RE: Hyundai Veloster Turbo: Spotted

RE: Hyundai Veloster Turbo: Spotted

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?



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.

 


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.

Author
Discussion

JackReacher

Original Poster:

2,118 posts

214 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
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.

vtecyo

2,122 posts

128 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
Or for the same money you could have a decent Megane 250... Don't think the Hyundai is especially good looking, interesting, or "fast". For that money you could get at least one, maybe 2 of the 3.

Did I imagine this or are these different on both sides? One side is 3 door and one side is 5 door?

Shappers24

816 posts

85 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
Could never get on with only having a rear door on one side. Certainly held its value well. Interestingly you can pick up a similar age GT86 for around the same money.

Mike1990

962 posts

130 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
They also did the the previous i30 Turbo, but that never gets a mention.

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
It's definitely different! It's not particularly fast or engaging to drive, but it will probably be very reliable and at least has a bit of poke to go with it. I'm not quite sold on the looks and it just appears to be styled fairly awkwardly.

I do believe that Hyundai will be making an N version of the Veloster, if i remember correctly. Maybe that will be a bit more like it!

Integroo

11,574 posts

84 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
culpz said:
... it will probably be very reliable ...
Will it? I know the older Hyundai Coupe was meant to have dreadful build quality.

Quirky, but too many better cars to spend 12k on.

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
Integroo said:
culpz said:
... it will probably be very reliable ...
Will it? I know the older Hyundai Coupe was meant to have dreadful build quality.

Quirky, but too many better cars to spend 12k on.
The Hyundai Coupe was a pretty solid car. Not many known issues, AFAIK.

I'd agree with that. Pretty much all of the rival coupe's are much better cars.

Matt Bird

1,450 posts

204 months

PH Reportery Lad

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
vtecyo said:
Or for the same money you could have a decent Megane 250... Don't think the Hyundai is especially good looking, interesting, or "fast". For that money you could get at least one, maybe 2 of the 3.

Did I imagine this or are these different on both sides? One side is 3 door and one side is 5 door?
That is a good point! I think the problem was we're always banging on about how good Meganes are, so we probably needed to do something different.

alorotom

11,907 posts

186 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
vtecyo said:
Did I imagine this or are these different on both sides? One side is 3 door and one side is 5 door?
No I believe that’s correct or I’ve imagined it too!

redguy

132 posts

78 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
Looks nice, not fast at all, and still way overpriced IMHO!

Kosy

99 posts

160 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
I could draw a rather long list of cars for £12k... and that would be near the bottom.

steviegunn

1,415 posts

183 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
culpz said:
The Hyundai Coupe was a pretty solid car. Not many known issues, AFAIK.

I'd agree with that. Pretty much all of the rival coupe's are much better cars.
Mine is 11 years old and everything still works perfectly, only weak point I've come across is the clutch release bearing can go much earlier than the clutch itself.

IIRC JD Power reports from back in the day said the Coupe GK (2002-2008) was one of the main reasons Hyundai's reliability rating was so improved.

pmr01

314 posts

149 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
biased...my wife has one. it is an absolutely great car. my 140 will go before hers does..maybe a touch rich with the price!

it is not fast but once equipped with good tyres (and not hankooks) it handles and steers amazingly well. the gearbox has a lovely close, mechanical feel to it.

Its a shame that they never came with the 201hp engine and lower gearing that the ceed gt came with as it would have really perked it up.

having had an rs megane previously they are not competing in the same market at all.


Greg 172

233 posts

200 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
culpz said:
I do believe that Hyundai will be making an N version of the Veloster, if i remember correctly. Maybe that will be a bit more like it!
Yep, think it's North America only though - they get it instead of the i30N. They rolled it out at a motor show (Detroit maybe) in the same pale blue as the i30N. It does look pretty tasty.

waynecyclist

8,596 posts

113 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
pmr01 said:
its a shame that they never came with the 201hp engine and lower gearing that the ceed gt came with as it would have really perked it up.
Why or how would a Kia engine end up in a Hyundai

skip_1

3,459 posts

189 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
culpz said:
I do believe that Hyundai will be making an N version of the Veloster, if i remember correctly. Maybe that will be a bit more like it!
Probably, but will not be sold in the UK.

StescoG66

2,108 posts

142 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
Going waaaayyy back, didn't they do an S-coupe Turbo?

finlo

3,731 posts

202 months

Wednesday 18th April 2018
quotequote all
waynecyclist said:
Why or how would a Kia engine end up in a Hyundai
Because all their engines and platforms are shared?

dobly

1,166 posts

158 months

Thursday 19th April 2018
quotequote all
Had one of these (albeit in lesser spec) as a hire care from Brisbane airport - so much nicer than driving an economy hatch or faux 4X4. Great for 1 or 2 people. Liked the fact that the drivers door was full length, as my pet hate is having the door pillar by your right ear/eye, as in so many 4/5 door cars.

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Thursday 19th April 2018
quotequote all
Greg 172 said:
Yep, think it's North America only though - they get it instead of the i30N. They rolled it out at a motor show (Detroit maybe) in the same pale blue as the i30N. It does look pretty tasty.
skip_1 said:
Probably, but will not be sold in the UK.
A shame, for sure. At least we've got the i30N. It would be interesting to see what they did with it in quirky coupe form.