What is it? A much-needed remake of Hyundai’s lopsided — the South Korean company calls it asymmetrical — hatchback.
Why does it matter? The Veloster plays in the sport compact segment that is the Young Turk’s stepping stone to a mature automobile. To sell 37-year-old Bob with one screaming kid (and another on the way) his first sedan or full-sized SUV, you first have to sell 28-year-old Bob something that stimulated his loins in a different way. Hence the Veloster’s importance.
When is it coming? Spring 2018 for the standard Veloster, and the Veloster N – more on that later – should arrive by the end of 2018.
Should you buy it? That depends. If you’re thinking the Veloster Turbo — even its top-flite R-Spec guise — is a Honda Civic Type R competitor, then you’ll likely be disappointed. If you’re looking for a slightly offbeat sporty — but not sports — crossover then the Veloster has a lot going for it. Base versions get a new version of Hyundai’s 2.0-litre, uhm,“Nu” engine, this one running the Atkinson cycle for better fuel economy. That limits its maximum horsepower to 147 horses, but there is 132 lb.-ft. of torque available.
The top-line 1.6-litre turbocharged “Gamma” four-cylinder remains much the same, pumping out 201 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 195 pound-feet of torque as low as 1,500 rpm. Both engines come standard with a six-speed manual but, while the base 2.0L gets a six-speed automatic, the Turbo gets Hyundai’s own seven speed dual-clutcher.
All Veloster get a torque-vectoring front differential and all-wheel independent suspension — MacPherson struts and rear multi-link system. The R-Spec gets a quicker steering box and more substantial sway bars — 24-millimetre front and 19-millimetre rear for less body roll. And for those that really like to play silly buggers, there’s more traction thanks to a set of gummy 225/40R18 Michelin PS4 Summer Performance tires.
But the real news is the launch of the new Veloster N, that pumps a turbocharged 2.0-litre turbo-four in the Veloster’s engine bay. Its 275 horsepower may not quite match the Civic Type R’s 306 ponies but it certainly puts a little velocity in the — and I really didn’t mean this as a pun-ish play of words — Veloster. There’s also 260 lb.-ft. of torque, available as low as 1,450 rpm, distributed to the tarmac by something called a N Power Sense Axle design that, Hyundai says, features zero-scrub radius for more precise steering, better on-centre stability and increased steering linearity.
Befitting its hot hatch status, the N also offers multiple driving modes including Normal, Sport, N, Eco and N Custom which all customize engine throttle response, engine speed rev-matching, tuning of the N Power Sense active differential, damping in the adjustable suspension, and even the vehicle stability control system’s yaw-control characteristics.
Many pundits — including some of the less than sensitive amongst our own editorial team — have long denigrated the Veloster as a pale imitation of a hot hatch. The introduction of the N has more than put those complaints to rest.
