2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo: Review

All-New
Earlier this year Hyundai introduced an all-new Veloster, sporting a complete redesign that features a sleeker silhouette with a larger grille and wider, more aggressive stance. Those familiar with the Veloster that has been selling in America for the last seven years will immediately recognize this fun little model by its unique configuration — Veloster has one door on the driver’s side, but two on the passenger side. No other model on the market offers this setup, and it works well for Veloster.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
For Everyday Enthusiasts
“Our new 2019 Veloster represents an even more compelling offering for young and young-at-heart automotive enthusiasts with more expressive design, involving dynamics and cutting-edge infotainment features,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of product, corporate and digital planning at Hyundai Motor America. “When combined with Hyundai’s outstanding value and efficiency, the new Veloster is sure to attract a progressive new group of enthusiast buyers,” noted O’Brien.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Test Vehicle Configuration
Our test vehicle was the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Ultimate, painted in appropriate fall colors — Sunset Orange with a black roof. The Ultimate comes well equipped, so the only option on our tester was carpeted floor mats for $125 and a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox that adds $1,500, making the total MSRP $29,160. Competitors to the new Veloster Turbo include the Honda Civic Si, Ford Focus ST, MINI Cooper S, Subaru WRX and Volkswagen Golf GTI.

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New Look
Veloster has always been a nice fun-to-drive package, so the updated design and sportier styling simply make it even better. While the larger grille with swept-back LED headlights gives the Veloster a wider, more purposeful look, our favorite angle is from behind: a rear spoiler and center-placed dual exhaust give, the Veloster a powerful impression. The 18-inch alloy wheels are also a nice touch.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Turbo Power
Under the hood is a new 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque at a low 1500 rpm, which is plenty of power for a vehicle of its size. Acceleration off the line feels quick, and if drivers are not careful the speed will climb much quicker than expected.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Fuel Economy
The Veloster offers a nice mix of performance and fuel economy — the Turbo is rated at 28 mpg city / 34 mpg highway / 30 mpg combined. During our drive we were closer to 26 mpg, but that was with a rather heavy right foot, so that figure is still quite respectable.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Handling
Front-wheel drive can often be a detriment to sporty handling, but not with the Veloster. Winding roads are great fun in this little car, due in part to Torque Vectoring Control. This system uses wheel-speed sensors along with the stability control to apply braking to the inside front wheel in fast corners. By applying the brake to the inside wheel, power gets redirected to the outside front wheel in the turn, reducing wheelspin and improving cornering grip and corner-exit acceleration.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Interior
Hyundai vehicles typically offer an interior that feels more upscale than the price would suggest, and the new Veloster certainly falls into this category. The touchscreen display is easy to use, and hard buttons and knobs make the interface even easier to use. Climate controls are completely separate, eliminating the need to dig through a menu system to adjust airflow and temperature.

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Nice Navigation
During our test drive, a great new feature in Hyundai’s navigation system caught our eye — the system provides information on the next two turns, which we found extremely helpful.

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Device Power
The 2019 Veloster has multiple power options in the front seat — phones can be charged wirelessly, and there are two additional USB outlets. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard — as they should be.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Front Seats
The front seats of the new Veloster are comfortable with supportive side bolsters that are not too tight. Leather trim is standard on the Turbo Ultimate, as is a stylish color-coordinated stripe down the middle. Heated seats are also standard on this trim level.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Rear Seat
Space for rear-seat passengers is maximized considering the overall small size of the Veloster. The front seatbacks are sculpted to provide additional knee room in back, and with seating for two the space doesn’t feel cramped.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Doors
Surprisingly, no other vehicles are available with Hyundai’s unique three-door configuration. This car feels and looks like a coupe, but still offers easy access to the rear seat via the surreptitious rear door.

Cargo Space
The 2019 Veloster possesses a reasonable amount of cargo space — certainly enough room for a few small suitcases or several grocery bags. A hard, removable cargo cover keeps items out of sight. If additional space is needed, the rear seats fold flat.

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Road Noise
One rather noticeable issue with the new Veloster is considerable road noise. Cruising at 40 mph results in a rather noisy cabin — not a deal breaker per se, but it could become annoying on a long road trip.

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Stiff Ride
It isn’t easy for automotive engineers to imbue a vehicle with both great handling and a comfortable ride. Under most conditions the new Veloster’s ride is fine, but small bumps in the road can be quite jarring.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Transmission
Normally we have an affinity for dual-clutch gearboxes — they typically shift quickly and crisply; however, we weren’t big fans of the DCT in the Veloster. In normal driving conditions shifts were smooth, but under hard acceleration it takes too long to downshift. Paddle shifters are also slow to respond. We would prefer a manual gearbox if given the choice.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Rating: 9.0
With the new Veloster Turbo, Hyundai has infused fun-to-drive characteristics into a stylish vehicle that easily works as a daily driver. With its comfortable and surprisingly roomy interior, long list of standard equipment, sporty styling and reasonable price, the Veloster Turbo is one of the better sporty options available today.

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