Davide can understand parts of the Korean language which correspond to his belt levels very well thanks to his instructors at Grasshoppers and the studying he does at home.
Often times, when my wife and I test him, we'll slip in some higher-belt phrases to try and throw him off, like recently when we said: 'Dwiah Yeup Chagi, Mom Dollryuh Yeup Chagi.'
“That's a jumping sidekick, 180 side kick,” he said proudly, and then went on to perform the Black-belt manoeuvre in our kitchen, which ended with a chair slammed to the floor, a sore foot, and one old Black Lab running for cover.
Out of our kitchen and into the world of automobile design language, Hyundai unleashed a wicked 180 Twist Kick (Mom Dollryuh Beeteuluh Chagi) on the 'common-car' world this year with its award-winning 2012 Veloster.
One could also say Hyundai executed a squat-rear-end, reverse-wedge-roofline, wide-stance design move that was dissimilar to anything previously brought forth from the South Korean auto maker.
And I'd bet it was high marks in styling and appearance that played a big part in Veloster's 'Best New Sports Performance Car (under $50,000)' category win at AJAC's recent 2012 Canadian Car of the Year TestFest where it beat out some heavy competition from Volkswagen's Jetta GLI and the Kia Optima SX which finished second and third in voting respectively.
Veloster's dual centred chrome exhaust tips, tall rear apron, distinctive rear glass hatch, nasty hood-scoop detailing, and our tester's sweet set of 18-inch, five-spoke alloys with custom-look painted inserts may have also notched it a few more high styling scores.
Perhaps the most talked-about feature on the new Veloster was its unique third door. It wasn't one of those rear-hinged half-doors, but a smaller-than-usual, front-hinged rear door on the passenger side that could be opened independently of the front passenger door.
I liked that they put that third door on the right side as it made it safer to unload the kids to the curb as opposed to the road. It's location, and mere existence, also permitted Hyundai to make the driver's door a bit longer, which I thought made for better visibility around the B-pillar out my left side.
That longer driver door also aided in the exit/entry process, while entry to the rear from the left side wasn't all that bad either with a driver seat that easily slid far forward and made for a non-muscle-pull entry for an adult.
Entry to the rear courtesy that unique third door started with the light pull of a slick handle that was positioned high and blended in well at the top left corner of the door next to the black window surround.
The third door provided easy entry for my kids. Olivia could scoot across the rear to her booster on the left side. But only two of my three kids could fit there though as the centre portion was made up, not of a 'fake' third seat hump, but a more practical open storage tray with two cup holders.
Those rear seats were comfortable and there was surprising legroom, but headroom was limited and tall adults might want to be mindful seated back there when the rear hatch is being closed as its upper glass panel might say hello to their noggins.
The Veloster's deep cargo hold swallowed up a weekend's worth of our stuff for a Thanksgiving long-weekend trip home to Cape Breton. It measured 30 inches long behind the rear seats and about 43 inches wide.
With the 60/40 rear seatbacks folded (no need to remove or adjust headrests) cargo space expanded to about 57 inches long up to the front seatbacks.
Both front and rear passengers experienced an airy, open feel in the cabin thanks to the optional panoramic sunroof which pretty much extended from the base of the windshield, across the top of the roof, and on down to the middle of the rear.
Comfort and great drive position was not hard to find up front while all controls and dials were easy to work both from the stack and steering-wheel.
There was an abundance of family-friendly features in our tester, which included: Aux., iPod and USB ports; Bluetooth, two 12-volt power sources and an optional AC 115V/150W household-style plug (nice!); two cup holders; dual-opening armrest bin; large bottle holders on the doors; a netted pouch on passenger seatback; and the LATCH system for child safety seats.
More standard features on our tester included: six airbags, fog lamps, a seven-inch LCD multimedia system with backup camera, air conditioning, proximity keyless entry with push-button start, heated front seats, tilt/telescoping steering column, cruise control, steering-wheel audio controls, ABS, ESC, traction control, four-wheel disc brakes, and power-heated side-view mirrors.
Optional equipment (Tech Package w/ six-speed with EcoShift dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters) on our tester brought the price up from an MSRP of $18,999 to an as-tested $23,899; that package included: the 18-inch alloys with painted inserts, Hill Start Assist, the panoramic sunroof, navigation system, 450-watt eight-speaker Dimension premium audio system, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, premium cloth seating with simulated leather bolsters, aluminum alloy sport pedals, automatic headlamps, and the AC 115V/150W power outlet.
On the road, the Veloster was powered by a fuel-efficient 1.6L I4 with gasoline direct injection paired with an optional six-speed Eco-shift dual-clutch transmission (six-speed manual was standard). And while power and torque weren't its strong points (138 hp and 123 ft-lbs), we didn't find ourselves wanting more oomph on our loaded-down C.B. trip both on the highway ride and on a few twisty, hilly Island jaunts. It was on those 'jaunts' where we experienced the Veloster's excellent handling and responsive steering.
On the whole, the Veloster was fun to drive and very well equipped for its price range while it offered a unique-looking, sporty exterior and interior that should appeal to younger buyers or to parents looking for an affordable, safe ride for that newly-licensed teenager.
Source: thechronicleherald.ca
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