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Hyundai Blue Link Android smartwatch app will start your car

We knew Hyundai would be bringing its Blue Link smartwatch app to the Consumer Electronics Show, and now that CES is upon us, the app's workings have been revealed. Once you get the free Blue Link app on your smartphone and your Android smartwatch and pair them up with the app, it's all systems go. Through either touch or voice commands, you can remotely lock or unlock your car doors, start and stop your engine, flash the lights and honk the horn, or have your watch locate your car. It works on every Hyundai with first- or second-gen Blue Link (which is all of them in the case of first-gen and the 2015 Genesis, Sonata and Azera for second-gen). The watch app isn't quite ready yet, but the company says you'll be able to get it sometime in Q1. There's a video above showing Hyundai's offering at work, and a press release below with more information below. HYUNDAI BLUE LINK TO DEBUT SMARTWATCH APP WITH VOICE RECOGNITION AT 2015 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW AND PEPCOM'S DIGITAL EXPERIENCE - Next Generation Blue Link System to Launch on 2016 Elantra GT and Veloster - The Blue Link smartwatch app works with first and second generation Blue Link equipped Hyundai models Fountain Valley, Calif., Jan. 2, 2015 – Smartwatch sales are skyrocketing and starting early in 2015 Hyundai owners will be able to connect with their cars using these wearable devices and the Hyundai Blue Link® smartwatch app. Hyundai will debut and demonstrate the Blue Link smartwatch app at Pepcom's Digital Experience and at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES®). Pepcom's Digital Experience takes place before CES on Jan. 5 and Hyundai's exhibit (North Hall, booth #2818) at CES will be open Jan. 6-9, 2015. Hyundai's cloud-based Blue Link platform allows features like remote start and service information to be quickly accessed through devices like smartwatches and smartphones. Hyundai partnered with Station Digital Media to develop the Blue Link smartwatch app. "This new app expands Hyundai's exploration into how wearable technology and Blue Link fit into a customer's lifestyle," said Barry Ratzlaff, executive director, customer connect and service business development, Hyundai Motor America. "Connecting to your car through a smartwatch and voice recognition was previously something seen only in science fiction movies. Now, we can provide this capability to owners of Hyundai vehicles equipped with Blue Link." The app is easy to use.

2018 Hyundai Elantra GT Sport Quick Spin | More than just affordable

A few months ago, a discussion at Autoblog HQ led to the term mildly spicy. Cars like the Honda Civic Hatch, the Volkswagen Golf and Mazda3 aren't quite GTI or Focus ST-level hot hatches, but they still provide a great mix of fun, practicality and affordability. The Hyundai Elantra Sport fits the same basic mold, minus the hatchback. That's why we were so eager to get behind the wheel of the new Elantra GT Sport. Same premise, better form factor. The Elantra GT and sedan aren't as closely related as their name might suggest. The GT is actually based on the European i30 hatch, which is why the styling for the two models differs both inside and out. Think Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. The suspension tuning is also slightly different, but both cars share the same turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four, mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed dual clutch transmission. It's good for 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. That's roughly equal to the new 2017 Honda Civic Si, though the Honda weighs a few hundred pounds less than the Elantra. Still, the Elantra GT Sport feels just as quick as the Civic Si, even with the weight penalty. Minimal turbo lag means peak torque arrives at just 1,500 rpm. From there, power comes on smoothly, with all 201 horses running free at 6,000 rpm. The smooth shifter and well-placed clutch are a perfect match for the engine, even if it's not quite as slick as the Honda's. The dual clutch is a $1,000 option, but stick with the manual unless you really can't deal with three pedals. Michigan roads are known for being flat, straight and pockmarked. Thankfully, Hyundai managed to find some decent pavement just outside of Ann Arbor. The Elantra GT Sport uses MacPherson struts with twin-tube shocks up front with a multi-link independent suspension with monotube shocks out back. The standard Elantra GT uses a torsion beam out back, so the difference is noticeable. The ride is on the comfortable side of sporty. The car dealt with rough pavement well, though these were the best Michigan conditions we could have hoped for. It doesn't react quite as quickly as a Civic Si or Volkswagen GTI, but it feels right on par with with Civic Hatch Sport. Body roll is minimal and, given enough leeway, you can get the back end to rotate slightly when lifting off the throttle. There's mild understeer, but nothing egregious.

Auto execs surveyed say VW, BMW most likely to grow

A new survey of top global automotive executives indicates both Volkswagen and BMW are the most likely to grow their market share over the next five years.
Tax advisory firm KPMG LLP has released its 14th annual Global Automotive Executive Survey, which includes responses from over 200 executives. A total of 81 percent of respondents said they expect to see Volkswagen make gains, compared to 70 percent last year. BMW, meanwhile, saw 70 percent of those surveyed say they believe the company will increase its market share. That's a jump of 7 percentage points over last year. This is the first time in the history of the survey that BMW has claimed the second-place spot.
Meanwhile, Hyundai has seen its perceived market share potential slacken for the third year in a row. Around 61 percent of those surveyed predicted gains for Hyundai, down from 63 in 2012. Toyota also has a surprising year, but for just the opposite reason. While the manufacturer had slipped in ranking since 2011, it enjoyed the largest increase of any company in the 2013 survey, jumping to 68 percent from 44 percent last year.