2018 Hyundai Elantra Sel Sedan 4d on 2040-cars

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Hyundai Sonata PHEV may be a game (and mind) changer

If you really, really want to consume volts instead of fuel on your way to work, school or shopping, you currently have just three options: pure EV, hydrogen fuel cell, or plug-in hybrid EV. Much as we love them, we all know the disadvantages of BEVs: high prices due to high battery cost (even though subsidized by their makers), limited range and long recharges. Yes, I know: six-figure (giant-battery) Teslas can deliver a couple hundred miles and Supercharge to ~80 percent in 10 minutes. But few of us can afford one of those, Tesla's high-voltage chargers are hardly as plentiful as gas stations, and even 10 minutes is a meaningful chunk out of a busy day. Also, good luck finding a Tesla dealership to fix whatever goes wrong (other than downloadable software updates) when it inevitably does. There still aren't any. Even more expensive, still rare as honest politicians, and much more challenging to refuel are FCEVs. You can lease one from Honda or Hyundai, and maybe soon Toyota, provided you live in Southern California and have ample disposable income. But you'd best limit your driving to within 100 miles or so of the small (but growing) number of hydrogen fueling stations in that state if you don't want to complete your trip on the back of a flatbed. That leaves PHEVs as the only reasonably affordable, practical choice. Yes, you can operate a conventional parallel hybrid in EV mode...for a mile or so at creep-along speeds. But if your mission is getting to work, school or the mall (and maybe back) most days without burning any fuel – while basking in the security of having a range-extender in reserve when you need it – your choices are extended-range EVs. That means the Chevrolet Volt, Cadillac ELR or a BMW i3 with the optional range-extender engine, and plug-in parallel hybrids. Regular readers know that, except for their high prices, I'm partial to EREVs. They are series hybrids whose small, fuel-efficient engines don't even start (except in certain rare, extreme conditions) until their batteries are spent. That means you can drive 30-40 (Volt, ELR) or 70-80 miles (i3) without consuming a drop of fuel. And until now, I've been fairly skeptical of plug-in versions of conventional parallel hybrids. Why?

Kia leads J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study for 2022

For the first year ever, Kia leads J.D. Power's annual Vehicle Dependability Study with a score of 145 problems per 100 vehicles. Buick (147) and Hyundai (148) round out the top three. The highest premium brand on the list is Genesis, with a score of 148. It's common for so-called "mass market" brands to lead this particular study, according to J.D. Power, as "premium" brands "typically incorporate more technology in their vehicles, which increases the likelihood for problems to occur" and aren't necessarily built to a higher standard that less-expensive brands. The highest-rated single nameplate is the Porsche 911. It's the third time out of the past four years and the second year in a row that Porsche's quintessential sports car has taken top honors. Porsche as a brand sits in seventh place (162) just behind Lexus (159) and ahead of Dodge (166). At the very bottom of the list is Land Rover with a dismal score of 284; the SUV specialist held the same unfortunate distinction on last year's list. Ram (266), Volvo (256), Alfa Romeo (245) and Acura (244) also performed poorly. The overall industry average score sits at 192 — mass market brands average a score of 190 while premium brands sit 14 points lower at 204. While Tesla is unofficially included in some of J.D. Power's results, the agency says the sample size it has access to for this study is too small to include. As has been the case for the past several years, infotainment systems dominate the list of problems reported by owners. Popular (or unpopular, depending on your point of view) complaints include built-in voice recognition (8.3 PP100), Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity (5.4 PP100), built-in Bluetooth system (4.5 PP100), not enough power plugs/USB ports (4.2 PP100), navigation systems difficult to understand/use (3.7 PP100), touchscreen/display screen (3.6 PP100), and navigation system inaccurate/outdated map (3.6 PP100). While problems with the car's infotainment and technology packages are indeed bothersome, it's important to remember that such issues aren't usually leaving owners stranded with an immovable vehicle like a broken transmission or blown engine would. Culling infotainment complaints from the results would reduce the average problem-per-100-vehicle score by a staggering 51.9 points. The vehicles included in this study are from the 2019 model year. That means owners have had three years to get to know their cars and trucks. It's the 33rd year that J.D.

Hyundai Vision G Coupe Concept debuts ahead of Pebble Beach

This is the Hyundai HCD-16 Vision G Coupe Concept, and it previews the automaker's future upmarket offerings. At an intimate gathering at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Hyundai offered us an early sneak peek of its Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance concept car, one that takes a deliberately scaled-back approach to premium, luxurious design. Peter Schreyer, Hyundai-Kia design chief, says the Vision G reflects "a DNA that balances design and performance with the idea that you don't need to be over the top in terms of glitz and stereotypical luxury cues." The coupe sends a decidedly different message than the last luxury concept that came from Hyundai's California Design center, the HCD-14. While that model was striking – albeit a little gaudy with suicide rear doors and oversized carbon-fiber wheels – the Vision G aims to be understated, despite its grand size and dramatic lines. The end result is an attractive package, with an alluring, sleek style. The HCD-16's design is characterized by a long hood, high beltline, and cabin that presents a "slingshot-like" appearance. Christopher Chapman, head of Hyundai's US design center, says the styling is meant to speak to the owner, rather than "the spectators" that might see the car on the road. Hyundai says the idea of respectful luxury carries through to the interior, where elegant lines and finishes are meant to set the mood, rather than stand out as over-the-top elegance. At the heart of the Vision G Coupe Concept is Hyundai's 5.0-liter Tau V8 – the same engine found in the Equus and Genesis – with 420 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. That said, the Vision G solely represents Hyundai's upscale inspiration moving forward. It might seem like good inspiration for a next-generation Genesis Coupe, but that isn't necessarily the case. One particularly neat feature is the "valet door," that opens when the driver approaches, as if by a valet. Perhaps this is something that could work its way into the next-generation Equus as an upscale option? The HCD-16 derives its nomenclature from the studio in which it was designed, with "HCD" being an acronym for Hyundai California Design, and the number 16 representing the 16th concept to come out of that center.