The Hyundai Veloster’s nontraditional styling, clever packaging, and cheeky driving dynamics impressed us when we first drove one earlier this year.  Not quite a coupe, and definitely not a hatchback in the mainstream sense, the Veloster impressed us with its versatility and economy, as well as its ability to make an impact wherever it goes.  Naturally, then, when Hyundai announced plans for a Veloster with the power to match its unique looks, our interest was piqued.

To see if the Veloster Turbo can hold its own on the road, Autosavant was invited to test the Veloster Turbo, as well as the Elantra Coupe and Elantra GT, last week in New Jersey.

Much-needed boost with no added guilt

The big news surrounding the newest Veloster refers to changes under the hood.  The Veloster Turbo is outfitted with a turbocharged, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine good for 201 horsepower — almost 50 percent more than the standard four-cylinder’s 138.  There is a also a munificent increase in torque, from 132 to 195 lb.-ft.

On paper, the increases in power ought to translate to noticeably perkier performance and make the Veloster Turbo a true sports car.  On the road, however, the Turbo’s added boost definitely makes a difference in acceleration, and provides a helpful whoosh of power in higher gears — especially on models equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission, like our tester.

A tourer, not a sprinter

Despite the extra power, the Veloster Turbo is not a “sports car” in the truest sense of the term.  The boost is most apparent in passing maneuvers, when the powertrain is able to dip into a reserve of power absent from the naturally aspirated model.  The engine is not a rev-happy unit like the one in the Honda Civic Si, and lacks the engine note of a performer like the Volkswagen GTI.

Based on our short drive experience, the most compelling reason to opt for the Turbo is for its small penalty in fuel economy over the standard engine.  Turbo-equipped Velosters are expected to return 30 mpg (combined, averaging the 6-speed manual and automatics’ figures), as opposed to 32 mpg (combined) for the naturally aspirated models.

However, the Veloster Turbo is an energetic companion on back roads and the highway.  In comparison to the Elantra twins we tested on the same day, the Veloster’s steering and turn-in had more weight and more natural feel and the suspension was firm without the teeth-gnashing sensation of a true hot-hatch’s.

Watch your head!

Still quirky

In most other surface-level ways, the Veloster Turbo differs only slightly from the base Veloster models.  It remains a three-door-only model — prompting one journalist at the Veloster Turbo press preview to ask “if and when the Veloster will finally get its missing door.”  It has the same quick and intuitive omnibus infotainment system that we reviewed on the non-turbo Veloster.  And it offers the feeling of driving a different kind of car for the sake of being different.

Our tester was swathed in the new-for-2013 optional matte gray paint, a $1000 option.  Want to know how matte paint feels?  It’s a tactile kind of amazing.  In gray, it makes a very different appeal to the eyes than the bright oranges, blues and greens that are also available.

Compelling, but not a GTI

Hyundai identifies hot hatches like the Volkswagen GTI and the Mini Cooper S Clubman as key competitors for the Veloster Turbo.  We’re not entirely convinced.  The Veloster Turbo is the answer to the issues we identified in the standard Veloster, but it still lacks the grunt and refinement necessary to compete with the current field of hot hatches.

For more on our First Impressions of the Veloster Turbo, check out the video below.

Autosavant attended a manufacturer-sponsored event at which the Hyundai Veloster Turbo — in matte gray paint — was available for evaluation.  Want to read about the Elantra GT or Elantra Coupe? LIKE our Facebook page for updates as they happen, and follow Autosavant on Twitter!

For 2013, Hyundai is re-entering the front-wheel-drive compact coupe race with the eponymous Elantra Coupe. While this is hardly Hyundai’s first entry in the segment — remember the Scoupe and the Tiburon? — the Elantra Coupe is an important spear in Hyundai’s three-pronged approach to expanding its Elantra lineup to include sedan, hatchback, and coupe variants.

But can the Elantra Coupe hold its own against strong competition from America and Japan?  Autosavant spent a morning driving through the backroads of New Jersey and New York to deliver a First Drive impression.

Prefer instead to watch and listen to us talk about the Elantra Coupe? Scroll down for our video review on the Autosavant YouTube channel.

A sedan that looks like a coupe that looks like a sedan

The first thing you notice about the Elantra Coupe is that, from most angles, it is indistinguishable from its sedan counterpart.  To the credit of Hyundai’s design team, that’s not a bad thing.  As we’ve said before, the Elantra sedan, a beneficiary of Hyundai’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language, is an attractive machine.

