2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo - R Spec - FIRST DRIVE REVIEW (2 of 2)

MotoMan heads to Texas to drive the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo R Spec. Once there, he learns some key sport compact market data from old friend of the show, Mike O’Brien. Then, in the car, he demonstrates some key changes to the Hyundai Veloster and poses the question if this Hyundai Veloster Turbo is a shape of things to come . . .
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[@Jim-sz7qi]

I have owned a Veloster Premium 2.0 now for a couple months and love it. I am the young at heart who owned a Toyota Supra in the 1990s before my kids. After I had kids, I needed to trade in my Supra for a family car. Now my kids are older and no longer need the larger family car and bought the Veloster Premium. Since I live in Chicago and not expected to every use the Veloster on any tracks racing, so I have fun in city driving with the non-turbo naturally aspirated engine with no turbo lags moving forward. The sport mode gives some nice power including lower rpm. I have to admit in the 90's I raced Chicago Bulls Micheal Jordan on a street in Chicago before his first NBA Championship with my Toyota Supra against his Lamborghini at a stop light. I can still remember Micheal's smile back at me when he raced past me. If you are not using the Veloster on a track and live where you need more all season tires the 2.0 might be worth a look, too. The Premium also includes more options than the R-Spec for about the same price as the R-Spec. I agree the Veloster is must fun for the dollar whether it is the N, turbo or the 2.0.

[@meanwhileinsooke]

Just bought a 2020 turbo and love it

[@Michael0697]

Great review as always! Keep up the great work, Motoman!

[@JoeyFlowers]

I bought a 2019 veloster r-spec a few weeks ago... I live in the hill country and work in Austin... My commute is the road you drove in this video... Epic win.

[@JoeyFlowers]

@Trevor Wilson Rodger Beasley in Kyle Texas. I think I bought the only one they had. I've been back to the dealership a couple of times and haven't seen any other ones. Might have to look in Austin for the r-spec or even the turbo

[@93455Driver]

The Veloster N will be awesome, but wish the GT N was coming to the US.

[@shawndejong6699]

It may end up replacing my beloved Jeep Wrangler. Really looking forward to the Veloster N. Depending on pricing of course.

[@subvet3668]

So agree. Would get a GTN / I30N in a second. Just so much more practical.

[@shawndejong6699]

If the Performance pack comes in or even close to 33 I'll have to skip it. I can buy a very gently used S3 or Golf R for that money which is literally twice the car, and AWD in both cases. I'm also in Canada so that $33k would be closer to $40k here. $40k for a 3 door Hyundai hatch? I'd have to be drunk or retarded to say yes to that.

[@shawndejong6699]

PARS I'm not buying it to turn heads I own a lifted and armored jeep. It turns heads enough. I want it for the performance and fuel economy.

[@shawndejong6699]

Well you sound like a complete narcissist. It's a veloster not a hurrican. Most people will see it as that. You're not going to impress your date with a veloster, sorry. Shitty thing? You sound jealous. Every person I've ever met who hates on jeeps either can't afford one, or simply don't understand what they're capable of.

[@mjl7810]

What would be a good cheap used car for a college student to buy?

[@d.rashadray8119]

Motoman I'm a hatchback and wagon guy. But with that aside if I knew this had the same or more cargo then as a buyer who likes good driving dynamics over high riding position then I would go for this every time.

[@SJutigard]

Just bought what in Canada is called the Turbo tech, which it looks to equivalent to the Turbo Ultimate. It's AWESOME. Highly recommend.

[@carlosmoreira779]

Turbo...manual...good!!

[@Jackal_Blitz]

The cargo space is exactly why I'm looking into a Veloster. I would love an 86 or BRZ, but getting groceries in one of those would just be annoying.

[@chrisjonesrn51]

Lucas Brown Owned both. Trust me, get a VT

[@francisj4058]

First legit mod this car needs is a performance exhaust

[@chameleonfps]

Hey man awesome 2 part review and some nice bits of Austin in between. Now if you had 30k which would you choose between the gt sport, es sport, veloster turbo or civic si, or none of them and just get some other car. Main thing Im looking for is how fun to drive the car is. Thanks!

