Early Look: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

Can Hyundai be original for once in their life? This is the reason i despise them. Copy copy copy.

This horror show needs a new category. I nominate "hunchback coupe".

This is a work of art.

bearsdkillz,

Yeah, they copied off themselves smart guy.

This and the Honda CRY are answers to questions no consumer has cared to ask for. Hunchback coupes? Didn't BMW have something like this that failed as well? And whats with the "Unique 3rd door?" Hm, Saturn SC coupe anyone?

@ hyundaismoke

"Yeah, they copied off themselves smart guy."

Not really, even you are smart enough to know they got the basic design and layout for this off a CRZ.

Looks pretty awesome! Kinda similar to a concept.

Looks pretty awesome! Kinda similar to a concept.

Looks pretty awesome! Kinda similar to a concept.

Oh god

Whoever says they're copying everybody (cough...bearsdkillz...cough), please tell me who they're copying. Some people have said the CR-Z. When did the CR-Z first show up? I'll say early 2009, and I //think// I'm being generous. This Volseter showed up in 2008, and again I'm being generous to your cause. It does rip off the Saturn POS a bit, but so does the Mini Clubman, was it a copy cat? Noooooo! of course not! it's a mini. The most original car ever! It was small before! Oh! Snap! The Fiat 500 was small in the 1950's before the mini existed. dang, beaten again.

It's not my favorite car, I think 3rd doors are stupid and ugly, but they're far more original than anything Subaru, Toyota or Nissan has done in the last 6 years.

Whoever says they're copying everybody (cough...bearsdkillz...cough), please tell me who they're copying. Some people have said the CR-Z. When did the CR-Z first show up? I'll say early 2009, and I //think// I'm being generous. This Volseter showed up in 2008, and again I'm being generous to your cause. It does rip off the Saturn POS a bit, but so does the Mini Clubman, was it a copy cat? Noooooo! of course not! it's a mini. The most original car ever! It was small before! Oh! Snap! The Fiat 500 was small in the 1950's before the mini existed. dang, beaten again.

It's not my favorite car, I think 3rd doors are stupid and ugly, but they're far more original than anything Subaru, Toyota or Nissan has done in the last 6 years.

Sorry for the double post, it said that there had been too many posts in too short a time and to retry. So I did.

@ bearsdkillz

First: copy a CRZ? Pass the good stuff. Second: Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mazda "NEVER" copied designs off of other car makers when they first started off? Would be tough to argue German carmakers have never 'borrowed' design cues from other brands..
Not a very bright comment..

Put the 4-cyl Turbo good for a stated 274 hp in this bad boy and let the good times roll.. This is a fantastic effort by Hyundai - like nothing out there currently that I can think of. I'd take this over a CRZ hybrid in a heartbeat.

Put the 4-cyl Turbo good for a stated 274 hp in this bad boy and let the good times roll.. This is a fantastic effort by Hyundai - like nothing out there currently that I can think of. I'd take this over a CRZ hybrid in a heartbeat.

Can you all just shut up - NO ONE is original anymore. It's a cut-throat business, so if one thing works for a certain car, then of course another company is going to "copy" that aspect. Get over yourselves and admit that Hyundai is finally a legit company and real competition. A good car is a good car; end of story.

The changes they made to the front bumper in the grill/radiator area has ruined it for me.

the front looks like a chipmunk, other than that its sharp. Hopefully this hatch eventually has a hot version.

Look... it has 4 wheels... it's a copy! Come on guys. This is different from almost everything out there right now. I don't buy sedans because they all look the same to me... The Veloster has a uniqueness to it that almost nobody can deny. Get real.

Ok The general shape doen't look like anything and thats perfect, I love the new Hyundai language. But Somehow its true that the lower front bumper look a bit like the CRZ with its blabes!

I think Hyundai is creating good looking products. And for those who say that it an answer to a question nobody ask, look up north the border, Hatchback are really in demand and also in Europe, so my dear Americans friend stop thinking you are the only market in the world, there are other human on earth!!!!

@ hyundaismoke

"Yeah, they copied off themselves smart guy."

Not really, even you are smart enough to know they got the basic design and layout for this off a CRZ.

