Hyundai Veloster 1.6 GLS Turbo Review
Op-op-op-op-op-oppa Hyundai style

Hyundai’s Veloster is a fantastic looking car. Compare it to the slew of coupes, Scirocco, 86/BRZ, Koup and RX-8 even, it’s hard not to notice how it has far more design character; bold curves, wide wheel arches and glitzy details makes it a brash alternative in a country proud to be full of car enthusiasts.

Ok so the Veloster is no new car; it has been in our market for – at the blink of an eye – eight months already. Scout around and you can even find a used unit lying on some dealer’s lot.

But now comes a much powerful version that, on paper, looks good enough to match the German Scirocco.

Which is a good thing, as it provides a good alternative to the Scirocco that has been the yuppy mobile for as long as you can remember. For a start, the Veloster already trounces the VW on price – by $21k, to be exact.

As mentioned at the start of this review, the Veloster looks fantastic. Whoever designed it, great job. Whoever approved the design, deserves a pay rise. Suddenly, the RX-8’s suicide doors look less interesting…

This three-door coupe from Hyundai is a real head turner, attracting attention everywhere it went – students smiled and other drivers showed their thumbs up. Probably after the Japanese RX-8, the German Scirocco and French RCZ, nothing else in this price bracket looks so, so attractive.

It doesn’t fall short in terms of standard exterior equipment too. To name just a few, it gets a pair of headlamps with LED daytime running light, wing mirrors with integrated indicators, arch-filling 18-inch alloys wrapped in 215/40 R-18 Hankook Ventus Prime 2 rubbers, a subtle boot spoiler and a sporty rear bumper with central-mounted exhaust. To make parking a seamless affair, reverse camera with sensors come standard as well.

Also factory-fitted is that wide glass roof. However, only the front’s – just above the driver and front passenger – opens to welcome additional sunlight.

If you’re asking how to differentiate the Turbo to its NA variant, here’s how: firstly, the front grill is a one-piece, compared to the two-piece on its less powerful variant. Secondly, the lower part of the front bumper gets a splitter (seen here in grey). Then there’s that different front foglamps – the Turbo gets circular ones compared to the rectangular pair seen on the non-turbo.

From the side, the Veloster Turbo gets a pair of side-skirts. Also, the rim design here gets a shiny, mirror finish compared to the body colour coordinated ones on its lesser variant. Then at the rear, it gets a more pronounced spoiler, aggressive bumper with diffuser, a pair of circular exhaust pipes and even rear foglamps.

As you can see, Hyundai did put lots of attention into details…