Skip to main content

Starting under $20,000, the 2019 Veloster shows Hyundai can still deliver value

2019 Hyundai VelosterThe 2019 Hyundai Veloster sports a new face and more power in the form of an optional turbocharged engine, adding to the quirky hatchback’s appeal. Newly-released pricing information for the 2019 Veloster shows Hyundai hasn’t lost its ability to deliver a good value, either.

When it hits U.S. showrooms later this year, the Veloster will start at $18,500, although a mandatory $885 freight charge (included in all prices listed here) bumps that price to $19,385. That buys a base model with a six-speed manual transmission and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which produces a healthy 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. Standard equipment includes LED daytime running lights, lane keep assist, and a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Hyundai also offers a six-speed automatic transmission, which is a $1,000 option. Automatic models can be equipped with a Premium Package that adds blind-spot monitoring, automatic climate control, heated seats, eight-speaker Infinity audio system, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen display. That bumps the price up to $23,635.

Buyers looking for more power can step up to the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which produces 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque (202 lb-ft on overboost). This engine can be paired with the manual transmission in the Veloster Turbo R-Spec model for $23,785, or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in the Veloster Turbo for $26,285.

The Turbo R-Spec also adds model-specific interior and exterior trim, a system that pipes fake engine noises into the cabin, and sport-tuned suspension. The Veloster Turbo adds back the heated seats and automatic climate control, which aren’t available on the R-Spec.

Hyundai also offers a range-topping Turbo Ultimate model, which includes the turbocharged engine and additional features like leather seats, wireless phone charging, navigation, adaptive cruise control (on dual-clutch models only) and a head-up display. The Turbo Ultimate starts at $27,535 with the manual transmission, and $29,035 with the dual-clutch gearbox.

Missing from the pricing announcement is any information on the Veloster N, a hot-rod version from Hyundai’s new N sub-brand with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 275 hp and 260 lb-ft. The N will likely hit U.S. dealerships sometime after the other Veloster variants, which will go on sale here within the next few months.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The state of solid-state batteries: We may be on the cusp of an EV revolution
Factorial solid-state battery

Electric vehicles may have become a whole lot more popular over the past five years or so, but that’s despite some issues they still face regarding things like limited range and slow charging speeds. The result of these issues is that plenty of buyers are unsure about whether an EV might be for them. But there’s one technology that has been hailed as a savior for all of the EV issues related to batteries, and that’s solid-state battery tech.

This technology has been so hyped for so long that, at this point in time, it seems not only almost mythical, but as if we might never actually see it in the real world. So, what’s the state of solid-state batteries right now, and how far are we from finally seeing them and reaping their rewards? Here’s a look.
What are solid-state batteries?
What is a solid-state battery in the first place? Solid-state batteries keep the fundamentals of traditional battery design, offering an anode and a cathode with a porous separator in the middle, and a substance through which electrons flow from one side to the other. This, in turn, creates a circuit. But while a conventional battery is built with a liquid electrolyte solution on the inside, a solid-state battery instead makes the separator between the anode and the cathode the electrolyte itself.

Read more
Audi RS e-Tron GT Performance unveiled as a 912-hp electric sedan
2025 audi rs e tron gt performance specs pictures features

Audi's roster of past high-performance models includes the rally-winning Quattro and the V10-powered R8, but the new RS E-Tron GT Performance outguns them all. With up to 912 horsepower on tap, this electric sedan stands proud as the most powerful Audi ever built.

Starting with the RS E-Tron GT, which is related to the Porsche Taycan, engineers updated the front axle's electric motor and integrated a new, lighter electric motor into the rear axle to reach the 912-horsepower figure. Audi notes that this mammoth amount of power can only be unlocked temporarily when the launch control function is engaged, however. Other improvements helped the German company add horses to the E-Tron's cavalry, including a new chemistry for the 105-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack's cells and a revised cooling system.

Read more
Ram 1500 REV vs. Ford F-150 Lightning: Classic trucks go electric
Ford F-150 Lightning

The first Ram electric pickup truck is on the way. The Ram 1500 REV is set to be one of the most desirable electric trucks out there, thanks not only to the Ram name but also to its high-end specifications.

But, of course, it's certainly not the first electric truck out there. The Ford F-150 Lightning is a favorite among electric truck buyers, thanks to the fact that it continues that Ford F-150 legacy with a tried-and-true design coupled with new technologies.

Read more