2019 Hyundai Veloster Three-Door Practicality Wins

Power from the 1.6-liter turbo comes on quickly around 3,000 rpm, with no real lag, and holds until within 700 rpm of the redline. There's enough torque down low for city driving. The engine's strength through the midrange makes it fun to rev. With the automatic, the Veloster Turbo managed 0-60 mph in a quick 6.3 seconds in Edmunds testing. We also tested a car with the manual. The accel time increased to 7.2 seconds, in part because of how the clutch engages.

The Veloster's brakes start off soft initially but firm up and provide more feel as pressure increases, making them easy to modulate and pleasing to use. The R-Spec managed a superb 60-0 mph braking distance of 108 feet in Edmunds testing, due in part to the sticky summer tires it comes with. We've also tested a Veloster with the all-seasons; we observed a stop of 122 feet, which is average for the class.

The steering is precise but a bit light in Normal mode. In Sport, the weighting matches the car's character, and resistance builds naturally through turns. There's just enough feel from the tires to give you extra confidence and add to the fun. The on-center feel is a little numb, but enough that freeway cruising isn't a chore.

The Veloster is a fun little car: There's only the slightest body roll, and it's well controlled during transitions. Turn-in is light and the car is eager to change direction. Grip from the R-Spec's sticky tires is phenomenal. Overall, the Veloster is engaging and predictable on the road, encouraging you to have a good time.

The automatic transmission behaves as you'd expect in both Normal and Sport modes, and it responds quickly to manual input from the paddles. Unfortunately, shifts — especially downshifts — can take noticeably longer to engage than we'd like. With the manual, the shifter action is a bit rubbery during travel. The clutch pedal feels a little mushy, and there's a restrictor that slows engagement.

The R-Spec's seats are nicely shaped and have a pleasantly soft but grippy cloth covering and an appropriate amount of bolstering. There's a good range of adjustability, but the seats lack adjustable lumbar, which will limit comfortable seat time for some drivers.

The Veloster is very settled and doesn't wallow when driving over bumps. But the ride is undeniably sporty and on the stiff side. The suspension both takes the edge off larger bumps and irons out cracks and smaller imperfections, but the short wheelbase makes the car more sensitive to choppy roads.

Cabin noise is middle-of-the-road for the class. Road and wind noise shows up at freeway speeds. The engine note is persistent, which can become a little wearying on longer freeway drives. Depending on which tires you have, tire noise can become increasingly intrusive.

In lower-trim Velosters, you control the climate system through a classic two-dial control that has clearly marked buttons. It doesn't get more straightforward than this. Higher trims have single-zone climate control, which is also easy to use and highly functional. But some competitors have dual-zone at this price.

The controls are clearly marked and logically grouped, and both the trip computer and infotainment system are straightforward to learn. There's not a lot going on in this car, but what's there is easy to find and simple to use.

The long driver's side door and relatively forward position of the seat can make getting in and out of the car tough in tight parking spaces. But if you have space to swing the door wide, it's a breeze to get in for such a low car. The short passenger-side doors can open wide even with limited space, making access much easier. Getting into the rear seat requires ducking under the sloping roof.

The driving position is appropriately low and sporty, making you feel nicely ensconced. There's also a good amount of steering wheel telescope, although the shifter is a bit far forward on the console. Taller drivers might feel like they have to sit a little farther forward than they'd prefer.

Room up front is generous, with plenty of knee and shoulder room. The back seat has more room than you might think, and adults of average size or smaller should fit fine. Kneeroom is good for how small the car is. But headroom is a limiting factor, and there's very little toe room under the seatbacks.

The roof pillars are relatively thick, but the Veloster still provides a clear view forward. Rear visibility is also good, but the massive rear pillars create large blind spots in the rear three-quarters view. The wide mirrors and a good camera help a lot.

There's a lot of hard plastic around the interior, but most touchpoints use nicer materials. A good variety of textures and colors liven up the cabin. The car feels solid and substantial, with tight panel construction and tolerances for the class.

