Turbo only weighs about 400 pounds more than the iconic
roadster, but it's about as close as you can get to that kind of fun
from a front-wheel-drive car. Looking for better handling? The 2013
Veloster equipped with 18-inch wheels will be available with a summer
performance tire upgrade as a $1,200 option. Hyundai says it has also
changed the exhaust note, but this might be one of the most
inconspicuous changes made to the car.
With as many changes as Hyundai made to the turbo model, the suspension
tuning was left alone. The Veloster Turbo did get its own intake tuning,
exhaust note, slightly bigger front brake rotors and retuned steering
with a tighter ratio to help make it a little sharper in the turns, but
overall it handles much the same as the standard Veloster. Our time with
the car was spent driving around town, getting a feel for what it would
be like having this car as a daily driver, and we were pleasantly
surprised by how comfortable the ride is in spite of how low it sits.
Acceleration is noticeably quicker with the added boost from the turbo,
but while we had the six-speed manual gearbox, we've heard the six-speed
automatic is actually more fun in this car. The only grumble we could
really muster about driving the Veloster Turbo was the curved rear
liftgate glass that creates a distorted view.
Like all of the sporty subcompacts it competes against, the Veloster Turbo is still reasonably priced. Compared to the standard Veloster $17,450 starting price, the Veloster Turbo bumps up to $22,725 (with destination). The extra money paid for the Turbo over the standard Veloster (more than $5,000) delivers plenty of added equipment that should be well worth the money for those who want the extra performance. Add in this car's Ultimate Package and segment-exclusive matte paint job, and you're looking at an as-tested price of $26,225. Opting for the automatic transmission will run you an extra $1,000 on top of that.
Like all of the sporty subcompacts it competes against, the Veloster Turbo is still reasonably priced. Compared to the standard Veloster $17,450 starting price, the Veloster Turbo bumps up to $22,725 (with destination). The extra money paid for the Turbo over the standard Veloster (more than $5,000) delivers plenty of added equipment that should be well worth the money for those who want the extra performance. Add in this car's Ultimate Package and segment-exclusive matte paint job, and you're looking at an as-tested price of $26,225. Opting for the automatic transmission will run you an extra $1,000 on top of that.
At the end of our time with this attention-grabbing matte gray test car, it was clear that the 2013 Veloster Turbo is the hatchback that Americans have been (or should have been) waiting for. The Veloster Turbo has what it takes to be considered a hot hatch with its plentiful power and practical interior space, and nowhere else can buyers get the kind of styling that the Veloster Turbo offers in this affordable price range. And not that buyers will buy this car for its efficiency, but there's no other performance-oriented small car that can touch the Veloster Turbo's fuel economy.
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