By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
We were intrigued by the futuristic looking Hyundai Veloster with its sporty demeanor, hidden third door and useable hatch when we first saw it; but after 30 miles behind the wheel our excitement over this unusual car was melting faster than a snowman on a warm spring afternoon.
What cooled off our enthusiasm was the 1.6-liter 138-horsepower four-cylinder engine, the only one available. Adequate, yes, but we felt the small four was more suited to the entry-level Accent in which it also resides, not a car that looks like this with such sporty pretensions. The performance didn't match the persona. To Hyundai's credit it wasted little time upgrading the Veloster with an engine that should have been available from the get-go, a turbocharged version of the 1.6-liter pumping up horsepower to 201 and torque to 195 pound-feet — running on 87-octane gas.