Hyundai Veloster is Winding Road’s ‘Best under $20,000’

[Hyundai NEWS]

It’s a good thing Hyundai designed its dynamic new Veloster three-door coupe with plenty of available space for gear: It looks like the car may need every one of its 34.7 cubic feet of cargo room—and then some—just to haul away the avalanche of awards its won. The latest? Winding Road, a digital magazine for driving enthusiasts, recently named the Veloster the “Best under $20,000” in its annual Best Car of the Year Awards.
“Lower weight plus lower consumption plus lower price equals more fun,” said Seyth Miersma, editor-in-chief, Winding Road. “We’re not math majors, but that’s something like the equation we believe Hyundai must have dreamed up when it first conceived of the 2012 Veloster. We were instant fans of the outstanding gearbox and the chuckable handling that Veloster offered, and quickly realized that the low starting price was likely to make it an enthusiast’s darling.”
Making it all add up for Winding Road:

• A curb weight as low as 2,585 lbs.
• Fuel-efficiency ratings as high as 40 mpg
• An MSRP that starts at $17,300
• Two six-speed transmissions, both developed in-house by Hyundai’s own engineers
• An eager-to-please suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars
• Sport-tuned electric steering that delivers a smaller turning diameter than that of a MINI

And remember, Hyundai is going to boost the Veloster’s performance even further for the 2013 model year, when the automaker introduces the Veloster Turbo. This hi-po Hyundai will gain a twin-scroll turbocharger that’s good for 201 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque, yet will still ring up an EPA line of 27 mpg city/38 mpg highway/31 mpg combined with a six-speed manual transmission.
“With the Hyundai Veloster, we wanted to show the industry that sleek design and reasonable pricing can go hand in hand,” said Scott Margason, director, Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Veloster combines a stylish image with sporty driving dynamics and outstanding fuel economy, making it perfectly suited for both practical drivers and auto enthusiasts.”