Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I would've preferred a door behind the driver too for the extra versatilitly. The design masks the rear door quite good anyways.

I think it was a smart move on Hyundai's part. As a driver, you approach your 'coupe' every time you are about to get in. But if you need to take a passenger in the back seat, they get inside your '4-door' hatch from the correct (curb) side of the road. Win-win.

Hyundai is considering bringing the 5 door into the US next year. It may or may not replace the 4 door version.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/11/hyundai-mulling-five-door-veloster-for-u-s/

Handling wise, I think a switch to 16" rims and 50 series tires would help handling. The stiff sidewalls, higher unsprung weight and torsion beam axle seem to allow the rear to hop on lateral ridges in the road. Otherwise it seemed pretty planted as is.

One thing I didn't expect was performance so close to the CRZ (numbers from MotorTrend):

CR-Z EX 6speed manual, 122 hp, 128 lb-ft
0-60: 8.3sec
1/4 : 16.4 sec @ 83.6 mph
60-0: 122 ft
Skidpad: 0.84g
Weight: 2544lbs
MPG: 31/37

Veloster 6speed manual, 138-hp, 123-lb-ft
0-60: 8.8sec
1/4 : 16.7 sec @ 83.1 mph
60-0: 125 ft
Skidpad: 0.83g
Weight: 2741lbs
MPG: 28/40 

If you don't need the back seat, the CRZ suddenly looks like a competitive product.

[nsmyhte]

I saw this in person a week ago in a parking lot and I was surprised to find that it looked better than in the pictures. (I took the following picture)
Honestly, It looked so good that i was checking it out as if it was an exotic car.
The presence of the car is amazing.
It's a great car for the price.
Car market is going crazier with a lot of R & D and i think some car companies will go bankrupt because some will get beaten by the competition.
And probably will be bought by some Chinese or Indian companies.

Something like what's already happening in LCD TV industries.....

Panasonic gets $5.384 billion in fiscal 2011 deficit:
http://www.newso.org/ITNews/Trade/Panasonic-gets-5384-billion-in-fiscal-2011-deficit/02199cac-9f27-4604-bedd-f5b41f246a51
http://www.newso.org/ITNews/Trade/Panasonic-SONY-for-losses-to-abandon-LCD-TV-panel-project/df127b30-ec1c-466f-b160-5e6ef3df3572
http://www.newso.org/ITNews/Trade/Panasonic-closing-several-panel-factory-Japanese-TV-global-retreat/e627683c-348b-4d96-b740-1d38067f2ce2

The rear bumper is much too fat. The rear of this thing is disproportionately bulky and really ruins the overall look in my opinion.  It's not CTS coupe bad but its close.

[JohnnyMac]

I would've preferred a door behind the driver too for the extra versatilitly. The design masks the rear door quite good anyways.

I think it was a smart move on Hyundai's part. As a driver, you approach your 'coupe' every time you are about to get in. But if you need to take a passenger in the back seat, they get inside your '4-door' hatch from the correct (curb) side of the road. Win-win.

Hyundai is considering bringing the 5 door into the US next year. It may or may not replace the 4 door version.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/11/hyundai-mulling-five-door-veloster-for-u-s/

Handling wise, I think a switch to 16" rims and 50 series tires would help handling. The stiff sidewalls, higher unsprung weight and torsion beam axle seem to allow the rear to hop on lateral ridges in the road. Otherwise it seemed pretty planted as is.

One thing I didn't expect was performance so close to the CRZ (numbers from MotorTrend):

CR-Z EX 6speed manual, 122 hp, 128 lb-ft
0-60: 8.3sec
1/4 : 16.4 sec @ 83.6 mph
60-0: 122 ft
Skidpad: 0.84g
Weight: 2544lbs
MPG: 31/37

Veloster 6speed manual, 138-hp, 123-lb-ft
0-60: 8.8sec
1/4 : 16.7 sec @ 83.1 mph
60-0: 125 ft
Skidpad: 0.83g
Weight: 2741lbs
MPG: 28/40 

If you don't need the back seat, the CRZ suddenly looks like a competitive product.

Except of course on price where the Veloster is $1,000 cheaper.

[wing]

And has more content.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

And has more content.

Such as? CRZ are pretty well equiped.

[Patrick_D1]

And has more content.

Such as? CRZ are pretty well equiped.

Nav, decent sound system, heated seats, back-up camera, larger alloys, two extra seats... Need I go on? Also, the price gap is more like $4,500 between base models.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

And has more content.

Such as? CRZ are pretty well equiped.

Nav, decent sound system, heated seats, back-up camera, larger alloys, two extra seats... Need I go on? Also, the price gap is more like $4,500 between base models.

