While some car companies have completely eliminated traditional passenger rides from their lineups in our market, Hyundai remains partially committed to them, with models such as the Elantra, Sonata, and the electric Ioniq 6 available in the New World.
However, their lineup is less vast than it was a few years ago, and one particular model left a void that hasn't been filled and probably never will. It is the quirky Veloster, which left the Korean company's U.S. lineup a couple of years ago in the regular flavors, with the hotter Veloster N joining it shortly after.
The hot hatch packed a 2.0L four-banger, making 275 hp (279 ps/205 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 260 pound-foot (353 Nm) of torque at just 1,450 rpm. It came with a standard manual transmission with six forward gears, and customers had to pay extra for the eight-speed auto.
All versions featured front-wheel drive, 19-inch alloys, an electronic limited-slip differential, electronically-controlled suspension, and a few sporty features inside and out. Other highlights comprised the 8-inch infotainment system, a 4.2-inch color TFT display, satellite radio, a premium audio system from Infinity, Bluetooth, air-con, a reversing camera, alloy pedals, and leather wrapped around the gear shifter and steering wheel.
Photo: Screenshot Youtube | Theottle
Pricing for the Veloster N used to start at $32,250, excluding destination and dealer charges, and it had a 3-year/36,000-mile (57,936 km) complimentary maintenance, thus following in the footsteps of other cars Hyundai sold in the United States. That kind of money could get you a Kona Electric, a Tucson Hybrid, a Santa Fe, an Elantra N, or a Sonata Hybrid in the company's current lineup.
Shortly after Hyundai arranged a visit between the Veloster N and the Grim Reaper, the automaker was spotted testing a plug-in hybrid prototype of the car. However, we haven't heard anything about it since then, as the project was scrapped altogether, and it seems the car manufacturer is not interested in giving the Veloster another shot.
Nevertheless, while Hyundai couldn't care less about a third-generation Veloster, the rendering world has just created one. Theottle recently took to YouTube to rearrange the pixels of the 2013 Audi Sport Quattro Concept, turning it into a veritable 2025 Hyundai Veloster.
The virtual model borrowed some design cues from existing Hyundai models. It has familiar front and rear ends, sharp lines on the sides, and retains the shape of the four-ring brand's show car unveiled more than a decade ago. A real 2025 Veloster would have two doors on the right-hand side, yet from what we can tell, the pixel manipulator forgot about this aspect.
Now, do you think Hyundai should revive the Veloster and launch it in our market again? Would you buy one if they did? Drop a line in the comments area below and let us know what you think.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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