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Hyundai spotted testing Prius rival

That Hyundai is gearing up to go after the Toyota Prius with a dedicated hybrid of its own is no great secret. We've seen prototypes for it testing twice before. But this is our best look at the Korean challenger yet, wearing its own bodywork and in the light of day. Spied undergoing testing in Germany, this prototype dubbed AE HEV (likely for Advanced Experimental or Alternative Energy Hybrid Electric Vehicle) is still heavily camouflaged to keep it away from prying eyes (like ours). But there are still some details we can discern from underneath the cloth cladding. For starters, you can see the horizontal slates on the front grille, blue accents on the headlights, maybe even a strip of LED daytime running lights. There looks to be a spoiler at the back similar to that on the European hatchback version of the Honda Civic. Of course it's another Honda whose form this prototype seems to be emulating, and that's the Insight. It'll be interesting to see if Hyundai can succeed where the Insight failed, and take the fight to the Prius. Expect to see it emerge sometime in the second half of next year.

A new Hyundai Accent arrives next week with baby Elantra styling

The teaser video above doesn't leave much to the imagination, giving us a very good look at the shape and some details of the 2018 Hyundai Accent sedan. But this is all we get until the car is fully revealed at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto on Thursday, February 16. From the flashes of light and silhouettes, it's apparent the new subcompact Accent sedan will take pretty much all of its cues from the compact Elantra, which itself was updated for 2017. The Elantra, in turn, looks like a combination of about three other cars, but it manages to blend those designs in a handsome way. Its almost fastback design, LED lighting signature, and hexagonal grille all appear to carry over to the new Accent. We expect Hyundai to continue to offer a five-door Accent hatchback in this next generation as well. As for the interior, we expect a similar complement of new features, like infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality and some new safety systems. Mechanicals are likely to be very similar to what's available on the Accent today, which means a relatively efficient four-cylinder, probably again displacing 1.6 liters and making about 140 horsepower. We'll of course bring you all the details once the car is revealed next week. Related Video:

Hyundai recalling 15,500 Entourage minivans over rust in cold-weather states

Hyundai has increased its quality by leaps and bounds in recent years, but we're not sure the Entourage minivan is the best representation of the brand. Essentially a rebadged version of the Kia Sedona, the Entourage has been out of production for about five years now, and it's evidently run into some trouble.
The problem apparently revolves around the suspension - specifically the front lower control arm - which could rust and fracture, particularly in snow-belt states. As a result, Hyundai and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued a recall for the Entourage from the 2007 and 2008 model years, the only two years it was sold in the United States.
The recall applies to some 15,500 units sold or registered in Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Hyundai will notify owners as to when they should bring their vehicles in for inspection before either rustproofing or replacing the components in question. What's interesting, however, is that the nearly identical Kia Sedona has not been subject to the same recall.