Wednesday 18th April 2018

Hyundai Veloster Turbo: Spotted

With the world very excited about the latest fast Hyundai, is it worth considering the last one?

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It's fair to say that the Hyundai i30 N has been very well received by the motoring media, with near unanimous approval of the Korean marque's first hot hatch. Its value for money, punchy engine and assured dynamics mean the N is certainly a match for more established contenders in a fiercely competitive sector. It isn't, however, Hyundai's first attempt at a fast hatch in the UK...

That accolade probably falls to the Veloster Turbo, introduced to Britain half a dozen years ago. It doesn't carry the 'N' badge, and its remit was far less focused than the new i30, but we're all for a performance curios on PH - and there's actually one for sale at very nearly half its new price.

Following the standard 140hp Veloster, the Turbo arrived in 2012 with 186hp, 195lb ft and a 133mph top speed, with Hyundai claiming the car brought "an extra helping of dynamism, excitement and emotional appeal" to its range of coupes with the odd extra door. It was identifiable from the standard car - if, indeed, you had seen one of those - by new bumpers, badges and exhausts.

"So what?" You're probably thinking. But those who drove the VT found plenty to be impressed by. "Flick through some esses or hare along some undulations and you'll discover excellent body control", "a cracking little performance car" and "it's hard not to like this little coupe" are just three comments to be found in three separate reviews, making it more than worthy of some attention.

Given the Turbo was only expected to make up 10 per cent of Veloster sales - a car which was already a niche choice - it shouldn't come as a surprise to find just one lurking in the PH classifieds. Still, it looks like a good one, the blue paint far more interesting than the grey so many cars were seen in and the condition as presentable as you might reasonably expect from a five year-old car with just 20,000 miles.

Best of all, this Veloster is for sale at just £11,995, which makes it look very good value. The cars Hyundai targeted the Turbo specifically at - the VW Scirocco and Vauxhall Astra GTC - are of course more numerous, but that doesn't necessarily make them better propositions. Spend £12k on a Scirocco and you'll get a 140hp car with 68,000 miles on it; this Astra, while cheaper than the Hyundai, again boasts less power and more miles. And it would be a great surprise to find either with more standard equipment than the Hyundai. Even though the advert is hardly furnished with vast amounts of detail, every Turbo came with sat nav, an upgraded sound system and an electrically adjustable driver's seat. Indeed the only options were the sunroof and paint choices.

Add all that into the five-year warranty that the Veloster will have just come out of (or may well still be covered by for a few weeks), and the resulting package is quite appealing. There are sharper driving hot hatches and coupes out there, but the Veloster's blend of rarity, curio appeal and performance should keep it on the radars of those willing to think a bit differently. You're not likely to bump into another at the supermarket, that's for certain.

 

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SPECIFICATION - HYUNDAI VELOSTER TURBO

Engine: 1.6-litre, 4-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 186@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 195@1,500rpm
MPG: 40.9
CO2: 157g/km
Recorded mileage: 21,000
Year registered: 2013
Price new: £21,995
Yours for: £11,995

See the original advert here.

[JackReacher]

So a 5 year old Korean car has maintained 54% of its value? I know that's based on a selling trade price, rather than trade in value, but still I suspect there would have been a discount off that new price.

Shows how far Korean cars have come in recent years.