2017 Hyundai Veloster 1.6 Turbo GDi
Story & Photos by Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes
WHEN the first Hyundai Veloster first made its presence felt in the Philippine market, I was impressed by its nifty swagger. However, a few months after its “passive introduction” and after hearing stories from friends in the after-market, this scribe was a bit disillusioned.
The supposed “alpha at a glance” turned out to be a sheep in wolf’s clothing owing to its cool radical and outrageous physique, but second-rate handling and modest power.
When Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) decided to officially debut the sporty subcompact, this time with a turbocharger, at last year’s Manila International Auto Show, things turned upbeat for the Veloster.
Personally, I am a big fan of stylish hot hatches. However; some take too much premium on aesthetics that form eventually takes over function—which turns off a supposed avid fan.
Recently, when the newspaper motoring editor asked me to write about a Korean vehicle for a test-drive feature, my luck eventually found its way behind this long-awaited encounter with the three-door wonder.
The weeklong test drive was enough to familiarize with the Hyundai Veloster and allowed me to debug misconceptions.
First, this stunner truly is a head-turner, needless to say, as it is in fact its best asset. Through the years, it aged well with its renowned aggressive shark-bite grill to its nasty svelte spoiler coupled with its flashy twin-pipes at the rear. It’s a genuine youthful charmer as its exquisite panache is awe-inspiring from its front all the way to the back—leaving passersby astounded from “Hi” to “Good-bye”.
Inside, it sports a fairly spacious cabin for a subcompact as it features highly bolstered sports seats while boasting of a touchscreen monitor and a chic panoramic sunroof. Its 440-liter trunk expands to 983 liters with the 60/40 split rear seats dropped, while the wide hatch makes it easily accessible. Available nooks and cubbies provide plenty of places to stow keys, sunglasses and other personal items within reach.
The new Veloster is powered by a 1.6-liter direct-injected four cylinder with turbocharger, which pushes the sprinter with an extra 18 PSI of boost—delivering 204 horsepower and 265 N-m of torque. It’s fun to drive in the city and total bliss in the straights. I guess a weeklong test is not enough to really dissect the vehicle bit by bit. But for those looking for a fairly sensible everyday carriage in today’s daily grind, the Veloster won’t disappoint as it chips in a fair 7 km/L in traffic knowing that it’s perhaps only supposedly meant to be that weekend toy car.
All in all, this writer is glad to have finally gotten behind the wheel of the practical dream car of a hot hatch and for it to finally at least have its functions match its bad-ass guises.
THUMBS UP
- Push Start Button
- Keyless Entry/ Sensors
- Comfortable space inside
- Elegant exterior and interior design
- Paddle Shifters
- Panoramic sunroof
- Touchscreen monitor display
THUMBS DOWN
- Occasional acceleration hiccups from stand-still
- Interior materials can be improved
- Occasional lag in steering wheel during turns
SPECIFICATIONS
- Vehicle 2017 Hyundai Veloster 1.6 Turbo GDi
- Type Compact Sedan
- Engine 1.6 direct injection turbocharger
- Maximum Power 204 hp @ 6,000 rpm
- Maximum Torque 265 N-m or torque @ 1,750-4,500 rpm
- Transmission Seven-speed DCT
DIMENSIONS
- Overall length 4,250 mm
- Overall width 1,805 mm
- Overall Height 1,405 mm
- Wheelbase 2,650 mm
Image credits: Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes