Hyundai Veloster Turbo S: £21,995
Quirky hot hatch/coupe confirms pricing but will it be any good?
Power has been confirmed at 186hp, the 1.6-litre, twin-scroll turbo engine apparently optimised for European tastes with a lower peak power but gutsier mid-range torque delivery. Which would appear to be code for attempting to hit CO2 and mpg targets at the apparent cost of a second off the 0-62mph time - a claimed 8.4 seconds on the UK/Euro version.
Now, you can claim the relevance of such bald performance stats but, beefier torque delivery or not, it's clear the Veloster Turbo we get is significantly slower than the one you can buy over the pond. Oh, but apparently you get the 195lb ft peak torque 250rpm sooner, at 1,500rpm rather than the heady 1,750rpm our American cousins need to wring their Velosters out to. We do get firmer dampers too, apparently.
And it does look cool and most certainly a break from the Mini masses that might otherwise tempt you at this price point. Spookily (OK, not at all spookily...) the Mini boasts a similar 184hp in Cooper S form, again from a 1.6 turbo. A Clubman with similarly imbalanced door configuration to the 2+1 Veloster costs from £19,160 and is quicker and cleverer with CO2 figures at 137g/km against the Hyundai's 157g/km. It's a tough fight against the Scirocco too, the 160hp 1.4 TSI down on power (and doors!) but £500 cheaper and added badge kudos, if such things matter.
The Veloster fights back with generous equipment, including touchscreen nav and leather seats, embossed 'Turbo' in an 80s-tastic throwback to when such things were novelty enough to shout about.
Does that leave Hyundai headroom to 'retune' again and bump the power back up? The official line is no. For now.
Ok, so it may be one of the better equipped, but that's not really the point of a hot hatch is it.
Not saying that it will be a bad car though... if you like the looks of the Focus, Fabia, DS3, Swift etc then this is ideal because it takes a bit of styling from all of them.
But again, that gives it no identity of its own, apart from being the hot hatch that tried too hard to fit in.
Maybe it will be a lot more impressive in the metal and from behind the wheel though.
I was wondering how long it would take the recent "success" to get to their heads. We now know.
I was wondering how long it would take the recent "success" to get to their heads. We now know.
Doesn't look a bad car but I just expect a Hyundai to be significantly cheaper. Not fair perhaps but brands take years to position themeselves with the buying public. Having 'piled 'em high and sold 'em cheap' for so long to suddenly compete with the established players on equal terms feels a little optimistic.
Especially as their UK market share rose dramatically largely as a result of the scrappage scheme.
Ok, so it may be one of the better equipped, but that's not really the point of a hot hatch is it.
Not saying that it will be a bad car though... if you like the looks of the Focus, Fabia, DS3, Swift etc then this is ideal because it takes a bit of styling from all of them.
But again, that gives it no identity of its own, apart from being the hot hatch that tried too hard to fit in.
Maybe it will be a lot more impressive in the metal and from behind the wheel though.
And from the review (i think it was motortrend)gave the US version. it has fun aspects of the drive. But overall its to slow and not sporty enough.
Looks like a GT86
Nearly as fast as a GT86
Steve
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