First Drive: 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

Review and photos by James Bergeron

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2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

Bowmanville, Ontario – When I drove the all-new 2012 Hyundai Veloster last fall I said: “Power is where the Veloster falls flat on its face. There really is no skirting around the issue—the 138-hp engine is barely adequate.”

For 2013, Hyundai aims to silence the vocal press about the lack of power in the Veloster, by offering a turbo variant packed with features and built to address the only complaint many had about the unfortunate lack of propulsion in an otherwise entertaining vehicle — and one with a profile that looks fast standing still.

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. Click image to enlarge

For the 2013 model year, and soon to hit showrooms, the Veloster Turbo is available in a single trim level with a starting price of $25,999. It is packed with features to make it stand out in a crowded market: exclusive to the Turbo are a new hexagonal grill, sculpted side skirts, rear diffuser with twin centre-mounted exhaust tips, 18-inch alloy wheels with chrome inserts and projector headlamps with LED accents.

On the inside, unique two-tone leather seats with “Turbo” stitching differentiate this car from the standard Veloster, as do new electro-luminescent gauges and darker interior trim, all of which impart a more premium feel to the cabin.

The Turbo also includes as standard a tech package that includes a 7.0-inch touch-screen navigation system with back-up camera, 450-watt Dimension premium audio system with eight speakers, Bluetooth, proximity keyless entry with push-button ignition, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, alloy pedals, and more.

Other unique features on the Veloster Turbo include LED taillights, side mirrors with turn signal indicators and an exclusive Hyundai-first matte finish paint (Matte grey), which is available for an additional $1,000.

The engine is not the entire story behind the Veloster Turbo, but it certainly is the major selling point. What we have here is a 1.6-litre turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine that outputs a very respectable 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, while burning regular fuel. The Turbo is available with a standard six-speed manual transmission or, optionally, can be had with a six-speed automatic transmission for an additional $1,250.

The T-GDI engine features twin-scroll turbocharger that contains two exhaust gas inlets, a design that allows the turbocharger to recover more energy from the exhaust over a conventional single-scroll turbocharger.

This design increases low-end torque and allows for faster throttle response. All of this power and technology, and the Veloster Turbo is still capable of offering very impressive fuel consumption ratings of 7.9 L/100 km (city) and 5.2 L/100 km (highway) when equipped with the manual transmission.

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