2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

Episode 3213 , Episode 3228
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

When Hyundai introduced the excitingly style Veloster last year, its unique four-door coupe design made other compact hatchbacks look suddenly boring. But sadly, the Veloster’s performance didn’t back up its sporty appearance. Well, Hyundai quickly made it their mission to find a proper solution; enter the Veloster Turbo. So, let’s see adding a turbo can boost our reactions to Hyundai’s hot looking, little hatch!

The 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo does indeed get some much needed extra power pumped into its great looking sheet-metal. Courtesy of a twin-scroll turbocharger mounted on its 1.6-liter, direct injection Gamma-4. Horsepower gets a nice boost from 138 to 201, and torque gets an equally impressive increase from 132 to 195 lb-ft. Compression ratio drops from 11.0:1 to a more forced induction-friendly 9.5:1. Sounds like it certainly has the potential to cure what ailed it, so we wasted little time hitting the track to find out. 

Off the line, there’s a fair amount of wheel hop as the front tires struggle for traction, but eventually enough is attained to get to 60 in 7.8 seconds, almost a second quicker than the normally aspirated Veloster. The quarter mile is equally quicker at 16.0-seconds at 87 miles-per-hour. 

As before, both 6-speed manual and automatic are available; we chose the manual and we’re still not huge fans of the shifter, as you need to be very precise with it, but gears are well spaced and we love the more aggressive exhaust note that comes with the Turbo. It’s still not super fast, but without doubt a big improvement over the base Veloster and just enough to make it finally live up to its looks.

And speaking of looks, it’s hard not to love the funky styling of the Veloster; it truly appears “special” hauling down the road. And the Turbo gets some very well done visual upgrades that set it apart. But, not so much so that it look super boy racerish. 

Up front there’s a larger hexagonal grille, and down the sides, rocker skirts are extended. 18-inch wheels with chrome inserts are standard. And of course the unique single right side 3rd door arrangement remains, though unfortunately so do the all too obviously fake hood “vents”. It looks most aggressive from the rear however, with the scooped out look accentuated by a body colored, hatch-top spoiler and dual, round center exhaust tips. 

When it comes to handling, the turbo Veloster equates itself well enough. With no suspension changes, you still can’t push it too hard before it starts to push hard. But, a little finesse rewards you with flat cornering and more than enough power to exit with a smile.

But, our biggest complaint on the base Veloster was the absolute lack of steering feel. So the Turbo adds a slightly faster ratio and sportier tuning to the electric assist to increase feedback and response. We had no complaints about braking performance before, nor do we now as stops from 60 averaged a very good 120-feet.  

We still love the motorcycle inspired, well equipped interior of the Veloster and the Turbo gets a few updates, like leather seats with Turbo embroidery, alloy pedals, and unique gauges. Heated seats and push-button start are standard. The Ultimate Package adds panoramic sunroof, automatic headlights, back-up warning sensors, and Navigation with Back-up camera. 

Even if you crawl through the right side 3rd door, you won’t find any more room in the cramped rear seats. But, fold them and the 15.5 cubic feet of cargo space expands to 34.7. Though you’ll have to lift bags pretty high to get them through the hatch. 

In case you haven’t heard, the government has some issues with Hyundai’s Fuel Economy Ratings. They’ve since been revised downward on many models, including the Veloster. The Turbo with manual now rates at 24-City, 35-Highway, and 28-Combined on Regular gas. We averaged a fine 32.9 miles-per-gallon in mixed driving. Making for an Energy Impact Score that’s still much better than average at 11.8-barrels of annual oil consumption with 5.3-tons of CO2 emissions. 

Pricing gets a boost as well, to $22,725. That’s $4,500 over a base Veloster, but it comes almost fully loaded and is only about a grand over the very well-equipped Veloster we tested last year. 

Adding boost to the 2013 Veloster may not be enough to blow the Turbo to the sharp end of the sporty hatchback segment, but Hyundai certainly made a fun little car even more so, giving it the additional performance it needed to back up its sporty mission. So we mean it when we say, “Mission Accomplished.”

Specifications

  • Engine: 1.6-liter, direct injection Gamma-4
  • Horsepower: 201
  • Torque: 195 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 7.8 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 16.0 seconds @ 87 mph
  • EPA: 24 mpg city/ 35 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 11.8 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 5.3 tons/yr
2025 Genesis G80 1

2025 Genesis G80

New Interior And New Tech Elevates G80 Sedan

Episode 4422
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Talk about bad timing. This second-generation G80 debuted at the height of a global pandemic. But that hasn’t stopped Genesis or this Bentley-on-a-budget sedan. In fact, since then, Genesis has unveiled a spectacular all-electric version and now given all G80s a makeover. So, let’s find out what a better and better-timed new G80 is ready to deliver.

