2019 Hyundai Veloster N: This is Hyundai’s hottest ever hatch
The first fruit of Hyundai’s new N performance sub-brand is here in the form of the 2019 Veloster N. With up to 275 horsepower from a turbocharged inline-four, a sportier chassis, and aggressive looks, it brings Hyundai’s hot-hatch aspirations to their highest level yet. Its performance credentials, in fact, seem to suggest an interesting middle ground between sport compacts like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Honda Civic Si and the more hard-core Golf R and Civic Type R.
As anticipated, the Veloster N shares much of its aesthetic with the Europe-market i30 N, a hotted-up version of the Elantra GT that we won’t get in the United
States. The Veloster N is available in the same Performance Blue paint (as well as black, red, and white), and it sports similar red trim on the front fascia and side skirts. An N badge is visible in the grille, denoting this as the topdog model that sits above the 201-hp Veloster Turbo in the lineup.
The Veloster N shares its basic mechanicals with the i30 N, too, which means it’s powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four producing up to 275 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. (The i30 N has an optional performance package that raises power from the 250 hp to 271 hp, so we expect the Veloster to offer a similar hierarchy.) This engine powers the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, and an electronically controlled limitedslip differential is optional equipment. Additional performance features — adaptive dampers, launch-control capability, automatic rev matching, and a variable exhaust — are on the menu, too, and are controlled via a set of five driving modes, including an N setting that’s meant for the track.
Two wheel-and-tire packages will be offered. The 18-inch base wheel is wrapped in 225-series Michelin Pilot Super Sport performance tires, while an optional 19-inch wheel has wider, 235series Pirelli P Zero rubber. There’s also an available brake upgrade that brings larger rotors at all four corners.
This funky little three-door with legitimate performance credentials is shaping up to be an enticing competitor in the sport-compact segment. Hyundai isn’t yet announcing price, however, and the N’s chances for success likely will increase if it skews more toward the $25,000 — $30,000 arena where the lower-powered GTI and Civic Si play, rather than the $35,000 — $40,000 range of the more powerful Golf R and Civic Type R.