MM Review: 2012 Hyundai Veloster
11-10-11, 07:26 PM
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MM Review: 2012 Hyundai Veloster
By CL-member request, a review of the 2012 Hyundai Veloster.
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicles/2012/veloster/
IN A NUTSHELL: Solidly-built and meticulously-assembled, but a number of quirks in the design. And it needs a little more power.
I received a CL member-request for a review of the new Hyundai Veloster hatchback (coupe?), though its intended position in the automotive marketplace seems a little fuzzy (more on that in a minute). At first glance, it appears to be just one more small sport-oriented hatchback in a sea of them (though without much power), but it has a unique access-door arrangement....also more on that in a minute.
Hyundai's small cars, of course, have had a storied history in the U.S. They started off in 1986-87, selling the poorly-engineered, poorly-built Excel (whose body and drivetrain was shared with the Mitsubishi Precis). I test-drove a new Excel in 1987 and thought it, along with the ill-fated Pontiac Fiero, one of the worst new cars I had driven in years terms of engineering (the Fiero had even worse build-quality). The Excel's structure creaked and rattled, and, with the A/C on (it was a hot day), it was sluggish enough to be borderline dangerous. The Excel became the butt of jokes on the late-night talk shows, and even the fact that a modified coupe version of it (called the Scoupe) managed to win the 1992 Pikes' Peak Hill Climb did little to change the car's basic public image.....or its low reliability ranking from Consumer Report's magazine.
Things, of course, began to improve around 2000, with new management at Hyundai and a new-found determination to improve quality and the company's negative public-image.....and improve, it did. The new 10/100 Drivetrain and 5/60 Bumper-to-Bumper warranties were introduced (though the 10/100 part is transferable only to close-family members). It took a couple of more years for things to start improving at Kia (Hyundai ended up buying them out), but Kia products, which had shared a strong negative-image like Hyundai also started improving noticeably. Today, the overall quality of vehicles from both divisions, IMO, is pretty-much on a par with the average Japanese manufacturer, though, on some of the newest and latest-generation Hyundais, some lightening/thinning of the interior-materials and sheet-metal is noted...I think that Hyundai may have reached its peak a couple of years ago. The new latest-generation Kias actually seem a little more-solid than some of the Hyundais......especially the new Kia Optima sedan, which, in my review, I found outstanding.
Which, of course, brings us to the all-new Hyundai Veloster, which is just now beginning to arrive at local D.C.-area Hyundai stores. Like a number of new 2012 products, its introduction has been delayed some, perhaps by the Japanese earthquake/tsunami earlier this year (even though it is a Korean-badged vehicle, it may (?) rely on some Japanese-sourced parts).
It's a little unclear though, to me a least, just what slot the new Veloster is intended to fill in the automotive marketplace. The Veloster's introduction follows the recent demise of the Hyundai Tiburon (a nice little sport-coupe whose last generation build-quality I thought highly of). But it clearly does not seem to be a direct replacement for the Tiburon, as the Tiburon offered an optional small V6, and in general, was more of a classic coupe than the Veloster. Size and price-wise, the Veloster more or less fits in as another addition to a number of compact and sub-compact hatchback models from Hyundai and Kia, including the Hyundai Accent 5-door hatchback, Elantra Touring model, and the Kia Soul, Forte 5-door hatchback, and Rio 5-door hatchback (the slow-selling Rondo 5-door has been dropped from the American market). To an an extent, all of these small hatchbacks more or less compete against each other......as well as against other small hatchbacks from European, American, and Japanese manufacturers. So, ordinarily, the addition of one more small Hyundai-badged hatchback probably wouldn't be a big deal. But the Veloster does differ a little from its other small Hyundai and Kia brothers in a few design-features. Its roofline is significantly lower and more aero-shaped. The whole theme seems to be little more sport-oriented (though, IMO, as aforementioned, not a true replacement for the Tiburon). And, unlike any of the other cars mentioned, the Veloster has only one rear-door, on the right (passenger) side for access to its small rear seat. This is somewhat like the old Saturn S-series coupe, which had one small rear access-door on the left-side, and a number of older pickups, which had a small third half-door in back to access the rear jump-seats. But the Saturn S-coupe had the 3rd-door on the left, opening out into traffic, while the Veloster (more sensibly, IMO), puts it on the curb-side. The Saturn coupe, extended-cab pickups, and Mazda RX-8 4-door sports-car all had their small rear half-doors rear-hinged and opening towards the front, where the Veloster's 3rd-door is conventionally-hinged and opens towards the rear. Now, all this, of course, is not meant to say that the Veloster is designed to carry real adults or a lot of cargo in back...it clearly isn't, despite the usual advertising-hype, but I'll get into more of that later.
For now, only one Veloster trim-level is offered, in the 3+1-door hatchback body-style, with a choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed Eco-Shift dual-clutch transmissions. Base-prices are $17,300 for the manual and $18,550 for the Eco-Shift version. Both come with a normally-aspirated 1.6L in-line four with 138 HP and 123 ft-lbs. of torque. No turbo-version is officially listed now, but I would not be surprised to see one offered before long.
For the review, I chose a white DCT (dual-clutch automatic) model....though, with Velosters in very tight supply right now due to their newness, there isn't a whole lot of choice sitting around on dealer-lots. Yes, the 6-speed manual might have been a little better-suited to the car's mildly-sporting character, but today's traffic-congestion, for many drivers, is a major issue, and, having had some review-experience with Hyundai/Kia manual transmissions in the past, I wanted to see how well Hyundai could do a dual-clutch auto-manual unit. With a moderate-list of options, it listed for $21,600....which is not quite econo-car territory, but is not bad for the amount of both standard and optional equipment. That, of course, includes the long Hyundai/Kia 10/100 (non-transferable outside the immediate-family) and 5/60 warranties.
In general, I was very pleased with this car's build-quality, but, for several reasons, it is probably not something I would choose as a daily-driver. Unlike some of the other latest-generation Hyundai products (which have seem to have lost some body/interior solidness, much, if not most of the Veloster (with a few exceptions), in comparison, felt like it was carved out of a block of granite. Details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 Hyundai Veloster Ecoshift DCT
BASE PRICE: $18,500
OPTIONS:
Style Package: $2000
Carpeted Mats: $95
Cargo Tray: $95
Cargo Net: $50
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $760 (about average)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $21,600
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted in-line 1.6L dual-CVVT four-cylinder, 138 HP @ 6300 RPM, 123 Ft-lbs. of torque @ 4850 RPM, 6-speed Eco-shift dual-clutch automated-manual transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 29 City, 38 Highway
EXTERIOR COLOR: Century White
INTERIOR: Black/Light-Gray vinyl/cloth seats
PLUSSES:
Reasonably smoooth, quiet in-line four-cylinder engine.
Smooth, quiet, VW/Audi-like twin-clutch automanual transmission.
