The Automotive world gets rocked by Hyundai!!!

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Just got it in the mail... Road & Track in their Dec. 2019 compared all the greatest cars in the world on the track and on the road, from McClaren Porsche, Corvette, Lambo, and others. All the testers voted the $30,000 Hyundai Veloster N "The 2020 Performance Car of The year"! A SHOCKER!  $30,000 buys you the best performing car!?!

Anyone else read this?

[Kev m]

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/a29685009/2020-hyundai-veloster-n-video-review-track-matt-farah/

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-comparison-tests/a29640493/2020-performance-car-of-the-year/

*Outright speed and testing numbers are part of the package, but they don’t determine the winner. Beyond sheer pace, a car has to bring emotion to the table.

*The car must embrace track duty while still being enjoyable on the road.

*Technology has to be used in service of the driver, not just added speed. Feedback and sensation via complexity is great, but complexity alone doesn’t cut it.

*Lastly, we ask ourselves, would any other manufacturer build it? Does the car feel uniquely of its story and brand, with a personality all its own?

Meh it's just an opinion that they think it is more well rounded even if it doesn't match many of its competitors in certain performance metrics.

That's basically like saying The Guzzi Smallblock is the performance bike of the year....

Mostly it sounds like a magazine trying to remain relevant.


It had the second slowest 0-60, second slowest lap time (both times only the Miata was slower in the odd field they chose to test).

[canuck750]

Just got it in the mail... Road & Track in their Dec. 2019 compared all the greatest cars in the world on the track and on the road, from McClaren Porsche, Corvette, Lambo, and others. All the testers voted the $30,000 Hyundai Veloster N "The 2020 Performance Car of The year"! A SHOCKER!  $30,000 buys you the best performing car!?!

Anyone else read this?

Yep Hyundai / Kia make some very good vehicles. I have a 2011 Kia Soul that gets the crap run out of it as a grocery getter and it has never had an issue.
I hate to admit it but my BMW M550 gets a very good run for its money by the new Genesis line, maybe not up to the same level of fit and finish as the BMW but getting better every year.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

The former head of BMW performance for the past 30 years now works for Hyundai

[canuck750]

The former head of BMW performance for the past 30 years now works for Hyundai

Wow, the Koreans are going very hard at developing a world class line of vehicles.

[Perazzimx14]

My brother just bought a Hyundai Palisade after previously owning a BMW and a Lexus. For the options he wanted the BMW or Lexus was in the $80,000 range where the Hyundai was about 1/2. He also is hands off on service so he relies on the dealership. With the former the service costs were high whereas the Hyundai was a lot more reasonable. It a really nice vehicle.

Hyundai has done well for themselves.

[Lannis]

This one happens to be about cars.

Magazines about other subjects will have End-Of-The-World fonts and colors on their cover from now to the end of the year:

"The World's Most Beautiful Women of 2019!"

"The Greatest Athletes of 2019!"

"Greatest Golf Comebacks of 2019!"

All will be a combination of measurable things (women's proportions, number of goals made, number of shots to come from behind to win) and extremely subjective things, which can't even be listed, much less measured.

I would put 0 importance to any of this in real world terms, but it's all in good fun like "Greatest Bond Villains" or "Most Beautiful Disney Princesses".   I'll take on anyone arguing my preferences for either of those ....

Lannis

[LowRyter]

Over on the Corvette Forum, the members are having an absolute conniption fit over it.  Most are convinced the new mid engine Corvette will be the best vehicle ever made despite that no one has driven one, not yet in production and few folks have seen one in person.  The fact that a rational peppy car that costs half as much and gets double the mileage wins this silly comparison just makes their heads explode.  And then they go nuts when you mention that a Hyundai is "driver's car" because it has a stick shift whereas the new 'vette is only available as an automatic.   

I got the magazine in the mail and it's just awful.  The entire issue is dedicated to this subject, nothing else.  It's a complete joke so far as anything enjoyable or any variety.  I've never seen a single story or article morph into the entire monthly magazine.  I wonder how many more issues I'll get before it finally runs out?

[oldbike54]

 In what is probably the most competitive automobile market ever , Hyundai has become a major player . Gotta give them credit for what they have managed to do .

 Dusty

[roadventure]

Good for Hyundai!  I tried to test drive a Veloster a couple of years ago and did not fit.  It did not have enough head room.   

[larrys]

I looked up a bunch o' motorcycle mag riding reports on my Monster. They were all, without exception a$$kissing infomercials about how effing great the bike is. Guess the bike rags have to say nice things about the bikes that the manufacturers give them to play with or they won't get any more. Bet it's the same with car mags...
Larry

[coast range rider]

Performance Car of The Year is front wheel drive?
This says more about Road and Track magazine than the Hyundai.

[oldbike54]

Performance Car of The Year is front wheel drive?
This says more about Road and Track magazine than the Hyundai.

 The Mini Cooper S was front wheel drive , and it shamed many a car with 3 times its power .

 Dusty

[Kev m]

The Mini Cooper S was front wheel drive , and it shamed many a car with 3 times its power .

 Dusty

Look at the link to the article, the result is completely subjective. The Veloster didn't shame anything but the Miata.

[oldbike54]

Look at the link to the article, the result is completely subjective. The Veloster didn't shame anything but the Miata.

 So ?

 Dusty

[Kev m]

So ?

 Dusty

I was pointing out that UNLIKE the mini (in it's time) the Veloster has not managed to shame anything and seems unlikely it will. That's all.

Which makes the article title pretty dumb.


You should have seen it from my first analogy. I LOVE THE smallblock, it's the second coming (of the airheads), TO ME.

I'm not dumb enough to claim it's the best performance bike of the year...

[JohninVT]

I was pointing out that UNLIKE the mini (in it's time) the Veloster has not managed to shame anything and seems unlikely it will. That's all.

Which makes the article title pretty dumb.


You should have seen it from my first analogy. I LOVE THE smallblock, it's the second coming (of the airheads), TO ME.

I'm not dumb enough to claim it's the best performance bike of the year...

Actually, they said they had no trouble keeping up with the Mclaren over a mountain road with it.  A Hyundai....chasing a supercar....

Having fun is more important than a spec sheet.  All of the testers agreed the car drove great, had the least shortcomings and was rewarding to drive fast.  275hp may not sound like much compared to a 600hp supercar but the Hyundai only weighs two fat Americans more than a Miata. 

[Kent in Upstate NY]

Best bang for the buck seems to be the metric.

[knockerjoe]

The good old “Car Of The Year Award” here are a few forgettable ones:
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15147668/dishonorable-mention-the-10-most-embarrassing-award-winners-in-automotive-history/

[Kev m]

Actually, they said they had no trouble keeping up with the Mclaren over a mountain road with it.  A Hyundai....chasing a supercar....

Having fun is more important than a spec sheet.  All of the testers agreed the car drove great, had the least shortcomings and was rewarding to drive fast.  275hp may not sound like much compared to a 600hp supercar but the Hyundai only weighs two fat Americans more than a Miata.

Again, I LIVE the difference every day. I would potentially agree with their verdict if they simply phrased it differently. 


It kept up with a McLaren on a public road like a Harley keeps up with a Ducati (the argument I always make and you guys dismiss). But I wouldn't ever say that Harley was the "best performance bike" that year.

That's my objection... The crappy semantics... The ingenuous title and theme...

[Lannis]

The good old “Car Of The Year Award” here are a few forgettable ones:
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15147668/dishonorable-mention-the-10-most-embarrassing-award-winners-in-automotive-history/

That's hilarious.   At least they're admitting it!   

The VEGA?  Car of the Year?

Who knows what folks will be saying about this years' winners in 40 years .... ?

Lannis

[kingoffleece]

Very entertaining.  Reminds me of Persig:  "And what is good, Phradus, need we someone to tell us these things?"

