Buying a used Hyundai Veloster (2012-2016)

Look at a Hyundai Veloster from any angle and you might imagine it doing circle work on a floodlit plinth, with besotted media battling each other for a look. Well, not quite.

Unsure of just how a sceptical world would relate to its low-slung and chunky HND-3 'concept' car, Hyundai opted to host its debut in a quiet corner of the company's Seoul 2007 Motor Show display. Predictably, the exciting new Hyundai Veloster was ignored by almost everyone.

From there the misfit Hyundai was sent into product-planning limbo until 2011 when a new shape and concept appeared in showrooms across the world.

Cheeky, challenging designs had never been a Hyundai speciality and the curious came from all directions with two questions foremost in their minds. 'Can this really be a Hyundai?' and 'How can they build a car like this at that price?'

The answer to the second lay with the savings that come from component sharing but commentators were kind and didn't dwell too long on its links to the determinedly conservative Elantra.

Most intriguing of the Veloster's many design foibles was the single rear door and the fact that it stayed on the kerb-side of the car in left or right-hand drive form. It cleverly eliminated the ungainly process of clambering through a narrow gap then pirouetting with head between knees into what other brands described as a back seat.

The Hyundai Veloster not only gave rear-seat occupants proper access but decently shaped seating for two as well. Providing those up front don't hog all the available space, there was reasonable leg-room and sufficient clearance beneath the hatch for short adults or pre-teen children. Sunburn may be a problem, since the rear glass panel cuts deeply into the roof-line.

Two versions of the Veloster were sold initially to Australian buyers. The normally-aspirated 1.6-litre cost $23,990, produced 103kW and appealed to those who put price and stand-out style ahead of performance. Its seats were cloth covered but well-shaped and the car came with a typical range of standard inclusions (air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows and a CD slot) plus interesting additions like 'see-me-home' headlights that illuminate the area ahead of the car for several seconds after switching off. Want more?

Loading your Veloster with equipment and a head-hurting sound system didn't have to involve hours at the dealer's desk ticking option codes. Hyundai did the work on behalf of time-poor buyers and all that needed to be added on the order form was a Plus sign.

Starting with good-quality leather on the seats and a set of big, colour-keyed alloy wheels, the Plus pack turned a Veloster 1.6 from Pretty Basic to Damn Swish – and all for a measly $4000 price increase.

Adding noticeably improved performance to the mix involved jumping to the Hyundai Veloster SR with its turbocharged version of the 1.6 'Gamma' engine. As a manual the SR cost $31,990 and thumped out 150kW. To help keep that considerable slab of extra grunt under control, the SP package also added thicker front discs, lowered and specially tuned suspension with revised control arms and faster-ratio electric steering.

The dual-clutch (DCT) automatic transmission provided six-speeds and presented no problems when the cars were new. With harsh use though, the DCT was susceptible to overheating and anyone keen on working their car's transmission hard would be better off with the manual.

Only one colour in the Veloster range was available for free. If you didn't want the bog-stock Crystal White – and most buyers didn't – then one of several eye-boggling optional shades was going to add between $595 and $1000 to the cost of your new car.

For 2015 an updated version of the Veloster range arrived with more features and improved ride quality, while still delivering on value. The auto shifted from six to seven speeds; a move claimed to improve fuel economy by up to seven per cent. The cabin was uprated, so was the suspension and the design of the wheels, but keen pricing kept the SR Turbo in contention against Toyota's 86.

The Veloster everyone wants to own is the SR. but most will end up driving a basic 1.6-litre version or spend just a little more on a non-turbo Plus. Retained values for all Velosters remain very strong and cars with lowish kilometres selling early in 2019 have typically held at least half their original selling price.

You don't slither and slump into the driver's seat of a Veloster as you might do other sporty coupes. Although the roofline is low the seat/wheel/pedal relationship is quite conservative and typically Hyundai.

The dash is very different though, with a 'gamer' look and layout. The display screen is a decent size for a low-cost car, however the ventilation controls take some learning to avoid hitting the wrong one. There have been reports of switchgear including the a/c fan control failing prematurely and all those lights and shapes could get a bit frazzling on a long night drive.

Revved hard, the 1.6 with dual outlet exhausts can produce a bit of noise; sufficient to get noticed and entertain the occupants but not intrusive or irritating at constant throttle.

Tests to the micro-second when the cars were new saw basic 1.6 manual Velosters stop the clock at 9.8 seconds for the 0-100km/h dash. Used ones seem to get off the line and reach peak revs pretty quickly and they may shave a few tenths off that time. The auto is certainly suited to around-town use but with some well-chosen ratios and a nice shift action a manual Veloster is the car to have.

Some people have grumbled about steering feel and on that score we would like to hear from owners who ditched the OEM rubber and went for something a bit more track-happy than the standard fare.

Access through the oddly-shaped hatch is easy and the boot is deep. However, we get the feeling a lot of grocery bags and other smaller items will be going through that very useful rear passenger door. Standard spare is a space-saver.

Safety? Well this sick lookin' liddle coop got loads of it, so parents can ease back on the abject horror when Junior shows you the car he/she most wants to own. Vision of the Veloster's European crash test can be a bit daunting to watch, with the door popping open and bits flying everywhere. Inside though the occupant dummies were cushioned by numerous air-bags against any intrusion and the car easily qualified in local testing for a coveted Five Star ANCAP ranking.

Fuel consumption from manual, unboosted cars should average in the mid-9L/100kms, with automatics perhaps hitting high 10s. Turbos on a vigorous magazine test-loop achieved mid 13L/100 figures which isn't too horrific.

>> Carbon build-up on valves can lead to reduced compression and poor performance. A professional pre-purchase inspection will include a compression test and identify any potential problem that might involve cylinder-head removal and considerable expense.

>> Accelerate at full throttle in automatic cars to ensure changes are smooth. Also check there is no surging at constant speeds and that when accelerating from constant speed the transmission doesn't hesitate when asked to drop a couple of ratios.

>> The plastics in early cars will by now have absorbed sufficient of the sun's evil rays to be deteriorating. If the car has a dash mat, lift it to look for value-sapping cracks. Also check the headlamps for yellowing and faded reflectors.

>> Test the ventilation system to ensure air coming in is cold and the fan is working at all available speeds. Fan switches are known to overheat and fry their innards.

Used vehicle grading for Hyundai Veloster
Design & Function: 14/20
Safety: 14/20
Practicality: 12/20
Value for Money: 12/20
Wow Factor: 15/20
Score: 67/100

Also consider: Ford Focus XR5, Honda CR-Z, Toyota 86