2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

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Buick Regal, Hyundai Sonata

Toyota is ramping up production of an all-new 2018 Camry and spending over $1 billion – with a "b" – at its Georgetown, Ky., plant. That investment speaks to the popularity of midsize sedans, despite sales inroads made by crossovers. While Accord and Camry are givens in the segment, less attention is paid to Buick's Regal and Hyundai's Sonata. And if shopping for a midsize sedan with a $30,000 budget, you should pay attention. Both offer a compelling combination of attributes and can be well equipped for that price point. Finally, both are due for either a major redesign (Regal) or aggressive freshening (Sonata) in the 2018 model year. Both Buick and Hyundai will be offering incentives 2017s, but Hyundai's program is more aggressive, with up to $6,000 in savings (as this is written). BUICK REGAL: For those seeking exclusivity at well below an "exclusive" price, there is the Regal. Designed by GM's Opel as the Insignia, the version sold stateside keeps most of its Eurocentric nature. It doesn't pretend to be an Audi or BMW, but it provides something more German than Volkswagen's Germany-by-way-of-Tennessee Passat. A Regal, in all-wheel-drive 'Regal' trim, supplies you with a turbocharged 2.0 liter and 6-speed automatic transmission. Its 259 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque propel the 3,600-pound Regal with authority and respectable efficiency. Despite its relatively low curb weight, the Regal feels substantial, with a heavy feel behind the wheel and a quiet authority going down the road. Inside, you'll find an interesting mix of Old World and New Detroit, with informative gauges, a center stack that dominates the instrument panel, supportive buckets up front and a reasonably spacious rear seat. The Regal's interior volume is respectable (97 cubic feet inside, while the trunk has 14 cubic feet), but this remains a better environment for young families or empty nesters. Those with a lot of kids or stuff should shop Buick's about-to-be-redesigned Enclave or midsize Envision. For the 2017 model year, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been added. The Driver Confidence 1 package (optional) includes Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Following Distance Indicator and memory seats. Driver Confidence 2 has Collision Preparation with Collision Mitigation Braking and Full Speed Range Adaptive Cruise Control. It's all good stuff.

Reader Spy: 2012 Hyundai Accent hatchback caught napping

2012 Hyundai Accent hatchback - Click above for high-res image gallery
Eagle-eyed Autoblog reader James spotted a camouflaged compact hatchback sitting in a parking lot in South Korea the other day, and fortunately for us, he had a camera with him. At first glance, this is obviously a new Hyundai based on the upward sweeping crease along the side that is characteristic of Hyundai's new 'fluidic sculpture' design language.
Closer examination indicates that this is almost certainly the five-door hatchback version of the new Verna/Accent that debuted at the Beijing Motor Show in April. The wheels are the same as the ones we saw on the Verna and the side crease extends ahead of the door cut-line which differs from the Elantra that debuted a week later at the Busan show in Korea.

2015 Hyundai Sonata gets a shadowy preview

It's only been on the market since 2010, but such is the hectic pace of the family sedan world that the Hyundai Sonata finds itself as the elder statesmen of the midsize segment. The current, sixth-generation sedan put the Korean automaker in the hunt with its audacious Fluidic Sculpture styling and bold powertrain choices (it was the first to eschew a six-cylinder option), but time has brought with it tough new competitors from the likes of Ford, Honda, Mazda and others, so it's time for a new model.
Previewed here in this official teaser rendering is an all-new, seventh-generation model, and at first blush, it looks markedly more conservative and refined than its predecessor, with more restrained surfacing and a more traditional six-sided grille. Scheduled for a world premiere in Korea later this month, the Sonata is expected to make its first show circuit appearance at the New York Auto Show in April.
Built atop a platform with significantly more advanced high-strength steel (51 percent vs. 21 percent) and increased use of structural adhesives, the Sonata's bones promise to be both more rigid (by 40 percent) and lighter. Cloaked in Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 bodywork, so far Hyundai isn't saying much about powertrain updates, but it is trumpeting a redesigned interior with a new infotainment interface and redesigned seats.