Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale reviews the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo R-Spec to find out if the 3-door reverse halo project stands up to the hot hatch competition. For more coverage on the Veloster Turbo and its competitors head over to autoblog.com
Transcript[MUSIC PLAYING]
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Hi, everybody. I'm Joel Stocksdale for Autoblog, and this is the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. It's all-new from the ground up, and while it's completely redesigned, it still has some of the funky characteristics of the original Veloster. It still has the three doors and it still has a spunky 1.6-liter turbo-charged four-cylinder. The question is, is this going to be just a sporty commuter, or is this going to be more of a bargain price sports car?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The 2019 Hyundai Veloster turbo has a turbo-charged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. It's very much like the last one, and has about the same output. It's 201 horsepower and 195 pound feet of torque. Unlike some cars that have turbo-charged engines that make loads and loads of torque really low in the RPM range, this engine has a bit more lag than we expected. So when you're getting on the throttle, there can be a little bit of a pause and then the turbo hits. It's not too bad. It's certainly manageable, but it is a little bit more than we expected.
The engine is also coupled to a nice six-speed manual transmission, or if you need, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. We're trying out the six-speed manual in this Veloster R-Spec. This particular manual transmission also comes with a standard B&M short-throw shifter. The throws are short. They're precise. They feel good, and mechanical, and solid when you get into the gate. It's not quite up to the snickety light and precise feel of, say, a Mazda Miata or a Civic SI, but it's a really solid shifter, and it's probably better than a lot of cars in the market.
One thing that's not as enjoyable, though, is that this, like a lot of other turbo-charged cars that we've driven, has a bit of rev hang when you're shifting between gears. And this is a little bit frustrating when you're trying to accelerate quickly because the revs don't fall back down to where they would be when you get into gear.
As far as power delivery, the 201 horsepower and 195 pound feet of torque feel pretty adequate. We could see some people wanting a little bit more out of it. It does feel a little bit slow compared with, say, Volkswagen GTI or Ford Focus ST, but it's still right on par with Honda Civic SI and Hyundai Elantra sport, for that matter.
It does pull really well from the middle of the rev range. You're rarely going to need to downshift to get it to really hustle. And when you're flooring it at lower speeds, it boogies. It's got good, strong torque.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
With the new generation of Hyundai Veloster, Hyundai has equipped all the models with multilink rear suspension. And as far as we can tell, it's a positive upgrade. This car rides and handles really nicely. The ride is on the firm side, and on some rougher pavement, you're going to be moved around a little bit. But for the most part, it damps bumps well, and you're never, ever kicked or it's never harsh. It's just a good, firm, sporty ride that's not punishing. And it also always feels very stable going over bumps.
The chassis also feels really stiff. It doesn't feel like it's going to rattle, or twist, or anything like that. And as far as handling is concerned, this car has superb grip. It just sticks and sticks. And part of that is because the R-Spec comes with summer performance tires on them. The car corners really flat. There's very little body roll. And it just clearly, beyond just the tires, feels very planted and secure. Arguably, it may even feel too secure. It would be nice if you could coax out a little bit of lift-off oversteer, but this car-- it just stays firmly planted in where it is on the pavement.
As far as steering is concerned, it's very quick, and the car definitely turns in rapidly and eagerly. But what's disappointing is that the steering feel is virtually nonexistent. You really can't tell much through the steering wheel, and it lacks some of the pinpoint accuracy of some of its competitors. With that being said, it is still quick and it's weighted nicely.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hyundai Veloster is all-new for the 2019 model year. The redesign takes something that was a little bit on the bulbous side and tightens everything up. It looks more athletic than the outgoing model. It does still retain the three-door passenger door format. That three-door layout means that it's got one long driver's side door and two doors on the passenger side, one for the front passenger and one for the rear passengers. And that rear door is the only way for you to get into the back seats, really.
What this means is that you get a car with most of the looks of a two-door hatchback or coupe, but with a bit of the practicality of a full four or five-door hatchback. It is a little bit annoying if you have two passengers in the back and one of them has to slide all the way across to get into that rear seat. But hey, it's better than having to climb over a front seat, in most cases.
One downside, though, to the Veloster's shape and that rear door is that the opening is really quite tight. The roof is so low that you have to really duck under to get in there if you're a tall person. The low roofline also means that there's not a lot of headroom in the back seat, in general, and there's also not a lot of leg room, either.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
In addition to the Hyundai Veloster's funky, stylish exterior, the interior is pretty stylish, too. Different trims get different upholstery and color variations. In our particular R-Spec, it comes with a mostly black interior with some black and gray upholstery and lots of yellow accents that are really pretty stylish. It's almost a yellow-gold color. You'll find it on the steering wheel, and on the center stack, and also in the contrast stitching, and some of the upholstery.
