The Hyundai Veloster Is The Contemporary Saab 900 We've Been Demanding

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror) 02/17/2015 at 10:57 • Filed to: ESSAY

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As purists, we all felt cheated when General Motors decided to go full ISIS against SAAB and chopped up its head.

We had some hope that it would be saved, there were rumors that BMW might be interested in the brand, but they were obviously too busy thinking about their future FWD minivan roadmap to take a good, sensible decision and acquire SAAB. We were left with Spyker, a tiny manufacturer of fancy boutique supercars with more ambition than means.

So why we were all busy and concerned about the fate of our beloved Swedish quirky brand, we completely missed what was going on at Hyundai. The largest Korean automoaker was prepping a car using SAAB's own Swedish meatballs recipe ! The Veloster is one hunded and ten percent what a 2010's SAAB 900 would be if SAAB AB had its way. It's a polarizing, quirky as fuck FWD hatchback for the masses.

Hyundai even took it one step further in terms of quirkiness. While the Saab was available in 3 and 5 doors hatches, Hyundai had the ingenuity of merging both body styles and create a unique and innovative 4 doors hatch. This is very much in line with SAAB's tradition of innovation.

How does it work, you may ask. Well, again, the Veloster is pushing the boundaries of quirkiness with 2 doors on the passenger side, and one door on the the driver's side. That pattern is presumably reversed for RHD cars, but if not, that's even quirkier.

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The comparisons between both cars are not stopping there. The SAAB 900 was know as a lifestyle car, a car for trendy and young people that does healthy stuff such as biking, skiing, canoeing and camping. Definitely not the kind of car you see in the the parking lot of the local tavern every other weekdays.

The SAAB 900 also have a rich motorsports heritage. From Scandinavian ice racing to British touring cars to South-African dirt track racing, the SAAB 900 dominated as a Christian Grey in a quadriplegic care facility. It is also worth nothing that the famous Scandinavian Flick was invented by some dude driving a SAAB 96 in the early 60's.

Of course, Hyundai doesn't have the same racing pedigree, yet, but the Korean manufacturer is investing heavily in motorsports, it's probably just a question of time before we see Hyundai in F1 or V8 supercars.

In conclusion, I think it's time to stop mourning SAAB, as its spirit lives on.

The Veloster may not wear the elegant SAAB badge, it may not have been born from jets, but the Veloster proudly wears the Italicized H and is born from boats.

Ladies and Gentlemen, embrace your SAAB 900 successor.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 11:00

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Safety.

BrtStlnd > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 11:10

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This is great Moe.

Margin Of Error > BrtStlnd 02/17/2015 at 11:12

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Thanks, but I prefer "Marge", if you really need to give me a nickname.

PRBot II > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 11:15

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Can't help but wonder how the Veloster would fare in the same test.

Margin Of Error > PRBot II 02/17/2015 at 11:24

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The 900 was very safe compared to its contemporary, but I'm pretty sure a 2015 car sold globally would easily do better. Cars have those tick pillars for a reason.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 11:28

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There is one huge reason I just can't like the Veloster. It is a hatchback, but only sorta the hatch is soo small and therefor useless. And the rear window is ridiculously small as well. The reason for buying a hatch IMO is to have a large rear opening to make loading and unloading cargo easier and a big rear window combined with a short rear end that make maneuvering in reverse easier. I also don't like the looks but that's more subjective.

PRBot II > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 11:29

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If any Veloster owners are reading this, I'll send you five bucks and a homemade thank you card if you film yourself flipping your car upside down and dropping it from eight feet high for science.

Coty > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 11:30

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It wasn't a nickname, it's a genre.

Margin Of Error > Coty 02/17/2015 at 11:34

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?

B/Xmrrmvr > PRBot II 02/17/2015 at 11:35

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Since new cars need to be able to protect occupants in the event of rollovers (hence the ridiculous A-pillars you see nowadays), it should be perfectly fine.

GhostZ > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 11:39

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There is a difference between innovation and nonconformity . Having 3 doors isn't being innovative, it's just being different and nonstandard.

Margin Of Error > GhostZ 02/17/2015 at 11:41

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The line between innovation and nonconformity is thin and blurred.

PRBot II > B/Xmrrmvr 02/17/2015 at 11:44

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That makes sense, but I'd still like to see a Veloster owner flip their car and drop it anyway.

Margin Of Error > PRBot II 02/17/2015 at 11:45

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PRBot II > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 11:47

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Not bad.

Margin Of Error > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 02/17/2015 at 11:52

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A lot of people disliked the Saab 900 styling as well.

SantaRita > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 12:11

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http://jalopnik.com/kias-newest-co…

i made a similar comment about the optima wagon...it could badge it 240 wagon or a sport combi and i'd be happy as a clam, all the normal boxes ticked for a swede car... 2.0 turbo or 2.4L...or diesel...