[@rmwarriors16]

chameleonfps I personally went with the ES. I really like the looks, handling and the noise of the exhaust of the ES. The tacked on NAV or tablet on the dash looks terrible to me. I also like the having four doors since I have kids. Hyundai certainly has improved their cars a lot.

[@MotoManTV]

Two things . . . You know I am cheap as the day is long so my US$30K would end up on a used FD RX7 or something similar:) Second, if it had to be this segment, I would go with the old world choice and do a GTI.

[@chameleonfps]

MotoManTV ah makes sense (I had a feeling the used RX would be your choice lol)

[@JTube571]

Keep in mind with incentives and dealer discounts, the Hyundai's can be had for WAY less than $30k. I run an Elantra Sport owners group on facebook and people in there are frequently driving them off the lot for $17-18k. That is A LOT of great driving car for the money.

[@K03sport]

The platform is good, but has a lot of overlap with other Hyun/KIA products. I think the VT would be great as a wagonn it already has a good side profile. Add a few inches to the wheel base, improve backseat room, add some to the rear overhand, and viola, a sporty, fwd 3 pedal wagon that can actually haul and it's only real competition would be the GSW/Alltrack. Unfortunately for it right now, the hatch segment has some really good alternatives that do some things better for around the same price; Si, Mazda3, & GTI are what I see not to mention the elantra gt sport

[@minxlabrada]

Like to see an AWD version based on their WRC car called the i20.

[@techpappee]

I like the active sound option. At least it's not synthetic noise, it's real engine notes pumped through the speakers. I can't count the times Ive heard journalist say I wish I could hear the sounds of the car, exhaust etc in performance/sport options that are silent. You can always shut it off .

[@d.rashadray8119]

Motoman, is there any way you can get info as to why we will not get the Elantra GT/i30 N and if they will offer N performance modifications for the Elantra GT? I understand the Veloster is being discontinued in Europe due to poor sales.

[@MotoManTV]

I did ask but as you can imagine, they were pretty tight lipped about it. The 'official' answer was 'that is what we are using the Veloster for in the US'. Reading between the lines, they most likely don't see enough demand for two hot hatches in their US lineup and decided to go with the one that is unique to them.

[@d.rashadray8119]

MotoManTV Big Thanks!! I look forward to your tech review and drive of that N model!

[@JTube571]

They do have plans to offer upgrades (think Ford Performance parts) but I haven't seen much said about it lately. I am wondering if they plan on getting a few N cars on the showroom floors first before offering parts for other vehicles.

[@d.rashadray8119]

Jason M. That would be great if did! Something like HFP for Honda. Thanks for the info!

[@subvet3668]

It seems they didn’t do their market research well because four doors does better than coupe sales in the US hands down. VW dropped the two door versions of the GTI and Honda dropped their Accord coupe for those reasons which makes it perplexing why they pushed this to the US vice the much better I30N which would appeal to a larger demographic and not just the single no kids people.

[@halholland1637]

What would you get the Veloster Turbo or the Elantra GT Sport?

[@subvet3668]

Since I have two kids the GT Sport. Better cargo and passenger room. Though I wish they offered the tech package with the manual GT Sport. I hate that you can't even get the sunroof in the manual. But since they offer an "ultimate version" for even the manual Veloster Turbo then I'm hoping they do better with the GT Sport for 2019.

[@erich84502ify]

New 2.slow non-turbo 2019?

[@RibeyeJunior]

13 ford focus st. Fun little car, but this r-spec and or elantra gt sport will suite me better.

[@mothusimaake1566]

Can we have a head to head of the year: 911 GT2RS vs Aventador S vs 812 Superfast vs McLaren 720S Please?

[@klimankhmeron7636]

Did they fix a horrible suspension and unidentifiable rattle in the cabin, and jerkiness after a car sitting for a bit without being driven?

[@seifsalman]

I like the design and I think hyundai should put 10 more cm to the overall length for the rear passengers leg rooms , plus no central arm rest in the rear department is a deal breaker for me ..

