Test Drive: 2015 Hyundai Veloster

A couple of years ago a friend of mine bought a new black Hyundai Veloster.  After parking it in his driveway for the first time, he stopped to admire it before heading into his house. Walking by, a neighbour exclaimed, “Moving up, eh? Pooooorsche!”

Okay, so his neighbour knows diddly about cars, but let’s face it, most people see vehicles with an untrained eye. They get impressions but maybe not the details. And this guy’s impression of the Veloster was that it was sporty, classy, distinctive, looked expensive. Looked like a Porsche to him.

And this guy’s impression of the Veloster was that it was sporty, classy, distinctive, looked expensive. Looked like a Porsche to him.While it’s not a German supercar, Veloster is still a singular vehicle. I remember at the press introduction in Vancouver thinking that Hyundai had hit a home run with this one. For 2012, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) gave it a Best New Design award and named it Best New Sports/Performance Car under $50,000. But it turns out that sales are modest; declining, even. Perhaps it’s just too different.

Granted, the Veloster doesn’t generate the neck-snapping acceleration and rail-like handling that its shape might suggest, but you can now buy the base model for under $18,299 and you can buy a fully loaded 2015 Veloster Turbo, the subject of our test drive in appealing Vitamin C paint, for $26,749 plus $1,695 freight/delivery. We’ll get to “fully loaded” later, because this may be what tips the scales when it comes to a purchase.

And yes, Veloster is unlike other cars. First of all it doesn’t look like anything else on the road. Some find it “awesome,” (the sales assistant at the local “Blinds to Go” was all over it), some not so much. I’d describe its appearance as “scrappy” (as in a scrappy temperament). The Veloster Turbo ramps up the scrappiness with a 1.6L GDI (gasoline direct injected) engine making 201 hp at 6,000 rpm and 195 lb-ft of torque delivered between 1,750-4,500 rpm. A six-speed manual, of course, is the base ‘box, but you can get it with a dual-clutch automatic for an extra $1,300 (a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is rumoured for next year).

Built on the same platform as the subcompact Hyundai Accent, the Veloster Turbo gets bigger front brakes than the non-Turbo model, a quicker steering ratio and Active Cornering Control (power is redirected to the outside (loaded) front wheel, reducing wheel spin for improved cornering grip and better traction on corner exit). It wears a big gulp hexagonal grille, unique 18-inch wheels, sculpted side skirts, diffuser vents in the rear bumper and outsized, Boxsteresque centre-mounted exhaust tips (well, they’re not tips — they look like the business end of a pair of trombones).

2015 Hyundai Veloster Turbo, dashboard. Click image to enlarge

So it’s a bit exaggerated in places, but not manic. It just thinks a lot of itself.

And why not? It has personality. While being a four-door car sounds ordinary, the Veloster has one at the back, one on the driver’s side and two on the passenger side. It’s kind of a hatchback-coupe and it has a big, deep 440L trunk. The sloping roofline gives it less cargo-room than a conventional hatchback with the rear seats down, however. Still… useful room back there for cargo, and short-haul easy-access accommodation for passengers.

I mentioned “fully loaded” earlier, and the Veloster Turbo sure is that. A seven-inch (15 centimetre) display sits atop the centre stack with standard navigation, satellite radio, rear-view camera and communications functionality. Seats are heated, as is the steering wheel and there’s leather upholstery with the driver’s seat adjustable for height. Above you’ll enjoy a panoramic sunroof with power sunscreen. Pedals are aluminum, the steering wheel multi-function, and headlights automatic, plus a 450-watt Dimension sound system, 115-volt electrical (household-style) outlet, Bluetooth, proximity keyless entry and, as they say on TV… there’s more. But you get the point.

The first thing I noticed when getting behind the wheel of the Veloster is that the seat is very comfortable. It gives good support, keeps you properly positioned and feels like it won’t make you tire on a long drive. The second thing I noticed is that the handle to close the door is positioned exactly where it should be, at arm’s length toward the front of the door. The seatbelt is attached to a plastic valet that places it at your left shoulder for ease of access. Everything felt like it was in the right place.

Once underway you find the gears are easy to locate, the shifter cooperative and clutch take-up flawless. So you can get going in a hurry, no problem. Steering is light and a bit vague, although the car is responsive enough. I found the power perfectly adequate. In normal driving, the Veloster motors along with the rest of the pack, but put your foot down and the turbo launches the car with gusto.

And as you come up to speed, the exhaust emits an entertaining note that perhaps overstates the pace at which you are accelerating. Don’t get me wrong, the Veloster’s not slow, but it sounds maybe a bit more dramatic than the experience warrants. It’s not a screamer, in other words. But it is a go-er.

2015 Hyundai Veloster Turbo, seating. Click image to enlarge

The suspension is the weakest point, struggling occasionally to manage broken pavement and irregular surfaces. It can be a bit noisy, a bit thumpy, mostly at the rear. Typically, however, the ride is smooth, controlled and quiet.

And yes, you can see out the back of a Veloster, although visibility to the rear and sides is not great. For backing up, the rear-view camera was a necessity, and not that Hyundai hasn’t already supplied enough equipment, but blind spot monitors would have been appreciated given that they’ve thrown in just about everything else.

Personally, I enjoyed much about the Veloster but I must say I liked its character the most – it’s pure style. There is the caveat about the suspension, and that’s only because I know that in a competitive car like the 2015 Volkswagen GTI, for instance, the suspension and handling are a genuine delight; the chassis truly setting the standard for this type of car. [I would cite the Mini Cooper S for this class. –Ed.]

2015 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. Click image to enlarge

However, did I mention that the Veloster Turbo is fully loaded? You’ll pay much more from the competition for a vehicle equipped similarly to this car (easily over $30,000 for the GTI or a Mini Cooper S). And once more, it’s distinctive; you won’t be everyone else.

One more thing, the Veloster Turbo is rated to consume 9.7/7.0 L/100 km city/highway of regular fuel. My numbers were 10.4/6.3 L/100 km. 6.3 L/100 km! That highway mileage is better than I got a few years ago in a Honda CRZ hybrid…

Pricing: 2015 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
Base Price: $26,749
Freight: $1,695
A/C Tax: $100
Price as Tested: $28,544
Note: at the time of this writing Hyundai Canada has reduced the price of all Velosters by $1,500

Competitors:
Chevrolet Sonic RS
Fiat 500 Abarth
Ford Fiesta ST
Honda CRZ
Mini Cooper S
Scion tC
Subaru BRZ