Hyundai Veloster is something right out of the ordinary: a coupe on the driver’s side and a hatchback on the other.
A problem with two-door coupes is getting passengers in and out of the rear seats.
Veloster overcomes this by having a small back door on the left side.
It’s forward hinged and makes access to the back reasonably easy.
Test the rear door as part of your pre-purchase process if someone with limited mobility is likely to be travelling back there.
Cleverly, the extra door is offered on either side of the car depending on whether you’re in a right- or left-hand drive country.
The front seats are supportive and comfortable.
There’s decent legroom in the back seat but the headroom is marginal.
Some will find the rear seats claustrophobic thanks to the sporty roof line and high side windows.
Another drawback is that the heads of those in the rear can get scorched by the sun.
If you keep in mind it’s a coupe these sort of things don’t matter overly much.
But if you’re planning to use one as a small-family car, make sure to have everyone along for your personal test drive.
The swooping roof and gives it sporting lines.
It’s different inside as well. The dashboard is all curves and interesting details, but it’s user-friendly and you soon come to grips with the controls.
The view out of the rear is rather narrow so the rear-view mirror doesn’t let you see a lot.
Make sure you set the door mirrors correctly to avoid dangerous blind spots.
The rear seats have a 60/40 split and fold to create a good size luggage area of 440 litres.
When launched in February, 2012 Hyundai Veloster came with a 1.6-litre petrol direct injection with power of 103kW and 166Nm of torque.
It had one of two transmissions, a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch auto.
Performance is adequate rather than exciting, exacerbated by the fact that top torque wasn’t reached till almost 5000 rpm.
A turbocharged engine with 150kW and 265Nm arrived in mid-2012.
Top torque is reached at only 1750 rpm – then continues at its peak until the engine reaches 4500 revs.
There’s some turbo lag, but we’ve felt worse. Again, it has six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Hyundai Veloster handles really well, flattening out corners with little body roll.
The Korean and Australian engineers have got the suspension sorted pretty well.
Hyundai Veloster Series II arrived in May, 2015.
It had a facelift, new wheel designs and minor interior revisions.
The Turbo got uprated to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto with paddle shifters, the manual remained as a six-speeder as did the autos in the rest of the range.
Hyundai is a major player in Australia these days, frequently finishing in second or third place in the sales race.
That’s because the South Korean giant is building quality cars with interesting styling and, even more importantly is continually working at customer satisfaction.
Servicing and minor repairs can be done by home handy-people with experience and the under bonnet isn’t too cramped.
Always leave important items to the professionals.
Insurance costs are about average for this class, but if you’re a young and/or inexperienced driver you may have to pay a fair bit for Turbo models.
Shop around, but make sure you do accurate comparisons.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
This sort of car can fall into the hands of drivers who like to thrash them around – perhaps crash them as well.
Uneven wear on the front tyres is a clue to hard driving. Run your hands across them, if the resistance is different in one direction, you’re probably looking at a Veloster that’s
been worked hard.
Crash repairs can be spotted by checking for wrinkles in the panels when viewed side on, ideally in strong light.
Also look for paint spots on unpainted areas such as glass and badges.
The engine should start easily and immediately idle smoothly.
Some lag on initial acceleration on Turbo models is normal, if it’s too bad have the car checked out.
Naturally aspirated engines are better than turbo ones, but there may be some throttle lag.
Gear changes in manuals should be smooth and silent.
A one that has been worked hard may be reluctant to change down from third to second. Repairs could be expensive.
Interior condition should be checked, but Hyundais are pretty tough in this respect and only seriously bad kids are likely to have damaged it.
HOW MUCH?
Expect to pay from $8000 to $13,000 for a 2012 Hyundai Veloster+; $10,000 to $15,000 for a 2013 SR Turbo; $11,000 to $16,000 for a 2017 Veloster Series 2; $12,000 to $18,000 for a 2015 SR Turbo or a 2018 Series 2; $14,000 to $20,000 for a 2016 SR Turbo+ or a 2016 Street; $16,000 to $23,000 for a 2019 SR Turbo; and $24,000 to $33,000 for a 2020 Turbo Premium.
CAR BUYING TIPS
Take a friend with you when shopping for a used car.
That way they can keep the chattering sales person at bay while you check out the car without interruptions.
Used car prices have generally increased during the period of new car stock shortages.
Start looking at adverts for used vehicles several months before you intend buying.
That way you can get a feel for the price being asked and whether they are rising and falling, as dealers need to clear stock due to overcrowding.
Keep an eye on adverts for new cars that say there are specials on particular models.
This can lead to a lot of traded-ins taking up too much space in yards and they will be discounted to get rid of them.
Keep an eye open for ads of unpopular cars, as there can vary greatly in price.
Owners struggling to find a buyers may be forced to grit their teeth and drop their asking price.
If checking a used car at a dealership look at other cars on the lot.
This can provide an insight into the quality of the vehicles in which the dealer specialises.
If buying privately ask for proof of ownership and make sure the insurance covers you for taking a test drive.
Take a slow walk around any car you’re considering, looking for obvious defects.
It amuses us how many people dive into tiny details, only to discover later a major ding somewhere on the other side of the car.
Ideally any road test of a car you’re getting serious about should be done with the engine stone cold. Early morning is best.
If you’re serious about buying a vehicle, tell the seller you would like to take it for a good long test drive.
If they insist on coming that’s understandable, but try to avoid them “selling” the car to you.
Put bluntly, ask them to shut up,
In their later years, cars with a reputation for being long lived and trouble free sometimes attract buyers who have no intention of ever servicing them.
The next owner may suffer as a result.
RECALLS
To browse recalls on all vehicles go to the ACCC at: www.productsafety.gov.au/products/transport/cars/