Hyundai has revealed the list price for its first true North American hot hatch. As promised, it’s a bullish sticker, coming in under the 30k threshold in the highly desirable Performance Pack trim.
We drove the Veloster N late last month, both on public roads and the rollercoaster that is Thunderhill Raceway. Our verdict? “The established segment leaders from VW and Honda should be worried.” Not only is the N a genuine performance model, capable of shrugging off a day of hard lapping, but it’s got a fun character all its own. And now, it also occupies a very desirable spot in the market.
At $27,785 for the base, 250hp version (including freight), the N is only a few hundred dollars more than a base Golf GTI. The Volkswagen is down 30hp and nearly identical in the torque department. Both cars tip the scales very slightly over 3,000lb, though the People’s Car comes in a more traditional five-door mold. You won’t get as many toys inside the VW, though the interior itself is of higher quality. The Golf R is $10k more than the Veloster N PP.
Over in the Honda camp, the evergreen Civic Si undercuts the Hyundai by over $2,000, at $25,195. It gives up 45hp and 68lbft to the Veloster however — though you can get it in both coupe and sedan form. Both forms hold a solid 100lb+ advantage over the Korean and German competition. Meanwhile, the Civic Type R will run you $36,595, if a dealer is willing to let it go at list.
Moving into left-field, there’s the quirky-as-ever Mini. In JCW form, it knocks out 228hp for $33,250, in a noticeably smaller package. Ford dealers are likely to have some Focus STs sitting about for far less than the $26,105 they list for.
The Performance Pack offers a lot of extra kit for its $2,100 asking price. Aside from the 25hp bump, it also receives the N Corner Carving LSD, upsized 19-inch wheels on stickier Pirelli P Zero tires, bigger brakes, and a mean-sounding active exhaust.
As we said in our Veloster N review, it looks like Hyundai’s hatch has landed closer to the higher-priced hot hatches from the competition in terms of performance, but is nearer to their more pedestrian offerings for sticker price. With its fun-loving attitude, that could spell success for the Veloster N. It’s already outpacing expectations in Asia, while its i30N sister car is doing the same in Europe.
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