[@matthewwitmer380]

My brother is a truck guy, I own a '13 non-turbo- he calls it a "friggin' go-kart". Yup, that's what I go for...LOL

[@buildmorefarms1007]

Is it better than the Sentra Nismo? Is it more fun?

[@LilRenlor]

It has more HP and more torque than the Sentra Nismo and 0-60s almost a second faster, so I'd say it's better.

[@VirtualMayhem]

I think the Veloster Turbo R is neat enough to consider buying one, but the problem is no dealers (zip, zilch, zero!) in the Pacific Northwest have one in their inventory. It appears the dealers are NOT receptive to selling it. Plenty of Veloster base models, 2.0 models, and Turbo Ultimates in stock, so it's not like Hyundai isn't shipping 2019 Velosters.

[@scottz780]

N Should be interesting but..lots of power at the front- can't imagine not have more fun in a BRZ despite shying away from all/most drag race situations;)

[@subvet3668]

Need that B and M short shifter on the GT N-Line

[@fitztastico]

I think it must be the ride/sight height partially. At 32, I'm only now looking for my first car thanks to a long running Nissan pickup I inherited from my dad, but even though it isn't THAT much higher, I was surprised at how freaked out I was when I test drove normal cars and felt like I couldn't see around me.

[@fitztastico]

Admittedly, at 5'9" I also get that sense when I wear certain sneakers or dress shoes that add a little bit to my height. It's odd how much of a difference it makes

[@MiniEggs1999]

Ive heard a rumour that top Ultimate trim Hyundai when using Apple CarPlay Maps now show turn directions on the small colour instruments binnacle screen/HUD. Have you seen this can you check next time you are in one. Thanks

[@MotoManTV]

Did not use the system in the short time I had the car, but will try it when we have one in California.

[@MiniEggs1999]

Thanks MM if it's true I believe they will be the first OEM to implement this feature that arrived in iOS10

[@techpappee]

It does, turn by turn directions do show on the heads up display. Just search KZbin. There are many reviews that show it. Kona does as well. It has the same unit as Veloster. Veloster offers a few extra displays options the Kona doesn't like 'sport' within the display.

[@MiniEggs1999]

Tech Pappee is that definitely from Apple CarPlay though or from the built in Hyundai Sat Nav which pretty much every OEM does

[@techpappee]

Mini Eggs I'm not sure. They do offer factory nav in the Ultimate. It could be from either. I know Kona doesn't offer factory nav and It still shows turn by turn on its display (which I believe they share). Apple carplay and Android auto only on the Kona so it must be possible.

[@govnor1495]

I hate the active sound. It is in the previous Veloster but you can't turn it off. You have to clip a wire that goes into the amp (which I did). At least Hyundai was smart enough to make it an option this time. If you upgrade the exhaust, the bass is booming constantly from the horrible active sound.

[@calvindabrowski243]

bro i cut my wire, and brought it in a year later for warranty work bc my instrument cluster went, and they tried to make me pay for the new amp bc they said that was the reason. BS haha, i have yet to unplug it again urgh

[@govnor1495]

That's insane. Hyundai has some pretty stupid warranty policies. What are we supposed to do? Those A-holes made it where you can't turn it off!

[@terrancemoore496]

I'm an confused is Cumo the dog?

[@oliverrojas7117]

yes convincingly persuaded to select a Veloster over a CUV because of its reasonable cargo capacity

[@mannyechaluce3814]

MotoMan needs a new channel called NatureMan :D

[@davidst4896]

Have a plain 02 Elantra (ML) and a 14 Elantra (Torsion). Multi-link susp does matter even on those mundane cars.

[@dr007md]

Veloster? or Elantra GT? or Kona? Anyone care to rank these 3 as these are the ones i'm thinking of buying and i'm so confused now i need help!

