Hyundai’s performance heritage is fairly young. Although it built sporty cars like the Scoupe, Tiburon, Genesis Coupe, and Elantra Sport, things got serious with the second-generation Veloster. Alongside the European market i30, the Veloster helped launch Hyundai’s N sub-brand. Headed by engineers poached from BMW, Volkswagen Group, and more, this division showed that Hyundai was serious about performance. Enter the Hyundai Veloster N, North America’s first N car. This vehicle was all about fun and making you laugh out loud every time you drove it. Engineered by a team led by Albert Biermann, the father of the BMW M3, this car changed the hot hatch landscape.
Hyundai Veloster N: Corner Rascal to the Core
Hyundai N engineers ensured the Veloster N did it all. This car handled track duty with ease because it was overbuilt in every single aspect. That resulted in one of the best front-drive hot hatches, constantly compared with the Honda Civic Type R. However, the Veloster N made sure you had a good time, whereas the Civic Type R felt too precise, becoming clinical and boring. The electronically controlled suspension allowed you to carve corners, all while eliminating body roll. Meanwhile, its steering offered great weight, quickness, and accuracy, allowing you to stay connected with the car.
The Veloster N also came with so many tricks that upped the fun factor exponentially. Originally part of the Performance package before becoming standard, the limited-slip differential helped put the power down effectively, giving you that feeling like you’re effortlessly slicing through twisty roads. More importantly, it allowed you to get on the accelerator earlier, so you can power out of corners with authority. Together with 19-inch alloy wheels and Pirelli P Zero tires designed specifically for the Veloster N, you had incredible grip. The car also allowed for lift-off oversteer, meaning you can get its tail out and have even more fun.
However, all of this engagement and athleticism came at the cost of comfort because the Veloster N rides quite firmly. Even with the suspension set to Normal mode, you’ll feel every bump. Dial it up to Sport or Sport+, and impacts become quite nasty, especially big expansion joints. It also causes the car to pogo and bounce you around, even on smooth pavement, so keep the suspension in Normal mode if you don’t want your organs turned inside out.
Turbocharged Power and Drama
Turbocharged power complemented the Veloster N’s track-ready chassis. The 2.0-liter turbo-four had 250 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque in the standard model. Models with the Performance package, which became standard later for 2021, were rated at 275 hp. Despite some turbo lag, this engine gave the car effortless acceleration and prodigious mid-range torque. It came with a nice soundtrack, too, complete with incredible pops and burbles that now define Hyundai N’s identity.
As for transmission options, the Veloster N initially came only with a six-speed manual. This gearbox had satisfyingly short throws and was easy to operate even in traffic. While not at the same level of refinement as the Civic Type R, this gearbox had a nice level of notchiness and weighting. On the other hand, the clutch had a high engagement point near the end of its travel. As a result, it took some time to get used to it and operate it smoothly. It also included automatic rev-matched downshifts, adding to its ease of use. And in case you didn’t want to use it, a button on the steering wheel turned it off. Hyundai added an eight-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission option in 2021, another excellent option. It featured lightning-quick shifts and felt just as direct as the manual when using the paddle shifters.
When it came time to stop, massive high-performance brakes ensured you had all the braking you needed. The Performance package, which became standard for 2021, also added oversized discs for even more stopping power on the track. Quite frankly, the car had overkill brakes that required extremely hard driving to even get it to fade, which isn’t a bad thing. Furthermore, it had a firm pedal that managed not to feel wooden or overly stiff, adding to its driver-centric character.
Sporty Inside and Out
Keeping the Veloster’s design quirky and asymmetrical elevated its rebellious personality. Putting the N badge added more aggression thanks to details like a large rear spoiler, triangular-shaped center stop light, red accents, and black side skirts and lower front lip. Meanwhile, the lowered suspension gives it a menacing stance. Out back, the active exhaust with massive dual outlets adds to its sporty feel, especially with its loud, raspy sound complete with epic pops and burbles.
Stepping inside, you found more sporty details. These include Performance Blue seatbelts and interior accents, nicely bolstered front sport seats, and an N-specific shifter. Like the rest of the Veloster lineup, the N’s fit and finish felt appropriate for a mainstream hot hatch. That means lots of hard plastic that thankfully felt sturdy. However, it got noisy at higher speeds due to excessive amounts of wind, road, and tire noise.
In terms of tech, the Veloster N only came with the basics. That means an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Despite that, the interface worked well and didn’t have a learning curve. On the other hand, the eight-speaker Infinity premium audio system sounded good and immersed the cabin nicely. In terms of driver assistance tech, you didn’t get any for 2019 and 2020. The 2021 and 2022 models had the Smart Sense suite, which works well and doesn’t get intrusive in the other Hyundai vehicles. However, the second-generation Veloster never got adaptive cruise control during its production run.
Hyundai Veloster N: The Harbinger of Good Things
Among Hyundai’s performance cars, the Veloster N was the one that put the brand on the map. It changed the brand’s image for the better and made it synonymous with punching above its weight at an incredible price point. From the way it drove to the generous standard features you got, this hot hatch gave you everything and then some. Finally, someone prioritized fun on their hot hatch over lap times, and that someone was Hyundai with the Veloster N.