Fairly quick steering response.
Quick steering self-centering.
Fairly good wind/road-noise control.
Generally flat cornering.
Superb exterior fit/finish for this class.
Slick, well-done paint-job.
Nice exterior paint-color choices.
Solid exterior sheet-metal/doors/hardware.
Thunk-solid door/hatch-closings.
Well-finished and well-attached exterior hardware.
Easy-access, uncovered battery under the hood.
Fore/aft shift-lever motion instead of the annoying zig-zag.
Long 10/100 and 5/60 Hyundai/Kia warranties.
Comfortable, supportive front seats (but the leather is not impressive).
Excellent, clear primary gauges.
Excellent interior hardware and fit/finish (with a few exceptions).
Generally well-designed, easy-to-use dash *****/buttons/controls.
Smart-looking sport-design black/aluminum gas and brake pedals.
Built-in, solid, well-finished console-grip bars.
Nicely-done imitation-brushed-metal interior trim.
Good stereo-sound quality.
MINUSES:
Rather sluggish at low RPMs, with peaky-torque.
Numb steering-feel.
Manual prop-rod for the heavy steel hood.
Large plastic engine cover hampers some access.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Peek-a-Boo semi-hidden 3rd-door handle.
Rather low ground clearance for road/bumps/obstacles.
Very poor rear-visibility from the drivers' seat.
Cheap, flimsy black-plastic shift-paddles on the steering column.
Well-finished but oddly-shaped door-pull handle-bars.
Hard, cheap-finish sun-visors.
Barely-adequate front-headroom for tall persons (but the soft/flexible sunroof inner-cover helps).
Useless rear reat for adults.
Rear seats protrude well-back under low hatch-lid.
Over-styled (IMO), V-shaped center-dash.
Cheap-feeling leather outer-seat-trim.
Awkardly-located power-mirror control.
Awkward shift-lever motion/feel.....no visible gate.
Slightly-wobbly climate-fan-speed ring.
Brake pedal not well-located for big shoes.
Poorly-trimmed cargo area.
Compressed-air bottle for flat tires.
Typical high-demand/short supply of a new model (at this writing)
EXTERIOR:
Hyundai made it rather obvious, on the exterior, that even though its exact-marketing-position is a little unclear, this was meant to be a small sport-oriented hatchback. It's a rather unusual hatchback, though, with the aformentioned third-door back on the right (passenger) side. Hyundai also went to some lengths to try and disguise it as a traditional two-door hatch (or hatch-coupe). The outside door-handle for the rear door is mounted up in the rear-window's black trim / C-pillar. That is essentially the way that Nissan does it with their SUV's, which sometimes makes it difficult for children or very short adults to reach it. But the Veloster, of course, it sits considerably closer to the ground than any Nissan SUV, so actually reaching the handle (if your eyes caneasily pick it out of the black-trim) is not as difficult. That low-to-the-ground stance, of course, also means fairly low ground-clearance...you have to be careful over humps/speed-bumps and driveway-angles. The low roofline, with its droop-rear, split-bar in the rear-window, and the design of the C-pillars also work to make visibility out the rear, from the drivers' seat, to be quite poor....so backing up can be tricky as well. The low roof also limits interior headroom...more on that below. The rear hatch-lid sticks way back over the two rear seats.....also more on that below. There are no body-side mouldings to help ward-off parking-lot dings.
That's about it, though, for the complaints outside. In general, the body is very well-done, well-constructed, and, except for the lack of mouldings, Hyundai did not penny-pinch or cut costs on the body. Nowhere on the outside do you see any of the flimsy sheet-metal/doors that is becoming the norm on new models....even on some of the Veloster's Hyundai/Kia brothers. The doors and hatch-lid close Thunk-solid. The sheet metal feels substantial and durable. The hood seems to be heavy-gauge sheet-steel....more on that below. The chrome-trim is slick, smooth, and well-applied. The white paint-job on my test-car was as smooth and even as a baby's butt (it also seemed to have an excellent layer of wax on it). I also examined a black one, and, unlike the growing tendency of black paint-jobs, even on expensive vehicles, to have orange-peel, the black paint had almost none. Unfortunately, none of the several bright colors were available at any of the local dealerships (yet). The two side-mirrors are generally well-shaped. Virtually everything outside felt tight and well-attached, except (perhaps) the side-mirror swivel-hinges.....but they were not loose enough to complain about. Much of this car reminded me, in some ways, of the way the Germans built their cars back in the 1950's and 60s, when even the cheap air-cooled VW Beetle came out of the factory with jewel-like fit/finish.
I liked the nice exterior paint-color choices, which, in addition to the usual black/silver/gray/white, also includes bright-blue, lime-green, bright-orange, bright-yellow, and bright-red. Yes, a refreshing change.....I get tired of constantly looking at paint jobs that could have come off one of the hearses at Murphy's Funeral-Home. Too bad, as I noted just above, that only the dull colors were in stock. On models with the optional 18" 5-spoke alloy wheels, body-color-stripes are painted down the middle of each silver-alloy spoke, also a nice touch (must make for a mess, though, in storing all those different-color wheels at the factory and co-ordinating them to each car).
UNDERHOOD:
Lift the heavy steel hood, and you must fumble with a manual prop-rod in one hand and that heavy hood in another. For those of us who aren't Olympic weight-lifters, Hyundai, IMO, should have considered struts or springs to do the job (maybe they will consider adding them in a mid-cycle running-change at the factory...that shouldn't cost very much). The smallish, transversely-mounted in-line four-cylinder powerplant fits in underhood fairly well (I've seen lots worse), but, unlike with many lower-line vehicles, Hyundai chose to use a big dark-gray plastic engine cover, blocking a lot of the top-engine access. There is some room, however, to reach at least some engine-components down on the sides of the block. The battery, fortunately, is easily-visible, uncovered, and easily-accessed just to the right of the engine. Dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs are likewise easily-reached. I like how Hyundai has chosen to keep the traditional oil-dipstick instead of the oil-level-sensors found on an increasing number of today's new cars. Sensors can, and do, fail. But you can pretty much depend on a dipstick, as long as it is seated properly, not mismarked at the factory (which happens on rare occasions), checked on a level surface, and given hot oil a few minutes, after engine shut-off, to drain back down into the crankcase.