So it boils down to navi, rear seats and heated fronts. The backup camera isn't necessary and the huge alloys on the Veloster are more hindrance than help.

Now the CR-Z is a half second quicker to 60 and it's handling is excellent. Equipped similarly, the difference is about $1k. Given how the CR-Z is selling, I'm pretty sure the sales dude could trim that pretty quick.

I dunno. For me it would be a tough choice. Tougher than what I would have expected just looking at the spec sheet. I was disappointed with the CR-Z being a hybrid. And very disappointed with the Veloster coming in as a 4 seater with the odd door arrangement and tepid performance.

[E!Power]

I would've preferred a door behind the driver too for the extra versatilitly. The design masks the rear door quite good anyways.

I think it was a smart move on Hyundai's part. As a driver, you approach your 'coupe' every time you are about to get in. But if you need to take a passenger in the back seat, they get inside your '4-door' hatch from the correct (curb) side of the road. Win-win.

Hyundai is considering bringing the 5 door into the US next year. It may or may not replace the 4 door version.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/11/hyundai-mulling-five-door-veloster-for-u-s/

Handling wise, I think a switch to 16" rims and 50 series tires would help handling. The stiff sidewalls, higher unsprung weight and torsion beam axle seem to allow the rear to hop on lateral ridges in the road. Otherwise it seemed pretty planted as is.

One thing I didn't expect was performance so close to the CRZ (numbers from MotorTrend):

CR-Z EX 6speed manual, 122 hp, 128 lb-ft
0-60: 8.3sec
1/4 : 16.4 sec @ 83.6 mph
60-0: 122 ft
Skidpad: 0.84g
Weight: 2544lbs
MPG: 31/37

Veloster 6speed manual, 138-hp, 123-lb-ft
0-60: 8.8sec
1/4 : 16.7 sec @ 83.1 mph
60-0: 125 ft
Skidpad: 0.83g
Weight: 2741lbs
MPG: 28/40 

If you don't need the back seat, the CRZ suddenly looks like a competitive product.

I agree that the extra door would be better for loading and unloading. Also for weight distribution. Will added weight of the third door will make the car unbalanced?.

I've seen one on the road. It looks all right. Looks like a ford focus / fiesta just like the Elantra and Accent.

[Blueprint]

Platform donor is Elentra, not Accent (granted, it's a shortened Elantra platform).

This car's direct competition is the Scion tC.  I really like the price and fuel economy of the Veloster, but even in our second car I need 5 seats.  The tC has surprising room back there.

[safristi]

E! power !!! sez"It looks like Fraud Focus/Fiesta. and.he has seen one on the road....!!! whoop dee doo....just "LIKE" the Elantra and Accent".....

 well thank gawd fer that amazing dream sequence.............

[Mike]

Platform donor is Elentra, not Accent (granted, it's a shortened Elantra platform).

This car's direct competition is the Scion tC.  I really like the price and fuel economy of the Veloster, but even in our second car I need 5 seats.  The tC has surprising room back there.

No, the Veloster is based on a stretched version of the Accent platform and includes the same drivetrain.  It is almost as big as an Elantra, but it is Accent based

[Jaeger]

Turbo Veloster for 2013 has just been made official...expect to see it in Detroit this January (Toronto in Feb I hope)

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/01/hyundai-confirms-veloster-turbo-upgraded-genesis-coupe-headed-f/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fautoblog+%28Autoblog%29

Thanks Mike. It's been so widely rumored that I figured it had to be true.  Plus they had previously confirmed production of the engine.  Good to know it has been confirmed.

Jaeger

[chrischasescars]

Platform donor is Elentra, not Accent (granted, it's a shortened Elantra platform).

This car's direct competition is the Scion tC.  I really like the price and fuel economy of the Veloster, but even in our second car I need 5 seats.  The tC has surprising room back there.

The Veloster is indeed based on the Accent, NOT the Elantra. I asked their PR guy about this a couple weeks ago when I drove the Veloster.

[ajay]

I read it was a shortened Elantra platform ( by 2 inches )

Car & Driver , interesting review, quote
Expectations are a . If it weren’t for people’s pesky hopes, the 2012 Hyundai Veloster could totter onto the new-car market as a simple and oddly endearing little nugget of a dressed-up economy car.

Hopefully the econo part is gone when the turbo model comes out.

[safristi]

ajay  and drive one.............Hyundai hateboi....

[ajay]

I'm glad you are happy with saf , thats all that matters .

[safristi]

Happy with Saf. ...............I'm not transgendered.....just drive one....too hard for you to get out the basement?

[ajay]

Read enough reviews of it to know I'm not interested in test driving it .

[rrocket]

Read enough reviews of it to know I'm not interested in test driving it .

What exciting sports car do you drive again?  I forgot..

[ajay]

Mazda 3 sedan GT