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Test Drive: 2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Rally Edition

Veloster Turbo Rally Edition

Veloster Turbo Rally Edition

2015 Veolster Turbo Rally Edition
Consumer Guide’s test 2016 Hyundai Veloster arrived in Turbo trim with the Rally Edition package. Pricing for the 2016 Rally Edition was not available at the time this review was published; the MSRP should come in a bit above the manual-transmission 2015 Veloster Turbo, which starts at $23,425 including destination. 

2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Rally Edition 

Class: Sporty/Performance Car

Miles Driven: 407

Fuel Used: 12.7 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 22.0 mpg

Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 25/33/28 (city, highway, combined)

Base price: (2015 Turbo) $22,600 (not including $825 destination charge)

Options on test car: Technology Package ($2700), Turbo Rally Edition package (N/A)

CG Report Card
Room and ComfortC+
Power and PerformanceB-
Fit and FinishC
Fuel EconomyC
ValueB-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.

Price as tested: (N/A)

 

Quick Hits

The great: Smooth, willing engine, sporty handling

The Good: Large driver-side door aids entry and exit

The not so good: Visibility to rear compromised by rakish roofline

Click here for more Veloster price and availability information

 

John Biel 

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, they say, but you can teach a new dog old tricks.

Case in point: the 2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Rally Edition. When a manufacturer doesn’t make any fundamental improvements to its car, it can at least dress it up with a special springtime edition. It’s a tactic that has been employed since cars had crank handles, and as the Veloster Rally Edition proves, it’s a practice that’s not going away any time soon.

Veloster was one of the first popularly priced vehicles to be offered with matte-finish paint.

To the core Veloster Turbo the Rally Edition adds Matte Blue paint, 15-spoke black-finish Rays 18-inch alloy wheels, sportier suspension tuning, B&M Racing-brand shifter, blue interior accents, and “Rally Edition” badging on the floor mats and hatch lid. Just 1200 Rally Edition Velosters were to be built, according to Hyundai. Matte-finish paint is another old trick for the Veloster, having been available since the Turbo model was added to the line for the 2013 model year.

Blue cabin accents come as part of the Rally Edition package.

Otherwise, the Rally Edition is a Veloster Turbo through and through. It has the same 201-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed manual transmission as standard equipment. The chassis features Torque Vectoring Control front axles and “sport-tuned” power rack-and-pinion steering, and the body sports a specific “big-mouth” grille and rocker-panel aero extensions. Also included are heated power mirrors with driver’s-side blind-spot detector, rearview camera, remote keyless entry, chrome-tipped central dual-exhaust outlets, fog lights, heated leather seats, proximity key, push-button start, Bluetooth connectivity, Blue Link telematics system, 8-speaker audio with satellite radio, and electroluminescent gauge cluster.

First Spin: 2019 Hyundai Veloster

So much for the nuts and bolts. Here’s how the car behaves:

In terms of ride, size, and perhaps execution, the expressive Veloster Turbo Rally Edition won’t be everyone’s idea of an ideal car. Consider, too, that the matte finish requires some special care to keep it looking like it was intended to be. However, the guess here is that there are probably just enough of them to find willing buyers for these tricked-out hatchbacks.

Flat-out Funky: The 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo’s Matte Gray Paint Option

Tom Appel

The Veloster is a little slicker than I recall. It seems to ride smoother, shift more precisely, and deliver power more effectively than did the earliest versions of this budget hot hatch. While the most ardent performance fans will wish for more power, the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine delivers plenty of punch, provided you’re prepared to do a little shifting for your spunk. As a big guy, I appreciate the Veloster’s 3-door arrangement. The big door on the driver’s side suits me well, while my wife and kid were able to easily access the car via the twin portals on the passenger side.

Veloster’s pair of passenger-side doors are smaller than you might expect, but allow for easier rear-seat access than would a single, larger door.

Shoppers looking for a bargain sportster with a practical dose of cargo space may want to add this funky Hyundai to their shopping lists. Note, however, that keeping the turbo in boost takes a serious toll on fuel economy. While our fuel economy wasn’t bad, it did trail the EPA estimates by a substantial margin.

Steve & Johnnie’s Road Test: 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

 

 

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