Just drove the 2019 Hyundai Veloster

There's an embargo on driving impressions until 12:01 a.m. Monday, but there are some facts that I can share.

Hyundai has not abandoned the hot hatch segment.

The 1.6 turbo makes 201 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque.

Multi-link rear suspension replaces the old torsion beam.

The right side still gets that extra door. 

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires come standard on the turbocharged, six-speed manual cars.

The Turbo R-Spec is the one aimed at most of us: six-speed manual, Michelin tires, no sunroof and an MSRP of $22,900. (Curb weight for that one starts at 2833 pounds.)

So until the driving impressions can be shared, here are a few photos of the Turbo Ultimate: like the R-Spec but some more comfort and convenience items, including a sunroof. 

This is not going to be good for my bank account.....

Holy moly. Non-sunroof, six speed 200hp turbo, multi link rear and a door for the kids to let themselves in? Someone point out some negatives please because this looks awesome. 

Edit: LSD?

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

likely an e-dif

but both cusco and quaife have true lsd's availible 

Ive seen the veloster around and havent quite decided if i hate it or like it. Kinda funky design, maybe good?  Sure sounds like a fun ride. I will say, i hope they have better looking wheels available. Those are a bit fugly. 

mazdeuce - Seth said:

Holy moly. Non-sunroof, six speed 200hp turbo, multi link rear and a door for the kids to let themselves in? Someone point out some negatives please because this looks awesome. 

Edit: LSD?

No LSD, and we discussed that. The Civic Si gets one, but it also starts at $24,100. The Veloster receives what they call Vehicle Stability Management. Here's the text from the press kit: 

Velosters have an exceptional level of standard safety features for the sporty coupe

segment highlighted by a Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system, which optimally manages ESC

(Electronic Stability Control) and the Motor-Driven Power Steering (MDPS).

VSM works to control two effects. The first is when a driver accelerates or brakes on a split-mu

surface (slippery on one side, dry pavement on the other) and the vehicle wants to pull in one direction.

VSM detects this condition and sends a signal to the MDPS to apply steering assist to counter this

force. VSM counters the pull and automatically provides counter-steering. VSM reacts the same way

during sudden lane changes or fast cornering.

TJL said:

Ive seen the veloster around and havent quite decided if i hate it or like it. Kinda funky design, maybe good?  Sure sounds like a fun ride. I will say, i hope they have better looking wheels available. Those are a bit fugly. 

The R-Spec gets cooler wheels. 

I disliked the looks of them when they first came out. All the weird little scallops and scoops around the lights turned me off. Like the basic design, but hated the details. They have grown on me though

Cool stuff. My girlfriend's car has a DCT and the same motor and it's pretty fun to drive around!

I'm more concerned with how they behave as they let me turn off layers of TC for autocross and track stuff. If I have to (and can) turn off nannies to keep the car from cooking brakes during a 20 minute session then I'm not sure how it all applies. Hyundai clearly needs to loan Bob one for One Lap next year. I promise I won't drive it into any walls. 

mazdeuce - Seth said:

 Someone point out some negatives please because this looks awesome. 

How about that even-more-ridiculous back “window”?

RyanGreener said:

Cool stuff. My girlfriend's car has a DCT and the same motor and it's pretty fun to drive around!

Cool. We drove the R-Spec (with six-speed manual) and Turbo Ultimate (with DCT). How's she liking the car? 

mazdeuce - Seth said:

I'm more concerned with how they behave as they let me turn off layers of TC for autocross and track stuff. If I have to (and can) turn off nannies to keep the car from cooking brakes during a 20 minute session then I'm not sure how it all applies. Hyundai clearly needs to loan Bob one for One Lap next year. I promise I won't drive it into any walls. 

Yeah, we discussed borrowing one for some track work. You know, for science. 

David S. Wallens said:

RyanGreener said:

Cool stuff. My girlfriend's car has a DCT and the same motor and it's pretty fun to drive around!

