Its taken a fair amount of thought and time, but Hyundai has finally delivered the Veloster Turbo to our shores. Better late than never though as the Veloster is a great looking coupe/hatch with a quirky door arrangement (it has two doors on the passenger side and one door on the drivers side). We drove the standard naturally aspirated Veloster way back in 2013 and with its sporty looks, reckoned it deserved a more powerful engine. Now, with this new Turbo variant, we have just that and we put it to the test.
Turbo Power
The 1.6-Litre turbocharged engine in the Veloster Turbo actually forms the basis of the engine Hyundai uses in its WRC rally car. Its got cracking credentials then, but in road-going form it produces less power than the rally car, mustering 150 kW and 265 Nm. The engine delivers its power smoothly and accelerates quite quickly. The accompanying soundtrack is less inspiring and drones on a bit like a vacuum cleaner with the suction nozzle covered. That said, the Veloster turbo is still quite quick, reaching 100kph in 7.3 seconds for the dual-clutch gearbox-equipped model and 7.8 seconds for the manual.
These days, however, those figures dont really cut the mustard as most of the pocket rocket hatch brigade will clock in at less than 7 seconds. Its not all about speed though and there is such a thing as fast enough and the Veloster turbo feels just about right. The dual-clutch gearbox on the other hand doesnt. Its the major let-down of the driving experience. It feels clunky and indecisive about changing gears and when you put your foot down it seems confused as to whether to kickdown or to try and continue in the same gear. The lasting impression from driving the gearbox is that you should certainly buy the manual instead. We drove the manual too, and sure enough its much better.
Does it have a trick chassis?
Hyundai has kept the Veloster Turbo just about standard in terms of suspension tuning, although Hyundai claims it has a finely tuned setup. Most of the difference comes in the electric steering that has a faster ratio and is modified to provide greater precision and feedback. Initial turn-in is sharp and makes the Veloster seem agile. But there is still no feel or feedback from the steering. You end up having to saw at the wheel and listen out for tyre squeal to feel how close to the edge of grip it is.
Out on your average days jaunt, the Veloster Turbo is less out of its depth. The ride is quite stiff and it prefers pool-table flat surfaces to bumpy or uneven roads. It can be quite clunky over bumpy surfaces and doesnt feel as refined to drive as something like a VW Scirocco or even a Ford Fiesta ST. Its a reminder of how hot hatchbacks felt about ten years ago but with more power in this instance.
It looks the part
The Veloster Turbo certainly looks attractive with its coupe style and short overhangs. The Koreans continue to impress with their original style in models like the Elantra, Kia Koup and i30. Inside, the Veloster Turbo is well equipped with essentials and a few added bonus features. The wheels are 18-inches as standard and theres a 15-inch space saver spare wheel under the boot floor. The drivers seat is partially electrically adjustable with a manual recline lever and the steering wheel is rake and reach adjustable. In terms of creature comforts, lights and wipers are automatic, cruise control is standard and theres the usual Bluetooth, USB and Aux connectivity. A panoramic sun roof is standard and rear parking sensors with a reverse camera are included, too.
Verdict
The Veloster Turbo is okay as Hyundais first attempt at a hot hatch that plays towards the driving enthusiast. Hyundai certainly got the looks right and the extra door on the side does actually prove useful if you have more than one passenger to load. The Veloster Turbo doesnt feel like it matches the competition in terms of driving dynamics, ride refinement or excitement. If youre looking for something that promotes style over performance then its a good bet. Its also hard to look past the price of the Veloster Turbo. The manual model hits hard at R379 900 and the less impressive dual-clutch even harder at R399 900. At R50k less the Veloster Turbo would make sense but at its current pricing it is going to struggle to tempt buyers away from a VW Scirocco or even a Renault Megane Coupe.
You can compare the Hyundai Veloster Turbo against the VW Scirocco and Megane GT here
Want to buy a new Hyundai Veloster? Click here for more information.
Team Opinion
“I admire the bold design of the Veloster, but it doesn’t quite work as a hot hatch, particularly when equipped with the frustrating dual-clutch transmission. The manual model is certainly much better, but the price remains a problem.” – Hannes Oosthuizen
“The Veloster Turbo certainly looks the part in terms of sportiness, but lacks the same punch in the performance department. The dual-clutch automatic was disappointing and frustrating to drive. The manual is definitely the way forward if you can get your wallet around the price”. – Gero Lilleike
“On paper, the Hyundai Veloster Turbo looks very exciting. However in reality its a bit of a damp squib. There’s simply not enough excitement and that price has put it out of reach of its target audience. That dual-clutch box is also very poor, so if you must, stick to the manual.” –David Taylor
We Like: Exterior styling, decent spec
We Dont Like: Feels like an old school hatch, dual-clutch is not great, expensive
Also Consider: Volkswagen Scirocco, Renault Megane Coupe
Hyundai Veloster Turbo Quick Specs
