Getting your player ready...
Eleven days before the start of Denver’s big car show, I toss out a tip for those planning to attend.
From the entrance, stroll through the General Motors’ layout and on in among the Hyundai offerings. Look for the new car called Veloster.
There is no missing the distinctive exterior style of the 2012 Hyundai Veloster; nothing else at the show looks like it. It is quirky.
The Veloster is a true three-door coupe. It has one door on the driver side, two on the passenger side. The door on the driver side is 10 inches longer than the front door on the passenger side. Of course, that design enables a third door to be placed for rear-seat entry on the passenger side. The only car I remember that had differing size doors for the front seat was the AMC Pacer of the 1970s. The passenger-side door on the Pacer was 8 inches longer than the driver-side door, in order that occupants for the rear seat would use the passenger-side door and have more room to squeeze through into the back. The Veloster’s sharp rear slope slices the opening for the third door and creates some difficulty in entering or exiting the rear seating area. A hatch opening at the rear unveils sizable trunk space. Muscular fenders and 18-inch wheels with Kumho Solus KH25 215/40R18 tires add to the lure.
The Denver Auto Show opens Wednesday, March 21, and continues through Sunday, March 25, at the Colorado Convention Center. Tickets, $10 for adults and $5 for kids 6-12, may be purchased online (DenverAutoShow.com) or at the convention center days of the event. The Veloster’s far-out styling and relatively low pricing ($18,000 to $23,000) should appeal to younger drivers. Color-keyed inserts on the bolstered leatherette seats and a panoramic sunroof brighten the interior. Large door-pull handles, which partially block access to the power door locks, add to the offbeat look of the cabin. The Veloster is equipped with the same 138-horsepower, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder as is used in the Accent. With a 6-speed manual transmission and short-throw shifter, it is fun to drive, yet slow in acceleration. A downshift must accompany any bit of slowdown on the highway or the Veloster will be a sitting duck for those following. The tradeoff of the small engine is economy, for the little three-door has posted an impressive EPA rating of 40 miles per gallon on the highway (28 in town). An optional transmission is Hyundai’s new dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters.
Hyundai officials say the Veloster style influence came from high-performance motorcycles. Its slope and small rear windows create a blind spot in rear vision.
The addition of optional style and tech packages boosted the Veloster’s sticker price to $22,155. These added navigation, rearview camera, premium audio, fog lights, automatic headlights and several aforementioned features.
Notes from e-mail
Q: Bud, I always enjoy your vehicle reviews, and for some time continuation of your column has been on the back of Page 1G. Last weekend, I put the second section of Automotive in the stove starter box, only to find that instead of 2G, your article continuation was on 14G. So I had to find it in the burn box. I know you have no control over location and I suspect the Post did that so we have to look through the second section of Automotive. – H.G.
A: I start early morning fires in a small wood stove at my house in the cold of winter, too, Howard, as you do in Cotopaxi. I try not to use the Automotive sections for starting the fires, though. Placement of the jump portion of my Saturday column, a Post executive has told me, is due to color accommodations and placement requests from advertising.
Q: Bud, I drive a Lexus RX300; it has 135,000 miles and has never been a problem. I think it is an outstanding car. In looking at columns about SUVs, I never see Lexus listed or rated. Are they not listed for any reason? I have owned Toyota automobiles for several years and they have been good cars. – G.V.
A: They’re good, Garth, and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed yours. Actually, I’ve reviewed 10 Lexus products in the past four years, including the RX350 and 450h hybrid about two years ago. The most recent Lexus review was last summer in the 2012 CT200h, a cocky-looking, front-wheel-drive hybrid hatchback.
Q: Bud, your photo of the new Toyota Camry Hybrid last week indicated that it has grown in size the past couple of years. It must be bigger than the Honda Accord. – B.R.
A: No, Bill, the Camry, which has grown in recent years, is 5 inches shorter than the 2012 Honda Accord.
2012 Hyundai Veloster
$22,155
(price as tested)
MPG City 28 Highway 40
Vehicle type: Compact three-door coupe
Wheelbase: 104.3 inches
Length/Width/Height: 166.1/70.5/55.1 inches
Weight: 2,680 pounds
Engine: 1.6-liter 4-cylinder
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel mileage: 32.2 mpg
Fuel tank: 13.2 gallons
Warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles basic; 5/100,000 powertrain
Competitors: Volkswagen Beetle, Ford Fiesta, Scion tC, Mini Coupe
Built at: Ulsan, Korea
Parts content: Korea 81 percent
THE STICKER
$17,300 base
$2,000 Panoramic sunroof, 18-inch wheels, chrome grille and piano block highlights, fog lights, premium audio, leatherette seats
$2,000 Navigation, rearview camera, automatic headlights, electronic push-button start
$760 Destination
PLUSES
Distinctive style
Fuel economy
Large trunk
MINUSES
Underpowered
Rear vision blockage
Tight rear seat
The Veloster is a true three-door coupe. It has one door on the driver side, two on the passenger side. The door on the driver side is 10 inches longer than the front door on the passenger side. Of course, that design enables a third door to be placed for rear-seat entry on the passenger side. The only car I remember that had differing size doors for the front seat was the AMC Pacer of the 1970s. The passenger-side door on the Pacer was 8 inches longer than the driver-side door, in order that occupants for the rear seat would use the passenger-side door and have more room to squeeze through into the back. The Veloster’s sharp rear slope slices the opening for the third door and creates some difficulty in entering or exiting the rear seating area. A hatch opening at the rear unveils sizable trunk space. Muscular fenders and 18-inch wheels with Kumho Solus KH25 215/40R18 tires add to the lure.
The Denver Auto Show opens Wednesday, March 21, and continues through Sunday, March 25, at the Colorado Convention Center. Tickets, $10 for adults and $5 for kids 6-12, may be purchased online (DenverAutoShow.com) or at the convention center days of the event. The Veloster’s far-out styling and relatively low pricing ($18,000 to $23,000) should appeal to younger drivers. Color-keyed inserts on the bolstered leatherette seats and a panoramic sunroof brighten the interior. Large door-pull handles, which partially block access to the power door locks, add to the offbeat look of the cabin. The Veloster is equipped with the same 138-horsepower, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder as is used in the Accent. With a 6-speed manual transmission and short-throw shifter, it is fun to drive, yet slow in acceleration. A downshift must accompany any bit of slowdown on the highway or the Veloster will be a sitting duck for those following. The tradeoff of the small engine is economy, for the little three-door has posted an impressive EPA rating of 40 miles per gallon on the highway (28 in town). An optional transmission is Hyundai’s new dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters.