[@adlcuevas5689]

Unfortunately, and sadly, we have grown used to driving real vehicles thinking that visibility is more important that stability and driving dynamics. Additionally, we've also traded fuel economy for that visibility as well. Wagons make so much more sense than 70% of SUVs out there. Veloster is a great proposition for a small family of a budget and a dad that still wants to look cool while driving down the road. Great review 👍

[@braydenbrooks1009]

The tail lights look much better

[@Superfastjellyfish669]

why drive a veloster when you can get the elentra gt? Also I think people like crossover because you sit higher up and yout are more likely to survive if you get into an accident with other cars.

[@silverspeculator6323]

GiovanniLACA17XD I was actually wanting an Elantra GT until I found out my dealer was offering discounts on the Veloster. I got $4250 off of MSRP. And I don't need 4 doors anymore.

[@AngelManuelPerez]

This car will already have around 270 horse power in the N version coming later this year. Also, I've really liked this car since the day it was first released. In fact, liked it so much I went to test drive the day it was available at my local dealer.

[@bettertraining3491]

here's a question for you then: Elantra GT hatchback, or Veloster? Both come with same engines and other stuff...

[@silverspeculator6323]

Better Training do you want 3 doors or 4 doors? As the owner of a 2017 Veloster I think it's sportier than an Elantra GT. The GT is just a four door sedan with a hatchback.

[@jerman2003]

I don’t like the back end look of the 2019. Earlier models had a cooler profile.

[@silverspeculator6323]

jerman2003 I think the 2019 exterior is better looking than the 2017 (what I own). But I prefer my interior. To me it looks unique. The 2019 interior looks bland like any other Asian car.

[@jerman2003]

JIM THORN It just looks less sporty and more average in my option. And I agree the interior looks less impressive too.

[@kevrkid]

County Line is Sooo Goood

[@vasquezj40]

can't handle this guy. could not finish the video

[@romeotrinh6415]

The exterior design of the car is 50% point for any consumer decision to purchase the car 30 % the performance and 20% is the price.

[@bfarm44]

My next car

[@Paintballpro18]

So, is this Joel Heyman as a car guy?

[@jdord4838]

Car looks amazing, great review as always..."Yeshua/Jesus is the way"

[@scottz780]

My big takeaway is looks promising, nice Si alternative(where's my hatch?) and Motoman needs some lessons on properly downshifting a manual transmission!!

[@BassRacerx]

yeah no SI hatchback is a real shame. Also honda is missing a big oportunity and not making a fit SI. it does not even need it's own powertrain it just needs the turbo four from the mid level civic or the CRV

[@psewgobind]

IF the platform is that good, how much does the base with regular engine weight? I'd take lighter weigh over Turbocharged.

[@MotoManTV]

Covered in our TECH REVIEW: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKvac2iYYtB4gsk

[@psewgobind]

@@MotoManTV Just recommended 2.0L 6MT base Veloster to my niece (0% for 84 month). It's 69lb lighter than my identical equipped Civic Sedan (which has gone up in price since 2017). That K20C2 engine in the NA Civic is crazy good when hooked to 6MT. Hope Hyundai eventually has something as good.

[@MotoManTV]

@@psewgobind Congrats with ONE exception: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmiUiZ55ht6iqq8

[@johnhoye4535]

I like the higher ride , better visability and easier to get in and out

[@dgafkucky]

Sorry I can't can't get past the yellow stitching & accent stuff I will stay with my elantra sport sedan

[@ahmadfaris8044]

We get it with the turtle, veloster is the turtle and vw golf is the koi fish.

[@dudadeda1234]

I want i30 N or Nothing!

[@justin8758]

Do I hear some rev hang??

[@techpappee]

Cababah no, its doesnt have rev hang. It not an SI...lol. No emissions cutting off power. Well, HE may have shifted slow but the Car doesn't do it on its own.

[@JTube571]

Elantra Sport owner here, no rev hang. This being the same engine I would assume it's missing here too.

[@skifree0]

Technically speaking rev-hang doesn't impact power at all...It's just a jerky shift. If you don't care about being smooth, just drop the clutch and take off....

