I often consider how recipes came to be when coming across particularly intricate edible concoctions. I like to think about the human element that went into tweaking a survival necessity just to jazz things up and make it more enjoyable, evolving to the point of becoming an art to be critiqued and mastered, a trade to study, and to be so desirable as to influence commerce of societies for generations. Call it “flavor” or call it “spice” or call it what you will, but all recipes have that one thing, that singular element that makes a dish come alive.
Cars are very much the same in this regard in that they can be very bland and serve the very base of transport functions. They don’t need to be aesthetically pleasing or enjoyable to pilot, yet that human desire of flavor makes sure that they are. Hyundai have, in recent years, served up not only quality day-to-day fare like the sonata, but also some delectable offerings like last year’s Veloster, a brand new hatchback with all the fixin’s. Ultimately, though, it lacked a certain kick that threw the whole thing slightly off. Having sent it back to the kitchen, Hyundai has improved upon the entry (entrée?) with a heaping spoonful of turbo.
Whenever I get to talk to the development teams in charge of Hyundai vehicles such as the Veloster, we’re usually eating, and we’re eating well. We often marvel at the fresh spread at a farm-to-table restaurant, partake amazing seafood by the seaside or beat the heat with a brilliant gazpacho. Car foodies. Who knew? Our conversations of picking out the nuances of each dish inevitably allows me a flimsy segue into vehicle development, because if they like talking about anything more than what they discover in their dish, it’s what they put in their products.
The Veloster came out of Hyundai’s goal to get that all important “next-gen driver” market. Much of their research was time spent immersed with the kids out there in their first cars and finding out what that means to them. Shockingly, what they’re looking for in a car has been the same since the time of tail-finned Cadillacs: a place to hang out with their friends and a source of independence. What has changed is all the stuff that comes along with the newfound freedom, stuff like apps and texting, screens to plug an Xbox in, GPS navigation and so on. They said they wouldn’t need to tack on all the extra gadgets if someone made a car with them already integrated. The Hyundai devs rose to the opportunity.
Subtlety was not in the discussion when it came to designing the look of the Veloster. Aggression is the name of the game, especially with the redesigned, open snouted fascia for the turbo. Lines come across at dramatic angles, with deep grooves cut into bold wheel wells that give it a grin that would put Willem Dafoe to shame. An asymmetrical door layout finds its way on the Veloster, giving access to the rear seats akin to the freestyle doors of the Mazda RX-8. This door is singularly found on the passenger side and flushes well in the design. The rear window on the hatch is bisected by a beam supporting a spoiler and mounted brake light, and does, as one can imagine, interfere with rear visibility. The Veloster’s styling is clearly geared for a younger crowd, so anyone who looks for a bit more contemporary elegance in their vehicles will find the Veloster a bit brash. On the other hand, if the idea of climbing into a car that could easily pass as one of the futuristic hover-race cars from F-Zero appeals to you, you’re in luck. Add an exclusive matte gray paint option to the turbo, and you most definitely have a head turner.
As is the one of the main missions of the Veloster, Hyundai didn’t skimp on interior gadgetry. The entertainment system centers around a 7- inch touch screen where a multitude of functions can be accessed, such as navigation, SiriusXM radio and other standard music options. Much of the feedback Hyundai received during its research is that much of the music young adults listen to is streamed through their mobile devices, so not only can smart phones be paired via bluetooth connection for wireless audio playback, the Veloster has Pandora internet radio built right in. The LCD screen can also be customized by allowing image files to be uploaded from a flash drive, giving owners the ability to change the background and standby images just as they do on their phones. If you really want to bring the feel of the mobile dorm/party room full circle, there are inputs for dvd and game consoles available in the Veloster. Don’t think about gaming on the go, however, it is wisely locked out when on the move.
Interior appointments are a mix of rubber surfaces with a smattering of chrome-painted hard plastics. It suits the edgy, modern design attitude of the Veloster, with styling that makes the driver feel like they’re in the hot seat of an alien starfighter. The rear seats are much more spacious than they look at first glance, comfortably accommodating two people with ease. The mini passenger side door also makes accessing the back substantially less awkward.
As fun as the whole package brings, the lack of grunt made the standard Veloster significantly less appealing. The performance didn’t match the attitude the vehicle was trying to convey and the car rapidly went from a hip and stylish ride to an ostentatious toy. As much fun as it was to sit in a parking lot and play with all the gadgets, getting to and from soured the whole package. It’s amazing what a little forced induction can do.
Adding a twin-scroll turbocharger to the 1.6L 4-cylinder engine has upped the Veloster’s performance from 138hp to 201, and boosting the torque from 120 ft lbs to 195ft lbs. Numbers that won’t make your hair stand on end, but at the very least gives the hatch a little pep to the front wheels. The turbo comes standard with a 6-speed manual, but one can opt for the automatic with shiftronic paddle shifters. The manual gearbox does its job, but won’t give you any illusions that you’re in a high performance face melter. Recall any experience from driving a standard transmission c-segment vehicle, and you’ve pretty much nailed it.
What will surprise you is how well the Veloster handles, now that it can be driven with purpose. Composed of MacPherson struts in the front, a V-torsion beam in the back, and coil springs all around, the suspension allows for some remarkably tight handling. Standard 4 wheel disk brakes don’t exactly hurt, either. The turbo has also been tuned for a sportier ride, and it comes across when given the chance. There were more then a couple instances during spirited commuting that I exclaimed “where is this handling coming from?!” out loud. This isn’t the dressed up but dull base model I drove the year before. This car grew up, if remained purposefully immature.
When it comes time to shop, there are few that will match the Veloster’s youthful exuberance, but a couple come close. The Chevrolet Sonic shoots at the same target, but for all it’s skydiving and bungie jumping antics, it ends up being a decent yet straight laced contemporary without too much of an outgoing persona. Ford’s Focus GT has the presence and the performance to back it up, but can be priced as high as $28,900 with all the options whereas our test Veloster fully loaded came out to $25,300. Something to consider with the Veloster is also living with a car so distinctive. It’s very possible that down the line, an owner may grow out of the quirky-videogame-looking-techno fabulous feel of the Hyundai. Their tastes might mature. You’re then stuck with a “kid’s car.” Let’s also not neglect the fact that one ding, one chip, one light abrasion to the matte gray paint, and you’re on your way to learn a painful lesson on how much that will cost to touch up.
Hyundai has made good efforts in bringing to the table things that are a little more substantial than the daily fare, and the Veloster is a good example of that. They didn’t have to make it. Their lineup has all the angles covered, from decent economy vehicles, to sporty coupes, to luxury offerings that are rivaling the old standbys. They certainly had an affordable 5-door hatch they could bank on: the Accent. What was to stop them from taking the easier route and tricking that out with all the electronics, turbo and matte paint then sending it out to the school yards to have youths flock to it? Probably nothing, but they took a risk in making a brand new, divisively styled, asymmetric vehicle for their lineup and the result was something pretty unique.
-Promiscuous Data-
Curb appeal – It’s a matte gray hovering spaceship with robot insect eyes. People will look at you.
Notable Rival Of The Week – Mesh Tank tops. Don’t ask.
Price & Availability – Available now. MSRP starts at $22,100. Test Vehicle with options priced at $25,320
Fuel Eco – 24mpg city/35 mpg highway (31mpg highway for automatic)
Bottom Line – Unique, cool looking car that may not be grown up enough, but then again, you may not care.
Words By – Alex Kalogiannis
Photos By – Sean Spencer