People can cry as much as they want for an AWD 6 cyl manual transmission car but the facts are nobody buys them. Sure, there are those 5 people on the internet that say they will but that isn't enough to produce the car.
That is a tired, and quite frankly, weak excuse. It is a sport sedan. It has Brembo brakes, LSD, turbos, sport modes, etc. If it wants to cater to enthusiasts, like they say it does, it needs to have the option of a manual transmission. Not saying they need to make millions of them, but have at least the option of one to be special ordered.
The entire freaking lineup of the Veloster is retooled for RHD vs LHD. The entire body, the panels, interior...everything except the trunk. That is hideously expensive, as they are essentially making two cars for one model. So don't say it is about money - it does not take, in the grand scheme of things, a lot of money and R/D to put a manual transmission into a car. Also Hyundai is swimming in it right now thanks to very strong mainstream sales.
As I said, in my incredibly uninformed opinion, they had a chance to get major enthusiast cred, even if they sell 100 of them. Also, imagine the long-term reputation for Hyundai: in an age where everyone kills off the manual, Hyundai offers an amazing sport sedan that will be collectible and desired in decades to come. No, instead it is going to be yet another "also ran" in a sea of same-ish sport sedans.
Such a shame.