Sorry but they were both released as concepts in 2007, so no copying. Shame on you for not doing simple research!

I like it. Great Job Hyundai! This company just seems to get more and more surprising. If this chassis is sorted and the engine matches up well with enough grunt I can see this being a winning combination that may even give the Golf and GTI something to worry about.

Hyundai is doing what honda should have been.

This is yet another job well done by Hyundai.

I have been shopping for a car for over a year now, and I keep looking ahead at all the cars that are "coming out sometime next year." Lots of salivating.

Nobody can deny that there is a renaissance of the automobile taking place. A paradigm shift, if I can be so bold.

But, at some point I have to jump on the merrygoround. I'm not getting any younger.

I feel like I'm in a bizarro world. Wasn't it Honda that used to copy what someone else did and outdeliver in packaging, performance, value, economy. Now, we're watching Hyundai do the same thing to Honda. That said, even as a Hondaphile, I have to admit Honda's been under-delivering lately, the CR-Z & Insight are great examples of cars they historically would have knocked home-runs with, but are now simply delivering weak infield hits with. It's a shame, but kudos to Hyundai for stepping up their game.

If Hyundai stays true to thier little blub about this compact cranking the rear wheels (god forbide they put the 2.0t in there) this will definatly be a condenter. the design targets younger drivers but still. Hyundai is becoming more impressive

All this talk about copying this and copying that...who cares? I say copy the best and then make it better! Three years ago I never would have imagined considering a Hyundai as my next vehicle...but now...absolutely! Good job on the CRZ killer Hyundai.

This looks like a 2 door kia soul thats been slammed. Nice look

RWD on this thing and that turbo? Oh, that'd require a long look when my lease is up in 28 months.

these photos are just renderings...

@ isend2c: The MINI is not much younger than the original Fiat 500. While they are both small the Original 500 is still smaller than the original MINI. By the way if my vision and memory serve me right don't the Mazda RX-8 and the Honda Element use the same kind of rearward opening doors as the MINI Clubman and thias Hyundai Veloster do???

Interesting. You can see some "old school" design cues. AMC Gremlin, Nissan Pulsar, Austin Metro Group B Rally car & Citroen. A 2.0 Liter turbo AWD will be a killer but It won't happen.

I don't think this is much of a copy, but if it is then both the CR-Z and this car trace directly to the Mazda Kabura concept with the 3rd door and unique rear seat. I was dying for them to build that car. It was probably a good business decision not to, but I found it very interesting that Honda and Hyundai are coming to market with very similar concepts not long after.

perhaps bearsdkillz was thinking this when he saw it, I know I was...

www.autos4fast.com/volvo-c30/

original, no, but I like it.

It has four wheels, OMG HYUNDAI JUST COPIES AND COPIES AND COPIES. Thing is, no matter what a car looks like, if it's anything short of the Batmobile there will be more than one element of the car that another vehicle has done already. With that said, I like the car's shape, though the curvy headlights seem a bit out of place with the rest of the sheet metal o.0

I think this 3rd door is unique in such way that it opens like a regular door (note the door opening handle on the exterior from that pic above) whereas all the other cars that have the 3rd door setup were all suicidal type. but i could be wrong.

look like the Nissan Juke to me!!!! except for the 3rd door!!!!

Attractive rendering. I can't wait to see the production vehicle.

I hope it translates to production looking this good. Fantastic, whereas the new CRZ is ill-proportioned.

First of all, they completely used the front end of the new Elantra with the same grille and the second thing, they need to go back to the drawing board to redo the back end, except the nice twin-center exhausts. I think they should just go for a panorama sun roof because almost all of the top half of this car is just blacked out or it's tinted glass.

THIRD THING: It reminds me of a soul with 1 less door and a bit smaller.

This is a complete copy of a Honda concept from about 4 years ago, it looked like bulldog at the time. So yes, this is not original. BTW, what's with this constant critique of Honda now a days in the media, I just don't get it, they still make high quality cars, are people really that shallow?

Oh joy- another mini hearse

Might be fun, but looks like a flattened Kia Soul

1.The Hyundai veloster concept came out well before the Honda CRZ... so it is not a copy...

