Hyundai wants you to want this car, and they've got even more techie features they want to throw at you. For the first time ever, Hyundai will be offering an automated dual-clutch transmission known as EcoShift DCT. This 6-speed 'box is no different in the way it functions from Ford's Powershift or Volkswagen's DSG. The shifter can be left in “D” and the car will behave like a regular automatic thanks to a hill-hold feature.
You can move the lever to the right and continuously use the steering-wheel-mounted paddles for cog swapping. The main difference with the DSG is that the DCT is far slower to react and change gears. I suspect, much like with Ford, that the transmission is programmed principally for fuel economy and in good part, self-preservation.
Still on the subject of technology, Hyundai's little 1.6L mill is chock-full of wizardry to make it more efficient and powerful, which includes direct injection. At 138 hp, this engine has one of the higher outputs-per-cylinder, which tells you that Hyundai has done its homework.
Whether mated to the DCT or the basic 6-speed manual tranny, the Veloster will not reach high velocities in record time. What it will do is consume as little as 4.9L of fuel per 100 km on the highway. In the real world, expect averages to hover in the 6.5 to 7.5L range. It must be said that the 6M allows for more command over the car than the DCT which, as mentioned, is somewhat slow on the uptake even in full manual mode.
Don't be fooled by the car's cutesie demeanour. The Veloster is far more car than meets the eye. Built like a tank and very rigid thanks, in part, to the trick 3+1 door configuration (1 door on driver's side, two on the passenger's side, with dual-centre roof rails as opposed to one) with offset B-pillars, the Veloster has that all-important safe and solid feel. Some of this build quality was to translate into a quieter ride, however, I found the car to be noisy, or noisier, than other recent compact cars. You can't score in every period, right?
What the stiff shell does allow for is a taut and sporty suspension – and that it is. On the numerous switchback-laden mountainous roads we travelled, the Veloster was stable, firmly adhering to the pavement and very likely able to carry even more speed through the corners had I wanted it to. My concern lies with rough roads which are common-place in big cities – the Veloster may not feel as at home there.
 |
| For the first time ever, Hyundai will be offering an automated dual-clutch transmission known as EcoShift DCT. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre/Auto123.com) |
You can move the lever to the right and continuously use the steering-wheel-mounted paddles for cog swapping. The main difference with the DSG is that the DCT is far slower to react and change gears. I suspect, much like with Ford, that the transmission is programmed principally for fuel economy and in good part, self-preservation.
Still on the subject of technology, Hyundai's little 1.6L mill is chock-full of wizardry to make it more efficient and powerful, which includes direct injection. At 138 hp, this engine has one of the higher outputs-per-cylinder, which tells you that Hyundai has done its homework.
Whether mated to the DCT or the basic 6-speed manual tranny, the Veloster will not reach high velocities in record time. What it will do is consume as little as 4.9L of fuel per 100 km on the highway. In the real world, expect averages to hover in the 6.5 to 7.5L range. It must be said that the 6M allows for more command over the car than the DCT which, as mentioned, is somewhat slow on the uptake even in full manual mode.
Don't be fooled by the car's cutesie demeanour. The Veloster is far more car than meets the eye. Built like a tank and very rigid thanks, in part, to the trick 3+1 door configuration (1 door on driver's side, two on the passenger's side, with dual-centre roof rails as opposed to one) with offset B-pillars, the Veloster has that all-important safe and solid feel. Some of this build quality was to translate into a quieter ride, however, I found the car to be noisy, or noisier, than other recent compact cars. You can't score in every period, right?
What the stiff shell does allow for is a taut and sporty suspension – and that it is. On the numerous switchback-laden mountainous roads we travelled, the Veloster was stable, firmly adhering to the pavement and very likely able to carry even more speed through the corners had I wanted it to. My concern lies with rough roads which are common-place in big cities – the Veloster may not feel as at home there.
 |
| The Veloster was stable, firmly adhering to the pavement and very likely able to carry even more speed through the corners had I wanted it to. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre/Auto123.com) |