[Rawtashk]

I would put my overall knowledge on cars around a 7. More than the average person, but not a mechanic by any means. I owned a 95 Eclipse GST for 4 years and did a lot of mods and tuning to it, then got into a 2006 Scion tC and just kept it bone stock. I'm looking and trading it it (109k) and getting something newer, and I've zeroed in on the Veloster Turbo. Partly because I want a turbo again, partly because I want better MPG (I get around 24mpg right now), and partly because I'm about to be moving halfway across the country (KS to Los Angeles) and I think I'd like the peace of mind that comes with not having to drop a giant load of cash if an engine or transmission blew on my Scion (I know, that engine should be good for 200k+....but it's the chance of it happening that worries me).

So, ya. Any advice from you guys that own and have experience with them? I've been browsing this forum all day, and you all seem like you have some good insights, so I'd like to hear them.

 

[Cristobal09]

Well these cars are too new for us to find out if there are widespread issue. I can tell you this much, I love the hell out of my VT. 30mpg in stop and go traffic on regular fuel, its great. Its definitely a step up from a TC imo. You wont regret buying one.

 

[[email protected]]

my gf has a 2012 TC.... and my car is MUCH nicer in all ways then her car in all ways lol... idk if that helps

 

[Rawtashk]

my gf has a 2012 TC.... and my car is MUCH nicer in all ways then her car in all ways lol... idk if that helps

About the only thing I didn't like in the VT when I drove it was it seemed a bit of a bumpy ride on the highway. But, driving a tC for 7 years will get you spoiled with good suspension

 

[syroyizhka]

For real? i drove a TC and i thought it was wayyy bumpier than the VT!

 

[Stone Axe]

I've only ridden in a tC and I think the VT is a fair amount stiffer and sportier. A lot of that is probably due to the big rims and thin tires.

My VT is excellent on the highway and smooth roads and the ride is perfectly balanced for my taste. The steering is especially nice and it tracks really straight and true on the highway and all smooth roads.

Now my VT's suspension leaves a little to be desired on rough roads - and by rough roads I mean city roads where the pavement is old, rippled, patched, and has potholes and bad sewer caps etc. Normal driving on rough roads is just a little too harsh and hitting a bad bump will become jarring. Aggressive driving on rough roads makes the rear end nervous and it jumps around a bit - to the point that the ECT kicks in.

I don't get 30mpg during daily driving. I get as low as 24mpg per tank on 87-93. But I can't keep my foot out my VT because it is so much fun to drive. And living in Atlanta I switch between serious stop-and-go traffic and 80-90mph highway speeds. I can get 40mpg if I do 60mph constant. Highway cruising speed really affects its mileage. At 75mph I get 35mpg and at 85 I get like 32mpg - and it goes downhill fast from there.

It is not likely that there is a major flaw with the VT either because it is based on one of the most reliable platforms out there - the Hyundai Gamma platform that is under tens of millions Elantras, Accent and various KIAs. The VT's motor is a brand new variant of the Gamma motor, but Hyundai has announced that they will be putting the exact same VT motor in 2 more cars next year. I would have expected a slightly revised or detuned VT motor to show up in 2014 models, but apparently Hyundai is confident in the VT motor going forward.

I love my VT, as does everybody here.

If you think you want one, get one. You will not be disappointed.

 

[cbrmale]

The Veloster was designed in Germany as a competitor to a number of European sports coupes such as the Renault Megane RS, the Volkswagen Scirocco, Alfa Romeo and so on. The original intention was to sell it in South Korea (of course), Britain, Europe, Australia and New Zealand; like the i30 hatch. However they softened the suspension for American tastes and fitted a slower steering rack and sold it in the USA and Canada. But it is a German-designed car for European tastes, right down to auto-locking. And while comments here are about the ride, it is a softened version of the cars we in Australia drive (our Veloster is actually stiffer with sharper and heavier steering than the British and European version). Despite that, the Australian Veloster is nowhere near as harsh-riding as a true European hatch. It does handle quite well with muscular steering which has good feedback, and the only flaw is some rear-end bump-steer on sequences of harsh bumps (possibly not enough rebound damping).

Maybe the US version of the Veloster is the worst of both worlds. Even if softer than ours it's still on the harsh side, but it seems to lose the sharp steering and handling that our version has. And the US version has some dreadful Kumho tyres (we get the Hankook Ventus which is a better tyre). The engine and the automatic gearbox are new, and it's the first time the Delta engine has been turbocharged as well. Time will tell how reliable these will be.

Probably what American Velosters need are decent tyres and upgraded suspension to bring it to where it ought to be. A set of Koni yellows would work wonders.