2022 Hyundai Sonata Sel on 2040-cars

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Hyundai Genesis to get twin-turbo V6 in 2017 or 2018

Hyundai is looking to turbocharged power as ways to downsize its engines for better emissions and fuel economy while maintaining power. Among the new mills slated to launch is a twin-turbo V6 that's likely going into the Genesis in a few years. "You're going to see smaller displacement, more use of turbocharging. A lot of it is weight-related, all of it is CAFE-related," Hyundai Motor America CEO David Zuchowski said to Automotive News about the company's powertrain future. The Korean brand is hardly alone in this move towards downsizing, though, and practically every major automaker is moving in this direction, even Honda with the next Civic. According to Zuchowski, the twin-turbo V6 will make its way into the Genesis sedan in 2017 or 2018. The company is aiming for power to be on par from the luxury model's current 420-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8. The new engine should weigh less, though. The shift towards turbos is planned for the entire model lineup, not just Hyundai's higher-end vehicles. For example, the recently announced US-spec version of the 2016 Tucson now offers a boosted 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 175 hp and 195 pound-feet of torque. Several years ago, there were rumors about a possible turbocharged V6 for a future Genesis Coupe.

Hyundai Virtual Guide is an owner's manual for your phone

The owner's manual for the 2015 Hyundai Sonata is more than 700 pages. In fact, owner's manuals in general are so unwieldy – both by weight and actual use – that the problem you're having must be greater than the hassle of dealing with the instruction guide. Hyundai wants to make that easier with its Virtual Guide, an augmented reality app for smartphones and tablets that puts answer to the most common points of confusion at your fingertips. Once you open the app you start by choosing your exact vehicle trim. There are 16 different trim and package options for the Sonata, all of them have been scanned so that the app can show your specific car and features. After that there are several options that allow different means of getting the info you need. Point your phone's or tablet's camera at the engine bay, the app will overlay the locations of items like the air cooler, battery, and dispstick. Press any of the boxes in the display and the app will take you step-by-step through the process of attending to each system. There's another AR overlay for the interior. One neat feature that isn't AR is a picture of the gauge cluster and all of its Christmas tree lights. Press any one of them and the app will explain what the light means and what to do when it appears. Another portion of the app is pictures of every angle of the car with highlightable areas that provide more info on things like seat operation and what's in the trunk. Audi has an augemented reality app called eKurzinfo in the UK for three of its models, but it appears that Hyundai is the first mainstream maker in the US to provide such technology. Virtual Guide is available for the Sonata now at the Apple App Store and Google Play. Other models will join the Guide as Hyundai gets more of its models scanned. The videos and the press release below have more information. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. HYUNDAI VIRTUAL GUIDE INTRODUCES AUGMENTED REALITY TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL - First Mainstream Automaker to Launch 2D/3D Owner's Manual for Smartphones and Tablet Computers - Hyundai Virtual Guide Provides Convenient, Simple Ways to Become Familiar with Full Vehicle Capabilities LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10, 2015 – Later this year, Hyundai will be the first mainstream automaker to launch an augmented reality owner's manual app.

How feasible is Hyundai's HCD-15 Santa Cruz pickup?

When the silk finally slipped off Hyundai's HCD-15 Santa Cruz concept at the Detroit Auto Show on Monday, it was tangible, four-wheeled confirmation following years of rumors that the Korean automaker has been investigating the pickup market. Yet despite strong early critical and online reception, the likelihood of a production Hyundai pickup remains muddy at best. To be clear, Hyundai officials tell Autoblog there's nothing remotely production-ready lurking below the Santa Cruz's skin – it's a what-if concept designed to gauge customer reaction. But company officials say Hyundai is seriously investigating the possibility of a production pickup, and the company firmly believes that there's a market for a small, efficient unibody truck. According to John Krsteski, Manager at Hyundai Design North America, who spearheaded the project, Hyundai "is spending a lot of time right now still going through some studies on which types of platforms – whether it's a unique platform. It could be based on something like a Tucson ... we've looked at several different options." While Krsteski indicated that a platform hadn't been arrived at – and would likely need modifications – he says "it's definitely feasible." The Santa Cruz concept has a number of eye-catching features that would seem tough to produce – namely the slide-out rear bed extender that Krsteski says was influenced by the drawer-style ovens and dishwashers increasingly found in high-end kitchens. "We've had a couple of engineers in the studio and we did some study models on it, and we do think it's feasible – especially based on how we could package that inside there." With the extension in place, the small bed is large enough for a motocross bike to fit in on an angle. So what's next for the Santa Cruz? Hyundai has some internal studies it has completed and others that remain ongoing, and the company will work to gauge consumer response to the vehicle at auto shows and other events. Hyundai Motor America is clearly excited about the California-born project, but the toughest hurdle to a production pickup will likely be getting approval from headquarters in Korea. To that end, we've been led to understand that it was both telling and strategic that the Hyundai press conference was packed with Korean executives, who were on-hand in part to gauge media reaction to the Santa Cruz.