2019 Hyundai Veloster

The 2019 Hyundai Veloster comes in 5 different trims: 2.0, 2.0 Premium, Turbo R-Spec, Turbo, and Turbo Ultimate. The base price starts from $18,500 and can reach a worth of $28,150 for the top-end trim. One can sail through a couple of engine options, the maker offers a 2L inline-4 and a 1.6L turbocharged inline-4 engine.

There are several features packed in the 2019 Hyundai Veloster base trim, however as one progresses towards the higher trims, the number increases or the existing set of features upgrades. Here are some of the highlight-worthy features: 1.6 L Turbo in-4 with 7-speed DCT, Drive Mode Select, Sports Tuned Suspension, LED DRLs with Auto Projector Lights, 18˝ Michelin summer performance tires, 4.2˝ color LCD multi-information instrument cluster, advanced safety features, premium sound system by Infinity, and many more.

Which Trim should you buy?

If you spare some time and happen to take a look to peek at the features the trims offer, it's worth it for you to prefer the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Ultimate, as it comes packed with a better engine, better comfort features, better upholsteries and lastly, there is a hefty amount of optional features which you can avail. What makes the Turbo Ultimate a preference is the presence of the best-in-class safety features. At the end of the day, safety counts.

2019 Hyundai Veloster comes equipped with a 2L Atkinson Cycle 4-cylinder engine in the base trims. Though it churns out comparably less power, it offers good fuel economy and keeps the emissions in check. The 2L engine returns 25/33/25 in city/highway/combined driving cycles, respectively. Opting for the Turbo variant improves the fuel economy and it returns 29MPG combined. The hatchback sports a standard 13.2-gallon fuel tank which is the largest in the segment and helps to manage 243/435/382 miles in the city, on the highway, and when combining the driving dynamics of both.

The 2019 Civic Sport offers the best in class mileage with an exemplary driving range despite being admirable in performance. Equate its combined efficiency of 33 MPG with its adequately sized tank of 12.4 gallons and you get the best-in-class combined range of 409 miles. As mentioned above in the performance section, the Corolla trails at the bottom in terms of performance. But, that’s not the tale’s end, due to the feeble engine performance, the efficiency section shines. It averages 31 MPG and covers a class-leading range similar to Honda. While fuel efficiency is appreciable, the Ford Fiesta does lose out when compared directly to the competitors. 

The 2019 Veloster also comes with a newly curated interior. The sporty Veloster houses a cabin that is sumptuous, spacious, and comfortable. The cabin can accommodate 4 people with adequate head, legroom. Moreover, 5 people can sit, but it can lead to an unpleasant experience. The seats are wrapped with premium quality cloth for the base trim, but in the higher variants, leather upholstery is a standard inclusion. The seats are well padded, comfortable, wide, and rigid. Compared to the previous models, the driver’s seat of the 2019 MY is placed slightly upright, which offers the driver a commanding view of the road ahead. The driver seats are power-adjustable and the front seats also come with a heating function.

The 2019 Hyundai Veloster interiors have a zing to them. The dashboard is mainly built with good quality plastics which feels premium and tough. It houses the leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic steering wheel with cruise control settings and other essential control buttons, a gear shifter, AC, and climate control. One of the attributes where the hatchback shines is the available trunk space of 19.9 cubic feet. It takes care of belongings, luggage, and other essential items with ease. The rear seats come with a 60/40 split potential and can be folded to get a massive 44.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Veloster is the only hatchback with a 4 seater space, while others come as 5 seaters. In terms of passenger space and trunk capacity, the Honda Civic is the clear winner, followed by the Veloster. While both the 2019 Ford Fiesta ST and 2019 Toyota Corolla XSE have ample space up front, the rear seats feel cramped and three occupants in the rear seat might not be the best. The most practical hatchback, the Civic, also leads in terms of cargo capacity having a trunk volume of 22.6 cubic feet. On the other hand, Ford and Toyota have smaller capacity managing 10.1 and 17.8 cubic feet, respectively.

Standout interior features:

• Heated front seats
• Genuine leather upholstery
• Perforated Leather, Tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel.
• Automatic temperature control with auto-defogging.
• Power adjusted driver seat
• Heads-up Display.
• 60/40 split fold-flat rear seats.

What’s there to keep you entertained?

A 7” TFT display with 6 speakers comes standard, however, you can avail yourself of the better 8” high-resolution touch LCD placed like a docked tablet, which supports AM/FM/Radio and comes with 8-speakers. The IU supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth Handsfree with voice commands, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Blue Link Connected Car System.

An Additional premium sound system with a sound woofer by Infinity is available which can enhance music hearing experiences. In case you run out of power, the IU offers a couple of USB ports that support charging along with a wireless charging pad and a 12V power outlet.

