RideLust

The 2012 Hyundai Veloster. Image: Hyundai Motor America

I’m heading off to St. Petersburg (Florida, not Russia) later this week to drive the new Hyundai Veloster. Hyundai has a lot riding on it’s funky-fresh hatchback, which features a third door on the passenger side for easy and safe passenger off-loading, Unless you live in a right-hand drive country, in which case the third door may well be for population control.

To Hyundai, the Veloster represents a reverse-halo car, targeted primarily to Gen Y. It will be one of the first to offer Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics service, it will be reasonably priced and it will deliver up to 40 mpg on the highway. There’s even (allegedly) plans for a Veloster Turbo, which would give Hyundai a hot hatchback of its own and would present a second sporty alternative to its Genesis Coupe.

What’s your take on the Veloster, as seen in the videos below? Has Hyundai hit the mark with this, or are they trying too hard to appeal to too many different kinds of customers? Most importantly, would you shop a Veloster, in either 138 horsepower or Turbo flavor? Why or why not?

Look for my take on the car next week, so if you’ve got any questions for Hyundai on the Veloster, now is the time to ask them.