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Archive for the ‘Hyundai’ Category

Four years after dropping jaws on the floor of the North American International Auto Show, we learn the Hyundai Santa Cruz Concept could finally come to our lives in the next few years. Just don’t expect the production version to look anything like the concept that caused a ruckus in Detroit back in 2015. Time is the biggest culprit behind this shift. It’s been four years since Hyundai unveiled the Santa Cruz, and a lot has changed within Hyundai during that time. The company’s new decision-makers are taking a different approach from the regime that championed the concept’s production back then. It remains to be seen how the different stylistic approach affects the production model’s appeal, but that’s also just one of many questions that Hyundai needs to answer before the production pickup arrives.

Hyundai is slowly but surely shifting its image from what it used to be a decade ago to one of a manufacturer that is on par with more established rivals. This is being achieved not only by making better everyday cars but making sportier cars too. The next one in line is the 2020 Hyundai i20 N – a model that’s slated to take on the Ford Fiesta ST and Renault Clio RS.

Gone are the days when SUVs were just spacious vehicles with a basic engine that just about did its job. SUVs are now replacing sedans in almost all the aspects. The big vehicles are now refined, have better on-road driving manners, and come loaded with features and equipment. A lot of automakers have also been getting into performance SUVs lately. The latest entrant to that niche is Hyundai with its upcoming Tucson N. The Tucson N will hit the roads in about two years and will come on the back of 340 ponies.

Just after we saw spy photographs of the Kia Ceed Sportswagon PHEV, the internet world provided us with photographs of the new Kona PHEV. The small Hyundai city crossover is already available in its gasoline, diesel, and electric guise. The upcoming PHEV will, most certainly, circle out the offering of the highly successful crossover. Caught on film (well, on an SD card really), somewhere in Germany, the new Hyundai Kona PHEV may even prepare us for the upcoming facelifted version of the same car. Before all of that, we have to get adjusted to the fact that small, classy, and fashion conscious crossovers are selling as hybrids like hotcakes. Just note the Toyota CH-R hybrid. We actually do know that the photographed Kona is a hybrid thanks to an eye witness of the photographer who said that it was filled up at a petrol station, but it drove off completely silent probably on electric power alone. Well, in that case, that makes this an “ear witness”, but what the hell!?

Hyundai is using its Super Bowl LIII commercial to promote its Shopper Assurance program for buyers, and it even tagged actor, director, and comedian, Jason Bateman, along for the ride. Given Bateman’s presence, the commercial is light with its tone with splashes of humor sprinkled in to get the audience’s attention. In the end, Hyundai isn’t promoting a specific model in its ad, though it did include a cameo from the Hyundai Palisade, the company’s all-new big boy SUV. The commercial is all about promoting Hyundai’s Shopper Assurance and, while it didn’t exactly drive home the point of what the program is all about, the ad succeeded in showcasing that it’s available for customers who need it. The 60-second spot will run at some point in the first quarter of the Super Bowl.

As part of its worldwide effort to spice up its lineup, today Hyundai introduced the 2019 Hyundai Elantra GT N Line for the U.S. market at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show. We have already seen the N Line branded car for Europe – dubbed the Hyundai i30 N Line – when we learned that the N Line performance goodies include something more than just an exterior touch up. It is a similar story for the U.S. car although I did notice some clear differences. In short, the U.S. Elantra GT N Line may well be somewhat better compared to the i30 N Line for Europe.

The Hyundai Elantra GT N Line did not come alone to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit; it has the 2019 Velostar N TCR for company. This race car from the South Korean is eligible to race in the 2019 International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Michelin Pilot Challenge series and the 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge. Doesn’t it feel tempting to own a car that has raced the tracks?

Hyundai and Genesis are in for a rather amazing year. Both brands will reveal as many as 13 different new models – some facelifted, some new. As per my understanding, the biggest news is the imminent arrival of a new premium SUV with a Genesis badge. Judging by the stunning new Hyundai Santa Fe SUV (that isn’t premium), I expect nothing less than extraordinary and stunning from the upcoming Genesis SUV. The second big debut for 2019 is the coming of the new Hyundai Sonata. We’re looking forward to that one too.

Hyundai and Genesis are in for a rather amazing year. Both brands will reveal as many as 13 different new models – some facelifted, some new. As per my understanding, the biggest news is the imminent arrival of a new premium SUV with a Genesis badge. Judging by the stunning new Hyundai Santa Fe SUV (that isn’t premium), I expect nothing less than extraordinary and stunning from the upcoming Genesis SUV. The second big debut for 2019 is the coming of the new Hyundai Sonata. We’re looking forward to that one too.

