N 3dr Hatchback
2022 Hyundai Veloster N

This wasn’t meant to be a farewell drive, but in between testing the 2022 Hyundai Veloster N and the publishing of this review, Hyundai announced that the spunky, three-door hot hatchback is dead. There will be no 2023 Veloster. Period.  It’s a tough one to take, as the Veloster N introduced us to what is now a blossoming performance brand in Hyundai’s portfolio. With it, Hyundai finally proved that it could make a top-tier performance car. The N division has since struck gold a couple more times with the Elantra N and Kona N, but only the Veloster N birthed the brand in the United States back in the 2019 model year. And sure, 2019 seems like 10 years ago to most of us, but in car terms, a mere four model years (counting 2022) is not a long life. At least they were four lovely model years.  For the final drive, we’re ending where we began, with a six-speed manual-equipped Veloster N. Hyundai added a dual-clutch automatic transmission for the 2021 model year, and we found it to be a good option for the auto-inclined. The DCT is also available for this final 2022 model year, which means it gets a two-year production run. However, nothing could make us happier than spending the last drive in this car with the neat-shifting manual. It doesn’t take long to slip back into loving the Veloster N. Swing the extra-long driver door open — it’s massive, like that of a two-door coupe — and the super-high bolstered N seats await. These seats are the “N Light” sport seats (the N in the backrest literally lights up at night) introduced for 2021, and they help to spruce up an otherwise back-to-basics cabin. The Performance Blue accents for the massive steering wheel drive mode selector buttons beckon your activation right away. One tap on the checkered flag button, and the car switches into N mode, opening the exhaust up and activating the hilarious pop-and-bang soundtrack. The rest of the cabin, except for the Performance Blue seatbelts, is almost brutally basic. A Honda Civic’s interior is far from luxurious, but it’s upscale compared to the materials and design you find inside the Veloster N. That’s not to say the Hyundai’s simple nature is a bad thing — prioritizing performance over luxurious interior materials isn’t a decision we take offense to. Plus, if you really need a nicer interior, the Elantra N awaits. Finding anything to complain about when it comes to driving the Veloster N is just as difficult as it was back in 2019. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder motivates this 3,106-pound hatchback with all the kick it needs. Its 275 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque leaves the front end scrabbling for grip when the Pirelli P Zero summer tires are cold, but get them warm, and this little monster will scream away from a dead stop in just over 5 seconds per Car and Driver testing. The noise it makes getting there is …
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