Price: $33,255
8.5 /10
Rating
Pros
- Turbocharged 275hp engine thrills
- Unique three-door bold styling
Cons
- Stiff ride limits daily comfort
- Cramped rear seating space
- Excessive cabin noise levels
Overview: 2021 Hyundai Veloster N
Boom! The 2021 Hyundai Veloster N isn’t just a small hatchback—it’s a turbocharged flaming blue demon that laughs at niche conventions. With its asymmetrical three-door setup (yes, three side doors, you read that right), this creation from Albert Biermann’s playbook (yes, that BMW wizard) throws middle fingers at Honda Civic Type R snobs and Mazda 3 purists. Under the hood? A rowdy 2.0-liter engine pumping 201 hp through a front-wheel-drive system that feels like a bucking bronco on back roads—fun doesn’t even cover it. Inside, the digital cockpit keeps things playful, while rear seats and cargo space offer relief from the usual stripped-back sports cars. Sure, the door arrangement might confuse your passenger’s grandma, and practicality isn’t its core quality, but who cares when you’re ripping through gears with manual transmissions like a believer in driving nirvana? For value that shames BMW M prices and distinctiveness that’s rarer than a 1.6-liter engine in a sportier coupe, this compelling little beast is recommended for road trips, freeways, or just terrorizing suburban streets.
What's New in the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N?
Buckle up! Hyundai introduced nuclear upgrades to this model: an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (snap those paddle shifters like glow sticks!). and 275 horsepower—enough to spook second-generation rivals. They hacked weight with lighter parts, slapped on a bolstered steering wheel, and stuffed the cabin with a crisp touchscreen infotainment and heated sport seats. Driver-assistance tech like lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and forward collision warning plays chaperone, while the optional Performance Package cranks aggression. Sure, manual diehards might whine, but this lightweight beast laughs in automatic traffic—standard rage, zero apologies.
Pricing, Trim Levels, and Best Choice
The 2021 Hyundai Veloster N, priced at $33,255, offers exceptional performance and joy. With a manual gearbox as standard and an option for a $5000 Performance Package that adds upgraded brakes, summer performance tires, and an electronic limited-slip differential, it punches well above its weight. Throw in the 19-inch wheels, variable exhaust-valve system, and dual-clutch automatic, and you’ve got a car that rivals the Civic Type R for far less than its $40,000 asking price—absurd value for what you’re getting.
$33,255
Powertrain, Transmission, and Driving Dynamics
Snarl! This turbocharged riot isn’t just alive—it’s a flaming blue demon shredding corners on high-performance tires, laughing at compact cars while channeling BMW glory days. The six-speed manual slaps gears like a drummer on Red Bull, while the dual-clutch automatic fires gear changes faster than a meme dies. Adaptive suspension and Power Sense Axle? Dynamic duo, murdering body roll and serving steering so communicative, you’ll feel every direction like a psychic handshake. Low-end power? Pfft—this four-cylinder screams for revs, spitting crackles and pops (thanks, Anti-Lag system) like a caffeinated jackhammer. Progressively firm braking bites harder than a scorned ex, and R-Spec mode injects vigor into city driving chaos. Yeah, the clutch feels feather-light and low-speed throttle jitters like a nervous Chihuahua—microscopic complaints when you’re hitting 60 MPH in 5.5 seconds with DriveTribe-level swagger. Hyundai didn’t make a car—they bottled lightning and gave it a gear knob.
Fuel Efficiency and Driving Range
Gulp! The turbocharged sporty riot that is the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N won’t sip fuel like a Prius—but hey, 27 overall MPG isn’t bad for a car that moonlights as a lead-footed gremlin. On highway cruises, it’s shockingly economical, averaging 32 MPG (even hitting 33 highway if you resist the driving hard urge), stretching 500-mile trip dreams from LA to Monterey without whimpering. City driving style? Expect 26 cities—blame stoplights and your inner hoon. My test loop venture proved mileage swings wildly: 32.3 mpg coasting, 29 mpg combined when mixing sanity with short bursts of “N Grin” madness. Impact? This statement applies to your right foot. Compared to the snoozy Civic Si, it’s a fantastic result for a manual-equipped lunatic—ratings be damned, this isn’t a “fuel efficiency” poster child, but it returns enough smiles per gallon to forgive the gas-station impact.
