Hyundai Veloster Turbo SR 2012 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $31,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): six-speed auto ($2000)
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 7.6
CO2 emissions (g/km): 181
Also consider: Toyota 86 ($32,490), Citroen DS3 DSport ($29,990), Subaru BRZ ($37,150), Opel Astra GTC Sport coupe ($34,990)

2012 should be remembered for a few things: the Lance Armstrong doping scandal that rocked professional cycling, Michael Schumacher's second retirement from F1 racing, and the rise (again!) of the affordable sports car.

The Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ coupes got the ball rolling but Hyundai's force-fed Veloster Turbo SR variant has turned the heat up in the sub-$35k category.

While the Veloster Turbo may not boast the rear-wheel drive thrills and almost perfect steering of the 86, it does trump the Japanese coupe with significantly better acceleration, a roomier and more practical cabin, and more standard kit for the money.

Priced at $31,990 for the six-speed manual and $33,990 for the six-speed auto, the Veloster Turbo buys you a tasty 152kW/265Nm turbocharged, direct-injected 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol powerplant, 18-inch wheels, and LED driving lights... not to mention an aggressive body kit including front fascia, rear spoiler and diffuser, and pair of fat exhaust pipes, plus a stack of interior goodies.

Indeed, when you consider other standard features like a giant electric glass sunroof, leather sports seats, keyless entry and engine start, reversing camera and rear sensors, large colour touch-screen, Bluetooth connectivity, automatic climate control, auto headlights and sat nav system with live traffic updates, the car's quirky looks take on a rosier hue.

The Veloster Turbo's 1.6-litre force-fed donk may be light on displacement, but it's got refinement, flexibility and a good amount of herbs and spices in its favour. What's more, the claimed output of 150kW at 6000rpm and 265Nm between 1750rpm and 4500rpm ensures a useful (and flat) torque curve for good, all-round driveability.

Incredibly smooth but tractable at the same time, it gets on boost early, and pulls strongly between 2500rpm and 5500rpm. The twin-scroll turbocharger produces a maximum 1.2 bar (18psi) boost pressure, providing a satisfying extra kick for effortless overtaking, even in higher gears.

It's also a fun thing to whip around on local roads, especially with the more involving manual 'box.  That said, the automatic is a capable box and the paddle shifters help keep the engine in its sweet spot – anywhere above 4500rpm.

The suspension is firmer than the vanilla Veloster, which does wonders for the dynamics on curvy roads, but without compromising ride quality too much. Rolling on 215/40 R18 tyres it's a smoother ride than BRZ/ 86 and on a par with Euro hot hatches from Ford and Volkswagen.

Unlike some small cars that reach a certain threshold and get shaky or nervous, the Veloster Turbo is happy to oblige when you turn up the tempo, and will drive through corners briskly without protest.

While it will push wide of the intended line and exhibit a small amount of body roll if you head too hot into a corner, it's nothing if not predictable and rarely feels out of sorts even when manhandled in such situations.

If anything, the car could probably do with slightly wider rubber for improved grip, but all that would do is make a good car better.

Though it doesn't feel as composed as the 86/ BRZ (few cars in this price range are) it's still a lot of fun to pilot along snaking roads. The stoppers are generally up to the task too, and sufficiently slow the car's 1265kg mass (1305kg for the auto) from speed.

Once again, if you were to lump the Veloster Turbo into the same category as the 86/BRZ, you'd find slightly more room in the front seats, and a lot more space for rear passengers. Rear leg room in the Hyundai is decent for a sporty coupe/liftback, although rear headroom is a little tight thanks to the sloping roofline.

The interior also looks and feels good, with better quality than some of its rivals. Little touches like the floating door handles are cool (though the Volkswagen Scirocco called and wants them back!).

I'd also like to see instruments with a little more colour or intensity to denote the car's performance, but I suppose the giant exhausts, big wheels and LED driving lights do the talking here, as does the solitary, rear left door which is handily located on the kerb side for safer exiting.

One issue I did have during the seven-day test was with the Bluetooth streaming. While my iPhone 'paired' and played music wirelessly, when I tried to use the phone the infotainment system malfunctioned and shut down. After failing to get it going, I turned the car off momentarily and then back on before rebooting but it remained frozen. I didn't try to use the system again after that.

A Santa Fe recently tested by motoring.com.au exhibited similar infotainment gremlins, and we are yet to hear back from Hyundai Australia about any possible explanations for this.

Oh, and the Veloster's rearview mirror fell off too.

Our other gripe is in regards to rearward vision – the C-pillars are too wide and the rear glass slightly curved which distorts your view. The reversing sensors and camera help simplify parking though.

Annoying technical glitches aside, the Veloster Turbo SR is an enjoyable little package that as a whole represents good value for money. Hyundai has put together a plucky little performer with a brilliant engine and well sorted chassis that also counts as the best-steering Hyundai you can get in Australia at the moment.

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