Hyundai’s Veloster Delivers Ferrari Technology to College Kids

The 2012 Veloster at a Glance Engine: 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. Transmission: Six-speed manual or automated six-speed dual- clutch. Speed: 0 to 60 mph in about 8 seconds. Gas mileage per gallon: 28 city; 40 highway (manual); 29; 38 (automated). Price as tested: $22,550. Best features: Eye-candy design; Gadget-rich interior. Worst feature: Relative noise, especially under hard acceleration. Target buyer: Your college kid. The 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is a modest thing, with 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. It’s no high- revving screamer, but it gives the Veloster a good little push down the road. (We’ll see a turbo-charged version later.) The engine’s small size and direct-injection combine with a standard six-speed manual for 40 miles per gallon on the freeway -- the target number of many cars today. Springing around town nets 28 mpg. The Honda CR-Z hybrid, a sharply stylized competitor, has fewer horses and can’t hit 40 mpg on the highway. It gets figures of 37 and 31 respectively with the manual. The Toyota Scion tC also fits into the category of youth-oriented economy cars, and has a larger, 180-hp engine and similar price. The Veloster’s other available transmission is a double- clutch automated system, which shifts for you or can be controlled by behind-the-wheel paddles. This type of equipment was formerly found only on high-end sports cars, showing how quickly technology trickles down these days. Today’s Ferrari is tomorrow’s college-kid runabout.