Distinctive charm in Hyundai Veloster

Is it a coupe or a hatchback? The Hyundai Veloster is both.

The Hyundai Veloster is definitely no dinosaur and is perhaps one of the quirkiest looking cars on the road at the moment.

A four-door coupe (yes, you read that correctly), the Veloster reminds me of someone who has to dress somberly for work, but catch a glimpse of the patterned inside collar of their shirt, or their shoes, and you spot the hidden personality.

Hyundai is calling the Veloster a 1+2, meaning it only has one door in the back

The Veloster is a very distinctive looking car. It’s what Hyundai is calling a 1+2 – it only has one door in the back, which handily enough opens on the passenger side. With a hidden exterior handle, you won’t really spot that there’s a door there until you go looking.

In another unusual look, all of its windows are different sizes and the exterior in general is quite angular, yet also muscular-looking.

Inside, the four-seater is nicely appointed, with auto lights/wipers, cruise control, steering wheel mounted audio controls/BlueTooth and Stop/Start technology. The model I was driving also had parking sensors and a rear camera.

Infotainment-wise, there was a touch screen Radio/CD/USB/iPod jack, but no SatNav though.

The interior of the Veloster is very well laid out

The car is a four-seater because the rear features cup-holders where the middle seat would usually be. While leg room is good in the back, taller people would be advised to opt for the front seats though as rear headroom could be a problem for some.

There was a nice comfortable driving position in the six-speed, 1.6litre manual petrol model I was testing, and there was a lovely sound from the engine.

While a 1.6l engine isn’t the most powerful, the Veloster offered a nice smooth ride, with smooth gear changes, and the car drove well both on the motorway and in the city. The rear view camera also made it easy to park.

The Hyundai Veloster is a quirky looking little car that’s quite individual when you explore it but totally respectable looking at the same time.

The Hyundai Veloster has a massive boot

However, there were a few niggles – I didn’t like the position of the handbrake. I felt it was too close to the driver’s seat, putting my arm in an awkward position.

I also found that visibility wasn’t great over my right hand shoulder, as the small window, coupled with the chunky car skeleton meant I had to rely on my mirror.

Overall, I thought that the Hyundai Veloster was a really individual, quirky looking little car that was great fun to drive and has its own personality. You’ll smile to yourself knowing its secret.

The Hyundai Veloster costs from €24,995 and all of the equipment in the test car came as standard.

Hyundai also offers a five year warranty.

Tech spec:
Engine: 1.6l GDI 140ps (petrol)
Acceleration: 0-100km/h in 9.7seconds
Maximum Speed: 201kph
Combined fuel consumption: 5.9l/100km
CO2 emissions: 137g/km
Annual road tax: €225

Visit hyundai.ie or the Hyundai Ireland Facebook page for further details.