We love hot hatchbacks. For years we’ve been enamored by the likes of the Volkswagen GTI, Ford Focus RS and Honda Civic Type R. Not only are they incredibly fun to drive, but they are entirely practical. So a few years ago when Hyundai announced a HOT version of the already attractive Veloster, we started paying attention. After a week behind the wheel of the revamped 2021 Hyundai Veloster N, we are smitten.
Powered by an absolutely high-strung turbocharged 2-liter four-cylinder engine, the Veloster N pumps out 275 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. That’s a fantastic amount of power, especially when it is sent to exclusively to the front wheels. A six-speed manual transmission with rev matching is standard, as it should be, and a very good 8-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission is available.
Choosing which transmission is actually a harder decision that we expected. Everything you’ll read on this website or see on our social media channels would point in the three-pedal direction, except the two-pedal version is faster. The automatic also makes the car a bit friendlier in bumper to bumper traffic, the grocery store parking lot and the Starbucks drive through.
While we are on the topic of friendly, our weeklong review revealed the Veloster N to be a very useable daily driver. The hatchback’s 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space, which expands to 44.5 cubic feet when the rear seating is folded, is almost too good to believe. That equates to much more cargo space than the Hyundai Venue SUV. Those numbers are just about equal to the space found in the cargo hold of the 2021 Hyundai Kona.
Fuel economy is commendable for a hot hatchback. When equipped with the manual transmission the Veloster N is rated at 22/28/25 mpg city/highway/combined. Substitute the dual-clutch transmission and the Veloster N is rated at 20/27/22, which means that the stick shift is the better performer even if it takes a tiny bit longer to get to sixty miles per hour. Our fuel economy tests where right in line with the EPA ratings, if not a little better.
Hyundai has arguably made their best sports to date, but they’ve been offering a benchmark warranty for a while.
It is worth noting that the Veloster N comes with the same incredibly long warranty periods as its Hyundai brothers and sisters. That means a 5 years/60,000 miles “New Vehicle” and a 10 years/100,000 miles “Powertrain” limited warranty. Even the most cynical consumer should feel comforted with that kind of coverage. Additionally, the Veloster includes a 7 years/unlimited miles anti-perforation (rust and corrosion) and an incredible 5 years/unlimited miles 24/7 worth of roadside assistance. We might be getting accustomed to long warranty periods on passenger cars, but that kind of coverage on a hot hatchback built for performance is nothing to take for granted.
Fun but Safe
For 2021, the Veloster N comes with a long list of standard active safety equipment. We are fans of the forward collision-avoidance assist, lane following assist, blind-spot monitors and rear cross-traffic collision warning. But the constant, often nagging, lane keep assist and driver attention warning seemed unnecessary on the local roads in our area where the safest non-pothole line is just off the prescribed path. We also have areas where the lines are painted and then painted again a foot to the right or left (they try to make the old line disappear, but they aren’t fooling anyone, not even the Hyundai robots). There were a couple of times we yelled at the car and asked why it felt the need to pick on us.
While the Veloster N is quite practical, even earning the “family friendly” tag on Firstcoastcarculture.com, inspired spirited driving is what tips the like/love scale to the latter for us. The engine and transmission combo, either the rev-matching manual or the new for 2021 wet dual-clutch, is a testament to Hyundai engineering. Sure, the 20-seconds of 278 lb-ft of overboost is enough to evoke unruly torque steer, but that only adds to the character of the car.
NOTE: We are fans of quirky vintage sports cars. The kind of cars that require a quick crash course before speeding away behind the wheel. Even with technology in spades, the Veloster N somehow captures the essence of those wonderfully unruly vintage sports cars. A spirited drive leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment. The pops, gurgles and rumble from the exhaust adding a lovely sound track that just might keep you from ever turning on the radio.
Don’t let the quirky three passenger door configuration fool you, the Veloster N is built for grownups, albeit fun ones who like to giggle on occasion. The sport seats are comfortable and supportive, the infotainment system sounds fantastic and is easy to operate. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a long list of tech features are standard. The electronically controlled suspension provides a nice range of drive settings from somewhat comfortable to wonderfully aggressive.
Pricing
Pricing for the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N starts at $32,250 plus freight charges, tax, title, and license fees. The 8-speed dual clutch automatic adds $1,500.
The N is essentially the top trim of the 2021 Hyundai Veloster, which starts at $18,900 plus fees. Which begs the question, is it worth paying almost twice as much for the Veloster N as the base 147-horsepower model Veloster 2.0?
In a word, YES.
