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2019 Hyundai Veloster; Cars.com photos by Christian Lantry
Hyundai’s Veloster has always been a quirky-cool standout in the automaker’s lineup, but the hatchback gets more aggressive styling for 2019, as well as a powertrain refresh that includes a perky turbo. Have to install car seats in back? The fun stops there. The four-seater’s low roofline and strange two-plus-one door setup makes getting in and out of the backseat a challenge. Plus, stiff cushions obstruct the Latch anchors, complicating car seat installation.
How many car seats fit in the second row? Two
Related: More Car Seat Checks
Solid
So-So
- Latch, grade C: The seat cushions are stiff, so we had to use a lot of muscle to reach the Latch anchors with both the infant seat’s hooklike connectors and the convertible’s larger chunky ones. Also, the top tether setup needs work: There are two top tether anchors in the cargo floor. Caregivers should note that although the tether anchors are clearly marked by nearby icons, the anchors themselves may sink into the cargo floormat and need to be pushed through the mat for connection.
- Infant, grade C: Latch connection was a challenge, and we had to move the front seat forward significantly. Our 5-foot-6-inch-tall front passenger needed more space to be comfortable.
- Rear-facing convertible, grade B: We continued to struggle with the Latch anchors when installing this seat, but we were able to move the front seat backward for a bit more legroom.
- Forward-facing convertible, grade C: After we removed the head restraint, the convertible fit well in forward mode, but we had two installation issues. It was again difficult to connect to the Veloster’s lower Latch anchors, and the top tether anchor could get buried in the Veloster’s carpet, increasing the likelihood that caregivers will overlook it.
- Booster, grade B: We typically install our booster on the driver’s side, which was difficult in the Veloster because the hatchback’s extra door is on the passenger side. The buckles are on stable bases, however, which will make them easier for kids to grasp and use.
Skip It
Grading Scale
Solid indicates an A grade for optimum ease of use and fit. So-So indicates B or C grades for one to two ease-of-use or fit issues. Skip It indicates D or F grades.
A: Plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn’t impact driver or front-passenger legroom. Easy to find and connect to Latch and tether anchors. No fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. Easy access to the third row.
B: One room, fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing third row when available.
C: Marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. Difficult to access third row when available.
D: Insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.
F: Does not fit or is unsafe.
About Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks
Editors Jennifer Geiger, Jennifer Newman and Matt Schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.
For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30 infant-safety seat, a Britax Marathon convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.
We also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row’s middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. If there’s a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. Learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks.
Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that Latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
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