INTERIOR:
The interior, like the exterior, generally has excellent fit/finish and good high-quality materials....significantly more-so than other new Hyundai products I've sampled. Overall, I was very impressed with the level of workmanship and solidness of most of the interior materials. The upper-dash and upper-door-panels had a hard-plastic surface, but it was an attractive grained-pattern. The primary-gauges, set back in concave-flared tunnels, are clear and easy to read. The two front seats were very comfortable, and the sport-oriented side-bolstering wasn't narrow enough to be too confining to my big you-know-what. I was as comfortable in these seats as in a number of upmarket Euro-vehicles. The gas and brake pedals were attractively-trimmed, in typical sport-fashion, in black/aluminum. The center-dash area has a rounded-V pattern similiar to that on the new Ford Fiesta (which isn't my cup of tea), but I didn't list it as a complaint, as styling is subjective. On the center-dash, though, the buttons and ***** are all solidly-mounted, well-marked, and easy to use....simple, ease-of-use in the controls seems to be a characteristic of many Korean-designed cars, like it is in a number of lower-line Japanese designs. Many German designs, with their hard-to-decipher and hard-to-use controls, could learn some lessons here. The stereo-sound quality was pretty good for a car in this class, but, as expected, not quite luxury-car-grade.
It's hard to fault the general interior fit/finish and quality of hardware. All of the brushed-metal trim inside was excellent, especially for the price, and solidly-applied........but I would have also liked to see a wood-tone trim offered, which, unfortunately, isn't. Almost all of the hardware inside felt very solid (by today's standards), except for the nicely-chromed, but slightly loose/wobbly rotary-ring for the fan-switch ****. The leather-wrapped steering wheel was well-designed, with the usual phone and cruise-controls on the spokes, and was comfortable to grip and hold. My car had two-tone colors inside (plus a lot of brushed-metal trim).....black on the dash and door panels, with light-gray seats (odd, considering that the price-sticker from the factory said "Black"). An all-black, monotone version is also available. The stereo-sound quality was better than average for this class, but, of course, not a top-notch unit like in some luxury-cars.
But, like with any vehicle, there were also some complaints inside. The sun-visors are cheaply-done, and though they have a nice-looking grainy-pattern on them, are hard, cheap plastic....it wasn't as nice as the hard-plastic on the dash. The two solid-as-a rock and nicely-finished door-pulls, projecting up out of the front door arm-rests in two inverted semi-circles, are rather oddly-placed and somewhat awkward-feeling to grasp and pull. The low roofline and sunroof housing strongly limit front-headroom, although a very thin, flexible vinyl cover over the opening helps by allowing your head (or hat) to push up on it a little without actually feeling it. Front-headroom in the non-sunroof cars is a little better, but not much. In back, headroom is useless for normal-sized adults, and legroom is only slightly better....consider the rear-seat, even with its unique single-side-door, basically a seat for kiddies and packages. Worse, the top of the hatch-lid extends far into the overhead rear-seat room, so if you have a normal adult sitting in back and
open the hatch-lid, it will not only allow a lot of water/rain/snow into the rear-seat, but will strike him or her quite solidly on the head when you close it. Rear-visibility, because of the low roofline and general styling, is simply awful....among the worst I've seen in a while. Stylish, yes, but, functionally, a very poor design. The Style Package ($2000), includes, among other things, leather-trimmed seats with cloth/fabric center-inserts. The kintted-cloth center-sections felt nice, durable, and well-stitched, but the leather bolster-trim, IMO, was not very impressive, and felt more like cheap vinyl than actual leather. Both types of seats, though, (as I outlined above) were comfortable enough for my big rump, and were not overly-confining like those on some other small sport-oriented models. I didn't care for the cheap-looking/feeling black-plastic paddle-shifters on the steering-wheel, which more-or-less reminded me of the ones in the new Ford Taurus....a sport-oriented car, IMO, should have better ones. Nor did I care much for the
transmission's shift-lever, which had a zig-zag pattern buried under a shiny black-plastic panel, with no visible shift-gate. It was somewhat awkward to use in its lever-feel, without a visible track. The lever's side-to-motions, though, going in and out of the manual-shift-slot, were snap-smooth, and felt pleasant.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK.
The rock-solid cargo lid opens up with a built-in latch scooped-under the Hyundai emblem. The cargo area is poorly-trimmed in cheap materials, even by the standards of this class. The styling of the rear-end, and the way the back-seats are designed, means that the cargo area is not only poorly-trimmed, but rather small and cramped as well, even by the standards of small hatchbacks. A tiny rear-wiper, maybe about six inches long, wipes a small peep-hole out the rear-glass (partof my test-driving, today, was in a light rain). There isn't much more (if any) than in small sedans, though, of course, the rear seats fold down to add some space. As mentioned earlier, anyone sitting in back with the hatch up will have his/her head sticking way back out into thin air. On the floor is a cheap, thin piece of black fabric-board, and on the two side-walls a thin layer of black, cheap hard material.....I couldn't even tell if it was plastic. Under the floor, you won't even find (on the base model) a temporary or donut-spare....Hyundai tosses in a compressed-air, Fix-a-Flat bottle. However, I won't complain too much, though, for three reasons. First, Hyundai obviously spent some money on the car's solid sheet-metal, fit/finish, and a lot of the interior cabin-materials, so, in turn, some money had to be saved elsewhere. Second, it's probably better for the passengers inside to enjoy nice materials around them than for inert, lifeless packages and boxes to do so in the trunk. Third, the Hyundai reps pointed out the long Roadside-Assistance-Warranty, claiming that many people don't even bother to change flat-tires any more, preferring to simply call for help on their cell-phones. That doesn't necessarily change my feeling that all cars should have traditional real-spares, but, they may have a point. (I myself, BTW, keep a small portable air-compressor, in my own trunk, that can be plugged into the car's cigarette-lighter, and runs off the car's battery or alternator).
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the small 1.6L four with a conventional key/fob and column-ignition switch, and the engine idles fairly smoothly and quietly, though you can still hear a faint hum. However this is a definitely un-sporty engine in a sport-oriented vehicle. It's obvious that fuel-economy was the main issue, not power...as shown by the EPA 38 MPG highway-rating. The engine has adequate power for most normal driving with a light load in the vehicle, but you won't want to look for any Friday-night drags with Mustangs or Camaros. There's a noticeable sluggishness starting up from rest and accelerating at low engine RPMs. Significant torque doesn't seem to come on until almost 4000 RPM (I didn't take it much higher than that due to the brand-new engine), which pretty much seems to bear out the stats of the 4850-RPM torque-peak of only 123 ft-lbs. For those who want a liile more spunk (and, maybe, are willing to give up a few miles per gallon), the turbo engine might be worth waiting for......a turbo model is supposedly on the way, though it is unclear if it will be offered with the 6-speed dual-clutch transmission like the base engine. Hyundai turbos (supposedly), unlike many others, can also burn regular gas.....another reason for waiting for one. However, the base engine, despite the lack of spunk, is reasonably smooth and quiet, and fairly-well refined for a small four.
So is the 6-speed dual-clutch Eco-Shift transmission. I described above, in the INTERIOR section, how I disliked both the shift-lever action and paddles, but the transmission itself is quite well-done. Shifts are smooth and quiet, and, unlike the unrefined, shuddery dual-clutch gearboxes in the new Ford small cars, this one is almost as smooth and refined starting from rest as the excellent VW/Audi DSG/S-Tronic, which is arguably the best dual-clutch auto-
manual in the industry.
