I've recently seen commercials on TV for the Hyundai Veloster claiming 40 mpg*. Of course the asterisks is that this is the highway rating. The city rating is 28 mpg. One distinctive thing about this car, as mentioned elsewhere on this site, is only one side of the vehicle has a rear passenger door. So it is a 4-door (3 side doors, 1 rear door), 2+2 passenger configuration. First Drive Review - 2012 Hyundai Veloster Delivers 40 MPG in a Stylish Wrapper | Vehix Blog: News, Reviews, Articles, Auto Shows, Videos and more It's starts at $17,300. Notice the split rear window.
My daughter showed me the commercial last night. Very interesting how the put that extra door on the passenger side.
My Fiesta is only rated at 29 city and we average well over that, I usually get almost 35mpg with a 34mph average speed. Lola (Ford Fiesta) | Fuelly Although, from what I have read people aren't having an easy time even getting sticker mileage in the Hyundais.
Why 1+2 doors? I can't see any good reason for doing that other than because it's different. Might be showing my age but didn't the AMC Pacer in the 70's do a larger passenger door or something? This door layout probably also explains why it's not available in RHD form - too complex to change the doors over?
I think in essence, they can make the driver's side stronger with less metal. This allows them to put more metal to increase protection elsewhere. Functionally, the increase in utility of having a third door over two is much greater than having a fourth door over three.
Having a few 2DR coupes, I never moved the driver seat. Well maybe 2 or 3 times over the life of all the cars. I set the driver seat how I wanted and that was that. If I had a passenger behind me, they crawled through the passenger side because I didn't want to either get out and fold my seat up, or move my seat in any way. If there was a third door just for the passenger side rear, it would be ideal. This seems like what they have done.
Yeah I remember a Saturn commercial with a very similar door. It looks like it was on both sides.. and apparently the Mazda RX-8 has it as well.
Doesn't look bad but I have to reserve for in-person. RX8's suicide doors are kind of neat. This one's third definitely will be helpful. Hyundai's transformation in the last few years is stunning.
