Hyundai Veloster Model History

An affordable compact car with strong sport qualities, the Hyundai Veloster was a radical approach in a sector where style counted. Instead of creating a two-door sport coupe or a four-door hatchback, Hyundai elected to create a unique three-door vehicle. Introduced for the 2012 model year, the Hyundai Veloster received a sleek exterior appearance thanks to the South Korean automakers Fluidic Sculpture design language. Standard 17-inch alloy wheels and dual chrome exhaust tips accented the 2012 Velosters look. The unique third door incorporated on the Hyundai compact provides access to the rear seating area not typically associated with sport coupes. Located on the passenger side of the vehicle, the handle for the third door is cleverly hidden so the Veloster appears like a two-door. Power for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster was sourced from a gasoline direct-injected 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine generating 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox was standard while a six-speed EcoShift dual-clutch transmission was also offered with the 2012 Veloster allowing for an average fuel economy of 30 miles per gallon or above. Standard conveniences provided on the Hyundai Veloster included a seven-inch touchscreen audio system with voice recognition, Bluetooth connectivity and Pandora radio. For 2013, Hyundai added an additional performance punch to the Veloster. A new 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo provided a considerable advantage over the base powerplant. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine operating with a twin-scroll turbocharger gave the Veloster 201 horsepower of output. The 2013 Veloster Turbo also included a sport-tuned steering system, 18-inch wheel and leather seating. For 2014, the base-powered Hyundai Veloster was made available with a limited edition RE:FLEX appearance package. The 2014 Veloster Turbo also received a special model in the form of the R-Spec.