[@Croak1]

I still think the main driver (pun intended) of crossover sales is women. Women who want to see over the other cars on the road, want easy loading and easy entry/exit, and don't give a damn about driving dynamics. Then there's peer-pressure. Zoe has a crossover, so Phoebe has to get one, so Madison REALLY has to get one, and so on. Vicious circle, and not one that's going to be easily broken, especially as more and more of these abominations populate the roads. Cargo space really isn't a huge deal, people simply aren't toting loads that approach the volume capacity of most CUVs/SUVs on a regular or even semi-regular basis, it's simply wasted space for 99% of the buyers (same could be said for pickup truck buyers too). Seating capacity isn't a huge deal either, once you get 4 people seated comfortably, the rest of the space for the average American family is again wasted (average size is 2.5 family members and dropping in this country). The ones actually needing seven or eight passenger seating (outside Uber drivers and the rental/hire car market) are rare IMO, but there's higher status having more seating because that costs more and those vehicle have more "road presence". Absolute cargo space numbers and seating capacity are there mostly for bragging rights for this market, like HP or skidpad numbers for us broken car people. But as long as the average sedan or coupe on the road leaves the driver staring at eye level license plates from the CUV/SUV ahead of them, their numbers will continue to decline...people need to see, and people who wear skirts or silly shoes like to be able to get in and out of vehicles more easily. Everything else is just status.

[@OsojiNosferatu69]

John Capozzi Don’t forget, for those of us that live in snowy climates then AWD is very desirable-which is usually found in crossovers. Sure, you can get it in a Legacy and the new Altima, but it’s easier to just go to your local subaru dealer and pick up a Forester.

[@lizardgreen2121]

Ive seen more guys in cuvs then girls. Must be your area

[@Croak1]

San Diego for years, and Tampa now. And while hubby may be driving a CUV, I can pretty much guarantee it's wifey that wanted it. Straight guys here, when they are in the market for a "non-car", prefer to opt for crew/king cab pickups or full-size SUVs like the Tahoe, Yukon or Expedition, things that can tow a lot and look...manly.

[@fitztastico]

I think you're right, it's more about sight lines and the sense of safety than storage utility, etc. Women also seem to love backup cameras more than men - why? - sitting shorter in a seat naturally makes it harder to see out of the back window.

[@deviouslaw]

@@OsojiNosferatu69 don't really see your point how it's easier to buy a Forester than a Legacy...could you expand on that one?

[@hunterjones9822]

Problems I've had with my Hyundai Veloster Turbo since purchasing new, engine randomly shuts off, dealership replaces random part and claims it's fixed until the next time it does it, Cruise control either doesn't work or has a mind of its own, very disconcerting when you try and disengage and it doesn't, dealer replaces random part and claims its fixed until it doesn't work again 10 minutes later. heater controls are faulty, the fan speed selector can't handle the amp draw from the fan motor and melts the internal components until it no longer works, dealer replaces parts with exact same parts to get you down the road until the warranty expires. speakers blow out on factory sound system, dealership claims that according to Hyundai its considered a "wear item" even though mine blew out in under 10K miles. The good news is these same components are used in other models so expect the same. It may be cheap to buy, but thats because it's a cheap car, if your going to buy one then unload it in under 3 years 30K miles before it starts falling apart.

[@lizardgreen2121]

Hunter Jones sounds like you have a lemon sir. Ive had my veloster 6 years and its running strong. 120,000 miles. Also blame the dealer ive heard way to many dealers not properly fixing the things necessary. Sorry you got a lemon but there's a lemon law for that and id go forward with contacting Hyundai corporate or filing for lemon law. If this was the case with every veloster they'd be in recall or off the streets.

[@glennchartrand5411]

Sounds like you have a faulty ignition coil. Usually when they go bad , the cylinder it's on will start missing, but there is another way it can fail , it starts backfeeding through its power lead to the ECM when it gets hot. It's firing so you don't hear a miss , but it will generate electronic noise that will "swamp out" the signal for the cam and crankshaft sensors, causing the ECM to lose track of what cylinder is supposed to fire. Symptoms include , Cruise control unable to accurately measure engine RPM Engine suddenly dies when you step on the accelerator during idle. Mystified dealer mechanics. The ECM cant detect this problem , it will usually throw a "false" Cam and Crank sensor fault code, replacing the cam or crank sensor will temporarily make the issue go away because brand new sensors give off slightly stronger signals ...but as soon as they weaken the issue will return. I have had VERY bad luck with aftermarket igniton coils , so make sure they put OEM coils in.

