This car has been turning heads for years with its unique style of doors-to-passengers design. With only two generations under its belt, and its ultimate end, the Hyundai Veloster has come a long way since its first production in 2011. We’ll look at what changes were brought about over the years, and what to keep an eye on when you visit the used car lot.
FIRST GENERATION HYUNDAI VELOSTER (2012-2018)
The Veloster started production in 2011 and hit the market the following year. This first generation of coupes showcased a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that was a six-speed in manual or automatic option. that was noted for its reasonable gas mileage for its time at around 31 mpg combined, reaching heights of 37 mpg. The new hatchback was a change from the previously celebrated Hyundai Tiburon that ended production in 2008. It was also doing things differently by being a four-door hatchback, while most others were either a five-door or three doors. The Veloster had two doors on the driver’s side and one on the passenger, also including its hatchback. In 2012, the option for a turbocharged engine was introduced. In 2013 introduced a blue link Telematics which connected drivers to their smartphones to all the info they needed to have on hand about their car. The Veloster in 2014 was still a three-door hatchback with a passenger-side rear door. However, it added a couple of new, standard features such as a backup camera and a new trim, the Veloster Turbo R-Spec. Ending this generation was the Veloster going out with some of its biggest changes that would usher in the next generation. In 2016 it would keep these changes for two years until its redesign. The 2016 Veloster implemented a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, a seven-inch touch screen that was never seen before, and a new trim that was performance-oriented: The Veloster Rally.
SECOND GENERATION HYUNDAI VELOSTER (2019-2022)
With a focus on the future and the serious changes made in 2016, the Veloster set itself up to enter the next generation of its life span in just a couple of years by building off its previous changes and innovating further. First showcased in 2018, the current Hyundai took viewers by surprise as it decided to keep what made it so unique in the first place: the 3 to 1 door ratio but now with two doors on the passenger’s side, one on the driver, and of course its hatchback. In addition to its total exterior redesign, the biggest change was the upgrade to its engine. It took the previous generation and bumped it up to a 2.0-liter V4 engine with 275 horsepower, now with other powertrain options to choose from on top of that including a turbocharger. It was a six-speed automatic transmission with the option for manual. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and automatic emergency braking were all made standard. In 2022, more engine options were introduced furthering the direction of power the Veloster was headed, and a new version: the Veloster N. This carried over into 202 and 2022 with the Veloster N introducing a focus within the generation of the Veloster that is fixated on high performance.
PRESENT
Currently, the Veloster has been discontinued, as announced last year. After two generations, Hyundai is focusing on consolidating their smaller cars and recommends new car buyers look at the Elantra N or the Kona N models. For used car buyers, you’re in luck, because this great car spans back many years before 2023 and offers great features at affordability all along the way.