I play a little game with test cars: I drive them for a day and try to guess the as-tested price before I look at the sticker. Seeing as how the 2012 Veloster is a Hyundai—a company that is to cars what Vizio is to flatscreen TVs—I knew to adjust my guess downward. But not enough, it turns out. Fully loaded, with navigation and rear-view camera, panoramic sunroof, killer alloy wheels and a tank of gas (not to mention the little hatchback’s veritable thimble-full of style), the Veloster goes out the door at $21,300, which was about $2,000 less than I figured and somewhere between a grand or two below a comparably equipped Honda CR-Z or Toyota Scion tC.

I had but one thought: Isengard.

check out the article for all the details and the LOTR reference.