As we eagerly await the long-overdue update to the Hyundai Veloster, especially the high-performance Veloster N hot hatch, we have some news about the similar Hyundai i30 N (i30 is what the rest of the world calls the Elantra). The sporty i30 N will get a dual-clutch transmission option in late 2019.
There’s a pretty good chance the same option will eventually be available in our Hyundai Veloster N which will have a six-speed manual as the only transmission option when it launches sometime this year.
Hyundai Australia communications boss Bill Thomas said it’s a “no-brainer to bring the standard i30 N out once the DCT is online,” according to Car Advice. The publication also wrote Hyundai CEO said there are “sales limitations” to only offering a manual in the i30 N.
Those sales limitations are likely the main reason Hyundai is talking about a DCT option for its new hot hatch. According to the L.A. Times, less than 3 percent of cars sold in the U.S. in 2016 had manual transmissions, and we can’t imagine that take rate is higher now. That number was 25 percent in 1992. For that reason, it’s easy to imagine a Hyundai Veloster N in the U.S. with an available DCT, despite being aimed at the enthusiast crowd who often prefers to do the shifting.
We reached out to Hyundai asking about the possibility of a DCT in the Veloster N and a Hyundai representative confirmed that it would be launched with a manual only. However, he also said to “stay tuned for more news this summer.” We’ll definitely stay tuned and we’ll keep you posted.