Hyundai Veloster

Hyundai Veloster Overview

The Hyundai Veloster is the South Korean automaker’s attempt at a sporty coupé, featuring a unique asymmetrical door configuration, with one door on the driver side and two on the passenger side. It made its Malaysian debut back in 2012 with the facelifted model subsequently introduced three years later with an updated 1.6 L turbocharged powertrain.

The facelifted first-generation Hyundai Veloster is available in two trim levels- Turbo and the Turbo Sport variants. Price starts from RM 148,119 when new and are imported directly from South Korea.

Sitting in an incredibly niche subsegment, like-for-like, there aren’t many natural rivals that compete against the Hyundai Veloster. Although bearing a striking resemblance to the sporty Renault Megane RS Coupé, the Hyundai Veloster is more comparable to rivals like the Kia Cerato Koup and perhaps the slightly more premium Volkswagen Scirocco.

Hyundai Veloster Design

A coupé, in a conventional sense comes with two doors while a hatchback comes with four. Hyundai claims that the Hyundai Veloster unique 3 doors design offers the best of both worlds, although some may argue that it offers neither.

At first glance, well depending on which side you are looking from, one can be forgiven to have mistaken the Hyundai Veloster as a 2-door hatchback. With a unique asymmetrical door design, the passenger side features a rear door with a ‘hidden’ door handle like the one in the Honda HR-V, coupled with a dramatically upsloping window line towards the C-pillar for that ‘conventional’ 2 door look.

The front features a massive hexagonal grille with a silver surround and a sporty sculpted bumper. The creases on the front bumper integrate seamlessly with the LED daytime running light and the blacked-out A-pillar gives the car a floating roof effect.

From the rear three quarter, the Hyundai Veloster resembles the third generation Renault Megane RS Coupé. Pronounced wheel arches and a dramatically slopping roofline combined with the sporty rear bumper featuring a rear diffuser and twin central tailpipe gives the car a sporty and aggressive stance. The exterior on both variants is identical apart from the racing decals available exclusively to the Turbo Sport variant.

Hyundai Veloster Dimension

The Hyundai Veloster is a compact C-segment coupé with the footprint of a typical hatchback. Its overall length is shorter than the Hyundai i30 by a good 85 mm but with the same wheelbase. The spacious 440 litre boot space is easily one of the largest in the segment.

Hyundai Veloster Interior

The dynamic design of the exterior is matched by the bold interior, featuring Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design philosophy. With contemporary design ahead of its time compared to Hyundai’s existing lineup at the time, the Hyundai Veloster features V-shape centre console and a sculpted dashboard accented by silver trims and gloss black inserts.

As standard, both variants are fitted with leather wrapped steering wheel with red contrast stitching, leather upholstery, floor mounted metal pedal, leather wrapped gear knob and an expansive panoramic sunroof. The Turbo Sport variant adds orange side lining on the leather seats.

The third door certainly makes access into the back that much easier. However, the slopping roof line also means that the head room at the rear is very much compromised, and the mechanism for the sunroof blind does not help either. Rear knee room is pretty decent, and the foldable rear seats split 60:40, further expanding the loadable boot space.

Hyundai Veloster Features

Standard equipment includes LED projector headlights with LED daytime running light, rear spoiler with high mounted stop lamp, panorama front bumper lip, front and rear fog lamps, panoramic sunroof and 18-inch alloy wheels with size 225/40R18 tyres.

On the inside, you get 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, a supervision analog instrument cluster, powered driver seat with lumbar support and 3-sides power windows. Convenience features include keyless entry with push and start, automatic air conditioning and auto light control with automatic leveling.

Driving assistance includes rear parking assist, rear view camera, active ECO driving mode, flex steer and hill start assist control.

The Hyundai Veloster is awarded the full 5-Star in the Euro NCAP crash safety rating, with 6 airbags, reinforced sheet steel pillars, ABS, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM).

Hyundai Veloster Driving Performance

Engine

The Hyundai Veloster is powered by a 1.6 litre T-GDi (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) 4-cylinder engine, developing 186 PS at 5500 RPM and 265 NM of torque from 1500-4500 RPM. 0-100km/h in 8 seconds flat and max out at a top speed of 214 km/h.

Featuring twin-scroll turbocharger technology with GDi system, turbo lag is significantly reduced but the power delivery is not as linear or as immediate as the 1.5 L turbo in the Honda Civic.

Stainless steel turbine housing lowers weight and improves durability while efficiency is also greatly enhanced thanks to an optimum air/fuel ratio control and pressure distribution.

Hyundai Veloster Transmission

Power is sent to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch transmission with pedal shifters for manual override. Hyundai promises improved fuel economy and acceleration over a conventional 6-speed automatic torque converter.

Hyundai Veloster Ride Comfort

Based on the Hyundai-Kia PB platform, the Hyundai Veloster features MacPhearson Strut at the front and rear torsion beam suspension. Contrast to its Japanese and German counterparts that comes fitted with independent multi-link rear suspension, the Hyundai Veloster is comparatively less composed and easily upset especially when dealing with corners at speed.

Road noise is apparent partly due to the 18-inch alloy wheel with low profile tyres and a less than ideal interior NVH level.

Hyundai Veloster Fuel Consumption

No official rated fuel economy.

Hyundai Veloster Conclusion

If you are expecting the drive on the Hyundai Veloster to be as exciting as how it looks, with its lackluster driving dynamics and less than desirable handling characteristics, i am afraid you will be disappointed. That being said, the Hyundai Veloster is truly one of a kind. With a unique and bold exterior styling comparable to the sporty Renault Megane RS Coupé, and the added practicality of a ‘hidden’ third door like the Mazda RX-8, one can perhaps start to understand the appeal of the Hyundai Veloster.