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One of Korea’s Quirkiest Hot Hatches Could Be Returning to Take On the Toyota GR Corolla

The Veloster N and its European cousin helped put Hyundai on the map as a respectable sports car maker.

Rear view of a light blue Hyundai Veloster N with illuminated taillights and a black rear spoiler against a clear sky.Hyundai
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By Chris Chin

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Remember the Hyundai Veloster N? Well, the Korean automaker might already be working on its revival.

Word comes from our friends across the pond at AutoCar. The British motoring publication supposedly got wind of the rumors when they also got the scoop on a potential next-generation i30 N, which was Europe’s and Asia’s equivalent.

Should the rumors be true, the next-gen Veloster N and i30 N would take on the likes of the Toyota GR Corolla, the Volkswagen Golf R and the Honda Civic Type R in the hottest hot hatch wars in decades.

The Veloster N helped kickstart Hyundai’s performance brand

Four Hyundai Veloster cars in red, light blue, white, and light blue driving on a desert road under a partly cloudy sky.
The Veloster N was a serious hot hatch from Hyundai’s performance brand.
Hyundai

If you forgot about the Veloster N and its European/Asian market cousin, the i30 N, that’s okay. It’s been a few years since they last made it.

It’s also been overshadowed by some of Hyundai’s other more prominent releases, like the Ioniq 5 N. The Veloster itself debuted back in 2011 as one of the company’s first big and hip attempts at turning over a new leaf.

Orange Hyundai Veloster hatchback parked on a desert road with a clear sky background.
The Veloster undoubtedly injected more youthful vibes into Hyundai’s portfolio.
Hyundai

Built to compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and many other hatchbacks, the Veloster ended up elevating Hyundai’s perception among younger buyers. So much, that they made a second-gen model.

Light blue Hyundai hatchback with black grille and red accents driving on a racetrack at sunset.
Hyundai discontinued the Veloster N in 2022, apparently due to slow sales.
Hyundai

It wasn’t until 2018 that they created the Veloster N after starting with the i30 N in Europe. Both proved Hyundai was capable of producing serious performance cars for the masses.

So much, that it eventually led to more N cars, such as the Elantra N, the Kona N and several others. But the Korean automaker wasn’t going to let its quirky three-door performance hatch get lost in the pages of history.

The hot hatch wars could be heating up

Light blue Hyundai hatchback with black roof and red trim cornering on a racetrack.
The i30 N in Europe established Hyundai’s credibility in the hot hatch and sports car space.
Hyundai

According to AutoCar, the brand has been discreetly working on a successor. Additionally, the Korean carmaker hopes to fill the gaps being left behind by the Focus ST and Civic Type R in Europe.

While us Yanks still get the Civic Type R, Honda Europe discontinued the model due their inability to get the current car to meet the EU’s latest round of emissions regulations.

Blue Hyundai i30 N hatchback driving on a tree-lined racetrack with motion blur.
The i30 is essentially the Veloster and old Elantra hatchback’s global cousin.
Hyundai

Dearborn’s European division also discontinued its entire Focus range after 30 years. The current generation simply became obsolete, including all the performance variants.

High demand for SUVs in favor of normal sedans and hatchbacks also rubbed salt in the wounds. With Hyundai working on some new hot hatches, that means the performance wars in that segment could be on the rise.

Hyundai N isn’t going all in on electrification

White Hyundai Kona N compact SUV with black roof and red accents driving on a road with trees in the background.
Hyundai experimented further with the N brand when it made the Kona N in the early 2020s.
Hyundai

Despite launching and focusing on high-performance electric vehicles, Hyundai’s N chief, Joon Park, promised the brand isn’t locked into electrification only. Instead, both Hyundai and the team at N believe in powertrain diversity.

“The problem that we have is that there is a perception from the media and our fans that Hyundai N is only focusing on the EV world, which is not true,” he said. “We are not limiting ourselves to EVs.”

Interior view of a Hyundai car showing a black leather steering wheel, manual gear shift, touchscreen display, and fabric seats.
When in production, the Veloster N gave the Volkswagen Golf GTI and R and other competitors a serious run for their money.
Hyundai

Details per usual remain sparse. But speculation suggests Hyundai N may be currently experimenting with a mixture of hybrid, electric and even gas-only powertrains.

In a previous interview, a Hyundai spokesperson told the British publication that the carmaker is “committed to introducing seven new N models by 2030.”

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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