Standout infotainment features:

• 8˝ touchscreen navigation/audio system
• Bluetooth hands-free phone system with voice commands
• Android Auto and Apple Carplay
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• Blue Link Connected Car System
• 6-Speakers Premium Music System with subwoofers by Infinity
• Dual port USB charging
• Wireless Charging Pad

Hyundai skipped the 2018 model to redesign the Veloster hatchback. Compared to the previous model, the new one looks sporty and smart. The new exterior design makes it one of the most desirable hatches in the competition. The 2019 Veloster comes equipped with LED DRLs with Auto Protector Headlights, assisted by sleek-looking LED taillights. The newly fitted turbo front grille which sits between the headlights enhances the sporty nature of the car, followed by the rear spoiler which works as subtle elements for enhancing the car’s appeal.

Apart from these, the car comes fitted with Dual center exhaust outlets which suit the car’s personality and the black two-tone roof adds the final spice. A wide variety of alloy wheels can assist the wheel arcs- a 17” alloy wheel comes standard, but additionally, you can avail yourself of the 18” sporty alloy wheels which will complete your car’s appeal.

The 2019 Hyundai Veloster dimensions and proportions lie midway in the segment. While it is one of the heavier cars available in the market at 2,921 lbs, it is shorter than most of its rivals and sports a wheelbase of 166.9 inches. It is, however, the widest in the segment measuring 70.9 inches. Its total height and ground clearance of 55.1 and 5.6 inches, respectively, make it an apt fit in the segment. 

Starting with the curb weight first, the Corolla XSE is the heftiest while, the Fiesta being on the lighter side weighing 3,060 and 2,720 lbs respectively. In terms of length, the 2019 Civic leads measuring 177.9 inches and also sports the longest wheelbase of 106.3 inches. It also has the best ground clearance of 6.4 inches. While both Ford and Toyota are taller than their competitors, they have smaller wheelbases in comparison.

Standout exterior features:

• Sporty 18˝ Alloy Wheels
• LED DRLs with Automatic projector headlights
• Turbo front grille and rear spoiler
• Power tilt-and-slide wide sunroof
• Black two-tone roof
• Rear spoiler with LED brake light
• 18˝ Michelin summer performance tires

The 2019 Veloster comes blessed with most of the latest safety features available in the market. All four wheels come fitted with ABS, EBD, and Brake Assist which comes in handy. Certain active safety features like a forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and driver attention warning are now offered as standard and merit crash avoidance for overall safety. While it has not been rated by the NHTSA, the hatchback receives top-notch ratings in all aspects by IIHS except its headlights that range from “Acceptable” to “Poor” depending on the trim one opts for. 

Standout safety features of the 2019 Hyundai Veloster:

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA)
• FCA with Pedestrian Detection
• Blind-Spot Collision Warning
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning
• Smart Cruise Control
• High Beam Assist

2019 Hyundai Veloster vs 2019 Ford Fiesta ST Hatchback

There are reasons why Hyundai wins here. It comes equipped with a 1.6L Turbo in-4 engine which offers class-leading mileage, where the Ford trails. It has good performance figures, a bigger trunk, more fuel capacity and comes with an exceptional braking ability. However, the 2019 Ford Fiesta hatchback is a smaller car that is easier to handle in the city, packs some of the latest features, and has a wide range of options and packages, where the latter lags.

2019 Hyundai Veloster vs 2019 Honda Civic Sport

This comparison should be interesting as both of the makers offer a well-appreciated value-for-money vehicle. However, taking a peek at the comparison and specs, it's certain that the 2019 Honda Civic hatchback is well ahead of the latter in terms of mileage, range, interior space, and presence of a wide number of standard features and optional packages. But in terms of practicality, the Hyundai remains ahead. Both of them are distinct in their manners, and a matter of one’s taste/ preference.

2019 Hyundai Veloster vs 2019 Toyota Corolla XSE Hatchback

It’s a clear win for the Veloster as its engine performs miles better than the latter. It also offers a spacious and well-curated interior, big trunk space, and sporty looks. There are bright sides to the 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback too, as it offers a better set of standard features and optional packages compared to Hyundai. With a similar-sized fuel tank, it offers better efficiency figures and an impressive range. 

With the newly designed fascia and newly fitted cabin, the 2019 Veloster steps into the hatchback market with most of its flaws fixed or improved. The car offers a couple of engines with one being efficient and the other inclined towards performance. Moreover, the efficient engine keeps up the good figures and a respectable range. Being priced below $19,000, the car should be a good find as it packs a practical set of features and comes with some crucial safety features and driver-assistance aids. Happen to buy the upper trims, well it’s an impressive choice as the 2019 Hyundai Veloster packs best in class features which should impress you and justify itself.