Hyundai Veloster +

Under the hood of the Veloster is a directed injected 1.6-liter petrol four-cylinder engine that is capable of 106kW, which is quite a bit of power for a vehicle its size. Add in a 6spd manual transmission, leather seats and moonroof and you get quite the sports car. To keep this compact rocket on the road, you also get a nice set of 18-in alloy wheels and Hankook performance tires. The Veloster’s steering is responsive and sporty and handling is better than expected for a compact sport car. It is exceptionally easy to shift and the clutch does not require great amounts of effort, making it a pleasure to drive for anyone.

In addition to the sports car features of the Veloster, the plus version also gives you leather interior, an eight-speaker premium audio system that is capable of playing DivX encoded movies from a USB thumb drive. The seven-inch touchscreen multimedia display also comes in handy for monitoring the iPod integration, Bluetooth and USB/3.5 audio inputs, which are standard on every Veloster. While the actual seating leaves a little to be desired, it is still comfortable and roomy for a car of its size. It is also equipped with cruise control, air conditioning, trip computer, rear view camera and 320 liters of boot space. On the outside you get dusk sensing headlamps, LED daytime running lights, reverse parking sensors and of course, the unique third door access.

I am sure you are thinking that you will be paying a hefty price for all that the Veloster offers, but relax, the base Veloster 6spd manual starts at about $24,000. That is more than reasonable for the Veloster and the savings will continue with a fuel efficiency of 6.4L/100km in the 6spd manual. This is an amazing value for the money when you compare your other choices in the price range. I am quite positive that any member of Generation Y would have no problem being seen in a Veloster versus, say, a Yaris. I know I would be fine with a Veloster.

If you look at what you get for $24,000 to start, you would be hard pressed to find another choice of great compact sports car. The fact it can even be referred to as a sports car at this price should be reason enough to buy one. It is a stylish, fun to drive and fun to be seen in vehicle, which still maintains a bit of usefulness with interior room and the third access door.