Topic: First Drive: 2019 Hyundai Veloster N

[AutoTrader.ca]

"N" for Nurburgring
Read more...

[JohnnyMac]

Sounds like a real good addition to the hot hatch segment.  We're losing all the Ford hot hatch offerings over the next few years (Focus ST/RS, Fiesta ST) so having this Veloster N added is a real bonus to us car enthusiast.  I'm not really happy about the limited number of them coming to Canada as this almost always means dealers will be charging more than MSRP to buy one.

Not sure it'll make VW up their game for the next generation of GTI but it'll at least give people another option.  It would be nice if Honda offered a bit more power from their Si offerings to get it closer to the 250hp range.

[dougjp]

Limited numbers suits the situation with a Veloster IMHO. If it was an Elantra GT N (i30 N as in Europe AND on US racetracks    ), then there would be more volume. Veloster buyers demographic is likely more young, tech obsessed, don't care much about power and seriously fine tuning suspension, something that looks different and so on.

Sad to see at this point that beyond this N track focused Veloster, all they want to add for Canada is poseur appearance packages and no real power with other cars in the N line.

I suppose they intentionally want to leave the budget compact luxury/performance (2.0 turbo) market to VWGTi/R in the hatchbacks, and the soon upcoming VW Jetta GLi, Acura ILX (when they put an optional engine in), Subaru, Audi 3 and so on, in sedans. A smarter move would be the European and American N 250 HP 2.0 with an automatic or manual, 18" classy light coloured multispoke wheels, more luxury (sound deadening, audio etc.), perhaps in the Elantra Sport sedan (an N version just announced in Europe), and/or Elantra GT. Priced above the current Sport Tech of course, call it Grand Sport.     

[Patrick_D1]

This thing is an unhinged lunatic of a little car. In the best possible way. 

[Fobroader]

Finally someone stuck the one thing on a wrong wheel car that can make it competitive, an LSD!!! Nice work Hyundai, and it doesn't look like an autobot sex toy, cough cough Civic Type R cough cough.

[JacobBlack]

This thing is an unhinged lunatic of a little car. In the best possible way. 

I can haz drive time?!

[ChaosphereIX]

Finally someone stuck the one thing on a wrong wheel car that can make it competitive, an LSD!!! Nice work Hyundai, and it doesn't look like an autobot sex toy, cough cough Civic Type R cough cough.

Finally? Mini did that from 2005 on their R53. Cobalt SS had an option. Mazdaspeed3 had one too. Neon SRT-4 could option one. Even the MS Protege could get one. Some foreign makes had options for them too (Alfa had an option on the later 3.2 V6 cars)

Nice that Hyundai gives it to their hot hatch. All higher hp FWD cars should have them as standard IMO.

[Fobroader]

Finally someone stuck the one thing on a wrong wheel car that can make it competitive, an LSD!!! Nice work Hyundai, and it doesn't look like an autobot sex toy, cough cough Civic Type R cough cough.

Finally? Mini did that from 2005 on their R53. Cobalt SS had an option. Mazdaspeed3 had one too. Neon SRT-4 could option one. Even the MS Protege could get one. Some foreign makes had options for them too (Alfa had an option on the later 3.2 V6 cars)

Nice that Hyundai gives it to their hot hatch. All higher hp FWD cars should have them as standard IMO.

Civic Si and both the Ford Fiesta/Focus never had one and it was a travesty.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Finally someone stuck the one thing on a wrong wheel car that can make it competitive, an LSD!!! Nice work Hyundai, and it doesn't look like an autobot sex toy, cough cough Civic Type R cough cough.

Finally? Mini did that from 2005 on their R53. Cobalt SS had an option. Mazdaspeed3 had one too. Neon SRT-4 could option one. Even the MS Protege could get one. Some foreign makes had options for them too (Alfa had an option on the later 3.2 V6 cars)

Nice that Hyundai gives it to their hot hatch. All higher hp FWD cars should have them as standard IMO.

Civic Si and both the Ford Fiesta/Focus never had one and it was a travesty.

You're joking, right?  8th gen and 9th Civic Si had a limited slip diff.  I'm not sure about the current generation.  But I know sure as hell that mine had  Torsen limited slip.

[HeliDriver]

Finally someone stuck the one thing on a wrong wheel car that can make it competitive, an LSD!!! Nice work Hyundai, and it doesn't look like an autobot sex toy, cough cough Civic Type R cough cough.