The chassis-engineering is also quite well-done, though the electric power-steering still needs some work. Cornering is generally flat, with little body-lean (which, of course, is what one expects in a sport-oriented vehicle). Steering response is fairly quick, with good self-centering at low speeds, but the steering action itself has about as much tactile road-feel as the novocaine my dentist uses. Hyundai has shown, in the Genesis 3.8 Coupe, that it can (and does) do BMW-worthy steering/road-feel, but, for some reason, that did not work its way down to the new Veloster....or to the other smaller Hyundai products. Still, the steering is not unpleasant, despite the lack of road-feel, and it does give at least a mildly-sporting feel. Ride comfort, given the fairly light-weight, short wheelbase, sport-oriented suspension, and low-profile 45-series tires (40-series are an option), is not bad at all...bumps can be mildy-felt, but without loud knocks or upsetting the car's motion. Road and wind-noise, given the car's price and purpose, aren't bad...it is not luxury-car-quiet, but reasonable for its class. Of course, some cars are quiet when brand-new, but start to develop tire-noise as the tread wears...only time will tell on that one. Brakes are generally responsive, with a reasonably smooth pedal and good linear feel/action, but the brake pedal (which, with the Style-Package, has aluminum-trim) is mounted some ways to the left of the gas pedal, but high enough so that my big size-15 clown-shoe catches the underside-rim of it when I lift off the gas. Not a real serious problem, but I do have to be mindful of it when I'm driving.
THE VERDICT:
I stated at the outset that the Veloster's marketing seemed a little unclear. In retrospect, after driving it, what it seems to be is a quirkily-designed small hatchback that pretends some sporting-intentions, but, in fact, is just one more small, economcal (though somewhat different) Hyundai-Kia hatchback. Only this one, for all practical-purposes, doesn't carry more in its small, poorly-done cargo area than small Hyundai/Kia sedans and coupes. And good-luck trying to see out the rear.
Where this car DOES shine, though, seems to be in build-quality (assuming there are few or no recalls down the line). Unlike with the new Tuscon and Sonata, which I wasn't that impressed with at all, Hyundai seems to have reversed the trend, in the Veloster, towards lighter, cheaper materials, and has put some real effort into the body/interior-solidness of materials, leaving the El-Cheapo stuff back in the trunk where only the luggage (and maybe an occasional dog or cat) will complain. There are some excellent paint-colors avialable, too, though they may not readily be in dealer-stock. Quality-wise, this car definitely seems to be worth what it costs (and then some), but, of course, you have to be willing to live with some of its design-quirks. And, for power-junkies, it will probably be a good idea to wait for the turbo model.
As always, of course......Happy Car Shopping.
MM
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicles/2012/veloster/
IN A NUTSHELL: Solidly-built and meticulously-assembled, but a number of quirks in the design. And it needs a little more power.
I received a CL member-request for a review of the new Hyundai Veloster hatchback (coupe?), though its intended position in the automotive marketplace seems a little fuzzy (more on that in a minute). At first glance, it appears to be just one more small sport-oriented hatchback in a sea of them (though without much power), but it has a unique access-door arrangement....also more on that in a minute.
Hyundai's small cars, of course, have had a storied history in the U.S. They started off in 1986-87, selling the poorly-engineered, poorly-built Excel (whose body and drivetrain was shared with the Mitsubishi Precis). I test-drove a new Excel in 1987 and thought it, along with the ill-fated Pontiac Fiero, one of the worst new cars I had driven in years terms of engineering (the Fiero had even worse build-quality). The Excel's structure creaked and rattled, and, with the A/C on (it was a hot day), it was sluggish enough to be borderline dangerous. The Excel became the butt of jokes on the late-night talk shows, and even the fact that a modified coupe version of it (called the Scoupe) managed to win the 1992 Pikes' Peak Hill Climb did little to change the car's basic public image.....or its low reliability ranking from Consumer Report's magazine.
Things, of course, began to improve around 2000, with new management at Hyundai and a new-found determination to improve quality and the company's negative public-image.....and improve, it did. The new 10/100 Drivetrain and 5/60 Bumper-to-Bumper warranties were introduced (though the 10/100 part is transferable only to close-family members). It took a couple of more years for things to start improving at Kia (Hyundai ended up buying them out), but Kia products, which had shared a strong negative-image like Hyundai also started improving noticeably. Today, the overall quality of vehicles from both divisions, IMO, is pretty-much on a par with the average Japanese manufacturer, though, on some of the newest and latest-generation Hyundais, some lightening/thinning of the interior-materials and sheet-metal is noted...I think that Hyundai may have reached its peak a couple of years ago. The new latest-generation Kias actually seem a little more-solid than some of the Hyundais......especially the new Kia Optima sedan, which, in my review, I found outstanding.
Which, of course, brings us to the all-new Hyundai Veloster, which is just now beginning to arrive at local D.C.-area Hyundai stores. Like a number of new 2012 products, its introduction has been delayed some, perhaps by the Japanese earthquake/tsunami earlier this year (even though it is a Korean-badged vehicle, it may (?) rely on some Japanese-sourced parts).
It's a little unclear though, to me a least, just what slot the new Veloster is intended to fill in the automotive marketplace. The Veloster's introduction follows the recent demise of the Hyundai Tiburon (a nice little sport-coupe whose last generation build-quality I thought highly of). But it clearly does not seem to be a direct replacement for the Tiburon, as the Tiburon offered an optional small V6, and in general, was more of a classic coupe than the Veloster. Size and price-wise, the Veloster more or less fits in as another addition to a number of compact and sub-compact hatchback models from Hyundai and Kia, including the Hyundai Accent 5-door hatchback, Elantra Touring model, and the Kia Soul, Forte 5-door hatchback, and Rio 5-door hatchback (the slow-selling Rondo 5-door has been dropped from the American market). To an an extent, all of these small hatchbacks more or less compete against each other......as well as against other small hatchbacks from European, American, and Japanese manufacturers. So, ordinarily, the addition of one more small Hyundai-badged hatchback probably wouldn't be a big deal. But the Veloster does differ a little from its other small Hyundai and Kia brothers in a few design-features. Its roofline is significantly lower and more aero-shaped. The whole theme seems to be little more sport-oriented (though, IMO, as aforementioned, not a true replacement for the Tiburon). And, unlike any of the other cars mentioned, the Veloster has only one rear-door, on the right (passenger) side for access to its small rear seat. This is somewhat like the old Saturn S-series coupe, which had one small rear access-door on the left-side, and a number of older pickups, which had a small third half-door in back to access the rear jump-seats. But the Saturn S-coupe had the 3rd-door on the left, opening out into traffic, while the Veloster (more sensibly, IMO), puts it on the curb-side. The Saturn coupe, extended-cab pickups, and Mazda RX-8 4-door sports-car all had their small rear half-doors rear-hinged and opening towards the front, where the Veloster's 3rd-door is conventionally-hinged and opens towards the rear. Now, all this, of course, is not meant to say that the Veloster is designed to carry real adults or a lot of cargo in back...it clearly isn't, despite the usual advertising-hype, but I'll get into more of that later.