The door pockets are a bit shallow, but they are wide and can hold water bottles. You also get anti-tip cupholders, a generous cubby in the center stack, and a sizable center armrest box. Rear passengers get cupholders and a small tray but no seatback pockets.

The trunk is surprisingly generous for the car's small footprint, with 19.9 cubic feet of volume. But a lot of that volume is height. The load floor is very low, which means there's a lot of liftover — heavy items will be more awkward to load and unload. The rear seats fold down but not fully flat.

LATCH anchors are clearly marked but are just tucked between cushions without any special access. Top tethers are on the trunk floor, so setting up a seat means getting in the trunk, which impinges on trunk space.

The Infinity-branded stereo system is very good for the class. There's decent clarity and plenty of bass response, with no distortion or harshness as the volume rises. Hyundai's navigation system is basic but clear and easy to use, but it's only available on the Turbo Ultimate trim.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and they work as you'd expect. A 12-volt plug, auxiliary jack, and both a USB data and a USB charging port are standard, and some trims come with a wireless charging pad. Hyundai also offers a connected app for remote functions.

The base car gets a handful of aids, including lane-keeping and collision warning. Midtrim Velosters come with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, but only the Turbo Ultimate gets adaptive cruise. Adaptive cruise can't take the car to a full stop, which is becoming a more common feature. We also had some issues with automatic emergency braking panicking and stopping more than a car length short of cars ahead, even when the driver attempted to intervene.

Voice controls are limited to a handful of functions, but they respond well. A guide is displayed on the infotainment screen, and it adjusts a bit to your commonly used commands. Thankfully for some commands you can skip superfluous steps and just say what you want.

The Turbo R-Spec adds performance features while keeping it simple. The Turbo adds safety and luxury features, while the Turbo Ultimate combines the best from both and adds even more luxury amenities. Headlining the lineup is the Veloster N with its upgraded engine and performance parts.

The 2.0 model is the only Veloster variant that rides on 17-inch wheels. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission as standard, but it can be optioned with a six-speed automatic. Since the 2.0 is the base car, all its features are standard on every other variant. These features include safety features such as a forward collision mitigation system, lane keeping assist and a rearview camera. The 7-inch infotainment system features standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, two USB ports and a six-speaker sound system.

Premium models add 18-inch wheels and come with the six-speed automatic transmission as standard. Also standard is additional safety equipment such as blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. In addition, standard luxury equipment includes a sunroof, automatic climate control, heated front seats, and a proximity entry system with push-button start. The infotainment system gets a boost as well thanks to an 8-inch display, Hyundai's Blue Link connected services, a standard wireless charging pad, and an eight-speaker Infinity audio system with satellite radio.

The Turbo R-Spec is our favorite of the line. It has the turbocharged engine, a standard six-speed manual transmission (the automatic isn't offered here), summer performance tires and a sport-tuned suspension. R-Spec equipment includes much of what you get with the 2.0 with bits of Premium intermixed throughout, such as the infotainment system, Blue Link connectivity, and the proximity entry system and push-button start. R-Spec specific items include LED headlights with high-beam assist, LED taillights and its own cloth seat design.

For the Veloster Turbo, Hyundai essentially takes the Premium and adds the turbocharged engine, the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and special interior trim. The Turbo Ultimate reverts back to a standard six-speed manual transmission, with the dual-clutch transmission as an option. It also comes with some luxury equipment, such as leather seating surfaces, a head-up display and a built-in navigation system. Also included is additional safety equipment encompassing a forward collision mitigation system that features pedestrian detection, automatic wipers, and adaptive cruise control for automatic transmission-equipped cars.

For the N, Hyundai drops in a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine good for 250 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. It also comes with a six-speed manual transmission, a reinforced body structure, N-specific suspension tuning with adaptive dampers, performance brakes, 18-inch wheels with stickier tires, a rear wing, special red accents and sport front seats. An optional Performance package for the N adds a limited-slip front differential, a variable exhaust, 19-inch wheels, even bigger brakes and an extra 25 hp.