2005 Hyundai Sonata Gl Sedan 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Does this Hyundai Intrado concept preview the next Tucson?

The second generation of Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design language has arrived a bit early, thanks to these leaked images of the Korean automaker's Intrado Concept. Set to make its big debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show, the three-door crossover is based on a next-generation version of the hydrogen powertrain used in Europe's ix35 Fuel Cell (that'd be a hydrogen Tucson, for anyone who's wondering).
We can see some 2015 Genesis Sedan in the grille, but the sharp, narrow LED headlights are something different. The c-shaped LED taillights also look good, although we're less sure about the odd fairings around the wheel wells. Overall, it's not a terrible design in our minds, but it probably won't be the pretties vehicle to debut in Geneva.
But instead of focusing on the design, let's talk about what impact the Intrado may have on Hyundai. Aside from the hydrogen powertrain, it seems as if the Intrado's design is too conservative to be a pure concept. Instead, and as you may have guessed from our headline, we're thinking this could be a preview of the next-generation Tucson. Considering the Tucson and its cousin the ix35 are the oldest vehicles in Hyundai's lineup (not counting the Sonata, which is getting replaced at the New York show) and it's a vehicle sold worldwide, previewing its replacement on a stage as big as Geneva doesn't strike us as a bad idea.

2015 Hyundai Azera appears refreshed in Miami

Hyundai has taken the unusual approach of debuting a newly refreshed model - the refreshed 2015 Hyundai Azera - at the Miami International Auto Show instead of one of the larger usual suspects (the LA Auto Show is just around the corner). According to Hyundai, Florida is a large market for the Azera sedan, which surely had something to do with the decision to debut in Miami.
There aren't many big changes to the Azera for 2015, but what has been updated is meaningful, starting with redesigned front and rear fascias, standard 18-inch alloy wheels and LED fog lights on Limited models. Inside, an eight-inch display - all the better to work with Hyundai's latest Blue Link system - joins a new center stack design as notable improvements. On the safety front, Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross Traffic alert and Lane Change Assist are now standard.
Power still comes from the well-regarded 3.3-liter V6 with 293 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque. While none of the changes for 2015 are likely to make the Azera into a best seller in the highly competitive large-car market, where models like the Chevy Impala, Toyota Avalon and Buick LaCrosse live, not to mention Hyundai's sibling from Kia, the Cadenza, we're sure Azera buyers will be happy with the updates all the same.

EPA says it will more closely monitor fuel economy claims from automakers

The unintended acceleration brouhaha at Toyota led to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration tightening the vise on recall procedures. Likewise, the fuel economy kerfuffle that blew up with Hyundai and Kia's admission of overstated fuel mileage claims could lead to the Environmental Protection Agency policing automaker assertions by performing more audits.
At least, that's what a senior engineer with the government agency said while in Michigan giving a talk, according to a report in Automotive News. What that actually means, however, is still in question. Just ten to 15 percent of new vehicles - something like 150 to 200 cars per year - are rested by the EPA to verify automaker numbers. The EPA's own tests include a "fudge factor" to adjust lab mileage for real-world mileage, and the agency still relies on automakers to submit data for tests that it doesn't have the facilities to perform. How much more auditing can the EPA really expect to do, or perhaps a more relevant question would be how much more accurate could the EPA's audits become?
The price of gasoline, the psychological importance of 40 miles per gallon to a frugal car buyer, an automaker wanting to further justify the price premium of a hybrid, all of these things contribute to fuel economy numbers that insist on creeping upward. Perhaps the senior engineer encapsulated the whole situation best when he said, "Everybody wants a label that tells you exactly what you're going to get, but obviously that's not possible. A good general rule of thumb is that real-world fuel economy is about 20 percent lower than the lab numbers." If the lesson isn't exactly 'buyer beware,' it's at least 'buyer be wary.'