Unhaggle has the scoop on generous deals for the Kia Rio, Hyundai Veloster and Chevrolet Cruze.Handout / Kia / Hyundai / Chevrolet Every month, Graeme Fletcher combines manufacturers’ incentives from Unhaggle.com with resale value, dependability and overall ratings to find you the best deal for your money in new cars. This week, we look at affordable hatchbacks. The hot deals are on the 2019 Chevrolet Cruze LT, Hyundai Veloster 2.0 and Kia Rio EX Tech. Chevrolet Cruze 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Handout / Chevrolet Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $21,409 Manufacturer Incentive*: $3,000 Unhaggle Savings: $500 Total Savings: $3,500 Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $1,840 Total Before Tax: $21,335 — lick here for exclusive local pricing This may just end up being the requiem for the Chevrolet Cruze — the last one rolled off the production line last March. That out of the way, the cabin is ringed with decent materials and there’s plenty of standard equipment, including Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system with its seven-inch touchscreen, plus Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a feature called Teen Driver. This kills the radio until the seat belts are buckled, prevents key safety items from being disabled, and gives a report card on how the car was driven. It’s a boon for a parent with a young driver. The rear seat accommodates two adult riders easily, however there is a faux pas — there are three rear seat belts, but only two headrests, which eliminates the middle seat position. This makes the Cruze more of a two-plus-two, and trunk capacity measures 394 litres. 2+2 proposition. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and rear parking sensors is listed as a $545 option, but it mandates purchasing the $1,450 True North package to get the items, as they magically become part of said package in spite of the stand-along price. That’s a less than smart, albeit moot point now. The Cruze sedan arrives with a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 153 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,000 rpm, and paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s some turbo lag off the line, but the engine builds nicely through the mid-range. The Cruze also has a brisk 7.8-second run from zero to 100 km/h, and a posted average fuel economy of 7.3 L/100 kilometres. For those into better fuel economy, a turbodiesel is available. Ride and handling delivers what you’d expect — minimal body roll and crisp response to steering input when pushed through a series of corners, but the Cruze is far more at home on the highway. The Cruze arrives with a generous $3,500 combined Unhaggle discount, speaking to the fact it’s done. The discount leaves a $21,335 price tag. Hyundai Veloster 2019 Hyundai Veloster Handout / Hyundai Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $22,299 Manufacturer Incentive*: $1,250 Unhaggle Savings: $250 Total Savings: $1,500 Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $1,845 Total Before Tax: $22,644 — lick here for exclusive local pricing The 2019 Hyundai Veloster has been reworked and is now offered in 2.0 and Turbo models, along with the frenetic, 275-horsepower Veloster N. The base Veloster, featured here, has sharper exterior styling and takes an intelligent approach to space utilization. The asymmetric door design puts a third portal on the passenger’s side of the car. While it eases entry to the back seat, the limited leg and headroom means it’s best viewed as space to augment the 565-litre trunk. Up front, the Veloster has supportive buckets and Hyundai’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen. The materials do take a step forward, although some of the plastic pieces are still hard. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is standard, but that’s it for safety equipment. Strangely, a similarly priced Elantra has more available safety features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning with keep assist. The Veloster arrives with a new base engine — a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder that pushes 147 horsepower and 132-lb.-ft. at 4,500 rpm to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. While it’s quiet and unflustered for the most part, the performance it generates is anemic for a car with a nameplate that suggests velocity — the proof is in the 9.8-second zero-to-100 km/h sprint. A note about the turbocharged models: The Veloster Turbo, with its 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, has 201 horsepower and cuts the zero-to-100 km/h run to 7.2 seconds. The kicker is the 2.0L engine also uses more fuel than the 1.6 — the 2.0L has a posted average fuel economy of 8.2 L/100 kilometres, while the the 1.6 burns 7.8. No prizes for picking the preferred engine. The revised suspension balances the need for comfort with the ability to keep the body flat through a corner. The quick-ratio steering feels connected, with brake-based torque
Origin: Three roomy hatchbacks under $25K with generous Unhaggle discounts