2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year Contender: Hyundai Veloster

[veloster]

The all-new 2012 Hyundai Veloster is quite a departure from what we expect from Hyundai. The three-door hatch’s styling is unlike anything we’ve ever seen from this manufacturer. And we were eager to find out if the Veloster’s performance could live up to its look.

The Veloster screams performance, but only moderately delivers. The engine is labored, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone, given that the Veloster only has a 138-hp, 1.6-liter I-4 under the hood. The only time you approach any kind of fun is if you’re near the limiter. On flat, smooth surfaces, the Veloster feels quite good, especially if there are some curves and turns. But on a choppy road, it dances more than it should, sending every bump and imperfection through each wheel — including the steering wheel. Said steering also leaves something to be desired.

The interior is exactly what we have come to expect from Hyundai, with comfortable, supportive seats and a content-laden layout that’s stylish and easy to use. There’s even a backup camera. With the Veloster, Hyundai has introduced a modern three-door vehicle with assymetrical driver and passenger doors. The different doors require different B-pillars for each respective side, which makes for a unique look. Hyundai has gotten very good at delivering bang for the buck, and the Veloster is a perfect example.

Do you think the 2012 Hyundai Veloster will be Car of the Year? Stay tuned as we preview every car that Motor Trend tested for its 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year competition in alphabetical order in advance of the official announcement on Nov. 16.

Read more: 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year Contender: Hyundai Veloster - WOT on Motor Trend

[V-speed]

given by their harsh intro, dont hold your breath.. lol

[smallfun]

Unless this year's been that slow, I think V hardly stands a chance. Then again, I'm not sure what car would. I think the Toyota Camry, Ford Focus and Mercedes C class coupe all have much better chances.

[powa]

Unless this year's been that slow, I think V hardly stands a chance. Then again, I'm not sure what car would. I think the Toyota Camry, Ford Focus and Mercedes C class coupe all have much better chances.

Mercedes won't win anything. Coming from a Mercedes, I can tell you that, they have the least value for the buck, least reliability, least performance, but most expensive price

[Newbie]

Veloster all the way !!

[Natedogg]

I don't know why in the world they would consider the Focus over the V. The Focus is awful.

[only1db]

^ looks???but its super pricey!


V all the way!

[Natedogg]

I'm not even liking the looks of the Focus any more. It looks like a...Ford. Just blah.

[cmullma]

I think the article in it's entirety is positive for the V. I was super excited by it when I read if AFTER I purchased my V. It helped me feel confident in my choice!

[loVester]

When I sat in a 2012 Focus it felt incredibly cramped to me, the dash/console felt tight in on the legs all the way around. It looked nice, looked good on paper, but wasn't very rewarding to sit in. Didn't drive it, didn't care enough to get to that point. I hope it doesn't win. Their review of the Sonic seems quite positive... but there are too many vehicles under consideration to sift through all the reviews. All I can think is, you can't write off the Veloster. It stands out enough that it will at least come to mind as a consideration, whereas something like the Elantra or Civic might get disregarded in a sea of similar competition. Still, I feel like any of the Veloster, Elantra, Accent could have at least an outside shot.

[Drifter]

Looks like the surprise winner was the VW Passat. Who woulda thunk?

[jkt1954]

Well, the 2012 Veloster did win eCityofStyle's auto style award for the 2011 model year. Of course these guys aren't in the auto business. See story here: 2012 Hyundai Veloster Honored for Its Style by eCityofStyle. Also, read this on Motor Trend and the responses they have recieved: 2012 Car of The Year: Volkswagen Passat - Motor Trend

[Drifter]

Oh, I read the responses...... each one. I owned one VW over the years, and it was a POS. A maintenance nightmare. It just amazed me when Motor Trend chose the Passat.... and they're supposed to be experts in the automotive world.