A compact three-door car, the Hyundai Veloster first entered the market in 2011 as the first offering of the South Korean car manufacturer’s sub-brand Premium Youth Lab sub which targets younger drivers. When it was unveiled, the Veloster took the spot left by the Hyundai Tiburon when it was developed into the Genesis Coupe. The car primarily sets itself apart from not just its competitors but other vehicles in other classes as well thanks to its asymmetrical door configuration featuring two doors on the passenger side and a large one on the driver’s side. The Veloster traces its roots to the HND-3 concept car that was first introduced in 2007 at the Seoul Motor Show.

Pros

With the Hyundai Veloster’s unique design, the company tackles two segments at the same time, offering the practicality of a hatchback while mesmerizing with the sharp-suited appeal of a coupe. There are other unique models in the market today but most will feel conventional compared to the Veloster. Because it is striking, the Veloster does good work of attracting the attention of younger drivers looking for a reliable vehicle with a lot of spunk. It also doesn’t hurt that it is priced under £20,000 which falls neatly within the typical budget that younger crowds would have.

The Veloster comes with two engine options to cover more bases and address varied needs more thoroughly. First, there’s a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre GDI engine and the second one, a turbocharged version of the same unit. Standard power is pegged at 138bhp but this jumps to 184bhp with the turbocharged GDI engine. From 0 to 62mph, the naturally aspirated option clocks in at 9.7 seconds while the turbocharged unit registers 8.4 seconds.

Most of the flaws of the Veloster are only experienced when the car is at its limits. As such, you might not have to worry about anything if you’re just looking for a car for city driving and the occasional trips requiring motorway access. If your primary concern is the daily commute, then the Veloster should definitely be a consideration.

Cons

There’s no arguing that the overall design for the Hyundai Veloster is unique. However, there might have been too much styling involved to the point that it could be considered as clutter. According to Hyundai, this is what an evolved fluidic sculpture design language looks like. To some people, there might just be too much going on.

And because it is strangely designed outside, this affects as well how the Veloster is designed inside. For starters, a heavily tapered tail gives the rear door a bizarre shape so a fourth passenger will have to resort to crouching and stooping to gain access. The radically slanted rear screen will also be a problem for taller occupants because of the awkward head positions it promotes.

With a 1.6-litre engine, there’s not much to expect out of a standard Veloster though it is capable of modest performance. You’d have to go through a number of revs first before it can kick things up a notch. It’s not a fast vehicle but ride and handling are decent enough. It’s not competing with leaders in comfort any time soon but the Veloster can adapt to various road conditions with little fuss.