Most cars have four doors, some have two, but three?

Hyundai’s Veloster, which uniquely sports two doors on the passenger side, and one large door on the driver’s side, is set to make its South African debut this month.

The 4.22-m-long sports-coupé is aimed at young drivers, typically between 30 and 35, says Hyundai Automotive South Africa marketing director Stanley Anderson.

He says the vehicle should appeal to single people, or couples, as it is “obviously not a family car”.

“We want it to be an aspirational vehicle for the youth.”

Anderson says the Veloster would be priced just above the i30.

The 2+1 door configuration for Veloster has been adapted for right-hand-drive markets, ensuring customers benefit from what Hyundai terms “the great practicality of the rear door that opens on the safe side of the car, but also from high levels of occupant safety”.

Cargo capacity in the Veloster’s boot is 440 litres. The vehicle has 60:40 folding rear seats, offering a flexible luggage compartment. 

The Veloster’s audio system supports a radio, CD and MP3 player, and a range of external devices thanks to AUX, USB, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity.

The steering wheel hosts remote controls for the sound system, as well as cruise control.

Bluetooth connectivity with cell phones and audio streaming via Bluetooth from the same phone can be set up via touch-screen commands on an information screen in the middle console.

Automatic climate control can be configured on the same screen, where an image of the car with the chosen settings are shown.

The Veloster is powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder direct-injected petrol engine, generating 103 kW at 6 300 rpm.

The vehicle will be available with the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox, or Hyundai’s first dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

The Korean manufacturer says the DCT has the benefits of a manual gearbox, including low fuel consumption and engaging driving characteristics, but also offers the advantages of a traditional automatic transmission, such as smooth shift quality. Other benefits of the DCT include a 5% to 6% improvement in fuel efficiency, as well as a 3% to 7% improvement in acceleration.

Active safety on the vehicle includes vehicle stability management,  an electronic stability programme, an antilock brake system (ABS); and electronic brake force distribution. 

Passive safety features in the Veloster include six airbags. The vehicle achieved a five-star rating in the European New Car Assessment Programme.

The Veloster sells between 2 500 and 3 500 units in the US a month.