[@0wnRsI]

Hunter Jones lemon laced mine and got a mustang.

[@mavmrb3]

"Blah Crossovers." LOL! Of course drivers will stick with the Crossover that has a smaller cargo space. Larger and taller cars like SUV's are in the American psyche.

[@MrMilkRSPS]

Moto-Man, I think the main problem is that women naturally get a car that will suit their multiple needs. For example safety is obviously the biggest concern, so you see a few woman driving Escalades, or those manly aggressive looking SUVs that you know damn well is going to do more damage than receiving. But I also believe women have a power complex or some kind of dominant fury on the roads that men normally don't really care about, other than those who buy into the muscle or truck market. In any case, I think hatchbacks are growing more so in numbers nowadays for the younger crowd. I've seen a handful of GTIs all over the place, followed by the new Volvo hatch that looks quite nice, and then you still have people driving Civics left and right (specially the older models). I just think when it comes down to the car for anyone, it's safety, build quality, the history of the cars, and the engine. And my experience with Hyundai (driving an older model) is that the build quality may seem flashy but when it comes to hitting a curb or a slightly bump into a mailbox, you'll be seeing more of a dent on your end than the object, or car that you've hit. And so when I think about Hyundai Hatches I think to myself, "MAN. What i'd do to drive that car everyday" but at the same time, I also wonder if there's a car I'd much rather prefer to drive on the road instead. But if you asked me personally, I care about the dynamics of the car, and how it pulls itself into turns, curves, and different pavements, etc. Then I consider the cosmetic appearance inside and outside second. If a car can pull off that, I'd drive it any day over an SUV/Crossover any day.

[@xynurse6095]

So much tire screech it could cause an avalanche.

[@romeotrinh6415]

I think all car factories should post their new models to the public polling before they put them in production! Otherwise you can have a good car but very poor design no one will buy your cars!

[@silkhead44]

bread will kill the fish prematurely

[@JTube571]

Yeah bread is a bad thing to give to any wildlife really. Ducks, fish, etc.

[@vividvulpe9842]

People who drive cross-overs don’t care about looks or driving characteristics

[@mmahtnart8986]

Let all the manufactures bale out of making sedans and coupes. When a huge vacancy develops. Some other smart manufacture will step in and make a killing.

[@steve-wu7jp]

Salt lick is basic

[@BassRacerx]

This or a fiat 500 abarth?

[@Affalterbach1967]

The Veloster N will feed turtles.

[@jimmysegovia146]

Please please please make it AWD pleasee!!!!!

[@ashrafkma1984]

looks like a Ford

[@Marchant2]

I hate the way car manufacturers are mounting the display screen on the dash. It looks like someone glued an iPad to the dash. It looks like it was an afterthought as opposed to a display integrated into the design of the dash.

[@Adamisgood24]

Sexy car!

[@Agent77X]

No buy! Not a crossover!

[@anthonybeckman4584]

This video didn't age well.

[@TW-fx2jx]

Absolutely love the car, but I refuse to buy a car that has these stupid touch-screens... hideous

[@techpappee]

T W I guess you won't be buying ANY new/modern cars then. They all have them, even the elcheapo(ish) entry level sub-compacts come with one as standard. It's smaller but they have them.

[@murdoch9106]

Good news, Porsche Carrera T can be had without one, does not save you any money, but you can! :D Just hope you got 100.000$+ laying around xD

[@TW-fx2jx]

In dash is fine, like my 2014 Accord Sport... popping up out of top of dash = No Bueno!

[@Saltinator]

T W i agree with the screen being mounted on top of the dash like that. Im not the biggest fan of that. I have a 2013 veloster and love the in dash screen. It flows so much nicer with the dashboard.

[@kimnodong1158]

Poorly built for the working poor

[@silverspeculator6323]

Kim No Dong working poor need cars too

[@romeotrinh6415]

Most ugly car!