Autoblog

First Ride: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

Michael Harley — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Videos, Hatchback, Hyundai, Design/Style

CEO Takes Us For A Spin In This Innovative One, Two, Three-Door

2012 Hyundai Veloster - Click above for high-res image gallery

"How about a ride in the Veloster?"

While the experience falls seriously short of taking a few orbits in the Space Shuttle, those seven words were enticing enough to motivate us to cross the dreaded Los Angeles basin during rainy rush-hour traffic last week. The Veloster is Hyundai's latest addition to a rapidly expanding lineup that now encompasses everything from the modest $12,000 Accent to the Lexus-fighting $58,000 Equus. The new hatchback - uniquely configured with one driver door and two passenger doors - is parked on the low end of the model range, promoted as a compact coupe offering fun-to-drive chassis dynamics, a long list of standard innovative technology and hybrid-beating fuel economy in one cool-looking package.

Hyundai isn't letting anyone drive the Veloster yet, but like proud parents, they are more than willing to show us around the car, from top to bottom, and take us for an extensive drive around the block - as passengers.

However, this isn't just a simple low-level meet-and-greet, as our host will be John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America. Understandably, we had a slew of questions swirling around our minds before our ride: How comfortable is the cabin? Do tall adults fit in the second row? What does the engine sound like? How does it handle? Lastly, why does everyone keep comparing the new Veloster to the old Honda CRX?

Continue reading First Ride: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

First Ride: 2012 Hyundai Veloster originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Video: Hyundai Veloster hits the road with VW Scirocco

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:25:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Budget, Videos, Hyundai

Hyundai Veloster out testing - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Hyundai's new Veloster sports coupe (or is that Tiburon or something else?) aims to write another chapter in the book of Hyundai's relentless pursuit of market share when it launches next year, and in this latest video, we see a still heavily camouflaged prototype running around with the likes of the Volkswagen Scirocco - a similarly sized sportster. Thanks for the Euro-spec comparison test idea, Hyundai.

The Veloster aims to best Stateside competitors like the Honda CR-Z in terms of fuel economy, and Hyundai is on record as saying that the new coupe should achieve more than 40 miles per gallon without any sort of hybrid powertrain. It's expected that Hyundai will have its new 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood, and we hope that the end result is a car that's not only efficient, but truly fun to drive.

Hit the jump to see Hyundai's sporty prototype out on the street.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via YouTube]

Continue reading Spy Video: Hyundai Veloster hits the road with VW Scirocco

Spy Video: Hyundai Veloster hits the road with VW Scirocco originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai pledges to hit 40 mpg with 2012 Veloster, beat out Honda CR-Z

Chris Paukert — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:04:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Hybrid, Honda, Hyundai

2012 Hyundai Veloster - Click above for high-res image gallery

At a media breakfast in Los Angeles this morning, Hyundai Motor America president John Krafcik let slip that the Korean automaker expects to breach the 40 miles-per-gallon barrier with its forthcoming small sports coupe. Conveniently, if they can reach that performance target, that would best the new 2011 Honda CR-Z, which, despite its hybrid powertrain, achieves just 36/39 city/highway when equipped with a CVT and 31/37 with a manual gearbox. The as-yet-unnamed Hyundai coupe (the nameplates Veloster and Tiburon are still up for discussion) will achieve those figures with a conventional four-cylinder engine, eschewing the added cost, complexity and weight of a gas-electric system.

Likening the forthcoming model to a long-distance runner, Krafcik promises that not only will this Hyundai best the Honda in fuel economy, it will also deliver better performance as well as added utility (read: rear seats and better access). Given that it won't have the cost penalty of a hybrid drivetrain (a 140-horsepower, 1.6-liter engine is expected), we'd be surprised if it doesn't come in at a lower price-point, as well.

In addition to sipping gas, Krafcik emphasized to Autoblog that a key mission for the affordable coupe will be enticing the world's young and increasingly auto-ambivalent consumers with additional technology - all Velosters will come with a large screen on the dashboard as standard equipment, presumably to manage connectivity features in addition to more traditional vehicle functions.

With 40 mpg practicality and superior utility, it would appear that the Veloster not only has a shot at taking on Honda's CR-Z, but also more conventional economy cars like the Ford Fiesta, perhaps trading a bit of practicality in favor of edgier coupe styling and (hopefully) greater performance.

Gallery: Hyundai Veloster - Spy Shots

Hyundai pledges to hit 40 mpg with 2012 Veloster, beat out Honda CR-Z originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 Hyundai Veloster sneaks out, shows off interior

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Hatchback, Hyundai

2012 Hyundai Veloster - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's still cloaked in camo, but the 2012 Hyundai Veloster is beginning to shed its winter skin before its big reveal early next year. Not only has it gone green in the process, but details on its passenger side dual doors and interior are coming into focus.

As we've noted before, the Veloster (or possibly Tiburon) appears to share two different door designs - a traditional opening on the driver's side and a smaller passenger door possibly accompanied by another rear access opening.

Just as interesting as the dual doors, blistered fenders and the sloping hatch is the interior shot our spies managed to snag, showing a modern, triangular center stack with a five-inch LCD display and engine start button mounted low on the central panel. The three-spoke, small-diameter wheel has a sporting flavor to it, as do the deeply recessed gauges, and when the Veloster finally hits dealers late next year, expect Hyundai's recently announced 140 horsepower, 1.6-liter inline four to be underhood, with a turbocharged variant mated to a dual-clutch gearbox available a few months down the road.

Gallery: Hyundai Veloster - Spy Shots

Spy Shots: 2012 Hyundai Veloster sneaks out, shows off interior originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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