2009 Hyundai Sonata Limited Sedan 4-door on 2040-cars

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Hyundai-Kia forecasts slowest sales growth in 8 years

Even with the arrival of the new Hyundai Genesis Sedan (above) and the expected introduction of at least two other new vehicles in 2014, Hyundai-Kia is estimating its sales will only increase by about 4.1 percent this year. Bloomberg has found that figure, which works out to a total of 7.86 million vehicles worldwide, to be lower than average analyst estimates of eight million vehicles. If the automaker is correct, that figure will represent the most sluggish growth for the Korean brands since 2006.
Based on an exchange rate of 1,050 won to the dollar - right now it's trading at anywhere from 1,050 to 1,052 depending on where you look - Hyundai is predicting a 3.8-percent uptick for sales of 4.9 million units, while Kia is expecting a 4.7-percent uptick for sales of 2.96 million units. That exchange rate is predicted to be part of what will hamper sales this year, with a stronger South Korean won making Japanese cars more price-competitive when cross-shopped. It's unclear how Hyundai derived its exchange rate, but 1,050 won to the dollar almost matches the 52-week high for all of 2013.
The company chairman mentioned a "low growth era" in the world economy, and weaker US sales are rumored to at least part of the reason John Krafcik recently vacated the post of Hyundai Motor America CEO, a post that has been filled by executive vice president of sales, David Zuchowski. That unexpected news capped a year in which two top execs resigned over quality issues and recalls and Hyundai agreed to settle a consolidated lawsuit over inflated fuel economy ratings for $395 million.

Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis Concept takes a sleek look at the future

After seeing the promising lines of Hyundai's latest concept car last week in a shadowy teased rendering, we now have a better idea about what this sleek concept is all about. The 2013 Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis Concept received its official debut today at the Detroit Auto Show, and it's expected to be a pretty good indication of the styling direction for the next-generation Genesis sedan, although not quite the real deal.
Comparing this concept to spy shots of a Genesis prototype captured early last month, we can see that many elements of the HCD-14 will be incorporated into the newest Hyundai luxury sedan. As is the case with any concept car, the oversized carbon fiber wheels and suicide rear doors will certainly not be making it to the production model, but it will be interesting to see if the next-generation sedan has some of this car's styling cues like the hard-edged body creases along the side of the car, the coupe-like roofline running all the way to the rear of the car leaving no true decklid, or even the fine details like the "Genesis" etched into the headlights.
In addition to the styling of the car, there are plenty of new features being introduced on the concept that may be intended for the final product. This includes cabin technology features like a head-up display, hand-gesture recognition, and even a system that is able to track a driver's eyes to select options in various vehicle functions such as audio or climate controls. There also luxury appointments like the real milled wood accents and the iPad storage station. Hyundai is also promising improved driving dynamics with a more rigid chassis, new driver-selectable settings for various driving conditions and, of course, carrying over the 5.0-liter direct-injected V8 paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai, Kia launching dedicated hybrids in 2017

The currently weak green car market isn't stopping Hyundai and Kia from staging an ongoing electrified onslaught, and it's primed to just keep growing. Already familiar with the field thanks to vehicles like the Sonata Hybrid, Tucson Fuel Cell, and Kia Soul EV, for the 2017 model year the Korean siblings are launching their first dedicated hybrids, according to Automotive News. Since last year, the hybrids have been spotted testing several times while wearing heavy camouflage. Hyundai's version will reportedly be styled as a Chevrolet Volt-fighting sedan. Conversely, Kia will go for a more directly Prius-challenging hatchback. Underneath, they'll share a powertrain consisting of a direct-injected, 1.6-liter four-cylinder and electric motor. Both will use the same platform based on the next-gen Elantra and Forte, according to Automotive News. In addition, Hyundai will get a pure EV version of its model to launch in California in 2017, while Kia reportedly won't. According to Automotive News, the companies' strategy is reportedly to be ready when gas prices eventually rise again. "When they come back up and people start looking for hybrids again, it'll be very nice to be able to give buyers an option besides just the Prius," said Adam Kraushaar, president of a New Jersey Hyundai dealer. Further complimenting the electrified plans, a plug-in version of the Kia Optima Hybrid is also reportedly on the way. With its launch, the two brands would have a total of nine hybrid, EV or fuel cell vehicles on offer by the 2018 model year.