[skywaffle]

​

I have to say I am somewhat surprised by Jeremy's response. Outside of the quirky three door design, I think the styling is excellent and one of the most forward thinking cars Hyundai has made. The non turbo may be a little underpowered for a sporty looking car these days, but I don't think Hyundai was ever intending owners to drag race.

James May claims that he knows when he is driving a car with character and panache because a fizzing sensation engulfs the root of his penis.

Unfortunately, because my groin is unmoved by inanimate objects, I have to rely on other means to determine whether a car has flair and zing and all the little things that somehow elevate it from something you need to something you want.

I don't know what these ‘means' are. I have not the vaguest clue how I know the Fiat Panda has character and the Toyota Avensis does not. There is not one single tangible reason why I love the Ferrari 458 Italia but only respect the McLaren MP4-12C. Both cars do the same thing and make the same noise, but one makes your heart sing and the other doesn't.

It's even more peculiar with the Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Freelander. Both come from the same people and are designed to do the same job, but one is a tool that will not stir James's tool into action. And one is a tool that will.

We see this not just with cars, but with other machines as well. Why, for instance, do I find the Boeing 777 boring, but get all bouncy when I note that I'm boarding a 747? They are both the same. But they are not. It's a similar story with telephones. Blackberrys cause me to fall into a deep sleep. iPhones don't. The list goes on. People will make a pointless journey in a train if it's being pulled by a steam locomotive. I will buy anything made by Bang & Olufsen. And even though it's crap, I love the AK-47 so much that I'd rather fight for the Russian army than ours. Just so I could have one.

Check out the article here Clarkson on the Hyundai Veloster - BBC Top Gear

Anyone else feel his points are valid?

 

[cereal killer]

It's HIS opinion. I don't agree with some of it (styling and appeal) and when I drive it I may or may not agree with him. Not everyone is going to like everything. I don't care what he says this car is VERY interesting to look at......

 

[rx4pain]

Those guys drive Supercars for a living...I'd probably be more critical and left flat with the VT after getting out of a Veyron SS. But, I don't have $2 million dollars and I did shop around and looked at cars I've had in the past - like the Subaru STi, the Civic Si and I even took a peak at the Mazdaspeed 3 and the Golf R and GTI. Who else am I missing? Well I am not going to buy super unleaded for any car that can't outperform a SUV (SRT8 Cherokee) and features, brakes, horsepower, looks, and warranty, that left the VT standing in the end even after I set eyes on her in the beginning.

 

[joutlaw]

The Veloster is not for everyone. With that being said, I fcking love it. It's practical for my daily use and I can see myself happy with it for a long time.

 

[Kaishi]

As a "One-Arrow-Quiver" I think it works very well. It's sporty enough to be fun, efficient enough to get around, small enough to park in the city, cheap enough to buy, yet practical enough to hold several snowboards. If you think about it compared to other ~200 bhp coupes, it's amazing they did so much on such a tight budget.

 

[timo]

Let's see.....would I rather own a ford, scion, honda or toyota.....boring....and no...been there and done that....If I was not a satisfied customer would I be here reading this post..... Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I need to go for a drive now and have some fun.......:haha:

 

[riktar]

Exactly what rx4pain said. He begins the editorial with mentions of ferrari and McClaren. Now I understand were all entitled to our own perception of what looks good and doesn't but I feel he's being a bit harsh. Now the veloster isn't gods gift to cars but for what it is, it's a Damn good option. I've driven cars with twice the hp and I can say that this car can meet that rush that those cars ignited inside of me. Obviously this isn't a 0-60 beast or track monster but on the highways it does hold its own fairly well with some of the mentions he brought up. I respect his opinion and even concede some of the flaws brought up, mainly suspension, but that is why we're all here after all, to improve and tailor our car to our needs and desires.

 

[OoThomioO]

1.) He talks about a regular Veloster...I wouldn't buy a regular veloster : / I know it's damn near the same car but the bumper upgrade and turbo upgrade put me into the car instantly.
2.) Overseas they have many more hatchback options than we have in the US.
3.) This is an old thread and I feel bad posting in it.

 

[Petey T]

This has to be about the NA/V..... Right?

 

[MyDianaZ06]

3.) This is an old thread and I feel bad posting in it.

lMAO! ^

 

[Blakngold4life]

Clarkson's reviews are always very biased, look up anything he has said about a Corvette for instance. He is also an entertainer first and an auto reviewer second, and its always easier to find something to say about how bad something is vs how good it is. That being said, I don't think his review is too far off, aside from his opinion on aesthetics. The Veloster is a "good car", it does lots of things good but the only thing that separates it from anything else on the road it its looks. Most motor heads like Clarkson and other car reviewers are intrigued by cars that do one or two things extremely well such as power or handling and most importantly driver-car feel. As the Veloster is advertised as having a "racing car feel", that is just asking for reviewers to mock it and cause disappointment, I know it did for me. What Clarkson's review, and many performance reviews, don't talk about is the balanced mix this car brings. Its feel is sporty yet comfortable, it can be tracked but still gets decent millage, its small but offers lots of leg room for passengers, the interior is comfortable and provides many amenities but is still affordable and simple. This is not a car you would dream to have for a vacation or special event, but a great car to own over a long period of time.

 

[mwil028]

^^ well said!!

 

[matt6g72]

I would never buy an NAV. The front is too snub, the rear looks like someone gave up on it, and of course the thing is not quick in the least. I see older women driving them for the most part around town. There are tons of NAVs around where I live and I'm always really surprised at the style/performance difference between it and the VT's. I completely agree with Jeremy if this article is in fact about the NAV, which would also in turn make it invalid to this forum. Not surprised in the least.

 

[alexsanchez]

Couldn't care less what this idiot says

 

[arycogre]

None of those guys can even bother to pronounce the names of many of the manufacturers correctly. Just the other night provided perfect examples. Nissan, Renault, Peugeot. Ridiculous.

 

[Stone Axe]

Jeremy Clarkson makes his living by being grumpy and driving countless supercars that no one can afford.

But he does have a point about the Veloster just being a restyled Hyundai Gamma.

Where time has not been kind to this article is that the Veloster seemed like an odd new design at the time but it has since become the "shape of things to come" from many manufacturers. And of course he didn't see the VT coming.

After this article was written the KIA Pro'ceed (sp?) became the affordable car that was raced on their track and he had a fair amount of praise for it. And it turned in much better times than the previous car.

When Top Gear tested hot hatches the VT was not included. Part of that was because it was not available at the time and the other part was that the cars that were chosen were in another class than the VT. Even the GTI didn't make the cut.

His assessment of the Ford Focus ST was spot on and the same as my assessment of it. He said that it had impressive power and handling but couldn't handle all of its power and the electronic systems designed to manage the power made it a hot mess.

 

[cbrmale]

None of those guys can even bother to pronounce the names of many of the manufacturers correctly. Just the other night provided perfect examples. Nissan, Renault, Peugeot. Ridiculous.

Je parle le Française et Renault is pronounced Ren-au, Peugeot is pronounced P-zhoe and while it isn't French, Nissan is pronounced closer to Niss-in. I haven't heard his pronounciation but I expect that Clarkson, being British, should have a reasonable handle on French pronounciation. In any case if he says it something like what I have typed phonetically in English, he's got it right. Nissan is a funny one because it's transliterated from Kanji.

 

[swordfish]

CBR is correct on the pronunciation there guys. It's a British show. Watch it with a British accent.