For now, only one Veloster trim-level is offered, in the 3+1-door hatchback body-style, with a choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed Eco-Shift dual-clutch transmissions. Base-prices are $17,300 for the manual and $18,550 for the Eco-Shift version. Both come with a normally-aspirated 1.6L in-line four with 138 HP and 123 ft-lbs. of torque. No turbo-version is officially listed now, but I would not be surprised to see one offered before long.
For the review, I chose a white DCT (dual-clutch automatic) model....though, with Velosters in very tight supply right now due to their newness, there isn't a whole lot of choice sitting around on dealer-lots. Yes, the 6-speed manual might have been a little better-suited to the car's mildly-sporting character, but today's traffic-congestion, for many drivers, is a major issue, and, having had some review-experience with Hyundai/Kia manual transmissions in the past, I wanted to see how well Hyundai could do a dual-clutch auto-manual unit. With a moderate-list of options, it listed for $21,600....which is not quite econo-car territory, but is not bad for the amount of both standard and optional equipment. That, of course, includes the long Hyundai/Kia 10/100 (non-transferable outside the immediate-family) and 5/60 warranties.
In general, I was very pleased with this car's build-quality, but, for several reasons, it is probably not something I would choose as a daily-driver. Unlike some of the other latest-generation Hyundai products (which have seem to have lost some body/interior solidness, much, if not most of the Veloster (with a few exceptions), in comparison, felt like it was carved out of a block of granite. Details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 Hyundai Veloster Ecoshift DCT
BASE PRICE: $18,500
OPTIONS:
Style Package: $2000
Carpeted Mats: $95
Cargo Tray: $95
Cargo Net: $50
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $760 (about average)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $21,600
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted in-line 1.6L dual-CVVT four-cylinder, 138 HP @ 6300 RPM, 123 Ft-lbs. of torque @ 4850 RPM, 6-speed Eco-shift dual-clutch automated-manual transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 29 City, 38 Highway
EXTERIOR COLOR: Century White
INTERIOR: Black/Light-Gray vinyl/cloth seats
PLUSSES:
Reasonably smoooth, quiet in-line four-cylinder engine.
Smooth, quiet, VW/Audi-like twin-clutch automanual transmission.
Fairly quick steering response.
Quick steering self-centering.
Fairly good wind/road-noise control.
Generally flat cornering.
Superb exterior fit/finish for this class.
Slick, well-done paint-job.
Nice exterior paint-color choices.
Solid exterior sheet-metal/doors/hardware.
Thunk-solid door/hatch-closings.
Well-finished and well-attached exterior hardware.
Easy-access, uncovered battery under the hood.
Fore/aft shift-lever motion instead of the annoying zig-zag.
Long 10/100 and 5/60 Hyundai/Kia warranties.
Comfortable, supportive front seats (but the leather is not impressive).
Excellent, clear primary gauges.
Excellent interior hardware and fit/finish (with a few exceptions).
Generally well-designed, easy-to-use dash *****/buttons/controls.
Smart-looking sport-design black/aluminum gas and brake pedals.
Built-in, solid, well-finished console-grip bars.
Nicely-done imitation-brushed-metal interior trim.
Good stereo-sound quality.
MINUSES:
Rather sluggish at low RPMs, with peaky-torque.
Numb steering-feel.
Manual prop-rod for the heavy steel hood.
Large plastic engine cover hampers some access.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Peek-a-Boo semi-hidden 3rd-door handle.
Rather low ground clearance for road/bumps/obstacles.
Very poor rear-visibility from the drivers' seat.
Cheap, flimsy black-plastic shift-paddles on the steering column.
Well-finished but oddly-shaped door-pull handle-bars.
Hard, cheap-finish sun-visors.
Barely-adequate front-headroom for tall persons (but the soft/flexible sunroof inner-cover helps).
Useless rear reat for adults.
Rear seats protrude well-back under low hatch-lid.
Over-styled (IMO), V-shaped center-dash.
Cheap-feeling leather outer-seat-trim.
Awkardly-located power-mirror control.
Awkward shift-lever motion/feel.....no visible gate.
Slightly-wobbly climate-fan-speed ring.
Brake pedal not well-located for big shoes.
Poorly-trimmed cargo area.
Compressed-air bottle for flat tires.
Typical high-demand/short supply of a new model (at this writing)
EXTERIOR:
Hyundai made it rather obvious, on the exterior, that even though its exact-marketing-position is a little unclear, this was meant to be a small sport-oriented hatchback. It's a rather unusual hatchback, though, with the aformentioned third-door back on the right (passenger) side. Hyundai also went to some lengths to try and disguise it as a traditional two-door hatch (or hatch-coupe). The outside door-handle for the rear door is mounted up in the rear-window's black trim / C-pillar. That is essentially the way that Nissan does it with their SUV's, which sometimes makes it difficult for children or very short adults to reach it. But the Veloster, of course, it sits considerably closer to the ground than any Nissan SUV, so actually reaching the handle (if your eyes caneasily pick it out of the black-trim) is not as difficult. That low-to-the-ground stance, of course, also means fairly low ground-clearance...you have to be careful over humps/speed-bumps and driveway-angles. The low roofline, with its droop-rear, split-bar in the rear-window, and the design of the C-pillars also work to make visibility out the rear, from the drivers' seat, to be quite poor....so backing up can be tricky as well. The low roof also limits interior headroom...more on that below. The rear hatch-lid sticks way back over the two rear seats.....also more on that below. There are no body-side mouldings to help ward-off parking-lot dings.
That's about it, though, for the complaints outside. In general, the body is very well-done, well-constructed, and, except for the lack of mouldings, Hyundai did not penny-pinch or cut costs on the body. Nowhere on the outside do you see any of the flimsy sheet-metal/doors that is becoming the norm on new models....even on some of the Veloster's Hyundai/Kia brothers. The doors and hatch-lid close Thunk-solid. The sheet metal feels substantial and durable. The hood seems to be heavy-gauge sheet-steel....more on that below. The chrome-trim is slick, smooth, and well-applied. The white paint-job on my test-car was as smooth and even as a baby's butt (it also seemed to have an excellent layer of wax on it). I also examined a black one, and, unlike the growing tendency of black paint-jobs, even on expensive vehicles, to have orange-peel, the black paint had almost none. Unfortunately, none of the several bright colors were available at any of the local dealerships (yet). The two side-mirrors are generally well-shaped. Virtually everything outside felt tight and well-attached, except (perhaps) the side-mirror swivel-hinges.....but they were not loose enough to complain about. Much of this car reminded me, in some ways, of the way the Germans built their cars back in the 1950's and 60s, when even the cheap air-cooled VW Beetle came out of the factory with jewel-like fit/finish.
