A few days ago, rumors were swirling that Hyundai could drop the standard Veloster in the United States.
The model hasn’t exactly been a strong seller as sales dropped to 6,785 units last year, and Cars Direct noted the company had replaced their usual rebates with a “Final Pay” incentive that is typically used to clear out dealer stock.
At the time, Hyundai would only say the 2021 Veloster was still on sale. That wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of the model’s future, so rumors were quick to spread.
Also Read: 2021 Hyundai Veloster N Ditches Base 250 HP Model
Hyundai has now elaborated and confirmed to Car & Driver that the Veloster will live on for the 2022 model year. However, it’s not surviving unscathed as the 2022 model will be offered with fewer trim levels.
There’s no word on which trims are getting the cut, but the 2021 Veloster is available in 2.0, 2.0 Premium, Turbo R-Spec, Turbo, Turbo Ultimate and N guise. That’s a lot of variety for a slow seller and it appears Hyundai is doing something about it.
While a lot of questions remain, the 2021 Veloster starts at $18,900 and features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 147 hp (110 kW / 149 PS) and 132 lb-ft (179 Nm) of torque. It’s paired to a standard six-speed manual, while a six-speed automatic is optional. The base model comes modestly equipped, but the $23,100 2.0 Premium adds heated front seats, a larger 8-inch infotainment system and an eight-speaker Infinity premium audio system, among other things.
Buyers looking for more power can upgrade to $23,450 Turbo R-Spec, which has a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS) and 195 lb-ft (264 Nm) of torque. If that’s not enough, there’s the $32,250 Veloster N which has a 2.0-liter turbo developing 275 hp (205 kW / 279 PS) and 260 lb-ft (353 Nm) of torque.
