Hyundai is trying to make a real impact on the hot hatch with the 2012 Veloster Turbo. The car faces stiff competition from cars like the VW GTI and Mazdaspeed3. In the newest Ignition video, Motor Trend’s Carlos Lago takes the new Veloster Turbo to the track and streets to see how it compares to the segment’s leaders.
On paper, the 2905-pound Veloster Turbo impresses with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder pumping out 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, a six-speed manual, and 18-inch wheels; for a starting price of $22,725. Thanks to its open front differential, the Veloster Turbo launches hard enough to turn on the windshield wipers. Despite its power-to-weight ratio, the Veloster Turbo trails other hot hatches running 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds and finishing the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds at 93.4 mph. That open differential negatively affects handling as well; the Veloster Turbo only musters 0.83 g on the skidpad.
Lago then takes to the streets to see how the three-door Veloster Turbo fares in the real world. To find out what he thinks about Hyundai’s first serious hot hatch effort, check out the video below.
