Many of my friends has been hooked on “Running Man”, a South
Korean variety show that has its seven hosts run around to complete challenges
with different invited guests per episode.
One particular friend of mine – obviously preferring not to
be named – was so addicted to the series that he did nothing but watch the
first episode all the way to the latest one within a week. That was about 100
over episodes.
I tried watching it but I just couldn’t laugh the way he did
at the show and even fell asleep watching it. There was only one episode that
stood out for me – the one where the Hyundai Veloster was featured!
The asymmetrical
design is one of the best features on the Veloster
This was one car that I was curious to try out and I got the
opportunity to test drive the Hyundai Veloster when it first came to Singapore.
It didn’t blow the mind but it left a fairly good impression on me. I remember
I wrote about how this car just needed to be turbocharged and I was eagerly
anticipating the turbocharged version.
It finally arrived at the end of last year and I recently
got to spend some quality time with it. The Veloster Turbo is quicker, instills
more confidence and without a doubt is more fun than its base model Hyundai has
definitely come a long way with its cars, pushing out higher standards of
quality and performance with each new model. Unfortunately, the unfavourable
market conditions in Singapore these few years have made it hard for the
Hyundais to be priced competitively.
The three-door Veloster hatchback first arrived with a
1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine that produces 140bhp. The same
four-cylinder engine was then fed with a turbocharger to give it an added boost
to 186bhp and a peak torque of 264Nm from just 1,500rpm. It takes 8.4 seconds
to get to 100km/h from zero, almost two seconds quicker than the
non-turbocharged Veloster.
The Veloster's
dashboard takes cue from other recent Hyundai offerings
Handling of the Veloster Turbo was pretty decent, pulling
away with a respectable level of enthusiasm. However, in terms of overall
performance, it was somewhat lacking in the high range and that was a bit of a
letdown for me. Nonetheless, there was a lot of healthy torque to keep the car
rev-happy in the low to mid range. Body roll was significant though the car
held its traction well when powered through corners. Brakes were also good,
giving enough grip when needed. If only there was the manual version in
Singapore!
Largely, the Veloster Turbo does not look too different from
its non-turbo Veloster variant. It has the same unconventional style and the
unique third door with a hidden door handle. Besides having a more spirited
drive, the Veloster Turbo has some aesthetic differences from its naturally
aspirated base model. It has a one-piece grille in the front, whereas the
Veloster’s was a two-piece.
The Veloster gets
its power from a 1,591cc 16-valve inline-4 Turbocharged engine
The fog lamps are also different, with circular ones on the
Turbo instead of rectangular. To the side, the Veloster Turbo has side skirts.
In the rear it has a prominent spoiler, more aggressive bumper, rear fog lamps
and its exhaust pipes are circular instead of rectangular.
In the front cabin, the Veloster Turbo is roomy and
spacious, making it comfortable for the taller-than average. Unfortunately, I
cannot say the same for the back – taller adults may find seating a little
awkward with the compromised head room due to the sloping roof.
The standard equipment for the Veloster Turbo is not
lacking, with keyless engine start, automatic headlights, electrical
retractable side mirrors, paddle shifts, cruise control, climate control,
reverse camera and more. The seatbelts are placed on an extension from the
backrests of the front seats, hence making it easy to reach for them. There is
also a wide glass roof for more sunlight in the cabin.
Centre twin-pipes
churn out a more sporty note when extended
Some people refer to the Veloster as a Scirocco beater.
While I think that it still has some way to go to get on par with the Scirocco,
there is no denying that it has the qualities to potentially rival the
Scirocco. In better market conditions, some might call this a worthy budget
alternative to the Scirocco but at the moment, the Veloster Turbo is just about
$10,000 cheaper than the Scirocco 1.4 TSI. Not that budget after all.
