Hyundai Veloster: Local Launch

Hyundai Veloster

OVERVIEW
>> Veloster rapture
It’s cool, quirky, compact, and commands a double-take from just about anyone it passes. Part “cool coupe”, part “smart hatch”, Hyundai says the Gen Y focussed Veloster has its sights set firmly on the young -- and the young at heart.

The interior, offering what Hyundai calls a “high-tech ambience”, portrays an appearance that melds sweetly with the quirky, asymmetric styling of the 2+1 door configuration, and crouched, sporting body. Hyundai believes this blend will help buyers rationalise what is essentially an emotional purchase decision.

Despite this, the car doesn’t really lack for practicality -- or amenity. The four-seat cabin offers enough space for four adults, even if taller rear seat passengers may struggle. Similarly, cargo space isn’t compromised by any great amount, offering similar levels of capacity to many conventional small hatches.

It’s well equipped, offers good value for money and features a modern mechanical package that achieves impressive real-world fuel economy figures.

Available now, the naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre Veloster tested will be joined by a turbocharged variant later in the year [either the end of Q3 or early Q4 Hyundai tells us].

Each variant is powered by the same 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine (see MECHANICAL). Both variants are equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels and LED daytime running lamps.

The sportsbike-inspired cabin, accented with contemporary metallic highlights, is generously equipped with standard cloth/leatherette seats, a reversing camera, auto headlamps, an eight-speaker single-CD/tuner with seven-inch touchscreen display and subwoofer, cruise control, power windows, power mirrors and remote central locking.

Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming is also standard.

Entry-level Veloster is priced from $23,990 when specified with a six-speed manual transmission (standard), or $25,990 when optioned with Hyundai’s all-new six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Up-spec Veloster + adds push-button start and keyless entry, an electric sunroof, electrically-adjustable leather seats and single-zone climate control. It is priced from $27,990 for the manual, and $29,990 for the self-shifter.

Veloster + also receives body-coloured painted spokes on its 18-inch wheels, further distinguishing it over the base model.

Metallic paint attracts an additional charge of $375 regardless of specification. Satellite navigation will not be available until the MY13 update, much later this year.

Like all Hyundai passenger cars, Veloster is backed by a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty and one year’s premium roadside assist.

MECHANICAL
>> It’s good, but we can’t wait for the turbo
Veloster draws motivation from a new 1.6-litre Gamma four-cylinder engine -- the same as that found in Kia Rio. Using direct-injection, electronic throttle control and dual variable valve timing, Hyundai has achieved an output figure of 103kW/166Nm. At the same time, an average combined cycle fuel economy figure of 6.4L/100km is achieved, while emitting 151g/km of CO2.

Offered as standard with a six-speed manual transmission, Veloster is available optionally in combination with Hyundai's first dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This six-speed unit not only improves refinement and fuel consumption (the latter by up to six per cent), but also betters shift response for what Hyundai says is “uninterrupted torque transfer during shifts”.

The transmission is assisted by Active Eco mode to further improve fuel economy. Hyundai tells us the system tweaks engine and transmission calibration to offer as much as a seven per cent reduction in fuel economy.

Fuel savings are also achieved by a light, but strong monocoque body. A priority on weight efficiency sees Veloster tip the scale at 1180kg, a saving of around 180kg when compared to traditional construction methods, Hyundai claims.

Veloster rides on 18-inch alloy wheels shod with 215/40 Hankook rubber.

The Veloster is based on Elantra and shares the hatch's MacPherson (front)/torsion beam (rear) suspension arrangement. This is bolstered by chunky stabiliser bars both fore and aft. Damping is managed by gas-filled monotube shock absorbers.

Hyundai Australia tells us that all of Veloster’s suspension was treated to significant “Australianisation”, ride and handling engineers adjusting spring and damping rates to suit local conditions.

Steering duties are managed by an electrically-assisted rack and pinion system to offer Veloster a turning circle of 10.3 metres.

Braking falls to four-wheel discs assisted by an antilock system with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution. The stoppers measure 280mm at the front and 262mm at the rear.

A turbocharged Veloster offering 50 per cent more power will be offered locally before the end of the year.

The car’s distinctive black A-pillars are said to give the windscreen the appearance of a motorcycle helmet visor, while the aggressive fascia offers familiar corporate design cues, including the hexagonal radiator grille.

The sheetmetal, including that of the bonnet vents, is shaped in accordance with the Korean brand’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language. Strong character lines flowing over muscular wheel arches filled with 18-inch alloy wheels. Veloster also features body-coloured mirrors and door handles.

The signature of Veloster, however, is it's 2+1 door arrangement. Handed to suit the side of the road on which the market drives, the arrangement offers a real dose of amenity. On the side with two doors, both open in the usual fashion, and can be operated independently of one another (unlike MINI Clubman’s small rear suicide door that needs the front door to be opened first). The rear door utilises a concealed handle to help promote Veloster’s coupe-like exterior appearance.