At the macro level, the Elantra Coupe borrows the same overall profile of the sedan, minus two doors.  In contrast to the dare-to-be-different Veloster (more on that later), the exterior design is rather conservative.  The interior follows suit, and has virtually the same layout of the sedan.

Roomy inside

At a press briefing, Hyundai claimed that, by numbers alone, the compact Elantra Coupe has more interior volume than either the midsize Honda Accord or Nissan Altima coupes.  It’s a bold claim, considering that Hyundai’s midsize competitor is the Sonata, not the Elantra.  But, as Kevin Gordon and I found out, there is plenty of room in front for the driver and passenger.  Rear-seat headroom is slightly compromised by the Elantra Coupe’s sloping roofline, but there is plenty of room for legs and knees, even with 6-footers in front.

Hyundai emphasized the Honda Civic coupe as a top competitor for the Elantra Coupe.  While the Elantra Coupe is spacious inside, its interior materials, however, are not up to the standard set by Honda.  (They are, however, more than acceptable for a sub-$20,000 price point.) Fit is very good, but in a battle for style, function lost out to form; the dashboard features surfaces of varying levels of tactile appeal, and the plastic on the center console was prone to some shaking.

Tuned for economy

Lopping off the rear doors, to turn a sedan into a coupe, does not always a sporty performer make.  That said, the Elantra Coupe is a fairly engaging drive.  Its 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine produces 148 horsepower and 131 lb.-ft. of torque, placing it squarely and competitively with the Civic.  As proven on the hilly Palisades Parkway, the engine’s lack of low-end torque leads it to occasionally struggle with steep grades.  A slick six-speed manual, with a nicely weighted clutch, is standard, and presumably the choice for serious drivers.  However, our experience with the 6-speed automatic in the sedan and hatchback variants demonstrated a transmission capable of keeping the revs where they need to be.

The wrinkle in the argument for the Coupe to be the sportiest of the Elantras seems to be Hyundai’s quest to hit the magic 40-mpg benchmark across the lineup.  The Elantra Coupe’s chassis tuning allows for nicely modulated brakes and steering that is accurate, if light.  On our test route, it was unclear if we achieved 40 mpg, but the driving experience is not entirely compromised for the sake of economy.

Tough competition

The Elantra Coupe arrives on the market at an auspicious moment, with respect to its competition, but adheres to the rule of arriving late, fashionably.  Have a look at the video below for a full list of features and our in-the-moment driving impressions.

Autosavant attended a manufacturer-sponsored event at which the Hyundai Elantra Coupe was available for evaluation. Want to read about the Elantra GT, too? Stay with Autosavant this week, and LIKE our Facebook page for updates as they happen!

With the summer season in full gear, even a true Autosavant can have trouble keeping up with automotive news around the world. Here’s a snapshot of some of the stories that made news this week.

As always, you can follow up-to-the-minute Autosavant action on social media:

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Just left the Autosavant garage:

• Kevin Gordon reviews the 2013 Acura ILX 6-speed manual.

What we’re reading

First glimpses of the next-generation 2013 Lexus LS.

• On Friday, Lexus offered a preview of its forthcoming replacement for the LS luxury sedan via its Facebook page. With a menacing, dark backdrop, this model’s design seems a far cry from the zenlike styling of the original LS400. Check back with Autosavant.com for news surrounding the car’s official unveiling, scheduled to take place on Monday.

Production starts on the 2013 Cadillac ATS.

• The first examples of Cadillac’s competitor rolled off the line this week. We’re eagerly anticipating seat time in order to determine if the ATS is good enough to go against its established European and Japanese competitors.

An updated Audi R8 bows for 2013.

• Audi’s halo car is due for a cosmetic and mechanical update in 2013. Carl Malek details the changes to the R8 for Autosavant.

“Total Recall” for the Ford Escape and the Mazda Tribute.

• In what seems to be a never-ending story, Ford and Mazda are recalling their cute-utes to deal with potentially sticky throttles. The recall affects hundreds of thousands of models produced between 2001 and 2008.

What we’re watching

This week, the crew at Motor Trend put together a little film about Japanese supercars of distinctly different eras. Intrigued? Check out the video on MT’s YouTube page.

