We’ll admit it. The Hyundai Veloster N initially scared us. After all it has a turbocharged 2.0L engine that pushes out 275 horsepower. For the first couple of days we were hesitant as the engine roared when we started it up. By Wednesday we stopped braking as we went into curves and by the end of the week we were loving this sports car We realized how fun the car was and that it was so perfectly engineered that we felt safe and delighted in the high performance.
Whether it was on the highway (where it performed flawlessly) or on city streets, we felt the road (although sometimes too much), loved its hugging the curves and reveled in the new attitude we felt while driving it. Yes, we were young, a bit aggressive and in charge of the road. Yes, we had it all— and it’s fun to drive!
The Veloster N is actually a hatchback — but with a twist. The back seat is accessible from a third door behind the front passenger side, so it’s technically a three-door hatchback. Our 5’11”-foot tester was able to get into the back seat and scoot over to let a fourth passenger in — but it was tight. The car is angular with sporty vents and red trim around most of the car, including partially around the grill. The front seats are wrapped in cloth and leatherette and have an illuminated N on the upper side of the backrest, adding a hip element to the interior.There are some who complained about the stiff plastic inside the car but, for our tastes, if it helps keep the price below $35,000, we’re fine.
New to the Veloster N this year is that the performance package (an electronic limited-slip differential, larger-diameter brakes, variable exhaust-valve system, and 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in model-specific Pirelli P Zero tires), is now standard as are many driver assist features such as Forward Collision-avoidance Assist, Lane Following Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Warning and Rear Cross-traffic Collision Warning.
The car gets a combined 22 miles per gallon and has a highway range of 390 miles. And, as we said for under $35,000 (more precisely, $34,745) the Veloster N is loaded with standard equipment so you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck and a fun driving experience that will put a little extra zip in you every time your crank up the engine. Overall, quite a deal.
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