At the rear a distinctive glass hatch sits stop dual, centred chrome exhaust tips and a black lower diffuser that nods to Veloster’s assertive front fascia.

Inside, the centre stack and subsequent controls are said to resemble the fuel tank of a sportsbike fuel tank. The stack incorporates a push-button starter on Veloster + and is topped by a seven-inch infotainment screen, flanked by metallic trim highlights. This theme is continued throughout the interior where abundant brightwork punctuates an otherwise dark mix cloth and plastic. The air outlets are also inspired by, wait for it, motorcycle tailpipes.

Cargo capacity, at 320-litres is on par with most small hatches. The boot extends downward from the lip while the seats fold to offer additional capacity, should it be required.

SAFETY
>> Top marks, Veloster
Safety equipment on both Veloster variants includes stability control, antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, traction control and hill-start assist to achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Six airbags (front, side and full-length curtain) and tyre pressure monitoring are also standard.

COMPETITORS
>> The first of many?
While you could pretty much align Veloster’s “smart hatch” side with any same-size rival, including some from Hyundai’s own stable, Hyundai would prefer we think of it as a direct competitor to the Honda CR-Z, and upcoming Japanese twins, Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ. Then there’s its Korean cousin Kia Koup.

Veloster performs well against Honda’s edgy hybrid offering, all but matching it in terms of real-world fuel economy, and trouncing it on price. Ride and handling is comparable and interior space line ball. The Veloster trumps the Japanese offering on visibility, and closely nears the number of features offered.

The rear-wheel drive Toyota and Subaru coupes have a potential handling edge on the Veloster, and a performance advantage, too. This situation could be reversed when Veloster Turbo arrives, but purists will likely favour the rear-drive setup of 86 and BRZ.

Finally, Kia Koup also nudges Veloster on price, and is comparable where real-world performance is concerned. Price, too, is close with Koup undercutting the funky hatch by $600. We can’t help feel that Veloster’s suspension has the nose-heavy Koup licked, but would need to drive the pair back-to-back for a definitive answer. 

ON THE ROAD
>> Work still to do?
Touring the flood ravaged roads surrounding the Gold Coast’s hinterland, the uneven surfaces of (what’s left of the) bitumen quickly highlighted any shortcomings of Veloster’s locally-tuned suspension. Fortunately these a few...

Veloster soaks up smaller imperfections with aplomb, and these don’t unsettle the car’s intended direction. The ride/handling compromise here is very well sorted and the car grips tenaciously where well-kept surfaces allow the dampers time to keep wheel to road.

Unfortunately larger undulations, repeated corrugations and sharp surface changes can unsettle Veloster, and it was noticed on several occasions that the intervention of stability control in these scenarios was less subtle than ideal.

The steering is artificially weighted to create a sense of sportiness, but the truth is that the electronically-assisted arrangement presents many of the character traits yet to be ironed out of this new technology. You can feel the 'toothy' increments as you turn the wheel from centre, but the feel from the front tyres is muted. We also discovered that on occasion, and depending on camber, the wheel needed assistance to return to centre.

The 1.6-litre engine provides more motivation than its meagre figures would have you believe, but it’s certainly no powerhouse. Acceleration is steady, reaching the state limit in around 10 seconds, but overtaking is unhurried.

Cruising at highway speeds tyre noise is evident, especially over coarse chip surfaces. There’s no exhaust note to speak of.

Hyundai’s new dual-clutch transmission is brilliantly smooth in Drive, shifting from cog to cog with all the grace of a well sorted [traditional] automatic. Off the line there’s a moment’s hesitation before impetus is achieved, but the step is smooth, and doesn’t 'jolt' into action like some we could mention. 

In Sport mode, the transmission sharpens considerably and will even downshift under deceleration.

The only issue we really noticed was the ability for the transmission to hold gears when directed manually. Change up manually (via lever or wheel-mounted paddle) and Veloster slurs from gear to gear with none of the crispness typical of dual-clutch units. On downshift, the transmission will wait until it’s ready to grab another gear (usually under 4000rpm), often requiring more than one prompt of the paddle. The transmission will also override holding a gear, upshifting itself at 6500rpm.

These traits position Hyundai’s in-house designed transmission is more like Ford’s Powershift dual-clutch (used in Fiesta and Focus) than Volkswagen Group’s DSG.

Veloster brings innovation to the small hatch sector, and all of the above considerations are slight when you consider the car’s price. In essence it’s a well sorted package offering impressive value for money, an enjoyable drive and low running costs essential to its target demographic. 

More Hyundai Veloster photos on motoring.com.au

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