AUTOMOTIVE - DRIVEN: Two Gems From South Korea

The South Korean automakers ? Hyundai and its sibling Kia ? have made tremendous strides in the past few years, delivering interesting and distinctive vehicles that drive well and look good.

They?ve really come a long way from their former role of marketing cars and SUVs that were purchased solely by people who couldn?t afford anything better. Now they are building desirable vehicles in their own right, while still offering very competitive pricing and highly persuasive warranties.

The automakers? double-digit U.S. sales gains during 2010 and 2011 tell the tale.

Here are a couple of sharp little cars, one from Hyundai and one from Kia, that show how far they?ve come and how good they are:

Veloster features one door on the driver side and two on the passenger side. (Photo: Hyundai) Most young people want to be different, distinctive and daring. I know I did, although it?s a distant memory. Hyundai Veloster targets that adolescent notion with a neat little hatchback with all the flares and spoilers you could ever desire, along with a three-door configuration that makes it interestingly asymmetrical.

The third door is hidden behind the front passenger door with a handle that looks like part of the coupe trim. It allows improved access to the rear seat so that your friends, small as they might be, won?t have to crunch too much when they?re getting in.

This is not the first three-door car I?ve driven? the late, lamented Saturn built one before its demise. The Saturn had a clamshell setup on the driver?s side that was hinged in the rear, also giving their little coupe some extra access. The best thing about it was how easily the driver could stow or retrieve items from the back seat, always a downside for a regular coupe.

While it seems to make sense that an extra rear door should be on the passenger side, I favor the driver-side setup, like the Saturn had. For a little car like this in which a rear-seat passenger would be a rarity, the easy access by the driver seems to be more usable on a regular basis. There?s also a hatch in back for added versatility.

The Veloster's interior is appropriately sporty. (Photo: Hyundai) The Veloster (and I keep calling it velociraptor from the movie Jurassic Park) is a new entry for Hyundai and it seems to have hit the spot, following up on the successful revisions of the compact Elantra and Accent.

Handling and drivability are quite good, and the little 1.6-liter four-banger makes decent power ? 138 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 123 pounds-feet of torque at 4,850 rpm ? especially when equipped with the six-speed manual, as was the test car. The shifter?s throws are short and precise, another huge improvement for Hyundai.

A big plus is Veloster?s fuel mileage, which rates at 29 mpg city and the magic number of 40 mpg on the highway. That?s some rarified territory occupied by only a few subcompact competitors and hybrid cars.

Veloster comes in just one base model with optional upgrades. The interior is roomy and accommodating and seems higher grade than the price tag would indicate.

Pricing starts at $17,300 for the well-equipped stickshift base model, and the test car had about $4,000 worth of options, including leather seats and accents, 18-inch alloys and performance tires, panoramic sunroof, sporty alloy pedals, premium sound system, navigation, backup camera, and keyless entry and start.

The total of $21,300 including shipping was a decent bottom line for a distinctive little three-door hatchback.

Source: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/driven-two-gems-from-south-korea/

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