Everything in here looks well put together. And while there are some cheap plastics, most of them have interesting, high-quality textures to them that make it look a little bit nicer than normal. Hyundai's infotainment is extremely simple to use. The screen is very responsive. It's not over-cluttered. It's got simple icons to find. And wonderfully, there are physical button backups for almost everything.
While most of the interior is positive and it's got good forward visibility, one genuine weakness in this car is it has horrible, horrible blind spots in the rear. I would highly recommend you get one of these with blind-spot monitoring because it will be an enormous help. When you turn your head to look back, you just see a giant black pillar.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
And that's the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. It's missing that last little 5% for it to become a truly competitive bargain sports vehicle, like a Volkswagen GTI or something similar. But that's not to say that this is a bad car-- not at all. It's actually a great alternative to any other kind of economy sedan or hatchback. It's got lots of style. It's got a spunky, turbo-charged engine. It handles great. It has a nice interior. It comes with plenty of features. And the turbo version starts at a reasonable price of about $23,000.
So if you're looking for something that needs to be a daily driver, but still has some soul and some energy about it, the Veloster Turbo is a great way to go and you should check it out. So to find out more about the Hyundai Veloster and other vehicles similar to it, be sure to check out autoblog.com
[MUSIC PLAYING]
The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander adds another three-row SUV to its line-up that fits between the smaller Highlander and the larger truck-based Sequoia. It features styling closely related to the RAV4, with a wide stance and crisp lines. Three powertrains are available including a non-hybrid turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a hybrid …
The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is a big, lovable luxury beast. Under the hood, it’s packing a biturbocharged 4.0-liter V8 making 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, propelling this three-row SUV from 0-60 miles per hour in a swift 4.1 seconds. But it’s not all about speed. With an …
The winner of Autoblog’s 2023 Technology of the Year competition is Mercedes-Benz’s Dolby Atmos audio system. It defeated a number of impressive other new technologies like BMW’s Theater Screen, Ford’s Remote Rev and more. Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio has been present in theaters and home theater setups for quite some …
The 2023 Lotus Emira is finally here! Arriving now in limited quantities after multiple supply-chain delays, this V6-powered First Edition gets 400 horsepower out of its supercharged Toyota engine, which is mated to an old-fashioned, six-speed manual transmission. The engine's mounted in the middle -- right where you want it …
The 2024 Honda Ridgeline is getting the TrailSport treatment along with a number of key interior updates for the entire lineup. The big news is obviously the new Ridgeline Trailsport, which adapts many of the same elements of the all-new Pilot TrailSport and the recently revealed updated Passport TrailSport. That …
The Maserati MC20 represents a rebirth of the Maserati brand. It’s the Italian marque’s supercar and represents a true flagship product that will get folks excited about every other new Maserati on its way. Everything about the two-door coupe, from how it looks, to how it drives, passes the supercar …
For 2024, the Honda Passport picks up some improvements for the off-road focused TrailSport trim, as well as a style-focused Black Edition. The TrailSport's upgrades include all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels as well as retuned shocks, springs and anti-roll bars for better off-pavement performance. The Black Edition is the new …
The 2024 Honda Prologue will be Honda's first widely-available electric car available in the U.S. While it is based on the Chevy Blazer EV, it has a number of unique qualities, starting with its unique exterior and interior styling that are much cleaner and more reserved than the Chevy. Honda …
The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is the Acura branded variant of the Honda Civic Type R. It gets the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and six-speed manual transmission with 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It does have a number of differences, though. The design is different with a …
The F150 is a significant refresh for 2024 and features a new tailgate, bed dividers and an updated design. The tailgate can now swing out -- Ford joins the tailgate wars with Ram and GM -- and the headlights give the F150 a fresh look. The Tremor and Raptor are …
Ford brought three trims of its refreshed 2024 F-150 to the Detroit Auto Show, including the Tremor, Raptor R and Platinum. The Tremor shows off Ford’s fancy, new Pro Access Tailgate and a new modular bumper with a Ford Performance winch kit on it. Meanwhile, the Raptor R showcases Ford’s …
The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is the most extreme Mustang and also one of the most extreme road cars ever made. Its body is largely made out of carbon fiber, and it's rocking a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 under its hood that is promised to make over 800 horsepower. Ford created …
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4Matic SUV is a very pleasant luxury EV to pop around in, and while it isn’t particularly sporty to drive, it sure is a relaxing space to spend time in. The EQE SUV is a similar size and class as the gas-powered GLE, though its …
