Hyundai Veloster vs Ford Focus

For as red-hot and competitive as the economy-car segment is, success in this corner of the market is based on some pretty mundane variables. It comes down to things like fuel economy, price, number and location of cupholders, ride quality, and other items. It basically has to be economical, reliable transportation for the everyday commute. There are other nuances, such as the ease of use of its controls, but success in this segment requires automotive pragmatism at its best.

It's through this lens that we consider the 2016 Ford Focus. This 4-door, 5-passenger small car has been refreshed for this model year, building off the success of the third-generation car, which debuted in 2011. That was the first car under the “One Ford” plan, under which one car is sold on multiple continents in multiple markets with minimal changes.

The result of the plan was a car that was much more refined than the two generations before it and positioned the Focus for the past several years as the best American Small Car. That accolade is as much about the Focus’ refinement as it is about the deficiencies of American-made competitors, including the Dodge Dart and Chevrolet Cruze. A second-generation Cruze has recently been unveiled, but it’s still too early for us to render a verdict on that car. It is import rivals, such as the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Hyundai Elantra, that pose the greatest threat to the new-look Focus.

Consider Hyundai and its growth in popularity over the last decade. The brand built its relevance with practical, sensible vehicles, like the Sonata, and SUVs like the Santa Fe and Tucson. But “fortune favors the bold,” or so the saying goes. There is something to be said for taking an unlikely risk.

In the 2011 model year, Hyundai released the Veloster, going in a completely different direction than the rest of its typically safe product lineup. Hyundai already had a hatchback, the Accent (and later the Elantra GT). But the Veloster was something completely different. It featured a unique hatchback-meets-coupe shape and an even more unique 3-door layout. The result was a sporty daily driver that’s both fun and functional, and it has been completely redesigned for the 2019 model year.