I liked the nice exterior paint-color choices, which, in addition to the usual black/silver/gray/white, also includes bright-blue, lime-green, bright-orange, bright-yellow, and bright-red. Yes, a refreshing change.....I get tired of constantly looking at paint jobs that could have come off one of the hearses at Murphy's Funeral-Home. Too bad, as I noted just above, that only the dull colors were in stock. On models with the optional 18" 5-spoke alloy wheels, body-color-stripes are painted down the middle of each silver-alloy spoke, also a nice touch (must make for a mess, though, in storing all those different-color wheels at the factory and co-ordinating them to each car).
UNDERHOOD:
Lift the heavy steel hood, and you must fumble with a manual prop-rod in one hand and that heavy hood in another. For those of us who aren't Olympic weight-lifters, Hyundai, IMO, should have considered struts or springs to do the job (maybe they will consider adding them in a mid-cycle running-change at the factory...that shouldn't cost very much). The smallish, transversely-mounted in-line four-cylinder powerplant fits in underhood fairly well (I've seen lots worse), but, unlike with many lower-line vehicles, Hyundai chose to use a big dark-gray plastic engine cover, blocking a lot of the top-engine access. There is some room, however, to reach at least some engine-components down on the sides of the block. The battery, fortunately, is easily-visible, uncovered, and easily-accessed just to the right of the engine. Dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs are likewise easily-reached. I like how Hyundai has chosen to keep the traditional oil-dipstick instead of the oil-level-sensors found on an increasing number of today's new cars. Sensors can, and do, fail. But you can pretty much depend on a dipstick, as long as it is seated properly, not mismarked at the factory (which happens on rare occasions), checked on a level surface, and given hot oil a few minutes, after engine shut-off, to drain back down into the crankcase.
INTERIOR:
The interior, like the exterior, generally has excellent fit/finish and good high-quality materials....significantly more-so than other new Hyundai products I've sampled. Overall, I was very impressed with the level of workmanship and solidness of most of the interior materials. The upper-dash and upper-door-panels had a hard-plastic surface, but it was an attractive grained-pattern. The primary-gauges, set back in concave-flared tunnels, are clear and easy to read. The two front seats were very comfortable, and the sport-oriented side-bolstering wasn't narrow enough to be too confining to my big you-know-what. I was as comfortable in these seats as in a number of upmarket Euro-vehicles. The gas and brake pedals were attractively-trimmed, in typical sport-fashion, in black/aluminum. The center-dash area has a rounded-V pattern similiar to that on the new Ford Fiesta (which isn't my cup of tea), but I didn't list it as a complaint, as styling is subjective. On the center-dash, though, the buttons and ***** are all solidly-mounted, well-marked, and easy to use....simple, ease-of-use in the controls seems to be a characteristic of many Korean-designed cars, like it is in a number of lower-line Japanese designs. Many German designs, with their hard-to-decipher and hard-to-use controls, could learn some lessons here. The stereo-sound quality was pretty good for a car in this class, but, as expected, not quite luxury-car-grade.
It's hard to fault the general interior fit/finish and quality of hardware. All of the brushed-metal trim inside was excellent, especially for the price, and solidly-applied........but I would have also liked to see a wood-tone trim offered, which, unfortunately, isn't. Almost all of the hardware inside felt very solid (by today's standards), except for the nicely-chromed, but slightly loose/wobbly rotary-ring for the fan-switch ****. The leather-wrapped steering wheel was well-designed, with the usual phone and cruise-controls on the spokes, and was comfortable to grip and hold. My car had two-tone colors inside (plus a lot of brushed-metal trim).....black on the dash and door panels, with light-gray seats (odd, considering that the price-sticker from the factory said "Black"). An all-black, monotone version is also available. The stereo-sound quality was better than average for this class, but, of course, not a top-notch unit like in some luxury-cars.
But, like with any vehicle, there were also some complaints inside. The sun-visors are cheaply-done, and though they have a nice-looking grainy-pattern on them, are hard, cheap plastic....it wasn't as nice as the hard-plastic on the dash. The two solid-as-a rock and nicely-finished door-pulls, projecting up out of the front door arm-rests in two inverted semi-circles, are rather oddly-placed and somewhat awkward-feeling to grasp and pull. The low roofline and sunroof housing strongly limit front-headroom, although a very thin, flexible vinyl cover over the opening helps by allowing your head (or hat) to push up on it a little without actually feeling it. Front-headroom in the non-sunroof cars is a little better, but not much. In back, headroom is useless for normal-sized adults, and legroom is only slightly better....consider the rear-seat, even with its unique single-side-door, basically a seat for kiddies and packages. Worse, the top of the hatch-lid extends far into the overhead rear-seat room, so if you have a normal adult sitting in back and
open the hatch-lid, it will not only allow a lot of water/rain/snow into the rear-seat, but will strike him or her quite solidly on the head when you close it. Rear-visibility, because of the low roofline and general styling, is simply awful....among the worst I've seen in a while. Stylish, yes, but, functionally, a very poor design. The Style Package ($2000), includes, among other things, leather-trimmed seats with cloth/fabric center-inserts. The kintted-cloth center-sections felt nice, durable, and well-stitched, but the leather bolster-trim, IMO, was not very impressive, and felt more like cheap vinyl than actual leather. Both types of seats, though, (as I outlined above) were comfortable enough for my big rump, and were not overly-confining like those on some other small sport-oriented models. I didn't care for the cheap-looking/feeling black-plastic paddle-shifters on the steering-wheel, which more-or-less reminded me of the ones in the new Ford Taurus....a sport-oriented car, IMO, should have better ones. Nor did I care much for the
transmission's shift-lever, which had a zig-zag pattern buried under a shiny black-plastic panel, with no visible shift-gate. It was somewhat awkward to use in its lever-feel, without a visible track. The lever's side-to-motions, though, going in and out of the manual-shift-slot, were snap-smooth, and felt pleasant.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK.
