Photos Courtesy Hyundai
With the N model, the Hyundai Veloster finally kicks open the door to the private lounge of A-list sport compacts and demands to be taken seriously. Developed by Hyundai’s Albert Biermann–formerly of a little division you may have heard of at BMW called M–and a team of seriously hardcore engineers, the N adds some subtle and not …
is that IRIS Blue ?
Reminds me of the Gulf color scheme, I dig it.
That would be an interesting option if I needed a practical car.
Do want.
A few years ago I never thought I’d say that about a Hyundai.
That baby blue with red accents is HAWT!
I'd love one of these. If only Hyundai would've thought of the Accent...
Albert Biermann and Hyundai have officially developed a "hot hatch." Bravo! This is a good thing. Unfortunately, like so many modern cars, the Hyundai Veloster N looks like a Transformer. Apparently, automotive design is now all about computer modeling and wind tunnels, so looking like a Transformer must be mandatory. The 2019 Hyundai makes sporty, burbling noises. It is front wheel drive and weighs over 3100 lbs, just like the other commuter cars on the road. There's different driving modes and various electronic safety devices to minimize the chance of a crash if you screw up. Yes, it's pretty fast on a track, but if you can't make a car perform well with 275 HP and 235/40/R19 tires you are in the wrong line of work. My brain says I'm glad to see another competitor in the market place, especially at a lower price point, but my heart says "meh." It's a "me too" car, built to meet a benchmark at a specific price point. There's nothing "wrong" with this Hyundai. I guess I'm still waiting to see something truly innovative from someone that colors outside the lines.
If I was looking for a Car in this segment I'd be very tempted by this. It's interesting that Hyundai is one of the few manufacturers building small displacement turbo engines with linear power delivery and that pull hard to redline.
My brother tells me he's ordering one. Not sure of the time table. Further bulletins as events warrant.
Close enough to Gulf Blue, would look good liveried up I bet.
There's no accounting for taste.
The Veloster has always been ugly as sin. The Veloster N is no different.
Why are we getting a "Veloster N" when the rest of the world gets the "N" treatment on the Elantra hatchback body? The Elantra looks much better.
you guys are harsh. Hyundai finally builds a true enthusiasts car and you dump all over it.
I like the veloster, It was on my short list of cars when I got my Abarth
Um...I dig it.
In reply to mad_machine :
Agreed.
Straight down gauges - individually selecting firmness/lockup/etc on the electronically controlled pieces (unlike Honda and friends) (i.e. race mode steering, soft dampers, race mode throttle control, etc)- really cool little car from all accounts. I'm very excited to see one in the flesh.
Has anyone reported a 1/4 mile time?
I too am very excited by this new player, but going from a FiST with 4 doors and a hatch, I would much prefer the Elantra N. I will have to see how tight the back seat is, having never been in a Veloster. I don't need to fit Kareem back there, just my 6 year old.
poopshovel again said:Has anyone reported a 1/4 mile time?
C&D reported 13.9 @ 102mph.
In reply to BluEvo210 :
I disagree. Compared to the recent offerings from Nissan and Honda, the Veloster is downright conservative and gracefully styled. It's no E-Type, but it's way less offensive to look at than a lot of new cars these days.
I would like this inside a Forte 5 body.
Snrub said:poopshovel again said:Has anyone reported a 1/4 mile time?
C&D reported 13.9 @ 102mph.
HOLY CRAP.
Looking at that quarter mile time - for all intents and purposes this is a new Mazdaspeed3 with 3 doors instead of 5. All the vitals are roughly the same, I'm sure they go about it a bit different, but even the "they go to roughly 7 grand, but run out of wind" is the same.
Nifty.
accordionfolder said:for all intents and purposes this is a new Mazdaspeed3 with 3 doors instead of 5.
It's actually a 4 door in a weird way. They borrowed the passenger side rear door from a RX-8. It's a good setup, although I think they should have done it on the driver's side too. :)
It's also faster than a Mazdaspeed 3 (14.5 @98), brakes better, handles better, weighs 200lbs less. I think the Veloster Turbo R might be the better point of comparison. It's an extra 150lbs lighter and the straight line specs line up. It has more/nicer stuff (panoramic moon roof, heater steering, etc) and costs the same in absolute dollar terms (Mazdaspeed 3 would presumably be a few grand more in today's dollars).
BluEvo210 said:There's no accounting for taste.
The Veloster has always been ugly as sin. The Veloster N is no different.
Why are we getting a "Veloster N" when the rest of the world gets the "N" treatment on the Elantra hatchback body? The Elantra looks much better.
Agree 100%. Hot hatches are what sell in this country more than oddball FWD sporty cars. If we got the Elantra N, I would have looked long and hard at it as an alternative to the GTI I just bought. I didn't look at the Veloster specifically because of its looks.
Snrub said:accordionfolder said:for all intents and purposes this is a new Mazdaspeed3 with 3 doors instead of 5.
It's actually a 4 door in a weird way. They borrowed the passenger side rear door from a RX-8. It's a good setup, although I think they should have done it on the driver's side too. :)
It's also faster than a Mazdaspeed 3 (14.5 @98), brakes better, handles better, weighs 200lbs less. I think the Veloster Turbo R might be the better point of comparison. It's an extra 150lbs lighter and the straight line specs line up. It has more/nicer stuff (panoramic moon roof, heater steering, etc) and costs the same in absolute dollar terms (Mazdaspeed 3 would presumably be a few grand more in today's dollars).
The gen2 MS3 on stock 225 width tires will do a 14 flat - dip into the 13's with wider meats under it depending on conditions. It's nearly the exact same weight according to all the spec sheets I'm seeing, including C&D. I doubt greatly it's that much better on the braking, especially with decent pads on it (I'm running stock pads good for a 1:49 at RA and a 2:00 @ Sonoma) It's got more torque, but less horse power. On paper and real life they're pretty much identical specs. I won't doubt the magic electric wizardry isn't cool (and will make a huge difference in daily livability), but they line up pretty neatly numbers wise. I'm definitely not knocking the Hyundai, just noting that the numbers are oddly similar. I'm in love with this car (and it's assorted gadgetry), just no reason to buy a new car right now - I hope to make up a reason some time soon ;)
http://www.motorweek.org/reviews/road_tests/2010_mazdaspeed3
"In fact, our 0 to 60 time of 5.2 seconds is over a second quicker, with a similar improvement for the quarter mile at 13.9-seconds and 102 miles per hour."
You'll need to log in to post.
