Base Turbo, or style/tech NA?

Ok, so, here's the thing. I LOVE the turbo. I had a 95 eclipse GST with a 16b turbo back in the day. Traded it in for an 06 Scion tC (which I still have), and I've missed the feel of a turbo since day 1. However, I've also come to love having a sunroof in the car, and having in-dash navigation would free up my phone when I drive (google navigation). The NA Veloster isn't as bad as I thought it would be as far as power goes, but it's not as good as I'd hoped for. Specifically, I feel a major lag when I shift at high RPMs in 1-3rd gear. That sucks. Do not like.

That being said, it's only 22 less HP than my scion has, so it's not a total dog. Here's my question....are there basic mods that I can do from the start (cold air, etc) that will help it not choke so much in 1-3rd, and give me enough of a small performance boost to not notice the loss in HP from my current car? It would be a little bit less than getting the base turbo, which isn't too bad of a price.

Or, should I just say "screw it" and get the turbo and enjoy the body kit, heated leather seats, and headlights? Would that overcome the lack of sunroof, in-dash nav, and backup camera?