Unique is the word when it comes to the Veloster Turbo’s design. If you don’t already know, or most probably never spotted, the Veloster is a car with two doors on the passenger side and one door on the driver’s side. But this bright yellow head-turner you see here is not just any Veloster but one with a more powerful turbocharged engine hidden under its bonnet.

If you’ve already gotten to know the Veloster Premium, now get to know the Hyundai Veloster Turbo. Does it feel any different?

Exterior (Score: 4/5)

It’s a practical little package with every little detail the designers have taught out and it’s definitely a head-turner when it comes to standing-out, especially in this Sunflower colour. You’ve got that massive front grille that marks the Veloster Turbo as part of the Hyundai family and a pair of aggressively shaped headlamps with daytime-running lights.

Muscular shoulder lines decorate the sides giving the Turbo an aggressive stance to match those headlamps. The shoulder lines leads all the way to the most stylish diffuser with a pair of equally stylish exhaust pipe. That is the hint of just how sporty the Veloster Turbo is, that and the Turbo badging in red on the back that sets off nicely against that Sunflower yellow colour of the car.

Interior (Score: 4/5)

The best part of the Veloster’s interior is the presence of the handles on the doors. Those doors are heavy and difficult to swing close if it wasn’t for those large handles! Of course when the doors are closed the handles would be the source of many bruises if one is not careful where they turned. It’s a simplistic design for the inside, buttons can only be found on the centre console of the car including the start button.

The seats are comfortable at best while the back seats are not recommended for a taller person though, for fear of a concussion from the glass back of course and nothing to do with space. The car is rather loud on the inside but that can be forgiven when the sweet sound of the turbo engine trickles in. And did I mention there is a panoramic sunroof to give you an epic view of the night sky when you go cruising around?

Power and Handling (Score: 3/5)

It has every indication of hiding a turbocharged engine beneath its bonnet, it has the same feel as any car that can produce 184bhp and 265Nm. Floor that paddle and the car would happily shoot off to overtake your target. The Veloster is bouncier when it is made to go faster and bumps are not the car’s best friend but on the flip side, when you’re maintaining a constant speed the Veloster feels very steady.

I tried but I just can’t seem to get used to the handling. There is the Flex Steer system on the Veloster Turbo but the steering goes from heavy in Normal to heavier in Sport. Set it in Comfort and you find yourself fighting to keep the car straight as it is so light that the slightest flick would see the car going a little sideways. There didn’t seem to be an in-between for the Normal and Comfort so best to just leave it to Normal. Look on the bright side that means you won’t need to hit the gym often!

Tech and Safety (Score: 4/5)

Compared to the Android tablet in the Sonata, I was expecting a more advanced system for the Veloster Turbo as well but that tablet is nowhere to be found and in its place a more complicated system to control your radio among other things. As for the screen between the speedo and the tacho, well I just wish it was more accurate when displaying the fuel consumption.

For a small car like the Veloster Turbo, the car still comes with six airbags including front, sides and curtain airbags while the B-Pillar has been reinforced to manage impact in the event of a collision. Not bad but then again Hyundai has always been about the safety of their cars.

Summary

The Veloster Turbo is definitely a car you would want in your garage. Thanks to the heavy steering, it might be a nightmare in a tightly packed parking lot or a massive traffic jam but all is forgiven when the Turbo gets up to speed and shows you just how much fun it can get on an empty highway. So if you’re looking for an affordable weekend cruiser, here’s your answer!

Overall Score: 14/20

Jerrica Leong

Specifications

On Sale

Now

Price

RM148,118.55 on the road without insurance

Engine

Gamma 1.6 Turbo GDI, 1591cc, 184bhp @ 5500rpm, 265Nm @ 1500-4500rpm

Transmission

Seven-speed DCT

Length/ Width/ Height/ Wheelbase

4250/ 1805/ 1405/ 2650 mm