The Hyundai Veloster N is fast, but is it as fast as the Volkswagen Golf R? There are many ways to find out the answer to that question, and drag racing is one of them, especially in straight-line comparisons.
Line up for this video, courtesy of Edmunds, is the Veloster N, the last version of the nameplate Hyundai is still making. The competitor is an updated version of the Golf R which is based on the eighth generation Golf. Both hot hatches are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger engine but the German one has one glaring advantage over the South Korean four-door.
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Not only is the Golf R more powerful than the Veloster N, it’s also all-wheel drive, meaning it will have a lot of traction when it launches. For the record, the Golf R produces 315 horsepower (235 kilowatts) and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-meters) of torque, sent to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Meanwhile, the Veloster N produces up to 275 hp (205 kW) and 260 lb-ft (353 Nm), with an 8-speed DCT sending power to the front axle. It does have an N Grin Shift (NGS) button that boosts torque to 278 lb-ft (377 Nm) for 20 seconds of added pull.
Despite the added torque, the Golf R’s power and AWD advantages are undeniable, especially in this contest. However, Hyundai has the advantage – it’s almost 300 pounds lighter than VW.
Can the severe punishment compensate for the power gap between the two? The video should answer that, which features a U-pull race – a standing start plus a hard U-turn and then a rolling race.
In the end, the Veloster N was also over $10,000 more affordable than the Golf R. That was a kicker for some.
