Launched in 2012 as Hyundai’s->ke201 first compact with a turbocharged engine, the Veloster->ke2534 Turbo has just received its mid-life facelift for the 2016 model year. The 2016 Veloster Turbo debuted in its home market in South Korea and it is just as I imagined it would be; with minor improvements inside and out and the exact same engine under the hood. If you were expecting the facelifted model to be a more potent competitor to the Volkswagen Golf GTI, it's about time you put on your disappointed face, as the 1.6-liter four-pot cranks out the same 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque.

Fortunately, there is a bit of important news in the drivetrain department, in the form of a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. The unit that debuted on the i30 in 2014 replaces the previous six-speed automatic to provide quicker shifts coupled with slightly better performance and fuel economy numbers. Visual enhancements are rather subdued compared with the previous model, which could mean Hyundai chose to focus on the next-generation Veloster rather than invest significantly into the current hatchback->ke304. But until the next Veloster goes out testing, let's have a look at the car that's supposed to keep this nameplate fresh for another three to four years.

Updated 02/13/2015: Hyundai unveiled the revised Veloster Turbo at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show. The model comes with lots of updates, a series of new features and a new special edition. Click past the jump to learn more about it.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Facelift.

hyundai-veloster-turbo

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: hyundai-veloster-turbo
Pros
Cons

2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 201 @ 6000
  • Torque: 195 @ 1750
  • Transmission: six-speed manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Updated History

Updated 01/19/2015: Hyundai Korea unveiled the first official details on the facelifted Veloster Turbo, meaning of course that an official North American debut should be near. As expected, the facelifted version received minor exterior updates, with the biggest surprise being a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. Full details after the jump.

Spy Shots

May 14, 2014 - First testing session at Nurburgring

May 11, 2014 - First Testing Session

Exterior

Visual updates are rather mild and I must confess I'm a bit disappointed Hyundai didn't focus more on the car's exterior. That's not to say the Veloster looks dated, but I never imagined Hyundai would update its cars the BMW->ke178 way. Well, the Korean did just that with the Veloster Turbo, leaving 99 percent of the exterior details untouched. There's not even a new crease in the bumper area or a reshaped front grille. Sure, the latter gained a silver trim which provides the hatch with somewhat of a premium appearance, but that's far from what I hoped we would get with this facelift.

Moving on, the Veloster Turbo also received updated headlamp and taillight graphics, new fog lamps, and new alloy wheel designs. And that's it! Everything else is a carryover from the 2014 model. I don't mean to ramble, but I'd rather have the pre-facelift Veloster Turbo and its body-colored front grille. It's rugged and sportier that way, although many will enjoy the upscale illusion that comes with a chrome grille surround.

Exterior Dimensions

Wheelbase

104.3 Inches

Overall length

167.3 Inches

Overall width

71.1 Inches

Overall height

55.1 Inches

Tread width 18-inch

60.9 / 61.4 Inches

Overhang

33.5/29.5

Minimum Ground Clearance

5.9

Coefficient of Drag

0.33


Interior

Interior updates are a bit more enticing, consisting of a slightly revised center stack button configuration with new graphics, a lightly reworked steering wheel, an updated instrument cluster, and a Beats audio system. Customers will also benefit from newly designed sports seats available with three different accent colors: blue, gray, and a burnt orange-like hue.

Rounding off the facelift in this department is an engine-sound equalizer that allows the driver to choose from one of six available engine soundtracks. I'll have mine with a HEMI V-8 please.

Drivetrain

The Veloster Turbo's force-fed, 1.6-liter, four-cylinder mill carries over unchanged, meaning it cranks out the same 201 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 195 pound-feet of twist delivered from 1,750 rpm. As with the previous model, Europeans will get it with only 184 ponies as the Kia Pro_Cee'd GT already makes use of the 201-horsepower unit on the Old Continent.

While the engine sees no improvements, Hyundai offers a brand-new transmission with the facelifted Veloster Turbo. The unit in question is the seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic that debuted on the i30 Turbo in 2014. It replaces the previous six-speed autobox, while the six-speed manual carries over.

There's no word on performance figures as of January 2015, but it's safe to assume the hatchback needs the same 6.8 seconds to charge from naught to 60 mph. That's a half-second slower than the Golf GTI and nearly a full second slower than the Focus ST. Fuel economy numbers should remain unchanged as well for the manual, while the automatic models should see a slight improvement in both benchmarks. The Veloster Turbo manual returns 27 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

Drivetrain Specifications

Type

Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Gamma DOHC D-CVVT (Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing) GDI (Gasoline Direct Engine)

Materials

Aluminum block and head

Displacement

1.6L / 1,591 cc

Horsepower (est.)

201 HP @ 6,000 RPM

Torque (est.)

195 LB-FT @ 1,750 - 4,500 RPM

Valves per cylinder

4

Bore & stroke

77.0 X 85.4 (mm)

Compression Ratio

9.5:1

Fuel economy

6-speed M/T: 25 mpg/33 mpg/28 mpg
7-speed DCT: 27 mpg/33 mpg/29 mpg


Prices

Since the facelifted Veloster Turbo has only been introduced in South Korea as of January 2015, there's no info as to how much it would cost once it arrive on these shores. In its home market, the hot hatch starts from 27.3 million Korean Won, which converts to nearly $22,000 as of 01/20/2015. The current U.S. sticker for the Veloster Turbo sits at $22,600 for the manual and $23,600 for the automatic and I expect the hatch to fetch roughly the same amounts in facelifted guise.

Competitors

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Powered by a slightly larger, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder unit, the 2015 Golf GTI comes with 210 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That's a 10-horsepower and 51-pound-feet of torque improvement over the 2014 model, which had exactly one horsepower less than the Veloster Turbo. When connected to the available DSG transmission, the engine enables the hot hatch to hit 60 mph from a standing start in 6.3 seconds and top out at 155 mph.

Design-wise, the 2015 GTI retains most of its looks and the fact that it's 2.2 inches longer and 0.5 inches wider than the model it replaces is barely noticeable. Likewise, cabin modifications aren't very significant, although a new touchscreen radio and ambient lighting with LED have been added.

The hatchback->ke304 is available in three different trim levels, with pricing starting from $24,395. The range-topping GTI Autobahn model fetches at least $29,595. The 2015 GTI can return up to 34 mpg on the highway.

Ford Focus ST

The Focus ST is the most powerful of the three, having no less than 252 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque squeezed out of the 2.0-liter, inline-four engine. The oomph goes to the wheels via six-speed manual and propels the vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in only 5.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 154 mph.

Launched for the 2014 model year, the current Focus ST received an attractive body kit that includes redesigned bumpers, bigger wheels, a rear spoiler and a host of unique colors and features. Each vehicle is equipped with standard Recaro cloth seats which can be upgraded to half- or full-leather along with plenty of convenience features, including MyFord Touch, Sync, and a 10-speaker stereo.

Priced from $24,115, the 2014 Focus ST can fetch nearly $30,000 when selected with the ST3 package. Fuel economy stands at 23 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

Conclusion

Granted, the highlight of the facelifted Veloster Turbo is the seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic. If you were hoping the upgrade would make this Korean hot hatch quicker than the Golf GTI, you must feel rather disappointed, but you have to give Hyundai credit for trying to keep up with the big boys of the segment. Unfortunately, the Veloster Turbo remains a rather expensive choice compared to the Golf, with the automatic version likely to save you only about a grand. A no-brainer, if you ask me.