The rock-solid cargo lid opens up with a built-in latch scooped-under the Hyundai emblem. The cargo area is poorly-trimmed in cheap materials, even by the standards of this class. The styling of the rear-end, and the way the back-seats are designed, means that the cargo area is not only poorly-trimmed, but rather small and cramped as well, even by the standards of small hatchbacks. A tiny rear-wiper, maybe about six inches long, wipes a small peep-hole out the rear-glass (partof my test-driving, today, was in a light rain). There isn't much more (if any) than in small sedans, though, of course, the rear seats fold down to add some space. As mentioned earlier, anyone sitting in back with the hatch up will have his/her head sticking way back out into thin air. On the floor is a cheap, thin piece of black fabric-board, and on the two side-walls a thin layer of black, cheap hard material.....I couldn't even tell if it was plastic. Under the floor, you won't even find (on the base model) a temporary or donut-spare....Hyundai tosses in a compressed-air, Fix-a-Flat bottle. However, I won't complain too much, though, for three reasons. First, Hyundai obviously spent some money on the car's solid sheet-metal, fit/finish, and a lot of the interior cabin-materials, so, in turn, some money had to be saved elsewhere. Second, it's probably better for the passengers inside to enjoy nice materials around them than for inert, lifeless packages and boxes to do so in the trunk. Third, the Hyundai reps pointed out the long Roadside-Assistance-Warranty, claiming that many people don't even bother to change flat-tires any more, preferring to simply call for help on their cell-phones. That doesn't necessarily change my feeling that all cars should have traditional real-spares, but, they may have a point. (I myself, BTW, keep a small portable air-compressor, in my own trunk, that can be plugged into the car's cigarette-lighter, and runs off the car's battery or alternator).
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the small 1.6L four with a conventional key/fob and column-ignition switch, and the engine idles fairly smoothly and quietly, though you can still hear a faint hum. However this is a definitely un-sporty engine in a sport-oriented vehicle. It's obvious that fuel-economy was the main issue, not power...as shown by the EPA 38 MPG highway-rating. The engine has adequate power for most normal driving with a light load in the vehicle, but you won't want to look for any Friday-night drags with Mustangs or Camaros. There's a noticeable sluggishness starting up from rest and accelerating at low engine RPMs. Significant torque doesn't seem to come on until almost 4000 RPM (I didn't take it much higher than that due to the brand-new engine), which pretty much seems to bear out the stats of the 4850-RPM torque-peak of only 123 ft-lbs. For those who want a liile more spunk (and, maybe, are willing to give up a few miles per gallon), the turbo engine might be worth waiting for......a turbo model is supposedly on the way, though it is unclear if it will be offered with the 6-speed dual-clutch transmission like the base engine. Hyundai turbos (supposedly), unlike many others, can also burn regular gas.....another reason for waiting for one. However, the base engine, despite the lack of spunk, is reasonably smooth and quiet, and fairly-well refined for a small four.
So is the 6-speed dual-clutch Eco-Shift transmission. I described above, in the INTERIOR section, how I disliked both the shift-lever action and paddles, but the transmission itself is quite well-done. Shifts are smooth and quiet, and, unlike the unrefined, shuddery dual-clutch gearboxes in the new Ford small cars, this one is almost as smooth and refined starting from rest as the excellent VW/Audi DSG/S-Tronic, which is arguably the best dual-clutch auto-
manual in the industry.
The chassis-engineering is also quite well-done, though the electric power-steering still needs some work. Cornering is generally flat, with little body-lean (which, of course, is what one expects in a sport-oriented vehicle). Steering response is fairly quick, with good self-centering at low speeds, but the steering action itself has about as much tactile road-feel as the novocaine my dentist uses. Hyundai has shown, in the Genesis 3.8 Coupe, that it can (and does) do BMW-worthy steering/road-feel, but, for some reason, that did not work its way down to the new Veloster....or to the other smaller Hyundai products. Still, the steering is not unpleasant, despite the lack of road-feel, and it does give at least a mildly-sporting feel. Ride comfort, given the fairly light-weight, short wheelbase, sport-oriented suspension, and low-profile 45-series tires (40-series are an option), is not bad at all...bumps can be mildy-felt, but without loud knocks or upsetting the car's motion. Road and wind-noise, given the car's price and purpose, aren't bad...it is not luxury-car-quiet, but reasonable for its class. Of course, some cars are quiet when brand-new, but start to develop tire-noise as the tread wears...only time will tell on that one. Brakes are generally responsive, with a reasonably smooth pedal and good linear feel/action, but the brake pedal (which, with the Style-Package, has aluminum-trim) is mounted some ways to the left of the gas pedal, but high enough so that my big size-15 clown-shoe catches the underside-rim of it when I lift off the gas. Not a real serious problem, but I do have to be mindful of it when I'm driving.
THE VERDICT:
I stated at the outset that the Veloster's marketing seemed a little unclear. In retrospect, after driving it, what it seems to be is a quirkily-designed small hatchback that pretends some sporting-intentions, but, in fact, is just one more small, economcal (though somewhat different) Hyundai-Kia hatchback. Only this one, for all practical-purposes, doesn't carry more in its small, poorly-done cargo area than small Hyundai/Kia sedans and coupes. And good-luck trying to see out the rear.
Where this car DOES shine, though, seems to be in build-quality (assuming there are few or no recalls down the line). Unlike with the new Tuscon and Sonata, which I wasn't that impressed with at all, Hyundai seems to have reversed the trend, in the Veloster, towards lighter, cheaper materials, and has put some real effort into the body/interior-solidness of materials, leaving the El-Cheapo stuff back in the trunk where only the luggage (and maybe an occasional dog or cat) will complain. There are some excellent paint-colors avialable, too, though they may not readily be in dealer-stock. Quality-wise, this car definitely seems to be worth what it costs (and then some), but, of course, you have to be willing to live with some of its design-quirks. And, for power-junkies, it will probably be a good idea to wait for the turbo model.
As always, of course......Happy Car Shopping.
MM
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-10-11 at 07:36 PM.
11-10-11, 08:11 PM
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MMarshall - thanks for following through on my request! I am glad that you were able to get ahold of one. I have been to three Hyundai dealers, and they were all sold out of Velosters.
11-10-11, 08:16 PM
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11-10-11, 08:16 PM
#4
I am finally getting mine tomorrow. Took forever, seeing the Port of Vancouver is supposedly on strike and dealerships aren't trading between each other. So it took almost two months to receive the car.
I am going to hate the steering on the car and rear-visibility, but I will get use to it that is for sure. What is interesting the Veloster has the same cargo space as the new Jetta. Thing is what the Jetta has over the Veloster is a full size spare and plenty of space for people that are over 6ft tall. Also not sure if you covered this, the Veloster is around a foot shorter than the Jetta also. I wonder what kind of brakes the Turbo version will get, probably something close to the Genesis coupe I hope.
I totally have to find those mags for next year. Now I am stuck looking for some winter tires.
I am going to hate the steering on the car and rear-visibility, but I will get use to it that is for sure. What is interesting the Veloster has the same cargo space as the new Jetta. Thing is what the Jetta has over the Veloster is a full size spare and plenty of space for people that are over 6ft tall. Also not sure if you covered this, the Veloster is around a foot shorter than the Jetta also. I wonder what kind of brakes the Turbo version will get, probably something close to the Genesis coupe I hope.
I totally have to find those mags for next year. Now I am stuck looking for some winter tires.
