2022 Hyundai Veloster N Is a Beast of the Streets
Hyundai dropped all but one of the Veloster’s trims for 2022. Will the performance-geared Veloster N give the car the honorable exit it deserves?
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The heyday of sporty hatchbacks is long behind us, and
Hyundai
seems to be taking the hint. For its last year in the lineup, the Veloster will only have one trim in the U.S. Thankfully, it’s the high-performance Veloster N. The Veloster N gives drivers what they want from the hot hatch: a peppy engine and an engaging driving experience for a reasonable price.
2022 Hyundai Veloster N—one last kick at the can
Hyundai is discontinuing the Veloster after this year, and the car is going out with both a bang and a whimper. To save money and limit production numbers, all of last year’s six
trim levels
were cut, save one. But the trim they chose to keep, the Veloster N, packs the biggest punch.The N’s turbocharged four-cylinder engine provides 275 hp, allowing it to reach 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. That might not be enough to compete against pricier sports cars, but in such a small package, it’ll offer plenty of excitement for drivers.
Driving experience is the top priority for the Veloster N, which explains why it comes standard with a manual transmission. Only the $1,500 upgrade to automatic will give you the car’s best 0-60, but it’s clear that Hyundai has fun, daily driving in mind for the N, not breaking records.
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
Other hot hatches in 2022
We might not be enjoying the same hatchback variety that we did in the ‘90s, but that doesn’t mean the Veloster N is alone in the segment this year. Hyundai’s Japanese rivals are still making these small, affordable sports cars, and the competition is fierce.
The Mazda 3, for example, has a hatchback option that gives similar performance numbers to the N and can also come with a stick shift. Its turbocharged four-cylinder doesn’t accelerate quite as fast as the Hyundai, but its superior interior inspired better reviews than the Veloster.
Surpassing both of them is the upcoming Honda Civic Type R. While the 2021 model’s 306-hp managed similar acceleration to the current Veloster N, the updated 2023—the first Type R for the Civic’s 11th generation—will likely exceed it, thanks in part to an extra 9 horsepower.
Ownership costs for 2022’s sporty hatchbacks
Hatchbacks have a reputation for offering an energetic driving experience while keeping the price down. And while the dropped trim levels make this year’s Veloster more expensive, its $32,500 starting price still puts it lower than the majority of 2022 models.
The Mazda 3 might have lower, cheaper versions, but for Veloster-level performance, you need to spend about the same amount of money.
As for the Civic, it might be getting recommendations from critics, but its $40,000-expected MSRP takes it out of the “affordable” category.
Car insurance
for these sporty trims can spike, but by shopping with Jerry, you’ll always know you’re getting the best price. A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and can even help you cancel your old policy. Jerry customers save an average of $887 a year on car insurance payments!
MORE: What is the Fastest Hatchback?
4.7