[canuck750]

Saying the Hyundai kept up with the McLaren at legal road speed on a mountain road is irrelevant, probably most anything made today with four wheels could do that. My old V6 Ford Ranger will keep up with my M550 on any road, the difference is the Ranger will be running at its handling, speed and braking limit while the BMW will be barley working. I will likely never 'need' the performance of the BMW on a legal road but if car manufacturer's only made what we 'needed' we would all be driving small displacement normally asperated four cylinder compacts.

And for my 2 cents a 275 hp subcompact is nothing to sneer at, 5.5 seconds zero to sixty,  MSRP under $30K, those are better performance numbers than a 68 Shelby GT 500KR ( 335 hp and 6 seconds to 60)

[Turin]

Pretty meaningless article. I don't know how you can have any kind of "Performance car of the year" award when you can't get all of the manufacturers to participate.
Kind of lame. It did get me to check Hyundais web sight though.

To bad they didn't include the kia stinger.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Pretty meaningless article. I don't know how you can have any kind of "Performance car of the year" award when you can't get all of the manufacturers to participate.
Kind of lame. It did get me to check Hyundais web sight though.

To bad they didn't include the kia stinger.

If you tried to get ALL the cars together at the same time, it would never happen.

I'm not complaining, I'm celebrating!!! Technology has made it to the point where you can get a GREAT performance car for for the track and the road for around $30,000. That to me is a reason to celebrate! I can understand why the millionaires and billionaires car enthusiasts are upset.  I'll bet all the other car forums tonight are lighting up with rage.

[JohninVT]

Pretty meaningless article. I don't know how you can have any kind of "Performance car of the year" award when you can't get all of the manufacturers to participate.
Kind of lame. It did get me to check Hyundais web sight though.

To bad they didn't include the kia stinger.

The manufacturers did participate.  They all sent “minders” along with the cars.  There was a funny sidebar about Nissan sending a guy with a set of tires for the GT-R.  By the way, the Stinger is a wonderful car.  The only thing it’s missing is a great exhaust note. 

They were well beyond legal speeds on public roads when they stated the Hyundai would keep up with the McLaren.  It’s like the guys throwing shade didn’t read the article.  No, your Ford Ranger isn’t going to stay in even the same zip code as a McLaren when they’re both driven hard. 

The article stated up front that it wasn’t entirely track based and real world driving was weighted equally.  I have no doubt that using this metric a Scat Pack Charger would come out on top over a Hellcat equipped Charger.  Anyone who has driven both would understand that.  Just like anyone who has driven a Viper would understand that as soon as you include the words “real world” and daily driving it loses to cars that have much lesser numbers because they do things like..I dunno...allow you to stay dry when driven in the rain or go more that 17 miles on a tank of gas. 

[Aaron D.]

I should go try one. A decent front driver can be a hoot.

[Kev m]

Wait John, did you read the article?

Where does it say they were well beyond legal limits on the road?

As a matter of fact they specifically noted in a few places that track and road paces were different for example:

"The McLaren, for all its supercar glory, could be simultaneously dull and exhausting at a public pace."

The article was way more about their field trip and how the article was written than it actually was about the cars in question. And as noted the "winner" was far off pace on the track which means the only way it was going to chase down the McLaren on the road was:

A. Worse driver in McLaren and/or
B. Far below mechanical limitations that proved the McLaren more capable on the track.

Thing is I should be jumping for joy about this article since it validates everything I tend to say about Harleys and Guzzis vs superbikes/sportbikes on the street.

I just recognize the sensationalistic disingenuousness of the article itself.

Now if it was billed not as "performance car off the year" but more like everyday hero's car, realistic fun performance car on the street or the like I'd be less critical.

I also wish Subaru had freed up one friggin STI that week lol.

[Ncdan]

I just wish they made a pickup truck👍
I got curious about these cars and took a look see on the web. It appears a person who wants a top rated sports car that has been ordained rated right along with the best, can buy one a couple years old and low mileage for 15k and that’s with 8 years warranty left. Like I said at first, sure wished they made a truck:)

[JohninVT]

I just wish they made a pickup truck👍

They've teased one for almost a decade but the Chicken Tax makes importing a competitively priced small truck impossible.