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Hyundai Veloster nixed in UK after just 3 years

The Veloster, Hyundai's funky, four-door hatchback, has been pulled from the British market after just three years on sale. The blame, as is usually the case in these circumstances, is being placed on slow sales. Auto Express reports that, much like it has in the United States, the Veloster has failed to resonate with both customers and critics. While UK sales figures weren't available to prove AE's point, Veloster sales in the US through November are down nearly 2,000 units over the same period in 2013, to under 26,000 vehicles. That makes it the third-slowest seller in the Hyundai lineup, behind the far more expensive Azera and Equus sedans. The performance-minded Veloster Turbo will be replaced in the UK by a version of the i30 equipped with the VT's 1.6-liter, force-induced, direct-injected engine. You can read all about that new vehicle right here.

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe previewed in official renderings

As we near its official reveal in Geneva, Hyundai is trickling out more teasers of the 2019 Santa Fe crossover SUV. This time, instead of a dark photo, the company released a pair of renderings of the new family car. From what we can tell, it's like a huge, subtle Kona. At the front, we can see the SUV version of Hyundai's corporate "Cascade" grille complete with mesh insert instead of the slats found on Hyundai cars. The most obvious connection between this and the Kona are the headlights. It appears illumination may be split between slim, angry lamps high up, and a set of extra lamps lower in the fascia. The front fascia also looks more upright and tough than that of the current model. From what we've seen in spy photos, the front fascia seen in the rendering will translate very closely to real life. The illustrations also suggest the new Santa Fe will have much more sculpted, detailed flanks, too. Bolder plastic cladding shows up on the rocker panels, complete with contrasting aluminum brightwork. Another nod to the Kona shows up in the wheel arches. The creases rise up at the back, similar to the Kona's plastic flares. The rendering also shows a crease just below the windows running along the length of the Santa Fe. Looking at the last teaser image of the actual crossover, this crease is quite prominent. At the rear, the plastic cladding continues along the bottom. The hatch also looks more sculpted than the plain slab of the current model. It also appears to be raked forward more. But the forward rake is countered by the window line on the sides that rises upward. As mentioned with the front fascia, comparing these renderings to spy shots and the previous teaser, it looks like the production Santa Fe will look very much like it does here. Only the exaggerated things like the ultra-slim windows and massive wheels with rubber-band tires will be altered by the hands of rational, practical engineers. As such, the Santa Fe should be a pretty handsome family hauler, and a slightly bigger one than its predecessor, when it makes its debut at the Geneva show in March. Related Video:

Hyundai's Genesis G90 caught totally uncovered

It seems weird to type "Genesis" without "Hyundai" in front of it – unless we're referring to the band, of course, which we aren't. What we have here is the first car that'll launch under Hyundai's new premium brand, officially called Genesis. This is essentially the replacement for the Equus, and when it reaches the States, it'll be called G90. The G90 clearly makes strong use of Hyundai's "Athletic Elegance" design language, and looks like a more premium version of the existing Genesis sedan. There's a long hood, hexagonal grille, and vertically oriented taillamps that flow down the rear fascia. Judging by these low-res spy shots, we like what we see – even if, from some angles, it looks strangely familiar. Genesis (the brand) launches next month in Hyundai's home market. Following the G90, the Genesis sedan as we currently know it will move to G80 nomenclature, and a midsize, rear-wheel-drive sedan – G70 – will follow. A luxury SUV and sport coupe will round out the premium lineup. Head over to Korean site Bobaedream.co.kr for a view of the G90's rump, as well.