Premium Interior and Comfort
Plop! Slide into the Turbo Ultimate’s bucket seats—they hug like a wrestler in love, with adjustable lumbar and side bolstering that coddle your spine even when the fundamentally stiff suspension turns choppy roads into a bucking bronco rodeo. The interior? A mixed bag: nicely shaped controls and logically grouped knobs scream “sporty genius,” but rigid plastics whisper “economy car origins.” Ample front legroom? Sure, if you’re not an NBA hopeful—taller riders will curse the limited headroom and massive rear pillars that murder visibility like a ninja. Highway cruising? It’s surprisingly stable at highway speeds, but the short wheelbase and sport-tuned suspension mean larger bumps translate as if you are stepping on Lego bricks. Is there any space in the rear? Squeeze two adults back there if you hate them — stoop and shorter doors make it a yoga expedition to enter. The asymmetrical styling — including the longer driver’s door — dramatizes the design, and despite the low profile, the driving position is surprisingly comfortable for all but the tallest drivers. The seating position is low, involved, and prepared to put any compact cars in fancy clothing to shame. Microscopic complaints? —The clamorous cabin and finicky rear-seat access? Who cares when you’re grinning through sportier driving than a 2022+ Hyundai Tucson review could ever dream of?
Cargo Space and Practicality
The cargo floor here isn’t some afterthought—it’s a hidden Tetris champ, swallowing 19.9 cubic feet of chaos (suitcases, skateboards, emotional baggage) with roomy swagger. Drop the rear occupants? Poof—chairs fold flat, creating space to lift objects like a Home Depot sidequest. Wide storage pockets and cup holders stash beverage bottles and rogue fries, while the large storage console hides contraband snacks like a pro. Child seat anchors? Clearly labeled, so you won’t curse existence during fitting. But let’s gripe: the trunk access feels like yoga for giants (thanks, elevated lip), and poorly positioned top anchors play hide-and-seek. Compartments lack padding, so your belongings rattle like maracas on choppy roads—microscopic complaints when you’re slamming a weekend’s loot into this sporty boot while rivals (cough ugly aliens) fumble with dedicated access drama.
Infotainment, Connectivity, and Smart Tech
The Turbo Ultimate’s Infinity stereo system slaps like a steroid-pumped jukebox, while the functional infotainment system flaunts Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the swagger of a BMW glory days comeback tour. Hyundai’s connected services? Blue Link keeps your data connections tighter than a conspiracy theorist’s tinfoil hat, and the wireless charging pad devours phones faster than a toddler with candy. Lower trim? The bare-bones basic system, limited to a handful of functions, will make you nostalgic for flip phones. But hey, voice commands understand natural phrases (mostly), and driver aids like emergency-braking episodes swing between clear lifesavers and false “OMG STOP NOW” panic attacks. USB ports? Check. 12-volt charging? Sure, if you still rock a 2006 GPS. Navigation’s crisp, but the R-Spec’s lineup skips it—prioritizing high-quality rage over pampering. Microscopic complaints? The features menu feels like IKEA instructions, but who cares when you’re blasting Eurobeat through a wireless charging pad-equipped flaming blue demon?
Safety and Driving Support
Snort! This flaming blue demon packs safety features sharper than a digital watchdog—newly standard forward-collision warning barks like a naggy backseat driver, while blind-spot monitoring side-eyes rivals like ugly aliens. The IIHS and NHTSA gave it top crash test nods, but let’s be real: lane-keep assist feels like wrestling a tipsy line dancer, and rear parking sensors? They’ll audibly warn you about obstacles… including that one leaf. 2021’s driver-assistance systems include a rearview camera clearer than your ex’s intentions and smartphone tricks (locks/unlocks, vehicle status checks) that’ll make you feel like a paranoid valet. Microscopic complaints? Reverse gear lacks Jedi reflexes and alerts ping louder than a TikTok addict’s DMs—but when authorities like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety bless your car safety chops, who’s complaining?
Hyundai's Warranty and Maintenance Plan
Ka-ching! Hyundai’s warranty game slaps rivals like a disgruntled valet—five-year/60,000-mile basic coverage laughs at Toyota’s three-year snoozefest, while the 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain warranty cackles at mainstream rivals’ weak sauce. Complimentary scheduled maintenance for three years/36,000 miles? This is an exceptional value proposition, particularly when you’re battling this fiery blue beast during track days.
Key features:
✅ Lengthy warranties hide the cabin’s tightly fit panels and textures that whisper “economy car”—microscopic complaints when you’re covered like Fort Knox.
✅ Competitive price? Please. This best-in-class coverage shames nicer materials-obsessed posers—who needs colors when your warranty outlives most marriages?
✅ Five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance—because even tough plastic interiors deserve a safety net.
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Rating
Gallery:
Images sourced from Hyundai Newsroom.
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