2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited Sedan 4-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Kia Soul EV starts production next month amidst modest sales projections

The hamsters in those Kia Soul commercials? Looks like they'll be riding real quiet and quite clean a little sooner than we thought. Kia is now saying it will start production of the 2015 Soul EV next month, and sales will start later this year in the company's home country of South Korea. Additionally, according to Reuters, Kia is keeping sales expectations low, suggesting it should sell about 5,000 Soul EVs a year at a price of around $39,000, though the out-of-pocket costs should be cut in half because of South Korean government subsidies. Kia's taking a somewhat conservative approach to its early sales target as it focuses largely on the US and Europe during its first phase, said Kia spokesman Michael Choo. "We are currently conducting launch feasibility studies for the secondary phase of Soul EV introduction and plan to expand sales to other countries at a later stage," he said. "Hence, we believe the sales volume of the Soul EV will steadily grow following our initial full year of sales." As for the US, Kia spokesman James Hope tells AutoblogGreen that while the company hasn't set a definitive debut date, "we are targeting Q3 of this year." Hope says Kia isn't providing Soul EV sales guidance for the US, so we'll just have to see where the EV chips fall come September or so. Reuters also notes that sister company Hyundai will start selling its own battery-electric vehicle in 2016, a timetable confirmed by Hyundai Senior Vice President Lee Ki-sang. Both Kia and Hyundai are shooting for a South Korean electric-vehicle market that they hope will expand exponentially from a total of just 713 sales last year. The front-wheel-drive Soul EV will have a 81-kilowatt electric motor, and its single-charge range will be about 120 miles. The model was first shown off at the Chicago Auto Show last month, but Autoblog scored an early prototype test drive ahead of the reveal – check out our feature drive report here. Kia Motors shows Soul EV and next-generation hybrid powertrain at Geneva Show (SEOUL) March 4, 2014 -- The new Kia Soul EV made its European debut at the 84th Salon International de l'Automobile in Geneva, Switzerland, today alongside a special technology exhibit of the brand's next-generation hybrid powertrain.

2014 Hyundai Elantra revealed in Korean spec

As is usually the case with most Hyundai models, we're getting a sneak peek into the future by way of the company's Korean market lineup. Hyundai released images of the 2014 Avante on its home-market Facebook page, showing us what the updated 2014 Elantra will look like when it arrives this fall.
With the fifth-gen Elantra just three years old at this point, all of the changes will be relatively minor. Judging by the pictures of the Avante, updates to the exterior include new front and rear fascias, new headlights with LED running lights, LED taillights and new wheel options. The interior also gets some visual changes, mainly to the buttons and controls. Hyundai is also adding more comfort inside its compact sedan by adding a ventilated driver's seat, heated steering wheel and rear HVAC vents.

Is this the new Hyundai Elantra?

Hyundai's future models have a tendency to leak out of the South Korean market before they are shown elsewhere, and that appears to be the case with the next-gen Elantra. According to Indian Autos Blog, the official unveiling isn't scheduled in South Korea until April, but at least one shot of the upcoming sedan is online a few weeks early. Based on this single photo of the front of the car, Hyundai's designers are vastly altering the Elantra's styling for its latest generation, moving it closer to the current Sonata. The grille receives the wide, trapezoidal shape from the latest members of the brand's lineup, and the headlights wear a more angular look, as well. This image also barely shows an arching crease running up the side through the door handles. According to Indian Autos Blog, the powertrain range for the future Elantra might include the new 1.6-liter turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder from the recently unveiled Tucson. In European trim, the engine makes 174 horsepower and is paired with either a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or a six-speed manual. If you're wondering why it's worth caring about a Korean-market Hyundai, it's because the automaker often only lightly tweaks designs (if at all) before bringing them to the US. So, this is quite likely an accurate preview of the next-gen Elantra in North America, as well.