Hyundai Sets The Record Straight - Veloster Is Not Being Killed Off, Also No V8 Genesis Coupe Just Yet

The Hyundai Veloster hasn’t exactly been a sales flop since it first went on sale in 2011, but that hasn’t stopped the rumormill from prematurely killing off the asymmetrical hatchback. Refuting recent rumors that the Veloster could be getting the axe, Bold Ride is reporting that Hyundai isn’t giving up on the car just yet.

 Bold Ride sat down with Hyundai public relations manager Derek Joyce who said reports of the Veloster being killed off are “pure speculation at this point. He went on to add “there’s no plan to eliminate [the Veloster], it’s doing really well in the U.S”

How well, you ask? Since going on sale in the fall of 2011, the Hyundai Veloster has managed to rack up close to 90,000 sales in the U.S. alone. That’s no small number for a niche hatchback, but it’s also Hyundai’s slowest-selling, non-luxury model after the Equus, Azera and Genesis Sedan.
 

MattDarringer - 7/11/2014 5:10:30 PM

0 Boost

The '15 Genesis coupe is a "stand still" year give that the '16 will be all new. At that time, dealers are hoping their demand for a V8 Genesis coupe will be heard.

MorePower - 7/11/2014 6:15:18 PM

+1 Boost

No one is asking for a V8 Genesis coupe.

The only way a V8 Genesis coupe makes it to the market is if Hyundai:
- decides to compete against the BMW 4 Series, Audi A5, Infiniti Coupe
- can refine the handling and steering to compete with the above
- builds a dual clutch transmission and wants a vehicle to showcase it
- is able to design an exterior that not only defines the brand, but stands out in a crowd without upsetting everyone

Why would Hyundai bring a V8 to the Genesis Coupe when they can not compete, in terms of sales or performance, of their current competition: Mustang, Camaro, 370z.

MattDarringer - 7/12/2014 1:06:16 PM

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@MorePower WRONG! The dealers are VERY vocal about wanting a V8 Genesis Coupe to get into the very lucrative Mustang/Challenger/Camaro market. The dealers have been wanting Hyundai to reorient the Genesis Coupe as a South Korean pony car and have actually floated the idea of the next Genesis Coupe resurrecting the Tiburon name to place is squarely against the Mustang/Challenger/Camaro. Hyundai HAS built some Genesis Coupe V8 prototypes. Some dealers got to see and drive the vehicle.

MorePower - 7/12/2014 7:26:30 PM

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Dealers want anything that might bring a customer into their showroom. A V8 in a non-premium car only hurts the Genesis sedan.

If Hyundai are serious about fixing the Genesis Coupe, they need to take are hard look at what has made the Genesis Coupe a relative sales failure:

- bad steering
- questionable build quality
- rough engines
- overweight
- over priced

If Hyundai could bring a redesigned, competent 4-cylinder Genesis Coupe, with the above issues resolved above, to the market starting at $16,900 with good styling, they would have a winner.

Frankly, a V8 Genesis Coupe is not needed for the market that Hyundai targets. Keep the V8 in the Genesis Sedan for the old people and bring an awesome twin-turbo V6 or "KERS" like V6 powerplant for the Coupe and keep the price below $30k for the top model.

MattDarringer - 7/13/2014 1:16:48 PM

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@MorePower your wrongness knows no bounds. A V8 Genesis Coupe/Tiburon would NOT hurt the sedan and in fact it would grab a lot of sales for Hyundai in the $35-45K segment. Your assessment of the Genesis Coupe shows you have never been in the same country as one much less seen one much less driven one. It is not overweight for one. It's build quality is excellent. Your assessment of it screams lack of knowledge. Hyundai does need to tune the chassis better to fully extract its potential, but your idea of an RWD coupe for $17K is moronic. A Genesis Coupe with 2.0T, V6, and V8 would be a godsend to dealers and to enthusiasts. As is, the Genesis Coupe is priced very close to the BRZFRS and in the hands of a competent driver is better at the track.

cidflekken - 7/11/2014 7:58:53 PM

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I still don't get how Hyundai ever thought to name it the Genesis coupe when it appears to have no direct relationship to the original Genesis sedan.

MattDarringer - 7/12/2014 1:09:48 PM

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Genesis was originally supposed to be a stand alone brand. The sedan was to be called the BH380 or BH460 depending on the engine and the coupe was to be called "Coupe" but both products arrived just in time for Obama's grenading of the economy so both products became Hyundais and arguably that is what is holding them back today.

MattDarringer - 7/12/2014 1:14:07 PM

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@reviews Hyundai reports them separately for Canada oddly. In the USA, the sedan is approximately 2/3 of the 33K total last year.

cidflekken - 7/14/2014 1:54:27 AM

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Thanks, Darringer, did not know that. And actually, it might have worked out better for Hyundai. I think it was too soon for them to attempt a premium branch-off. The approach they were "forced" to take may result in a better payoff. I've seen the new Genesis quite a bit in my town. Then again, it doesn't hurt that Hyundai used my town as a location for its premiere.

40flash - 7/14/2014 10:59:31 PM

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I find myself agreeing with just about everything Matt said on this one except the weight of the coupe. At 3400-3500 lbs it is too heavy in my opinion. There are however so many people in this country that love pony cars and wouldn't be worried about the weight at all. I think if they can fix some of the problems that MorePower spoke of and drop in the required V8 that the pony car lovers want it would be a big boost for Hyundai.
With the Genesis coupe moving up to the pony car ranks, I would like to see Hyundai and (everyone else for that matter) build a smaller lighter car to slot below the coupe to compete with the FRS/BRZ. It would rond out their product line and help them build an image of a Japanese performance brand. Something that has been abandoned by Honda & Mazda.