The 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan is a refreshed model for this year. For 2012 the Tiguan has received a revised exterior and upgraded transmission bits that help it look more like the rest of its family and remain competitive in the pile of little SUVs. In a word, the little VW is adorable. The Tiguan wins the award for the car that I have driven that garnered the most approving looks from the women that it encountered. The Tiguan is easily likable, but like a lot of things little and adorable, it can do things that make you want to scold it and put it in a corner.

The Tiguan we sampled was the two wheel drive SE model with a sunroof and navigation. It comes with a sticker price of $30,525 plus $820 in destination charges. This makes it one of the more pricey entries into the compact SUV market. To give you an idea, these are just some of the models it competes against: Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Hyundai Tuscon, KIA Sportage, Toyota RAV4 and the Nissan Rogue. The factor that would get you sign for the VW is its refinement and perceived build quality. (Noticed I said perceived there; more on that later) The interior of the VW is finished with high quality materials. Everywhere you touch, you are met with something upscale. The dashboard is covered in a rubberized material that just feels good. The steering wheel is just the right diameter and all of the buttons pressed meet your fingers with just the right amount of resistance.

For my six foot frame, the seating position was more compact than ideal, but I would imaging that shorter drivers would find themselves quite comfortable. The oddest piece of the interior ergonomics was a large disparity between the height of the door arm rest compared to the height of the center console lid. Also, the drivers seat is unnaturally far away from the door. As I noted in the video, this may be due to striving for the highest crash rating possible, but it was surprising in something so small. Rear seat room is as good as can be expected given its compact exterior dimensions, and details like adjustable rear seats do a good job of using all of the space available.

The little VW also drives quite nicely. Much of the quality of its locomotion is thanks to the robust little 2.0 liter turbocharged four cylinder under the hood. The little engine provides such powerful and elastic motivation that it is clearly understandable why small naturally aspirated V6s are following to dodo to extinction. The updated six speed automatic transmission also does a nice job. As I also noted in the video, I found the normal drive setting to be a bit to quick to search for fuel economy, but in sport mode it is as good as an automatic box gets in this segment. The other list of things that are pluses are suspension tuning, steering feel, and braking. All fall into the range of very good for a compact SUV. The only competitor that could be considered more sporty is the RAV4 with its beast of a V6, but when it comes to ride quality, the Tiguan is years ahead.

All good then? That is what I was thinking until the end of my time with the Tiguan. You’ll notice that other than the seating issue the video review is full of positive feedback. Such is the reason it is important to spend more than just a day with a car. The EPA rates the two wheel drive Tiguan at 22 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway. We finished our week with an on-board computer calculated average of 24.1 miles per gallon. I put a little over 45o miles on the Tiguan and at the end of my stint the VW needed some more fuel. This is when I discovered that the Tiguan “recommends” premium fuel. Why? Why would something that makes 200 horsepower and 206 ft/lbs of torque require premium gas? I understand that 100hp per liter is quite a bit of power for the size of the engine, and a few years ago I might have found it acceptable, but here is the problem. Hyundai makes the same size engine with 74/63 more horsepower/torque and it does it on regular fuel. I think I know what you may be thinking, they do it to ensure reliability.

I thought the same thing until the little ute decided to go into “limp” mode during a merge onto a busy highway and could only be motivated to gain speed very gradually. I did manage to make it to the next highway exit, shut down the engine and do some searching on my phone. On the dash, the “EPC” light was lit, and after a brief search I discovered that EPC stands for Electronic Powertrain Control. What was actually wrong with the car could have still been more than a dozen things. I rechecked the gas cap, checked the oil and restarted the car. On restart the light went away and everything seemed to be fine, then about an hour later it happened again. The Tiguan never left me stranded, but it did tarnish what would have been a very nice week.

I’m not saying that the Tiguan is unreliable or that the limp-home mode phenomenon was more than just a fluke, but perhaps there is at least a modicum of truth behind VW’s reputation for building engaging, desirable vehicles that just seem to have more than their share of reliability issues.  The company seems to have turned a corner over the past few years, but it might be that all is not yet perfect on that front.

For more insights into our experience with the Tiguan, take a look at our video reviews:

On road:

In car navigation and electronics (infotainment):

Volkswagen provided the vehicle, insurance, and a tank of gas for this review.

