FIRST DRIVE HYUNDAI VELOSTER: Hyundai is going after the coupé fanbase, and with the practical and
easy-on-the-eye Veloster, it should be able to rival 'big boys' such as Honda and Renault, writes
MICHAEL MCALEER
NOT CONTENT with taking on the ultra-competitive family car segment with its new i40, a rival to the dominance of VW’s Passat and the Ford Mondeo, Hyundai has set its sights on winning back its coupé fanbase. Enter the new Veloster, a funky new sports hatch with a quirky rear door format and proper room for four.
When Hyundai launched the car in January at the Detroit auto show, even they were taken aback by the positive reaction, with many reckoning it to be one of the highlights of the show. A US project suddenly got the global green light and the firm’s management team has been scurrying to get their markets ready for its arrival ever since.
Aside from its smart styling – and a willing audience eager for a little more affordable fun in the uber-practical motoring world these days – the major talking point about Veloster at Detroit was the decision to add a single rear door on the passenger side. Here you have a sports car look with small families in mind, yet the extra door blends seamlessly into the car’s side profile. It means you can carry adults in the back without having to fold them in two. Those over 6ft tall might find headroom a bit cramped, but for a car in this class, the rear is positively van-like.
On the road, the handling of its US-derived chassis is surprisingly agile, and that will only improve as the firm’s European engineers set to work on it over the coming weeks and months, fine-tuning it to European tastes.
The interior is smart and sporty, with deep-set binnacles and a smart new central console touchscreen control system.
The weakness in the offering is that just one engine will be initially be available offered: the firm’s newly-developed 1.6-litre four-cylinder 137bhp petrol. It’s a smooth and efficient unit, with emissions starting at 132g/km when matched with the firm’s new dual-clutch automatic and a fuel economy of 6.2 L/100km (45.6mpg). A nice six-speed manual gearbox is also on offer, but it pushes emissions up to 142g/km and isn’t reckoned to be as quick as the new automatic. Hyundai has been working hard on developing turbos for this engine at present, so it’s probable that a more potent version is in the pipeline as well. Given that this model was developed with the US market in mind, a diesel is not likely to feature in the plans, a real pity as diesel derivatives of its rivals sell strongly.
The Veloster is expected to start at about €25,000 with ample gadgetry to keep buyers amused. When it arrives for 2012 sales, its rivals are set to be the Volkswagen Scirocco, Renault Mégane Coupe and Honda CR-Z. Of this group, only the Scirocco looks relatively secure from the Veloster’s reach – though even then the price and rear seat convenience might win over some VW customers.