Finally? Mini did that from 2005 on their R53. Cobalt SS had an option. Mazdaspeed3 had one too. Neon SRT-4 could option one. Even the MS Protege could get one. Some foreign makes had options for them too (Alfa had an option on the later 3.2 V6 cars)

Nice that Hyundai gives it to their hot hatch. All higher hp FWD cars should have them as standard IMO.

GTI has one, although only on the loaded model, unfortunately.

[Jaeger]

When the ultra tepid first Veloster hit the market, whodathunk this little hellion would be its progeny?

[Weels]

When the ultra tepid first Veloster hit the market, whodathunk this little hellion would be its progeny?

Yup.  This went from cartoon to 'oh hells yeah'

[HeliDriver]

I'd be curious to drive one, but I still can't get past the looks.

Oddly enough, I'd be less embarrassed to be seen driving a Type R than this. 

[johngenx]

Looks wise, I do like the Type R better.  No clue why.  Just something about it.

Nice to see another entry in the segment though!

[rrocket]

Read this today...

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/10/28/hyundai-n-performance-halo-car/#slide-4244247

[JohnnyMac]

Finally someone stuck the one thing on a wrong wheel car that can make it competitive, an LSD!!! Nice work Hyundai, and it doesn't look like an autobot sex toy, cough cough Civic Type R cough cough.

Finally? Mini did that from 2005 on their R53. Cobalt SS had an option. Mazdaspeed3 had one too. Neon SRT-4 could option one. Even the MS Protege could get one. Some foreign makes had options for them too (Alfa had an option on the later 3.2 V6 cars)

Nice that Hyundai gives it to their hot hatch. All higher hp FWD cars should have them as standard IMO.

Civic Si and both the Ford Fiesta/Focus never had one and it was a travesty.

You're joking, right?  8th gen and 9th Civic Si had a limited slip diff.  I'm not sure about the current generation.  But I know sure as hell that mine had  Torsen limited slip.

The Honda Civic Si has a Helical limited slip differential.  As mentioned the GTI, Golf R come with eLSD much like this Hyundai.  I'd assume the Civic Type R has one as well as the Focus RS, but not sure about the Fiesta ST or Focus ST.

[Patrick_D1]

Finally someone stuck the one thing on a wrong wheel car that can make it competitive, an LSD!!! Nice work Hyundai, and it doesn't look like an autobot sex toy, cough cough Civic Type R cough cough.

Finally? Mini did that from 2005 on their R53. Cobalt SS had an option. Mazdaspeed3 had one too. Neon SRT-4 could option one. Even the MS Protege could get one. Some foreign makes had options for them too (Alfa had an option on the later 3.2 V6 cars)

Nice that Hyundai gives it to their hot hatch. All higher hp FWD cars should have them as standard IMO.

Civic Si and both the Ford Fiesta/Focus never had one and it was a travesty.

You're joking, right?  8th gen and 9th Civic Si had a limited slip diff.  I'm not sure about the current generation.  But I know sure as hell that mine had  Torsen limited slip.

The Honda Civic Si has a Helical limited slip differential.  As mentioned the GTI, Golf R come with eLSD much like this Hyundai.  I'd assume the Civic Type R has one as well as the Focus RS, but not sure about the Fiesta ST or Focus ST.

No, don't mistake the "eLSD" term for the purely electronic system in those VW products. The Veloster N has a highly-sophisticated multi-plate clutch-type limited slip differential with electronic control, hence the term eLSD. It's still very much a mechanical system, more robust than the Torsen-type units in competitors, but with precise control linked into the vehicle's overall performance management software.

[Jaeger]

No, don't mistake the "eLSD" term for the purely electronic system in those VW products. The Veloster N has a highly-sophisticated multi-plate clutch-type limited slip differential with electronic control, hence the term eLSD. It's still very much a mechanical system, more robust than the Torsen-type units in competitors, but with precise control linked into the vehicle's overall performance management software.

Good stuff.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Yes.  I read e-LSD yesterday, and at first assumed it was one of those silly little brake-activated torque transfer systems.  Then I did a bit of research, and read into what a real e-LSD actually is, that is a clutch pack that is electronically controlled by the ECU.

What makes things confusing is that both systems can be called e-LSD, both the brake activated ones, and the real clutch/gear units. 

[greengs]

So much confusion in this thread.

List of fwd cars with real mechanical limited slip diffs:

Civic Type R
Civic Si
GTI (both base and autobahn have this in the Canadian market, but it's poorly advertised)

VW made this change for 2018 for the Canadian market, but the brochures and dealer info showed incorrect info stating the base car had the XDS that's just electronically manipulated system.  Once owners started getting the base cars they confirmed the real mech. LSD units were on 2018 base cars too. 

Golf R doesn't have them in front or back.