2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Review

The 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo's biggest gimmick -- aside from the eponymous turbo, which we'll get back to shortly -- is its asymmetrical design. Viewed from the driver's side, the Veloster appears to be a three-door hatchback. However, viewed from the passenger side, it looks like a five-door. The truth is somewhere in between: Hyundai's Veloster is an unconventional four-door hatchback with one door on the driver's side, two doors on the passenger's side, and the lifting hatch out back.

The Specs

Main point of interest is the 1.6-liter direct-injected four with 201 bhp (versus the normal model's 138) and 195 lb-ft of torque (up from 123). And that's on regular gas. The turbo is a twin-scroll that has the turbine housing as a part of the lightweight stainless steel exhaust manifold. The turbo's wastegate is motor driven to more tightly control boost pressure. Max boost is 18 psi.Now the Veloster's acceleration more closely matches the car's moniker. We're guessing about 6.5 sec 0-60, in the same ballpark as competition like VW's Beetle Turbo,GTI and the Honda civic Si . Just as important, the Veloster feels right for its image. No more wading through the gearbox to gain momentum. That gearbox, by the way, could be a 6-speed manual or automatic, the latter with paddle shifters.

INTERIOR

For the interior, Hyundai has added full leather seats with the word "Turbo" stitched into the seatbacks and an exclusive Supervision Cluster that offers the driver information in a larger, clearer, and more interactive format. It is also offered with standard heated front seats, while the center stack and controls resemble a sport bike fuel tank and incorporate a push-button starter and alloy pedals.

EXPECTED PRICING: ABOUT $24,000