2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

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2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In First Drive

Hyundai is coming to the plug-in hybrid sedan party a bit late. No surprise there. Company execs are fully aware of that fact and were eager to say, "Hey, no big deal," at a media briefing on the new 2016 Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid in California last week. The press materials for the new cars offered lots of comparison charts that "proved" (using numbers) that the Hyundais are all-around better than their midsize competition. While Hyundai is at the forefront of the hydrogen fuel cell game in the US with the Tucson Fuel Cell Vehicle, the Korean automaker has a lot of ground to make up when it comes to plug-in vehicles. Good thing, then, that the Sonata is a smooth operator and solid performer out on the road. If you're going to show up late, you better make a dramatic entrance. While I much prefer the distinctive shape of the sixth-generation Sonata, there's nothing inherently bad about the new style in the current models. The Hybrid and PHEV update the seventh-gen look of the 2015 Sonata with more aerodynamic front and rear ends, new rocker panels, distinctive headlights and taillights, and eco-spoke alloy wheels. All of these changes reduce drag, dropping the coefficient from 0.27 in the gas-only car to 0.24 for the hybrids. You know what other vehicle has a 0.24 cD? The Tesla Model S. We asked why the standard Sonata doesn't get this slippery update and were told that the improvements came along after the gas model's design had been locked in, but there is a chance some of these changes will find their way to the non-electric vehicle in a future facelift. After spending a day with the new Sonatas, I can say that Hyundai is most welcome at the plug-in vehicle party. The Honda Accord PHEV and Ford Fusion Energi don't get the attention or sales they deserve, and there are some who will say Hyundai got all dressed up for a shindig that's not really worth attending (ever-stricter fuel economy regulations beg to differ). But the more the merrier, in my opinion. And since the Sonata PHEV will indeed be available in all 50 states (with a big caveat) later this year, it won't be long until we see if Hyundai can inject some life into the scene. The main problem is that we don't yet really know how the PHEV compares in terms of MSRP, since Hyundai isn't releasing pricing until some point closer to launch. The automaker did say it expects the PHEV to qualify for a $4,919 tax credit from the federal government.

Hyundai New Generation i20 WRC previews next year's rally weapon

With just three events left in the 2015 World Rally Championship season, Hyundai Motorsport is sitting in second place in the teams' championship behind Volkswagen Motorsport. The South Korean company is already looking forward to next season, though, when it debuts a new WRC car based on the latest i20. Those attending the Frankfurt Motor Show are getting a preview of the future rally machine in a pristine racing livery ahead of hitting the dirt. Dubbed the New Generation i20 WRC, the car replaces the current i20-based rally car. The competition-spec body sports some big, boxed fenders at the front and rear, and the double-decker wing looks great at the back. Hyundai claims that the latest version also has better aerodynamics, a more efficient powertrain, and improved weight distribution. It's still undergoing rigorous testing and debuts at the Rally Monte Carlo next year. The racer was originally supposed to be based on the latest three-door i20, but a delay caused the five-door body to become the basis for the machine. Beyond the aggressive shape, some of the most obvious visual touches on the New Generation i20 WRC are the massive N logo in the grille and smaller badges on the fenders and wheels. These are supposed to denote the rally car's connection to Hyundai's freshly launched performance sub-brand. The company claims that the lightweight materials, engine tech, tight handling, and aero bits developed for its racers could find their way to the road through these upcoming vehicles. Hyundai Motor Reveals Passion for High Performance with N Sub-brand at Frankfurt Motor Show • Hyundai Motor's high performance sub-brand N takes center stage at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show • A preview of the New Generation i20 WRC car is presented alongside N performance concepts • A vision of high performance technology in Hyundai vehicles is shown with two dynamic concepts – RM15 and Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo • Hyundai N Bobsleigh 2016, developed for the Korean national bobsleigh team, is displayed at the Motor Show September 15, 2015 - Hyundai Motor, the fastest growing automaker by brand value, showcases its high performance sub-brand N at the 2015 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Built on the foundation of the company's intensive product development and motorsport experiences, Hyundai N ultimately aims to bring 'the most thrilling winding road fun' to customers who truly love cars.

Hyundai recalls 205,000 Elantras for possible power steering failure [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Autoblog reached out to Hyundai spokesperson Jim Trainor for more information about this recall. He let us know via email: "Owners will be notified beginning in the second quarter." Also, there have been "no accidents, injuries nor fatalities," as a result of this issue. Hyundai is recalling 204,768 examples of the 2008-2010 Elantra sedan and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring because of possible failure of the electrically assisted power steering. The problem in these vehicles is that the ECU for the power steering can "sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist," according to documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If this happens, then drivers could suddenly experience a more difficult time driving the Elantras. According to a chronology submitted to NHTSA (that you can read in full as a PDF, here), Hyundai first became aware of this problem in 2010 and issued a TSB for it in 2011. At that time, just 0.25 percent of sedans and 0.36 percent of Touring models were shown to have the fault. However by October 2014, the issue had gotten worse, and 1.3 percent of four-doors and 1.9 percent of the hatchbacks were exhibiting it. The automaker believed that by maintaining manual steering the vehicles were still within the law, but "the industry has increasingly handled similar issues through safety recalls." In most cases, turning the ignition off and then back on rectifies things, but to fix this, Hyundai is updating the power steering control unit on these models. RECALL Subject : Electric Power Steering Assist may be Disabled Report Receipt Date: FEB 23, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 Component(s): STEERING Potential Number of Units Affected: 204,768 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2008-2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING 2009-2010 Details Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America SUMMARY: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The electronic power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist.