I remember back in May when I spent a week in the Hyundai
Veloster. I liked a lot about it, even the gimmicky three-door styling.
The only thing I wanted from the half-sedan, half-coupe offering was more power as my tester that week was the 1.6-liter, 4-banger that put out a paltry 138 horsepower. I wanted to get behind the wheel of the turbo.
Good things come to those who wait. My tester for the week is the 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo.
It features a 1.6-liter gas direct-injected engine that puts out
201 HP and 195 lb./ft. of torque.
Now, that’s more like it!
Slight exterior nuances differentiate the turbo from its sluggish brother. The Veloster Turbo
presents itself with a more aggressive grille, instead of the Mazda-
smiley-face grille of the regular Veloster. The front and rear end design of the Veloster Turbo shows that it means business, with a larger opening on the grille to aspirate the more powerful engine. There are also new foglights, which add to its appearance. The back of the turbo is slightly different, with centered dual exhaust pipes displayed proudly just below a body-color spoiler.
In short, Hyundai didn’t just do well by the power boost of the Veloster Turbo. They managed to make it look just different enough, with a slightly more aggressive appearance to be taken seriously by enthusiasts.
My tester came with 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Despite the sport-tuned steering, I found the steering had little personality or feel to it. For a smallish hatchback, the handling of the Veloster Turbo was nice. This was aided by 18-inch alloy wheels, which are standard for the turbo, another improvement.
Inside, there’s no difference between the turbo and non-turbo. Sharp, modern-look blue accent trim, including on the stitching of the seats, is about the only thing to set it apart, but that is still a handsome addition.
Legroom and headroom are nice for the front-row passengers. Second-row passengers might
find space a little cramped, but considering its assymetrical design, is actually fairly spacious. Cargo space of this hatchback is 15.5 cubic feet — perfect for groceries or other items (like golf clubs).
Fuel economy is where the turbo version takes the biggest hit. But when considering the Veloster, the turbo is the way to go as it’s so much faster and more fun than the sluggish non-turbo, which does average 28 city/40 highway. The turbo Veloster sees a considerable drop in fuel efficiency to 24 city and 31 highway. In a week’s worth of driving, mostly on the highway, and most definitely with the turbo employed, I averaged only
25.6 MPG. That’s almost a 10 MPG drop from other tester. There’s a difference, for sure.
The turbo starts at an MSRP of $22,950 (compared to the $17,600 for the non-turbo) so there’s a price to pay for the extra pep. With a panoramic sunroof, navigation system, backup sensors and a 115-volt outlet and super sport summer tires, my tester came in at a final price of $27,520.
With the Veloster, Hyundai is on to something. A half-sedan, half-coupe hatchback, this is a car with personality. By adding a turbo, Hyundai gives the Veloster a driving performance to match those young, sporty looks.
Jimmy Dinsmore is the Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-2115. Follow him on Twitter @wheelseditor