Another hot hatch bites the dust. A report out of Korea from Hankyung.com and sources close to the company speaking to Korea Economic Daily says that Hyundai is discontinuing the final iteration of its Veloster hatchback, the Veloster N, effectively killing the model.
While the end of the hottest little hatchback sucks, none of this is really surprising. Hyundai has sent many signs indicating the Veloster has been on its deathbed since last year. In the spring of 2021, buyers had noticed that rebates and other deals on the Veloster had dried up at dealers. All the while the company gave the public a cryptic non-confirmation that the Veloster was here to stay. Then that summer, the company killed off every trim of the Veloster save for the N. Now it’s official. Sources close to the company say that Hyundai will stop production of the Veloster at its Ulsan, South Korea plant in July. The reasoning for it is all too familiar: crossovers.
Hyundai’s Kona has proven a popular seller for the brand, and the recent introduction of the performance version of the Kona N has proved to be another nail in the coffin for the Veloster, basically taking the Veloster’s place. Add in the Elantra N, and it appears the company sees no need for the Veloster N in the lineup. This is a strange position to take seeing as the Veloster has been available for nearly 12 years. However, sales haven’t been that hot, with only 191 Veloster’s sold in May of this year. That’s a 22 percent decrease from the year prior.
Honestly, it’s been a long time coming for the Veloster. The hot hatch’s quirkiness doesn’t appeal to everyone. The death of the Veloster N means hot hatches are more endangered than ever before. So, put your money where your mouth is and go buy one before they’re all gone.