Kia-hyundai (they're the same right?) took all the best work and are capitalizing like mad at their lower price points. doesnt hurt that they poached VW designer.

SantaRita > GhostZ 02/17/2015 at 12:14

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except when Saturn did it, then it was pretty innovative and nonconforming. the lack of a B- pillar is a little scary though.

SantaRita > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 12:17

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twins!?

Margin Of Error > SantaRita 02/17/2015 at 12:17

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Well said

Margin Of Error > SantaRita 02/17/2015 at 12:18

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That wagon really is a thing a beauty, looks better than a proper Volvo wagon, wow !

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 13:05

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Margin Of Error > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 02/17/2015 at 13:26

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I mean, outside of the car enthusiast circles

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Margin Of Error 02/17/2015 at 14:34

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So I was wrong about the Veloster

I had always assumed that the hatch stopped at the spoiler.

it does not. With the rear seats down, there is probably at least almost as much room in the rear of the Veloster as there is in a 2 door 900. and with an opening this large that space is actually usable.

Margin Of Error > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 02/17/2015 at 15:12

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Glad I didn't wrote this piece in vain!

Mad Suburban Dad > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 02/27/2015 at 13:02

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That's not very usable space in the rear if you have a huge bottom lip that increases the liftover height. It's not even close to being comparable to a C900.

Show me pics of a 19-cu-ft refrigerator fitting in your Veloster with the hatch closed.
Show pics of you and a friend stretched out in the back of the Veloster.
Show pics of your Veloster loaded with 30+ cases of beer.

Until you can do this, no, it's not comparable to a C900.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Mad Suburban Dad 02/27/2015 at 13:08

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yup the good old days of usable cargo space in a small car are dead and gone.

but the hatch on a Veloster is a lot better than what I thought it was.

SAABerJon > Margin Of Error 02/27/2015 at 13:17

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My 900 Turbo AirFlow would like a word with you.... lol

Interesting comparison though. Hmm

AeroSkipper > Margin Of Error 02/27/2015 at 13:30

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As someone who worked for Saab, owned 5 of his own, and had a parent who owned 3 plus a grandfather who had one of the first Saabs brought to America, I have to say: Nope. You cannot compare the two cars at all. You can't put a bike rack on the back of a car and say it's like a Saab. You can't say it's 3 doors is so quirky, it's like a Saab. If that were the case then the Saturn Ion 2 door is also "like a Saab." So, as you can see, I disagree with your article.

Margin Of Error > AeroSkipper 02/27/2015 at 13:59

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Saturn and Saabs are like distant cousins

saabs! > Margin Of Error 02/27/2015 at 16:24

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Nice piece, if the comparison had not been brought to my attention, never would have seen it...

I think I should get one

Margin Of Error > saabs! 02/27/2015 at 16:39

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I would, If I were into Saabs,

86notchback > Margin Of Error 02/27/2015 at 20:45

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NO NO NO NO a million times......lies and falsehoods....this sir is no C900 successor.

Margin Of Error > 86notchback 03/09/2015 at 08:53

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Why ?

saab900 > Margin Of Error 06/28/2015 at 09:59

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Is this comparison a sick joke? This is so far from a relevant comparison as to be absurd. I own a classic saab 900 convertible and love it. AND, a couple weeks ago..it had been sitting at garages for weeks needing repairs...until I broke down and got a rental car for the last few days: A Hyundai Veloster (yes, that’s right, brand spanking new with 1,600 miles on it). A HYUNDAI VELOSTER IS NOTHING LIKE A MODERN INCARNATION OF A SAAB 900. I mean, I want to point to something to argue about, but I don’t even know of anything that would make you feel this way? Ok...It has four wheels (?) any other similarities? I mean, for one.... the SAAB 900 was all about classic european styling (kind of like a subtle nod to classic european cars, as opposed to the modern day ‘retro’ cars which don’t accomplish the same thing because they don’t do it with subtlety), Whereas, the Veloster is like a ROCKET SHIP. The handling of the Veloster, in 2015, sucks in comparison to the feel and handling of a saab 900 in 1990, for example... (I mean, literally the good condition saab handles better today and it’s 25 years older?).. The price point was not similar. The Manufacturer is in no way Similar. The Styling (not comparing them against one another at the same time, but even correcting for context)...is in no way similar, and one is aggressive, and even offensive to the likes of the other, which is classic, timeless, sexy. All of this critique exists before you step into the car and drive it (this is when the similarities, if there are any other than having four wheels, become even less likely). So really, I’m sorry if you think your veloster is a modern 900, and I think that’s great and there’s nothing wrong with you feeling that way...but from an objective, informed view..I just honestly don’t see any similarities, sorry.

Margin Of Error > saab900 07/06/2015 at 10:12

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Oh, you own a Saab.

I see...