– Austin, Texas

Quirky; it’s hard to think of a term that more perfectly embodies a vehicle like the Hyundai Veloster. The same eye-catching styling and endearing cues that drew buyers in from the get go carry over, but now they’re a bit more grown up. The new Veloster is sharper, more refined, and thanks to some extra engineering, it’s more of a desirable product than ever.

The first thing you’ll notice is the new look. It’s hard not to fall in love with Veloster’s sharp edges, especially when wearing the two-tone Racing Red and black paint job pictured here – one of six new color options added for 2019. The Veloster, particularly in the sporty-looking Turbo trim with 18-inch wheels, is easily one of the best-looking, most-stylish vehicles in its class.

The new design is highlighted by a corporate Cascading Grille, similar here to siblings like the Elantra Sport and European i30. A sculpted lower diffuser, and functional air curtains continue the aggressive theme up front, while centrally mounted dual exhaust tips, and new LED taillights enhance the aggressive angles in the rear.

Inside is much of the same. The cabin has been fully reworked, with a fun new two-tone, black-and-white offset color scheme, sport bucket seats – covered in either comfortable cloth or soft, high-quality lea...