Last edited by JessePS; 11-10-11 at 08:44 PM.
11-10-11, 08:23 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Sure. Glad to Help. 
Actually got two....right before they were both sold. 
Call the dealership or check on the dealer's web-site before you go....they usually have new-car-inventory listed. Some dealers also, on their web-sites, have a little flag or box next to the car that shows if it is still in transit, on the way. This web-site can also help.....I often use it myself.
http:www.everycarlisted.com
I am glad that you were able to get ahold of one.
I have been to three Hyundai dealers, and they were all sold out of Velosters.
http:www.everycarlisted.com
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-10-11 at 08:32 PM.
11-10-11, 09:10 PM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Congratulations. Which version did you choose, and what color?
Strike? Are they kidding? With the economy the way it is, unless it really is a sweat-shop, slave-wage type of job, they should be thankful to have employment at all.
The steering isn't bad at all, except for the lack of tactile-feel. But the response is reasonably quick, and there isn't much body-lean. Now, the rear visibility......yes, that is awful. In this car, form definitely won out over function.
Is that with the rear seats up or down? I examined the rear end carefully, and just was not impressed with it. It may match the Jetta in volume, but usable volume may be something else.
Part of that, of course, is that the Jetta is a conservatively-styled sedan, with a higher roof-line. The Jetta, of course, also has four full-doors, instead of the Veloster's three.....so rear entry/exit, even apart from the much higher rear-roof line, is much easier. And the Jetta's rear-door handle is not hidden up in the window's blackout trim like the Veloster's.
But, like I said in the review, if you can put up with the Veloster's quirks, it is an excellent buy.....and quite well-built.
No, I don't usually list the physical dimensions myself....unless there's a need to. But I always include a link to the manufacturer's website for the vehicle, which, of course, does.
I wouldn't hold my breath for Brembos, especially in a car of this class. 
Which version did you choose, and what color?
Took forever, seeing the Port of Vancouver is supposedly on strike and dealerships aren't trading between each other. So it took almost two months to receive the car.
I am going to hate the steering on the car and rear-visibility, but I will get use to it that is for sure.
What is interesting the Veloster has the same cargo space as the new Jetta.
Thing is what the Jetta has over the Veloster is a full size spare and plenty of space for people that are over 6ft tall.
But, like I said in the review, if you can put up with the Veloster's quirks, it is an excellent buy.....and quite well-built.
Also not sure if you covered this, the Veloster is around a foot shorter than the Jetta also.
I wonder what kind of brakes the Turbo version will get, probably something close to the Genesis coupe I hope.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-10-11 at 09:45 PM.
11-10-11, 09:19 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I reviewed a 370Z a few years ago. Its rear-visibility, I thought, wasn't as bad as the former 350Z's, partly because the engineers found a way to take out that BIG chassis-arch that ran across the middle of the cargo-area, right in the line of vision for some people. As far as the 370Z vs. the Veloster, I think the Veloster's is just as bad or worse.....partly from the effect that the cross-bar has on the rear-window when lowered. The miniscule rear-wiper arm, and its peephole-vision in the rain, doesn't help much either.
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11-10-11, 09:37 PM
#8
Congratulations. Which version did you choose, and what color?
Is that with the rear seats up or down? I examined the rear end carefully, and just was not impressed with it. It may match the Jetta in volume, but usable volume may be something else.
I wouldn't hold my breath for Brembos, especially in a car of this class.
Which version did you choose, and what color? Is that with the rear seats up or down? I examined the rear end carefully, and just was not impressed with it. It may match the Jetta in volume, but usable volume may be something else.
I wouldn't hold my breath for Brembos, especially in a car of this class.
I went with the info I found online for the cargo area and I think it was for the seats up, but I am not totally sure 
I know if I hold my breath, I'd be blue in the face
11-10-11, 09:47 PM
#9
Quirky. Too quirky. And I thought the design of a Ford Focus was overbearing...
But (over) styling aside, I think Hyundai is going to have a hard time finding the balance to address the sporty demeanor of this type of car with its lack of functionality. I know that there are cars out there that are more form than function (CR-Z for example), but the market for the Veloster will be few.
Perhaps this car isn't about sales figures, but I think Hyundai is using this to create a sport-oriented value product that will make Civic and Focus buyers think about the brand even more.
But (over) styling aside, I think Hyundai is going to have a hard time finding the balance to address the sporty demeanor of this type of car with its lack of functionality. I know that there are cars out there that are more form than function (CR-Z for example), but the market for the Veloster will be few.
Perhaps this car isn't about sales figures, but I think Hyundai is using this to create a sport-oriented value product that will make Civic and Focus buyers think about the brand even more.
11-11-11, 06:10 AM
#10
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I am finally getting mine tomorrow. Took forever, seeing the Port of Vancouver is supposedly on strike and dealerships aren't trading between each other. So it took almost two months to receive the car.
I am going to hate the steering on the car and rear-visibility, but I will get use to it that is for sure. What is interesting the Veloster has the same cargo space as the new Jetta. Thing is what the Jetta has over the Veloster is a full size spare and plenty of space for people that are over 6ft tall. Also not sure if you covered this, the Veloster is around a foot shorter than the Jetta also. I wonder what kind of brakes the Turbo version will get, probably something close to the Genesis coupe I hope.
I totally have to find those mags for next year. Now I am stuck looking for some winter tires.
I am going to hate the steering on the car and rear-visibility, but I will get use to it that is for sure. What is interesting the Veloster has the same cargo space as the new Jetta. Thing is what the Jetta has over the Veloster is a full size spare and plenty of space for people that are over 6ft tall. Also not sure if you covered this, the Veloster is around a foot shorter than the Jetta also. I wonder what kind of brakes the Turbo version will get, probably something close to the Genesis coupe I hope.
I totally have to find those mags for next year. Now I am stuck looking for some winter tires.
11-11-11, 06:27 AM
#11
Someone pass the tums.Plus who knows, if I really hate the ride. Maybe I'll be able to sell it
11-11-11, 10:08 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
However, I know some people still are considering one, and I have at least one or two CL-member review-requests for it, so it's on my review-list.
Scion had planned to introduce the iQ in stages, across the country, starting on the West Coast this fall, and reaching the East Coast by spring.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-11-11 at 10:20 AM.
11-11-11, 10:57 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
Great review Marshall!! I finally got a chance to take a look at the entire Hyundai product line last weekend at the Miami Autoshow. I was pretty impressed with the overall build quality on the Veloster.
11-11-11, 01:22 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
Did they have a turbo model of the Veloster on display at the show?...or don't you remember? It seems unclear, from the literature, whether they will market one or not.
I finally got a chance to take a look at the entire Hyundai product line last weekend at the Miami Autoshow. I was pretty impressed with the overall build quality on the Veloster.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-12-11 at 08:41 AM.