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New Hyundai i30 N hot hatch makes at least 250 horsepower

The chefs at Hyundai's new N performance division are working on their first dish, a Korean take on the ever popular hot hatch. The new model will be a modified version of the i30, or Elantra GT here in the US. Hyundai Motor Europe revealed a new teaser today showing the car testing on public roads in the UK. While we could cross our fingers for this spiritual successor to the Renault 5 Turbo, the car appears to be a traditional Volkswagen GTI and Ford Focus ST competitor. The first teaser from March showed the new i30 dancing around at a snow-covered testing facility in Sweden. While the video did give us a few cool shots of the new car tossing up a bit of the white stuff, it didn't actually reveal any new details. This new video is different, showing what might be the car's horsepower and torque rating. A quick shot of a computer screen shows 257.5 PS at 6,000 rpm and 302.1 Nm, which translates to about 254 horsepower and 223 lb-ft of torque in American. It's unclear if this is power at the crank or the wheels, but it seems to be right in the middle of the pack for the segment. We're really looking forward to this new model. Hyundai (and Kia for that matter) has been on a roll the past few years. Its cars are no longer simply value buys. The Elantra Sport shows the company is capable of building a enthusiastic little all rounder that can compete with the big guys. It looks like the car is in the final stages of development, so look for a full reveal sometime this fall. Related Video:

Sonata, Elantra driving down Hyundai quality scores

Hyundai was the butt of many jokes in the auto industry when it first entered the US market, but since then, it has forged ahead and built cars that stand with the best in their respective segments. The 2011 Sonata and 2011 Elantra were seen as the apotheosis of the brand's forward progress when they were introduced, but falling J.D. Power and Associates Dependability Study results may actually cause them to hurt the company's hard-earned reputation.
J.D Power's study examines three-year-old vehicles for problems per 100 vehicles. Since the 2011 study for 2008 model year cars, Hyundai has fallen from 10th overall with 132 problems to 27th in the 2014 survey of 2011 model year vehicles with 169 problems. It was also Hyundai's second consecutive year of an increase in reported problems. According to Automotive News, many of these problems are due to faults with the Sonata and Elantra, but J.D. Power didn't identify specifically what issues caused Hyundai's dependability to tumble so far down the list. However, the study found that, on average, reliability fell throughout the industry for the first time since 1998.
Getting the Sonata and Elantra right are vital to Hyundai. In 2013, they were the company's best-selling cars. "We'll be closely going through the data to see where improvements need to be made. Hyundai's goal is nothing short of quality leadership, and the report shows we have work to do," Hyundai spokesperson Jim Trainor said in an email to Autoblog.

Hyundai Kona joins compact-crossover fray

This week in Seoul, South Korea, Hyundai finally pulled back the covers on the all-new Kona, the automaker's first compact crossover. The Kona enters one of the hottest segments on the market and will compete straight against Honda HR-V, Toyota C-HR, and Fiat 500X. The stylish Kona slots below the larger Santa Fe and Tucson, filling out the Hyundai's crossover offerings. The new model goes on sale in Korea later this month, hitting showrooms in Europe and the US later this year. Like others in this segment, the Kona sells itself on style as well as substance. The design is more aggressive than Hyundai's other crossover offerings, though the automaker says it hints at a new direction for other products. After a few years of conservative design throughout its lineup, Hyundai has returned to the bold direction that kicked off with the sleek 2010 Sonata. The Kona's large, shield-like grille is similar to that on the new Elantra GT and refreshed Sonata. There's a wide air scoop just above the new grille. There's a lot of outside influence on the design. The rest of the body has a taut, masculine look. Big fenders and sharp creases carry on the rugged look. Hyundai is calling the black cladding "armor," though we're not sure exactly how much it protects. It's going to be a divisive design choice for sure. Like the Toyota C-HR, the Kona can be had with a contrasting roof color. The Kona makes use of LED lighting both front and rear, though the low placed headlights remind us of the controversial ones on the Jeep Cherokee. The taillights are wide, slim units that aren't like anything else in Hyundai's lineup. Like so many compact crossovers, it looks more like a high-riding hatchback than a shrunken SUV. It's a handsome design though that's more tough than cute. The interior has been designed with efficiency first. Hyundai boasts that the Kona has the best-in-class interior space. The simple layout is far more conservative than the exterior, but it appears well designed and well arranged. Like the Elantra GT, the infotainment screen sits above the dash like a tablet. It's a common design feature, though not always a popular one. The Kona can be had with a 5, 7, or 8-inch infotainment display, though availability depends on the market. Higher-spec models come with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD and satellite radio, a rearview camera, and in the US, 4G telematics. The Kona will have wireless smartphone charging.