When choosing a rad modifiable sports car, you’re bound to shove a lot of different models of vehicles shoved into your face, just like a kid given a chance to pick one out of three of his favorite treats.
Would you choose a European baddie like a BMW E30, a funky yet stylish JDM car like the Mazda Miata, or an aggressive American muscle car like a 1970 Ford Mustang? Not your cup of tea?
Maybe your project car of choice is a KDM, like the Hyundai Veloster.
The Hyundai Veloster is a great project car to have. Made by Hyundai to target the younger population, the Hyundai Veloster is an affordable sporty hatchback that is pretty fun to drive.
Back in its inception in 2012, the Hyundai Veloster came out with an extensive marketing fund, meant to reach out to the younger generation who’s second-guessing whether to buy a new car or not.
And this marketing strategy has captured the casual drivers and avid car enthusiasts who love to mod their cars like crazy.
If you’re one of those car enthusiasts who’s immersed in modifying their car, and by some chance you own a Hyundai Veloster, then this article is for you! This is the ultimate guide to the best modifications that you can get for your Hyundai Veloster.
Ranging from power mods, handling mods down to cosmetic mods, we’ve gathered the best ones to reach for the Hyundai Veloster. So stick around and check out the list below!
| Category | Benefits | Price Check |
|---|---|---|
| Intake Systems | Power & Fuel Economy | Check Latest Price |
| Exhaust Systems | Power and Sound | Check Latest Price |
| Upgraded Turbo | Massive Power | Check Latest Price |
| Tuning | Power & Fuel Economy | Check Latest Price |
| Coilovers | Adjustability & Handling | Check Latest Price |
| Lowering Springs | Affordable Handling | Check Latest Price |
| Wheels | Looks & Handling | Check Latest Price |
| Brakes | Stopping Power | Check Latest Price |
Power Mods
The latest models of the Hyundai Veloster features 250 hp @ 6000 rpm and 260 lb-ft @ 1450 rpm. It’s pretty decent for a sporty hatchback like this one, but if you require more power, getting your hands on some power mods to get your car up to speed. Here are the primary power mods to get for your Hyundai Veloster.
#1 Intake Systems
As I live and breathe, intake systems! Think of cars as living, breathing machines. Just like humans, when we have more oxygen in our lungs, our body can function better.
Engines are like that too; when supplied with the right amount of air, the air-fuel mixture’s combustion added with a bit of excess air can provide a tremendous amount of benefits for the car.
Intake systems allow the ambient air to go to the engine to assist in the combustion of the fuel.
Benefits of Having an Aftermarket Intake System:
- Additional horsepower and torque output
- Improved fuel economy
- Aggressive sound under the hood, especially in high revs.
Aftermarket mods usually have innovative features like high-quality air filters that filter all the air impurities before it goes into the engine. We recommend the Injen Technology short ram intake system if you want to make your Hyundai Veloster a bit more robust.
#2 Exhaust Systems
After you inhale, your body forces you to exhale all of the carbon dioxides in your body. An aftermarket exhaust system works the same way too. After the fuel is burnt, parts of the exhaust gasses are recycled to create more power while the remaining unusable part is ejected.
The exhaust system is the one responsible for making that excellent sound we hear in all cars. The Hyundai Veloster has a pretty decent sounding exhaust system, especially the turbocharged Hyundai Veloster N trim.
Benefits of Having an Aftermarket Exhaust System:
- Additional horsepower and torque output
- Improved fuel economy
- Deep and aggressive tone can make your car unique
A great aftermarket exhaust system for a Hyundai Veloster would be something that creates extra horsepower and torque output that also emits a deep aggressive tone (loudness depends on your preference.) One of the best exhaust systems to get for your Hyundai Veloster is a Takeda Axle-Back Exhaust System.
#3 Turbo
Turbocharging a car means you are at the peak of modifying your vehicle. It’s considered as one of the best mods for Hyundai Veloster because this mod can put some significant horsepower increase in your car.
A turbocharger is a device that forces compressed air into the engines, allowing the cylinders to burn the fuel even faster than an intake system can do. Think of it as horsepower steroids for your car.
Benefits of Having a Turbocharged Engine:
- Dramatic performance improvement
- Less Noise Pollution
- Impressive power-to-weight ratio
- Reduced emissions
Of course, you have the option to get a Veloster N, Hyundai’s turbocharged trim that has a 2L four-cylinder engine capable of making 275 horses and 260lb-ft of torque. But if you want to personally install a turbocharger in your Hyundai Veloster, you can do that too.
