Overview & Reviews

It's a rare occurrence when bold design is married to a car that is accessible to shoppers on a budget. The Hyundai Veloster is that rarity among hatchbacks, with evocative styling, a unique asymmetrical three-door layout and respectable performance. Yet the Veloster still achieves fuel economy figures that rival more commonplace economy cars.

Built upon the same basic architecture as the Hyundai Accent, the Veloster shares many of the same advantages and drawbacks. But when it comes to the bottom line, the Hyundai Veloster ranks highly for its feature-rich content, friendly price and appealing overall character.

Current Hyundai Veloster
The Hyundai Veloster is a four-passenger, three-door hatchback. The driver-side door is coupelike in length, while the passenger side features two smaller doors. There are three main trim levels: base, Turbo R-Spec and Turbo.

The base Veloster comes with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. The Turbo versions pack a turbocharged version of the 1.6 that cranks out 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. For either engine, a six-speed manual transmission is standard. The base engine offers a six-speed automated manual (called DCT), but selecting that option reduces engine output slightly (to 132 hp and 120 lb-ft of torque). A traditional six-speed automatic is optional only on the Turbo model, as the R-Spec is manual only.

Standard feature highlights for the base Veloster include 17-inch alloy wheels, a rearview camera, air-conditioning, full power accessories, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, the Blue Link emergency telematics system and a six-speaker sound system with a USB/iPod interface.. Options include the Style and RE:FLEX Edition packages, which add some unique styling flourishes inside and out, plus features like upgraded seating surfaces, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and an upgraded audio system.

The Turbo R-Spec features a lower body kit, 18-inch wheels, sport-tuned suspension and steering, a torque-vectoring system that improves handling around tight turns, and a feature that pipes exhaust sounds through the stereo speakers. Compared to the more performance-focused R-Spec, the Veloster Turbo has slightly less aggressive suspension and steering tuning, some different styling elements, keyless ignition and entry, heated front seats and leather upholstery. Option highlights include a panoramic sunroof, rear parking sensors and a navigation system.

Although the Veloster's cabin has an abundance of hard plastic surfaces, unique texturing and sculpted design help to bolster its appeal. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, but that's not the case in back. There's ample legroom, but the rear seat cushions are mounted a bit too low and headroom is limited by the sloping roof line. Furthermore, the glass hatch extends over the passengers' heads, leaving them exposed to the sun.

On the plus side, all of the Veloster's cutting-edge features are sure to attract the tech-savvy youth market that it clearly has in its sights. Features like Bluetooth audio and Pandora Internet radio are standard, while the Blue Link system (besides its typical safety features) includes outbound text messaging, turn-by-turn navigation and location sharing (via Facebook). Parents of young drivers will also appreciate the programmable geo-fence feature that alerts them when the car travels outside of defined areas.

In reviews, we found power from the base 1.6-liter engine to be merely adequate, a bit of a letdown considering the Veloster's sporty styling. Regardless of trim level, the Veloster's ride tends to be harsh on pockmarked roads. Thankfully, the turbocharged versions make the latter demerit easier to take, as their added kick makes for a fair amount of entertainment from behind the wheel.

Used Hyundai Veloster Models
The Hyundai Veloster debuted for the 2012 model year in a single, well-equipped trim level. Unlike later versions, the base engine made 138 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque regardless of transmission. For 2013, the Veloster Turbo debuted. On the other end of the spectrum, the standard Veloster's engine output dropped slightly (to 132 hp and 120 lb-ft) when it was matched to the automated manual transmission. That year also saw the one-year-only RE:MIX Edition: a base Veloster spiffed up with a body kit and special wheels. Apart from trim level shuffling and lacking a few notable features (such as a standard rearview camera, and, for the Turbo, a torque-vectoring system), these Velosters are otherwise similar to the current models.

User Reviews:

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  Sales - 2013 Hyundai Veloster
  By Eliezer Frias - October 16 - 7:03 pm

  great car

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  18 months in and still loving it - 2013 Hyundai Veloster
  By Sean MCLEAN - September 1 - 4:22 pm

  For the money, this is a great value. My dealership has been great for routine maintenance, and my experience has been very positive. The car is still fun and I have no complaints. Im 64 and dont feel cramped at all. Love it.