Today we talk about Cadillac cobbling together a pile of technologies in an effort to make a self-driving car. Then we review the 2013 Ram 1500, which did not receive enough coverage at the New York Auto Show. What would a week be without an update on Fisker? We hope we never find out, but it is looking more and more likely. Also in the death news, Scion is killing off the xB and xD. Finally, we talk about the new compact sedan from Nissan. Click the link to see the video.

Today we talk about the Beijing Auto Show and what interesting news is coming from China this week. Here is a hint, it rides on 23″ wheels, is expected to make 600 horsepower and will be this companies biggest sales success (Also, you are looking at its picture). In other news, we briefly review the sale of Ducati to Audi. After realizing that Mark Zuckerburg could have purchased a whole motorcycle manufacturing company instead of an iPhone app we review an interesting bit of news from Ford Austrailia. Will we ever see the return of the American rear-wheel drive sedan? We can only hope. Click the link to see the video.

Over the last week we have been driving around a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara edition. Like the large majority of the people who will buy, own, and drive one, we spent most of our time with the Jeep on paved surfaces. We have split this video review into three parts; the first part covers driving a Wrangler on the street.  In the second, we take the Wrangler to an off road park to have some fun.  In the third and final video, we show what’s involved in removing the Wrangler’s roof; it requires far more than just pushing a button.

On the road, the Jeep is busy, bouncy, and generally indirect. The good news is that while those traits continue in this model, they are less noticeable than they were in the past. This particular Wrangler model is the most street-friendly in the lineup. If all you had ever driven was a mid-nineties YJ and stepped directly into this, you would not believe the improvement. If, on the other hand, you spent all of your time in a CR-V you would be surprised at how crude a $37,000 Jeep Wrangler remains.  It really is a direct descendant of the original World War II-era Jeep (if not being twice the size of its ancestor).

In a Wrangler, on-road travel is not particularly noteworthy, and as a result, it’s easy to fall into the trap of creating a review that is uncomfortably close in format to a lot of the other reviews out there. Because of this, we had a little fun with the introduction in our video piece – enjoy the poor acting! Without further ado, here is the on road portion of our Jeep Wrangler review:

Hopefully you caught the important sentence in the thirteen minutes of video. If you are planning to buy a Jeep Wrangler to drive it only on paved roads, you are making a mistake. If you want to buy one and are honestly going to take it off road, you can’t do much better. If the question is whether to buy a Wrangler rather than a Toyota FJ, hold that thought. We are actively bothering Toyota for the keys to one to test in the same manner.

Where the Jeep compromises comfort on the road, you immediately understand the reason for the trade-offs when you find yourself tilting over at 35%, nose down in a rut. The Jeep was simply fantastic off road. On rutted and rocky dirt, the Wrangler comes alive. The capability of this long wheelbase, non-Rubicon, heated and leather covered box of Jeep sacrilege is amazingly capable off road.  Take a look at the video below to see what I’m talking about.

The weather that we had to drive the Wrangler for a week was wonderful. That is, it was until the moment we had planned to remove the hard top on video. At that moment it decided to rain. We attempted to persevere and were able to get the top off of the Jeep for a moment…

It’s important to reiterate a thought that I expressed at the end of the final video. Jeep has managed to keep the Wrangler true to its heritage, which still works well as an image product. My time with the Wrangler was met with an unusual number of positive reactions and unsolicited questions. I would have expected this type of reaction driving a hard-core black, two door Rubicon, but not a bright (you can’t get a color more red than this) red four door Sahara edition.

That does say something, and it’s a snapshot into why the Wrangler continues to sell so well. After a week with a Wrangler, would I seriously consider buying one? No. But, I have to admit that I now have a glimmer of envy for those people brave enough to make one their every day driver.

Jeep provided the vehicle, insurance, and a tank of gas for this review.

Today we talk about Mopar’s in-car wireless charging pad and the price of the upcoming Dodge Dart. Next up, is an app from Lexus that will let you try their navigation before you buy the car. Then, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and their goal to put an end to all power-braking. We talk about the next generation Mustang, just like the rest of the internet today. Finally, we plan to say goodbye to the Chevrolet Avalanche.

On the window sticker of the 2012 Mazda 3 SkyActiv automatic sedan it states that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates this car at 40 MPG on the highway. Right now, 40 is the number that matters. According to the maturation of Jay-Z,  30 is the new 20, but when it comes to cars, 40 is the new 30. The ability to rate a normal gasoline powered car at 40 MPG highway is one of those figures that manufacturers are happy to tout.