The fingerprint scanning sensor in phones is not a big deal anymore, but it is still a gimmick, in its baby stage, in the auto industry. It is, however, found on the Bentley Bentayga on the center console to hide and secure your precious valuables. However, it is slowly crawling into mass cars as well, as Hyundai is about going to implement fingerprint recognition technology in its premium SUV, the Santa Fe.

Hyundai has been on a spending spree lately. Recently, the South Korean automaker invested about $250 million in a ride-hailing company, and now, according to a report from Reuters, it is investing $880 million in a plant in Indonesia where it plans to start building electric vehicles.

Hyundai has to be applauded for creating the i30N, its first ever hot hatch, which is not only good for a first effort but genuinely good even when compared to offerings from automakers with much more experience in the segment. So, since they’re aiming for the top in this segment, it’s thoroughly justified to try out the i30N against the fastest front-wheel-drive hot hatch currently on sale, the Honda Civic Type R.

When we hear about any car touching the million-mile mark, it reminds us of the Volvo man. The latest person to do it is Farrah Haines who has covered one million miles in her Hyundai Elantra in just five years! That dumbs down to 200,000 miles a year, which is way above average when compared to a general American car that drives 14,000 miles annually.

Hyundai is, once again, betting big on the SUV market with the arrival of the 2020 Palisade SUV. Named after the Pacific Palisade islands in California, the Palisade is the latest example of Hyundai’s commitment to bolstering its crossover and SUV lineups. Not that it needs to because it already boasts popular sellers like the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Santa Fe XL. But, bigger is better, at least in Hyundai’s eyes, and the Palisade is huge all the way around. The Hyundai Palisade is scheduled to launch in the U.S. sometime in the summer of 2019. Perfect timing, then, wouldn’t you say?

Hyundai is really trying to muscle in on the segment dominated by the likes of the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot with the 2020 Palisade SUV. It’s a three-row high rider with distinctive styling, lots of tech, and plenty of space inside where occupants are treated to a surprisingly premium ambiance. It also has an unusual, yet powerful drivetrain under its hood.

Excited to see Hyundai’s new full-size SUV at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show? Well, your wait was just shortened by more than two weeks thanks to an official photo that leaked onto the web.

The car industry never sleeps (except in August) and every year it provides us with numerous solutions to new problems, and with innovations that make us want new cars even more. This is a rundown of 10 awesome vehicle and technology innovations for 2018.

The car industry never sleeps (except in August) and every year it provides us with numerous solutions to new problems, and with innovations that make us want new cars even more. This is a rundown of 10 awesome vehicle and technology innovations for 2018.

After months of speculation, Hyundai has confirmed what we’ve been thinking about all this time: a standalone flagship sports car from the N performance division is coming. It’s still unclear what kind of car we can expect, but a high-ranking Hyundai executive confirmed that the Korean automaker is already working on a halo model for the N division, adding that it’s going to be a car that “nobody expects from Hyundai.” Interesting things are afoot over at Hyundai’s new performance brand. A halo car is coming; we just don’t know what it’s going to look like or how it’s going to be packaged. Then again, the RM16 concept is probably a good basis for what we might expect.

We have become accustomed to Hyundai revising and giving major makeovers to models that don’t really need them. And yet with the i40 they have kind of dropped the ball. This model has been around with the same looks and features for many years now. And now that they have upgraded the 2019 Hyundai i40, well, it’s not really “major.”

Upgrades implemented on the 2019 Hyundai i40 begin with very subtle changes to the exterior. At the front we have the new Cascading Grille, Hyundai’s corporate look, along with revised headlights that give the car a fresh-ish look. There is also new 18-inch alloy wheels replacing the old 16 and 17 inch options.

You will find more interesting choices in terms of style inside the cabin. Merlot Red and combination of Grey and Black are the new available colors for leather trims, with Black and Beige also offered in cloth. These are complemented with contrasting inlay on the door panel and black door panels and orange accents, plus grey stitching and Merlot coloured door centre trim elements. Last but not least, you get metal mesh cover on the dashboard which adds a nice touch of sport.

As for other 2019 Hyundai i40 upgrades with more substance to them, Hyundai SmartSense active safety and driver assistance features are fitted as standard. The ingredients include the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) whci utilizes camera sensors to detect obstacles in front of the vehicle and intervenes if necessary. What’s more, the new i40 gets the Smartstream 1.6-litre diesel engine in two power outputs: 85kW/115 PS and 280 Nm of torque, and 100 kW/136 PS and 320 Nm of torque. The latter can be had with a 7-speed DCT. There is also a 97 kW/ 135 PS 1.6 petrol engine available.

The post 2019 Hyundai i40 Sedan and Wagon – The Upgrades appeared first on Motorward.