It’s fair to say that the words “Hyundai” and “daring” are seldom seen in close proximity to one another, and while Hyundai has turned out some appealing designs of late, it’s often partner Kia that produces more eye-catching vehicles. But, with the Veloster, it looks as though Hyundai has bucked the trend by serving up a funky, youthful package that stands in stark contrast to its more mature-audience stablemates.
The Veloster’s design managed to divide opinion within the CAR test team like few cars before it, producing a debate unheard of since our last show of hands as to who likes Marmite. Love it or loathe it, there’s no doubt that the Veloster is a real head-turner.
Whether it’s the unusual asymmetric arrangement of the front doors that accommodates that third rear egress, deep fenders, sculpted bonnet with faux vents or extensive glass hatch leading down from the roof to brakelamp clusters that appear to have been gouged into the tail, it’s a really brave effort from the folks at Hyundai.
Brave, but not without its idiosyncrasies. That sharply raked roofline means rear headroom is pinched for those of above-average height, which is a shame as there’s a surprisingly generous amount of legroom.
The luggage bay is also a mixed bag. Its 272 dm3 is capacious for such an unconventional package, but it is hindered somewhat by a high sill that necessitates luggage being dropped into the load bay.
A notable aspect of the rear-door design is its homologation for RHD markets. Hyundai, impressively, made the effort of placing the door kerb-side so your rear passengers don’t risk stumbling into the traffic. Even so, this unconventional layout means that one of the occupants ensconced in the back has to shuffle across the rear bench and its cupholder and squeeze through a tight door aperture to get out.
But you can forgive an unconventionally packaged car when the driving experience is equally entertaining. So, does the Veloster serve up the level of dynamic verve that its appearance suggests?
Well, yes and no. Those expecting this model to provide pin-sharp handling and a thoroughly engaging driving experience will probably walk away feeling short-changed. Bold bodywork aside, the blueprint for a properly sporty driving experience seems to be there; a broad, low-slung stance with a wheel-in-each-corner footprint, short overhangs and a neat set of 18-inch alloys wrapped in low-profile rubber. Even the driving position, with its satisfyingly low siting and well-bolstered sports seats hint at spirited performance, but the Veloster struggles to deliver on that front.
The most likely culprit is the drivetrain setup. The naturally aspirated 1,6-litre, direct-injection petrol engine is a pleasant little unit that, despite its ability to spool up eagerly, is fairly refined. The outputs of 103 kW at a heady 6 300 r/min and 167 N.m at 4 850 look good on paper, but it’s the transmission that hampers its performance.
A number of us had sampled the six-speed manual model and appreciated the unit’s positive feel and a short, snappy action that allows you to keep the engine on the boil, but our test example sported Hyundai’s first ever dual-clutch transmission. When the going is slow to moderate, it proves to be smooth and assured in its operation. But when driven more aggressively, it becomes flummoxed. Even when stirring the lever (there aren’t any shift paddles) we struggled to get anywhere close to Hyundai’s claimed 10,3-second 0-100 km/h time, as the transmission’s hesitancy when flooring the throttle off the line meant it took a second or so before ‘box and powerplant agreed on setting off.
Although hard acceleration sees the transmission hanging gamely onto the ratios before upshifting at around 6 500 r/min, there are times when it hesitates or upshifts when you need the engine to remain on song. This sometimes sees the powertrain falling out of its peaky powerband with a brief, but palpable, loss in momentum. Although the engine needs to be worked hard, it is still fairly frugal, its 7,8 litres/100 km average on our mixed-route fuel test bettering Hyundai’s 8,4-litre claim.
Things are better on the dynamic front, however. The steering is pleasantly weighted and precise for an electrically actuated setup, only proving less communicative when really pressing on. The chassis feels suitably rigid and the body control under hard cornering is satisfyingly resistant to excess pitch. It may not be sportscar sharp, but it should prove engaging enough for most drivers. The Veloster’s purposeful-looking 215/40 footwear is adhesive enough in most attitudes, but we noticed that the traction control, despite sporting an off setting, still intervenes when grip begins to run out.
As an everyday driver, there’s little to fault. The firm suspension occasionally sets the car wobbling on uneven surfaces, but that’s about the extent of its shortcomings in this scenario. It’s otherwise easy to pilot and park in an urban environment – a trait further enhanced by the inclusion of a reverse-view camera that displays its image on the large facia-mounted touchscreen with an intuitive interface.
The cabin may not match the exterior’s sense of occasion, but it’s certainly not dull. Neat chrome-effect cowls for the binnacle dials and the tubular grab handles at the foot of the centre stack and doors lift the ambience of a cabin otherwise swathed in black plastics. Perceived quality is generally good, the only let-downs being hard lower-cabin plastics that are prone to scuffing and the propensity for that stiff ride to unearth creaks from the aforementioned tubular elements.
Test Summary
The Veloster’s international introduction placed Hyundai SA in an awkward spot. Whereas both the standard and Turbo models hit the global market from 2011, we had to wait until now to get our hands on what is arguably the firm’s most radically styled model to date. The pressure to bring this car across here meant that our first example simply didn’t have the punch and sporty characteristics that the looks suggest. The arrival of the Veloster Turbo later this year with its 137 kW and almost 100 N.m more torque could well be the remedy to this car’s shortcomings, but as it stands our first taste of Veloster is bittersweet.
Although the overall score to the right suggests otherwise, it’s not a fundamentally bad product, easily meeting its proviso of garnering attention and generally proving a pleasant daily driver. The oddball packaging is a bit impractical but serves as one of the car’s unique drawing points – something this
R267 900 example needs to counter stiff opposition from such striking rivals as the auto ‘box-equipped versions of the Mini Cooper Clubman,
Mercedes-Benz A180 and Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1,4 MultiAir Distinctive, all of which wear a similar price tag. It isn’t as sporty as it looks, but if wearing a designer label and following the crowd are not your things, the Veloster holds unconventional appeal.