The best thing about a turbocharged engine is the sutututu sound that the car makes. It’s hilarious!
#4 Tuning
All cars that came out directly from their manufacturer are set on default. Default performance requirements, default emissions settings, default fuel economy settings, etc.; that’s what a straight-out-of-the-factory car would be like.
Tuning a car means that you’re replacing all of those default settings for a more performance-based configuration. Tuning a car also involves altering the car’s default torque settings and establishing a smoother ride, especially in lower RPMs.
Benefits of Tuning Your Hyundai Veloster:
- Increased horsepower output
- Improved fuel economy
- Cleaner fuel burn
If you’re looking for some tuner chips/ECU remapper to use for your Hyundai Veloster, then you need to check out Pedal Commander’s PC24 for Hyundai Veloster.
Handling
Modifying your car doesn’t just revolve around tweaking your engine and its potential tune-ups; it also involves reconfiguring the car’s handling characteristics. Some handling mods put a vehicle like the Hyundai Veloster up the pedestal. These mods can change your car’s stance, improve its traction, and upgrades its overall safety.
#1 Coilovers
Have you ever wondered why racing cars seem to glide on the ground, especially on tight turns effortlessly? In reality, regular vehicles would have the wrong time dealing with demanding driving mechanics.
Those tight turns and obstacles in the road have a severe effect on a car’s handling characteristics. The typical vehicle with unmodified suspensions will have a terrible time dealing with those. But cars like the Hyundai Veloster with an upgraded suspension? They’re just built differently.
The secret all track-worthy cars up in their suspensions are coilovers. These suspension mods allow the user to adjust the car’s ride height and its reaction to compression and rebound simultaneously. The name coilover is coined from the phrase coil over struts, literally what a coilover looks like.
Benefits of Having Coilovers:
- Superb handling
- Adjustability over height and damping
- Prestige
Among the best coilovers for Hyundai Veloster includes BC Racing’s BR Series coilovers. It’s a bang for the buck purchase if you’re looking for a coilover that’s not over-the-top expensive yet delivers incredible handling.
#2 Lowering Springs
Now, if you’re not into the exaggerated benefits of coilovers and you just want to roll down the streets using a Hyundai Veloster with a lowered stance, then lowering springs are for you. They are a cheap yet reliable alternative for coilovers.
Lowering springs delivers what the coilovers can do: reducing your Hyundai Veloster’s ride height, just without the compression and rebound control.
Benefits of Having Lowering Springs:
- Stiffer ride
- More road feel
- Lowered center of gravity (better handling, reduced risk of body roll, etc.)
A great set of lowering springs for starters is Eibach’s Pro-Kit performance springs, made explicitly for the Hyundai Veloster.
#3 Wheels
Lowering a car’s ride height will eventually lead to replacing the tires. Now that you’ve dropped your vehicle (assuming you either got your hands on some coilovers or lowering springs), you can fit in new wheels to your Hyundai Veloster.
Most 18” wheels would fit into a Veloster, but if you want new wheels for your car, then opt for wheels with 17” to 20” in diameter, 7” to 9.5” in width, and +30 to +50 in offset.
Benefits of Upgrading Your Wheelset:
- Aesthetic pleasing
- Able to fit larger tires
- Improved maneuverability
Most Hyundai Veloster owners prefer the 18×8” set up in their cars. Wheels like Motegi Racing’s matte black finish wheel can give your Hyundai Veloster an improvement in style, aesthetic appeal, and handling.
#4 Brakes
Lastly, we have handbrakes, one of the most underrated modifications anyone can get for their car. If you hear squeaking or squealing whenever you step on the brake pedal, or the response time whenever you brake is slow, that means that your brake pads are worn out, and you need to replace them asap.
Bald brake pads are one of the causes of brake failure accidents.
Benefits of Aftermarket Brake Kits:
- Save more (instead of buying individual parts)
- No more annoying brake noises
- Prevention of future brake problems
Replacing your brakes involves buying separate items like brake pads, calipers, etc. Good thing most aftermarket brake kits like Detroit Axle’s brake kit have all parts included in the package. That’s more cost-efficient!
The Hyundai Veloster is such a fun car to drive. Initially meant for the younger generation of car enthusiasts, the Hyundai Veloster is ideal for any gearhead that wants a compact, affordable hatchback that’s open for many aftermarket modifications.
If you want something different, something modifiable, then maybe a KDM like the Hyundai Veloster is for you.