The Hyundai Veloster Turbo, that hasn't manage to attract much of an enthusiast following after it appeared in the showrooms, has more performance hidden beneath its unusual bodywork than it was thought.
The 2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo features the racy new Rally Edition package, which is limited to just 1,200 units. The car’s springs and shock absorbers are retuned, its front anti-roll bar is 0.16 inch thicker, and its six-speed manual transmission has a short-throw linkage from B&M Racing. We headed in search of twisty roads to see if those ingredients make for a truly sporty car.
Unfortunately, all-season tires limit the Veloster’s sportiness. Just as the upgraded suspension digs in to a corner, the Kumho Solus TA31 tires squeal, squirm, and slide. The Veloster is plenty fun to drive on curving pavement, but it’s no apex hunter.
Performance aside, the 2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo is a wholly useful and practical car. Its unusual three-door design means the car can keep its cool coupe-like looks on the driver’s side, while still allowing passengers to access the back seat easily from the other side. Once seated in back, passengers have plenty of legroom, although headroom is tight. The wide, deep trunk is more spacious than in the Elantra and easily accommodates a bicycle if you fold the 60/40 split rear seats. However, the extremely high liftover height means we’d be loath to move heavy objects in and out of the trunk on a regular basis.
On the other side its unusual design stands out from the crowd and its energetic driving demeanor will keep drivers engaged behind the wheel, yet its affordability and practicality make it a car any buyer can live with.
