The New Hyundai Veloster: A Game-Changer in the Affordable Coupe Segment?

This is the new Hyundai Veloster, and I know what you're thinking - it has those cool looks and that rather funky name. And indeed, it does. The Veloster's unique design, with two doors on one side but only one on the other, is certainly eye-catching. However, as we all know, a car's appearance alone is not enough to make it appealing. Let's take a closer look at what makes this car tick.

In recent years, Korean cars in general and Hyundai in particular have gained significant credibility in the market. Gone are the days when Hyundais were considered affordable but lacking in quality compared to European and Japanese cars. The Hyundai Veloster is no exception to this trend. Its USP - to look like a normal Coupe on one side and provide a rear door on the other - is certainly a selling point, especially for parents or grandparents who regularly look after small children. Unlike the Mini Clubman, where children often struggle to get in and out of the car due to its narrow doors, the Veloster's rear door provides a much more practical solution.

However, as we soon discover, the Veloster is not without its limitations. One of the most significant drawbacks is its lackluster performance. The 1.6-liter engine may produce only 138 horsepower, which is barely enough to propel the car from 0-60mph in under 10 seconds - even with aggressive driving. While the engine itself is willing enough, it's not exactly rocket science. And what really lets this car down is its steering system. The lack of bite and feel on turning is a major turn-off for any serious driver.

Despite these limitations, the Veloster still manages to hold its own in terms of handling. In fact, its chassis is nicely balanced, which is impressive considering its affordable price tag. Among the affordable coupes on offer, you won't find many rivals that can match the Veloster's throttle-sensitive handling. It's clear that Hyundai has put a lot of effort into making this car feel engaging and responsive to drive.

However, it's worth noting that there are some compromises in exchange for this impressive handling. One notable omission is the rear seat package - while it may be more practical than those found on traditional coupes, it's still not ideal. And if you're planning on using the rear door, be prepared for a relatively small aperture. On the other hand, compared to clambering past front seats as you would on a normal coupe, the Veloster's rear door provides a significant advantage.

So, what can we expect from this car? In short, nothing spectacular. The Veloster is not a Porsche Cayman, and it's certainly not a replacement for the class-leading Volkswagen Shocco. While the Shocco offers superior performance, handling, and overall driving experience, its price tag - almost two grand more than the Veloster - makes it a stretch for many budgets.

So, what does this say about Hyundai? Are they suddenly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the automotive world? Certainly, they are. The fact that the Veloster is worthy of mention even in the same sentence as the Shocco is testament to their improving reputation. However, it's still early days for Hyundai, and we'll need to see how this car holds up over time.

The Veloster may not be a great car, but it's definitely a capable one. And with its looks, 5-year warranty, and sub-18 Grand list price, it's certainly an attractive option for those on a budget. Whether or not it will be successful in the long run remains to be seen, but one thing is certain - Hyundai has made a bold move into the affordable coupe segment, and we'll be watching with interest to see how this car evolves over time.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthis is the new Hyundai Veloster and I know what you're thinking you're thinking it has those cool looks and that rather funky name and it has the two doors on one side but only one on the other side concept because without them it wouldn't have a chance in hell of appealing to anyone because let's face it it's not going to be any good to drive is it well maybe and maybe not but unless you spent the last few years locked in your garden shed you can't help but have noticed that Korean cars in general and Hyundai in particular are no longer the cars you buy because you can't afford anything else from the little I 10 to the big I40 Hyundai are now much more credible than many European and Japanese cars so who's to say they can't build a decent Coupe 2 for a start the veloca has real showroom appeal its USP is to look like a normal Coupe on one side and provide a rear door on the other any parent or indeed grandparent who regularly look after small children will instantly see the sense of that and unlike the mini Clubman those children get out on the side of the pavement not the traffic true the rear seat package isn't great and the rear door aperture is quite small but compared to clambering past front seats as you must on a normal Coupe it's still a huge advantage Okay so we've established that it works well standing still but can the same be said once you're on the Move in a word no so the first thing you need to do with the veloc is manage your expectations this is not a Porsche Cayman it's a small affordable Coupe aimed much more at elderly empty nesters and younger Fashion Victims than at truly dieh Hard Road Warriors its little 1.6 L engine has only 138 horsepower which is only just enough and only if you torture the car to get it to 60 this side of 10 seconds but the engine itself is willing enough and this 6B gearbox is actually quite nice to use it chassis is nicely balanced too down here among the affordable Coupes you won't find many classmates offering such throttle sensitive handling what lets it down is steering that lacks bite on turning and feel all the way through the corner and because it won't tell you what's going on you have to figure it out for yourself placing a bar between you and a truly interactive Driving Experience you simply won't find in the class leading Volkswagen shocco that the Veloster is Hyundai's best Coupe ever is perhaps not saying so much but the fact that it is worthy of mention even in the same sentence as the 1.4 ler shocco undoubtedly is we would take the Volkswagen every time but it costs almost two grand more so perhaps you should expect nothing less no the Veloster is not a great car but it is a capable car and it's a credible one and with the looks this door a 5-year warranty and a sub 18 Grand list price we'd expect it to be a successful one toothis is the new Hyundai Veloster and I know what you're thinking you're thinking it has those cool looks and that rather funky name and it has the two doors on one side but only one on the other side concept because without them it wouldn't have a chance in hell of appealing to anyone because let's face it it's not going to be any good to drive is it well maybe and maybe not but unless you spent the last few years locked in your garden shed you can't help but have noticed that Korean cars in general and Hyundai in particular are no longer the cars you buy because you can't afford anything else from the little I 10 to the big I40 Hyundai are now much more credible than many European and Japanese cars so who's to say they can't build a decent Coupe 2 for a start the veloca has real showroom appeal its USP is to look like a normal Coupe on one side and provide a rear door on the other any parent or indeed grandparent who regularly look after small children will instantly see the sense of that and unlike the mini Clubman those children get out on the side of the pavement not the traffic true the rear seat package isn't great and the rear door aperture is quite small but compared to clambering past front seats as you must on a normal Coupe it's still a huge advantage Okay so we've established that it works well standing still but can the same be said once you're on the Move in a word no so the first thing you need to do with the veloc is manage your expectations this is not a Porsche Cayman it's a small affordable Coupe aimed much more at elderly empty nesters and younger Fashion Victims than at truly dieh Hard Road Warriors its little 1.6 L engine has only 138 horsepower which is only just enough and only if you torture the car to get it to 60 this side of 10 seconds but the engine itself is willing enough and this 6B gearbox is actually quite nice to use it chassis is nicely balanced too down here among the affordable Coupes you won't find many classmates offering such throttle sensitive handling what lets it down is steering that lacks bite on turning and feel all the way through the corner and because it won't tell you what's going on you have to figure it out for yourself placing a bar between you and a truly interactive Driving Experience you simply won't find in the class leading Volkswagen shocco that the Veloster is Hyundai's best Coupe ever is perhaps not saying so much but the fact that it is worthy of mention even in the same sentence as the 1.4 ler shocco undoubtedly is we would take the Volkswagen every time but it costs almost two grand more so perhaps you should expect nothing less no the Veloster is not a great car but it is a capable car and it's a credible one and with the looks this door a 5-year warranty and a sub 18 Grand list price we'd expect it to be a successful one too\n"