Breaking into the luxury sedan scene requires going up against traditional brands with long pedigrees and legions of loyal buyers. But Hyundai has never shied away from a challenge, and has made steady progress with their Genesis brand, and hopes that a revised 2025 G80 midsize sedan will be their next step up.

Styling matters more when you’re the upstart, and the Genesis Athletic Elegance theme changes very little for ’25; just a new grille, slightly reshaped bumpers, new wheels ranging from 18 to 20 inches, and an updated color palette. The G80’s unique two-line LED headlamps get revised Micro Lens Array technology that boosts performance while minimizing the brightness for oncoming drivers.

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Changes inside are much more significant with an entirely new dash and console, eliminating both the hooded gauge panel and dashtop wide info screen. Merging them together into one 27-inch wide LG panoramic display than runs from behind the steering wheel to over the center stack. There’s a bigger and more comprehensive control panel in the center stack; while the console gets less armrest coverage, more space for storage, and reshaped cupholders. The wider display is still a touchscreen, but there is also a console mounted controller if you prefer to keep it fingerprint free. Both options work well, but the controller is still too easy to confuse with the dial-like shifter.

Materials are on par if not a notch above most European luxury rivals, and there are 18 speakers to crank out 1,400 watts of premium sound from Bang & Olufsen. Top Sport Prestige trim comes with Nappa leather seats, carbon fiber trim, micro-suede materials for the headliner and pillar covers, heated armrests, head-up display, and upgraded active safety features. Front seats are immensely comfortable without feeling overly soft, and there’s plenty of comfort and room for adults in the back seat.

More Bentley than Benz; streaking down the track with European-style solidity that gives you very little indication of the high speed you’re traveling at.

Same powertrains as last year. Base power comes from a 300-horsepower 2.5-liter turbo-four; the upgrade is this 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that outputs 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. Both are hitched to standard all-wheel drive. At our Mason Dixon Dragway test track, the AWD delivered enough grip for consistent slip-free launches. We hit 60 in 5.0 seconds flat. Run after run, the 3.5T pulled as strong as it sounds. All G80s work with the same paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission, and while shifting was silky smooth on the street, here on the track with Sport Mode and wide-open throttle they were noticeably firmer and quicker.

It was a very surreal experience in the cabin. More Bentley than Benz; streaking down the track with European-style solidity that gives you very little indication of the high speed you’re traveling at. For us, that was 105 mph in 13.4 seconds at the quarter. In addition to the G80’s Sport Mode that tightens steering, improves throttle response, adjusts shifting points, firms up the suspension, and reconfigures stability system parameters; Sport Prestige trim adds rear-wheel steering and an electronic limited slip differential. But, even with all of that, it didn’t feel overly sporty in our handling course. Now, we were able to comfortably carry quite a bit of speed through the cones, but there was just an overall soft, somewhat disconnected and heavy presence that had us unsure of how hard we could push. Sport Prestige also adds upgraded performance brakes. They were plenty capable, bringing this 4,600-lbs. luxury liner consistently down from 60 in just 104 feet with little fade.

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Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the six-cylinder are 16 City, 24 Highway, and 19 Combined. We averaged a good 21.3 mpg of Premium. Still, that’s a slightly below average Energy Impact Score, using 15.7 barrels of oil annually with 7.8 tons of CO2 emissions.

Considering the amount of luxury packed into the G80, its $58,350 starting price, even though slightly higher than last year, remains pretty remarkable. It’s a substantial step up to the 3.5T though, as it begins at $70,850.

Genesis has existed as a standalone luxury brand for just less than a decade, and it has indeed been making steady progress into what is surely the hardest segment of all to master. The 2025 Genesis G80 sedan continues to impress and is a great option for luxury-minded buyers who prioritize true value over badges.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6
  • Transmission: eight-speed automatic
  • Horsepower: 375
  • Torque: 391 lb-ft
  • EPA: 16 City | 24 Highway | 19 Combined
  • 0-60 mph: 5.0 seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 13.4 seconds at 105 mph
  • Braking, 60-0 (avg.): 104 feet
  • MW Fuel Economy: 21.3 mpg (Premium)