2016 Hyundai Veloster: First Look
Competes with: Mini Hardtop, Subaru WRX, Volkswagen GTI
Looks like: Minor exterior tweaks make it hard to differentiate the 2016 model from the 2015.
Drivetrain: 1.6-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine paired with six-speed manual (138 hp) or six-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmissions (132 hp); 201-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder, six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission; front-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: May 2015
All versions of Hyundai’s sporty hatchback get minor updates for 2016, and a new Rally Edition also joins the lineup this year. The Rally Edition was unveiled at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show.
More 2015 Chicago Auto Show Coverage
The 2016 Veloster wears a revised hood, new wheels and a tweaked grille; newly available on Turbo models is a performance-oriented dual-clutch seven-speed automated manual transmission.
Exterior
Minor exterior styling tweaks on regular Veloster models include a new 17-inch wheel design, a revised hood appearance without vent accents and a dark gray grille surround. Turbo models get new 18-inch machined-finish alloy wheels. The new Rally Edition trim gets fake carbon-fiber body accents, specific badges and Matte Blue Paint; it rides on 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with performance all-season tires.
Interior
Regular models also see minor changes inside: available black bolster seats with yellow inserts and enhanced functionality from the 7-inch touch-screen system, including HD radio capability, Siri Eyes Free app integration and the next generation of Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics system. For Turbo models, the updates are also minor and include available orange-accented seat bolsters and interior trim, and a sportier looking electroluminescent gauge cluster; red seat belts and interior trim are new inside the R-Spec model. The Rally Edition uses a B&M Racing sport shifter and wears Rally Edition floormats and badging along with black leather with blue-accented sport seats.
Under the Hood
The Veloster’s powertrains carry over for 2016. Regular models still use the 1.6-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine; it makes 138 horsepower with the six-speed manual transmission and 132 hp with the six-speed dual-clutch automatic.
The Veloster Turbo is again powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 201 hp and 195 pounds-feet of torque. New for this engine is an optional seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission with paddle shifters; the six-speed manual transmission is again standard. Spec-R models again use the turbocharged 1.6-liter with the six-speed manual and short-throw shifter.
The new Rally Edition builds off of the already-sporty R-Spec model in terms of powertrain; Hyundai says it has sportier spring, damper and stabilizer bar tuning compared with that model.
Manufacturer images
