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Futuristic Veloster gets a turbo boost Ewan Kennedy road tests Hyundai’s beefed-up ground breaker
T
he turbocharged version of the Hyundai Veloster, tagged the SR, has only been in Australia a few months but is already generating plenty of sales. When launched in non-turbo format in February, the Hyundai that looked like a coupe on one side and a five-door hatch on the other created a huge number of stares and comments during our entire test period. Some felt it needed more power, though others said it had the sort of engine performance that pleased drivers who enjoyed the decision making necessary to keep their Veloster in the correct gear to get the best out of the 103 kilowatts of power on offer. They also appreciated the low price tag of the non-turbo — it began at an appealing $23,990 in six-speed manual format. In any case, there’s now a choice in Veloster engine power thanks to the introduction of a high(ish) performance SR model. With a 46 per cent increase in power and an even more impressive 60 per cent more torque, it has a lot more poke.
The Veloster SR has minimal turbo lag and a smooth push in the back. But if you’re looking for a drag racer, the Hyundai Veloster SR Turbo may not be your best bet. As this isn’t a full-blown sports coupe, Hyundai has kept the price of the Veloster SR down by restricting engine torque to the front wheels to prevent wheel spin and understeer. Hyundai Veloster SR Turbo is even more striking in appearance than the standard Veloster, as it’s even more radical in its shape. The front grille is bigger and bolder, the foglights have futuristic shaping to their surrounds, side skirts give the lowered look and the dark glass sunroof adds to the overall effect. The rear windscreen glass is directly above the back seats and created discomfort during the day in our home area of the Gold Coast. We strongly suggest looking at this aspect of the car if your plan is to regularly cart kids back there. Prices for theVeloster SR Turbo start at $31,990, not including government or dealer delivery charges.
Striking appearance: Fascinating styling of the Hyundai Veloster draws stares from all directions.
BMW X1 takes the wagon trail
B
MW’s latest version of its smallest SUV, the X1, shows it has been heading in the right direction since it first entered this evergrowing market segment with the X5 in 1999. While other makers saw buyers of their SUVs as being adventurous families wanting an off-road vehicle to explore the Australian bush, BMW realised from the start that buyers were only looking for a station wagon with a bit of tough style, one that would perhaps be used to transport
X factor: A neat facelift has the latest BMW X1 styled in the manner of a family wagon.
the families taking part in various sporting events, serious or otherwise. Over the years most other makers of SUVs have backed away from the original off-road SUV theme by reducing ground clearance and installing twowheel-drive systems in vehicles that look like four-wheel-drives. BMW has a big advantage over the others in using rear-wheel-drive in its 2WD models in keeping with its aim of providing what it calls sheer driving pleasure. This fact immediately became obvious when we began our
review of the facelifted BMW X1 at the press launch out of the Gold Coast and interesting mountainous regions of northern NSW. We had the pleasure of not only driving a RWD BMW X1, but also in enjoying the lighter weight of a petrol engine. Many families looking for a sporting station wagon and which have around $50,000 in their automotive budget will find the latest BMW X1 fills just about all of their needs. — Ewan Kennedy
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December 11, 2012 WEEKLY – YOUR COMMUNITY VOICE
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