Cool. We drove the R-Spec (with six-speed manual) and Turbo Ultimate (with DCT). How's she liking the car? 

The DCT is pretty good, I gotta say. Shifts fast and smooth. I remember Hyundai/Kia had some old software issue that seems to have been remedied (way back when it started happening). She likes the car. The interior is pretty nice (it's a fully loaded Exclaim version) and its got a lot of features she isn't used to and even my track buddies think the car is pretty cool.

David S. Wallens said:

mazdeuce - Seth said:

I'm more concerned with how they behave as they let me turn off layers of TC for autocross and track stuff. If I have to (and can) turn off nannies to keep the car from cooking brakes during a 20 minute session then I'm not sure how it all applies. Hyundai clearly needs to loan Bob one for One Lap next year. I promise I won't drive it into any walls. 

Yeah, we discussed borrowing one for some track work. You know, for science. 

Did you tell them you have the worlds biggest Hyundai humper in your ranks? They might know me by name. 

Waiting for the N veloster with the 260hp 2.0l and lsd

mazdeuce - Seth said:

I'm more concerned with how they behave as they let me turn off layers of TC for autocross and track stuff. If I have to (and can) turn off nannies to keep the car from cooking brakes during a 20 minute session then I'm not sure how it all applies. Hyundai clearly needs to loan Bob one for One Lap next year. I promise I won't drive it into any walls. 

I can’t comment on this new model, or the turbo engine, but we had a rental Veloster for about 6-weeks while waiting for Takata. The car was comfortable enough & sporty enough around town to be fun, but I found the hatch to be too small, its liftover height too high/deep, and the extra door on the wrong side. 

With the automatic it absolutely hated autox, even with TC off. The throttle had a mind of its own - not responding to acceleration OR deceleration. The chassis was ok, though certainly setup to understeer from the factory. 

Hopefully this new car has improved on all those areas. 

In reply to Bob the REAL oil guy. :

Don't get greedy Bob, when Hyundai offers to loan you a car for one of the premier automotive events in the world sponsored by one of the premier automotive publications in the world, you say YES! 

I think I'm more excited about it's more conventional platform-mate the Elantra GT.

mazdeuce - Seth said:

In reply to Bob the REAL oil guy. :

Don't get greedy Bob, when Hyundai offers to loan you a car for one of the premier automotive events in the world sponsored by one of the premier automotive publications in the world, you say YES! 

 

Fine. But can we put an exhaust on it at least? I hate quiet cars. 

In reply to Bob the REAL oil guy. :

Nope, if a stock Subaru is good enough for Travis and Bilko you need to suck it up. Did we ever decide who to call about this? Is David our Hyundai contact now?

Bob the REAL oil guy. said:

David S. Wallens said:

mazdeuce - Seth said:

I'm more concerned with how they behave as they let me turn off layers of TC for autocross and track stuff. If I have to (and can) turn off nannies to keep the car from cooking brakes during a 20 minute session then I'm not sure how it all applies. Hyundai clearly needs to loan Bob one for One Lap next year. I promise I won't drive it into any walls. 

Yeah, we discussed borrowing one for some track work. You know, for science. 

Did you tell them you have the worlds biggest Hyundai humper in your ranks? They might know me by name. 

 

Waiting for the N veloster with the 260hp 2.0l and lsd

We talked Group N a little bit, too. :)

red_stapler said:

I think I'm more excited about it's more conventional platform-mate the Elantra GT.

This. It's on my list for "next car"

btw, does this thing have the usual 10/100,000 warranty that other Hyundais do?

Very cool. If we hadn’t needed awd, we would have been looking at one of these. Glad to hear the dct issue is cleared up. Why no awd for these? Seems easy enough. Tack on 5k more and you have a wrx competitor without the cost. 

Hopefully, they will allow a complete turn off of the ESC like the Fiesta ST, the only obvious competitor,  which wont be a competitor because it is dead.  Hyundai still has not had a chassis that impressed me, hopefully this one is a new chapter.