2.This is just a computer rendering speculating on the possible design...so it is not the real thing. My guess is that the production model will be more striking in appearance than this photoshop guess-work by insideline.

Looks amazing! I want one!

Ladies and Gentlemen, It's a GEO STORM HATCHBACK!

No seriously it looks good but it looks alot like a Geo Storm Hatch!

If it looks like this when released I think we are going to see alot of people driving one.

The CR-Z could have delivered 40MPG without the hybrid crap. I agree that this could be the car that puts egg on Honda's face for all their follies over the last few years...

this isn't even official. i highly doubt the rear will look anything like this.

Honda is just dumb these days. There is absolutely no reason for the CRZ to be a hybrid. Honda made the CRZ obsolete itself, this won't have to.

concept debuted in 2007. anyway, final product will look nothing like this.

http://vehiclez.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/hyundai_veloster_concept_02.jpg

WHERE DID INSIDE LINE GET THESE PICS FROM, I THINK THEY ARE FAKES...IT LOOKS LIKE THE 2011 HYUNDAI ELATRA FRONT END PHOTOSHOPPED ON TO THE VELOSTER...

@ nothingness

"...BTW, what's with this constant critique of Honda now a days in the media, I just don't get it, they still make high quality cars, are people really that shallow?"

I don't know, maybe some people just want a vehicle that also...you know...looks.... GOOD? I'll even help you out. Google the word "Crosstour". Then "2011 Honda Odyssey". And finally "CR-Z". Acceptable? debatable. Good looking? only if you're on medication.

and this from a Honda fan..

This is a Kia Soul with its top chopped. No more, no less.

I'm trying to enter my comment, but it won't recognize the enter key to start a new line. Any help? My comment is below.

It is like a Soul crossed with a CRX.

I like it.

Wow, the copying allegations have reverted and deteriorated to concepts I see.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jalopnik/309736563/ I dont think so, and even if it did HONDA NEVER BUILT IT!!! Instead they built a limpwristed powertrain CRZ.

Guys yeah, Mr Chin probably saw my Accent Planet website where I did a Veloster rendering a few months ago with an Elantra grille, because if you look at the spyshots its obviously has an Elantra Grille.

This will be badged as Accent or Elantra. It is based on the Accent/i20 platform, which is A NEXT GEN ACCENT PLATFORM AND i20 was the first new car on this platform, then Soul, then New Verna, then Veloster, then next Gen Accent/i25, and last but not least next gen KIA Rio and i20

Yeah Verna and Accent are the same car fundamentally, but are also 2 different cars at the same time. New Accent for US=Hexagonal grille, revised trunk, different mirrors, and modded body work, with 1.6 GDi and 6 Speed Auto Trans, a Turbo and a Hybrid with an even more upmarket interior.

IM GETTING PRETTY SICK OF THE PRESS CALLING IT AN AN i20 platform, when the platform has been slogging it around forever in Accents. Just because you dont like Accent doesnt mean the rest of the world doesnt. 6.5 Million Accent/Verna owners in the world in 15 years since the car's debut cant be wrong.

"...that could make the CR-Z obsolete."

Correction: the CR-Z's pricing and specs make it obsolete.

Still, this is a much sexier hatch than the CR-Z, although I don't much like the back end's resemblance to the Kia Soul. And that rear window is entirely too small looking. How are you going to see anything?

I've been dying to see what this thing would end up looking like. This is a great looking coupe. What is with all the nay-sayers??? I used to have an '87 Nissan Sentra SE liftback coupe and I absolutely loved it. Then gone were the days of the Honda CRX, Nissan NX, Mazda MX-3, Geo Storm, Isuzu Pulsar and Toyota Paseo. Glad to see Hyundai revive this lovely class of front-drive compact sport coupes. And the third door is great! It was a great feature on Saturn and it will be a great feature on this much better looking Hyundai!!!

Steelpenquin

"Still, this is a much sexier hatch than the CR-Z, "

I totally disagree. The CR-Z has sexier curves than this korean hunchback - it looks like another car that will use hamsters for its advertising campaign !

This thing is clearly a misstep for Hyundai, a company with a great recent batting average.