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  Great car for the money - 2013 Hyundai Veloster
  By dcarr2 - August 27 - 3:17 am

  The 1.6 liter with 6 speed transmission works flawlessly and has all the power I need. It is super smooth and a real joy to drive in the mountains. I get over 40 mpg highway regularly. The touchscreen is VERY nice, and includes a Pandora application so I can stream Pandora from my Android phone via Bluetooth, and it shows the song and artist on the touch screen. I can even skip songs from the control on the steering wheel. As it has a USB jack, so, I can also charge my Android phone with the cable it came with, nothing extra to buy. My phone connects via Bluetooth and even imports contacts. I can answer and hang up calls from the steering wheel.

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  Great Car - 2012 Hyundai Veloster
  By msh2 - August 1 - 11:24 am

  I have 1,000 miles on mine and it is fun to drive. Averaging 35 mpg. If you want speed dont buy the car, wait for the turbo. Otherwise, it handles great, lots of amenities, looks awesome, and lot of room for a small car. I went from an Acura TL to the Veloster. Miss the TLs hp but love everything else about the Veloster.

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  My Third Hyundai! Love it! - 2012 Hyundai Veloster
  By jec377 - May 14 - 11:22 am

  I have owned a 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe - it was awesome! I had a 2006 Hyundai Elantra LTD that I sold when I bought the Veloster - it was awesome as well! And Im loving my Veloster so far - going on 6 months now! I wanted one from the moment I saw it on the Hyundai website, and managed to time my purchase just right!

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  MY FAVORITE WORK OF ART - 2012 Hyundai Veloster
  By mjsykes - April 8 - 10:40 pm

  During my new car search, I read many reviews/articles comparing the most efficient gas sippers. The Veloster was not mentioned. Why? Perhaps the Veloster is so beautiful and fun that it seems more natural to compare it to sports cars. But the Veloster is not a sports car; it is the coolest economy car you can buy! The Veloster offers generous features and quality for your money. However, it is the cars sexy and innovative design that sets it apart. The Veloster is BEAUTIFUL! Strangers frequently approach me with compliments about my cars appearance, wanting to know more about it. I enjoy looking at my car as much as driving it. Like a work of art, the Veloster lifts my spirit.

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  This car is a blast - surprised by some of the negatives out there... - 2012 Hyundai Veloster
  By natefighter - April 2 - 7:46 am

  Didnt even know this car existed until a few weeks ago, when I went to a dealership to check out an Elantra. Went home and did some research and read some reviews - I have to admit I was leery. I commute 100 miles round trip everyday. I was looking to replace a 10 year old Accord. Also have 3 kids (one is an infant). I was looking for really good MPG and in this economy, didnt want to be dropping a lot of coin (read: VALUE) I went back and test drove the Veloster and absolutely loved it! Bought one. It really is a lot of fun to drive, regardless of the HP. the 6 speed manual is smooth. I easily get 30 city and 40-44 hwy (36-38 combined!) - after a solid month of driving.

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  Warranty is useless if dealer fails to perform work - 2012 Hyundai Veloster
  By daviator - March 7 - 10:25 pm

  The car if fun and sporty but I have had some issues. The dual clutch for AT sometimes grinds when shifting. Transmission is very jerky in stop-and-go traffic. The real problem is with Hyundai, its dealers and its "warranty". Twice my car was in for an intermittent problem misaligned touch screen. Each time the dealerships (I tried two) claimed to have applied a software fix. After the problem began again I took it to a third dealer who stated that the fixed were never actually applied. Now the radio is out of warranty (its only 3/36) but Hyundai refuses to cover the fix even though promised work under warranty was never performed.

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  Junk - 2012 Hyundai Veloster
  By jttaint - February 28 - 9:22 pm

  I am trading this car in after owning for a year and putting 20k miles on it. The transmission is garbage and Hundai knows it. We purchased the car because my wife liked the looks and because I have purchased two Hundai Elantras and they have been excellent cars. My 2009 Elantra has 100k miles on it and I have only done the standard maintenence on it, tires, belts, brakes and oil changes. It runs like a champ. This car is junk. It is my own fault for buying a car the year they release it with so much new technology on it, I should have known better. Hundai is practically begging me to trade this car in so I am going down to Hundai today to trade this in on a new Elantra.

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  Worse car Ive ever owned - 2012 Hyundai Veloster
  By velo_owner12 - February 16 - 4:48 pm

  After owning many Nissans, I switched over to Hyundai because I heard how great their warranty program was. What a mistake. The 2012 Veloster was the worst car I have ever owned. The low profile tires are worthless, constantly blowing out. There is no spare but you can buy one for $275.00. Hyundai lied about the gas mileage. Hyundai refused to provide a spare tire. I could not sell that car fast enough. I know someone with the exact car that needed a transmission after 15K miles. At least that was covered. The six tires that needed to be replaced werent. Would never buy another Hyundai again.