In order to hit this magic number Mazda combined several technologies and called them SkyActiv. The question that remained for me was if Mazda left the rest of its compelling formula behind on the path to a 40 MPG number.

For a more detailed description of SkyActiv, take a look at the video below. The executive summary is that it is a bunch of friction reducing and energy saving technologies that do not sink to the level of a hybrid drivetrain. This is a win; in most places they have made things more simple and have been able to improve efficiency. Simple and light will always beat complex and heavy. No contest. Around the Internet, there is quite a bit of debate about whether or not 40 MPG is a fair rating for the Mazda 3 SkyActiv. Allow me to close this debate. 40 MPG on the highway at 55 Miles Per Hour is easily attainable. Driven the way the EPA tests, the Mazda 3 SkyActiv will easily beat its rating, both highway and city. Whether this rating system is fair to the way people drive today with most speed limits at 65 MPH or higher, is a different debate – and one I do not plan to touch today.

Good news then? Well… A bit more meandering before we get to a conclusion. The other thing that Mazda does is tout their cars as drivers cars attaching their ZOOM-ZOOM tag line to all advertisements and on their website. This is another promise delivered. The Mazda 3 is the best driving (front-wheel drive) compact sedan on the market. The 155 horsepower engine motivates the 3000 pound car appropriately, and the suspension tuning provides a genuinely sporting character. When driving the Mazda 3 you may actually search out a back road to drive and that is something that cannot be said for many of its competitors.

Great news then? Well… There are two areas that prevent the Mazda 3 from being a clear cut leader in its class. First, that sporting suspension tuning results in a noticeable trade-off in ride quality. I have to admit that prior to having children, I might not have noticed so clearly. After driving around a sleeping child I can attest that the Mazda 3 is busier on choppy roads that its competition. To me, this is a forgivable trade off. What is not forgivable is the quality and layout of the interior. When the Mazda 3 first hit the market it was a revolution. It was the compact car that offered class leading interior materials as well as luxury level options. It lead the way in the US market for a small car that could be appointed with options like heated leather and navigation. Today, the interior of the Mazda has fallen behind the rest of the market. If it was just a small navigation screen and an overly simple interface it would be forgivable. What lets the interior down of the 3 is the fit and finish. Panel gaps are inconsistent and components don’t fit together well.

The Mazda 3 that we tested was the Mazda 3 i Grand Touring 4-door. This model gets you most of the luxury items that are available on the 3 as well as the SkyActiv engine and the 6-speed automatic. This model starts at $22,550 with $795 in destination charges. The model that we tested also included the $1400 tech package and the $200 interior lighting package for a total $24,945. The tech package does get you some neat features like adaptive (turning) Xenon headlights, but the navigation is so disappointing that it makes the package feel overpriced. Our recommendation would be the Mazda 3 Touring with the very good automatic, which would come in just under $20,000. At that price you get something sporty, economical, and practical. The extra 25% that the Grand Touring model with the tech package costs is not worth the money, and in fact causes the Mazda 3 to feel more outdated than it is.

With the Mazda 3 SkyActiv Mazda is still honest with its ZOOM-ZOOM tag line. They have made a small, good driving car that can manage 40 highway miles on a gallon of regular gasoline. The odd thing is that, in a car, which less than 10 years ago had us so excited about premium features in a compact car, has managed age so poorly. We are happy that options that were once reserved for the most expensive cars are still available in economy packages, but just like their expensive counterparts, these features to be updated more quickly than the rest of the car. In that, Mazda has done something rare. Mazda has managed to make a less-expensive model the most desirable one in their lineup. If enough buyers heed our advice and steer clear of the Mazda 3 Grand Touring and its pricey options, the company may have cost itself some profits, but consumers will win.

Mazda provided the vehicle, insurance and one tank of gas for this review.

Today we go through all of the known releases to date for the 2012 New York Auto Show. New York might not be the year’s biggest auto show, but it is the last of the major shows for the year and the last chance for most of the manufacturers to present their 2013 models. Expected highlights of the show are the 2013 Dodge Viper and new Chevrolet sedan. Autosavant will be covering the the NYIAS in person, so be sure to follow @AutosavantKG on twitter for live tweets and photos.