@ accordguy0325:

naturally, you're entitled to your opnion - as silly as it is. As an example, if you were to take this rendition of the Veloster against the upcoming CR-Z on, say, Insideline, I would be willing to bet a lot of money that viewers would say the Hyundai is the better looking car. Probably by a large margin.

Obviously, this car will not use hamsters for advertising since that would be exculusive to Kia vehicles. The Kia Hamsters "This or That" is probably one of the BEST auto ads I've ever seen.
It was rated Nielson's Most Effective Automotive Ad Award recently so Hyundai should use the same ad agency - but they will definitely not use hamsters..

alex38 says:

04:14 AM, 08/ 1/10

@ accordguy0325:

"" I would be willing to bet a lot of money that viewers would say the Hyundai is the better looking car""

Perhaps you're right... but I'm willing to bet that despite the higher price of the CR-Z, it will be more desired than the hunchback and sell better. Time will tell

@ accord0325:

"..I'm willing to bet that despite the higher price of the CR-Z, it will be more desired than the hunchback and sell better. Time will tell"

You believe the Honda CR-AP...I mean...CR-Z will be more desirable than the Veloster?
I'd take you on that bet ANYDAY. Why?

1.) The Veloster looks better. WAAAY better. (That appears to be consensus on IL and
most other car blogs.) Okay, this is subjective so on to the next point..
2.) The Veloster, or whatever its going to be called, will get almost the same fuel
efficiency - WITHOUT A HYBRID SYSTEM. Why spend more for complex electronics in
search of better fuel efficiency when it is entire unnecessary? Costs...
3.) No stats yet, but logic says that less complexity of the Veloster should make it
more durable and less finnicky?
4.) Betcha bottom dollar the Hyundai will have a better warranty
5.) Value. Has always been a stong point for HMC but they're taking it to a new level
recently. The Veloster will likely undercut the CR-Z on prx and uppercut the CR-Z
in a head to head battle on the track. Put the 274 hp 4-cyl Turbo in the Veloster
and game over CR-Z.

The images above are just renderings, but they couldn't make it worse looking than the CR-Z, even if they tried. The Honda was a great idea in concept and I'll admit, the interior is nice. There will be niche buyers for the CR-Z. But the Veloster is less polarizing and should appeal to a much wider audience..

The Koreans are here and they are outdoing the americans and japanese. RWD turbo coupe? Check Turbo Sedan with electronic wastegate? Check Cool Hybrids? Check. 10yr warranty? Check.
Face it, the designs from Honda, Acura (ugh), Toyota are down right boring in comparison.
I cant wait for a full size truck from them. They already have a V8.

ive seen this car under major camo in chino, ca. it looks better in person

LOL...for all you naysayers....Hyundai/Kia is rising to the occasion. Honda is relying on die hards to stay afloat and they have rested on their laurels. Hyundai/Kia is stepping up their game and they are on the rise and winning. A lot of old Honda/Toyota fans are starting to take notice and becoming converts, as I have read in other posts(i.e. windingroad: hyundai sonata) Style/reliability/fun/value....those attributes belong to the new champion...Hyundai/Kia!!! SAY WHAAAT?...LOL

Admittedly, I am a fan of hatchbacks and wagons. I like the looks of the Veloster and would consider one when they are available. As to the sudden (well, over the last 18 months) of good press for Hyundai/KIA, there appears to be some luck in how they market and the shift toward value, perceived or otherwise, and preparedness on the part of Hyundai. Only recently would I have seriously considered a Hyundai product. If I had to find a new vehicle tomorrow, I would at least look at some of their newer/refreshed offerings, although, they still do not offer anything that for me is a "got to have" it car.

I think this is a beautiful example of why Hyundai will eventually become the number One Asian Automaker. I'm currently driving a Nissan 350Z..... but I'm getting old, 65, and it's getting harder & harder to get in and out of my Z....... bad hips, you know. If they produce this beautiful little car, I definately can see it as a logicall replacement! Small, sexy, useful & it'll get 40MPG? Wow, that's double what my Z gets. And I'll be able to get in & out much more easily. The New CRZ is ugly compared to this. I don't see a single negative...... Where do I sign????