2010 Hyundai Santa Fe Gls Sport Utility 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.

Hyundai Sonata PHEV on sale for $34,600, in some states, at least

Hyundai's first plug-in hybrid vehicle is now available in ten US states, and the even better news is that the car can go the equivalent of a marathon, plus a little change, without using a drop of gas. The South Korean automaker says the vehicle will have a 600-mile driving range and will be able to go 27 miles on electric power alone. Other goodies on the safety front include a blind-spot detection system and rear cross-traffic alerts. The sedan pairs a 2.0-liter gas-powered engine and electric motor that combine for 202 horsepower. The car also delivers an estimated 99 miles per gallon equivalent fuel-economy rating. The model's 9.8-kWh battery is five times the size as the one in the Sonata Hybrid. Exactly how well these cars will sell could be a mystery for a little while, as Hyundai and its sister company Kia have steadfastly refused to disclose hybrid-sales figures and this policy might continue with the PHEV. The Sonata PHEV starts at $34,600 before a potential federal-government incentive worth up to $4,919 kicks in. A "limited" trim runs for $4,000 more. The car, whose specifications were largely detailed last month, will be available for sale in California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont. The reason for this limited roll-out, Hyundai executives have said, is that those states have the best charging infrastructure network for PHEVs. No word on when the rest of the country will be able to easily buy the sedan, though folks in the other 40 states can at least put in special orders for the car. Take a look at Hyundai's press release below, and read our First Drive impressions here. Related Video: 2016 HYUNDAI SONATA PLUG-IN HYBRID DELIVERS CLASS-LEADING 27-MILE ALL-ELECTRIC RANGE Exclusive Blue Link Smartphone App Controls Charging Schedule Remotely 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), Rear Exterior 3/4 FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. November 13, 2015 – This week the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) arrives in select dealerships with a competitively priced and compelling product that boasts a class-leading 27-mile All-Electric Range (AER). The 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid offers the efficiency of an alternative powertrain with a unique aerodynamic exterior design, best-in-class total interior volume, premium features and advanced safety technology all at an excellent value.

Why Kia doesn't need a premium brand

Hyundai's creation of the Genesis luxury brand means it and fellow Korean brand Kia have finally hit the mainstream in the U.S. – as far as products are concerned – after nearly three decades of trying. Which is about as long as it took Toyota and Nissan to roll out Lexus and Infiniti, respectively. It's history repeating itself. Genesis is supposed to be the way Hyundai's premium models get the respect they deserve, without carrying the baggage of a name associated with frugality. Hyundai has, in fact, built up a reputation over the last decade or so for cars that compete head-on with class leaders, rather than aim to be 90 percent as good for 75 percent of the price. And because Kia shares a number of components with Hyundai, its vehicles have also steadily become not only better mainstream vehicles, but have continued to aim higher than their price points. Does Kia need to follow now in its parent's steps with a prestige brand to market its most expensive models? I'm aware of the Kia K900, the company's deepest foray into luxury territory notably occupied by Lexus. Kia, however, has consistently been pushing this $60,000 full-size luxury sedan along with $0 down, low monthly payment lease deals. Turns out there really aren't many people looking for a full-size Kia luxury sedan. Or maybe they're just waiting to get it for $20,000 in a couple of years. Consider the K900 and Genesis when I convince you Kia already makes upscale cars to rival those with premium badges. They just don't happen to be its most expensive model. Shortly after Hyundai's announcement it would spin its luxury models off into the Genesis brand, I spent a few days with a 2016 Kia Sorento SXL. And I'm willing to call it a more convincing attempt to get people out of luxury cars than the K900. Driving the Sorento is not an emotional experience. You feel parental driving it, thinking you might've forgotten to pick your kids up until you remember you don't actually have kids. But after settling into the nicely stitched and perforated leather seats, you respect its comfort, quiet and amenities. The headliner is soft, the stitching on the dash top is convincingly real and everyone is impressed by the sharp graphics on the touchscreen and the slick powered shade that reveals an expansive glass roof. A Kia Sorento costing more than $46,000 sounds absurd until you wonder how much better an Acura MDX or Lexus RX350 is when those cost as much as $10,000 more.