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Hyundai to build test facility at N"urburgring

It looks as if Hyundai is set to build a test facility at the famous Nürburgring. Carscoop reports the Korean automaker has commenced construction on a 10,000-square-foot test center with access to the lengthy German track. Hyundai says the $7.3 million facility will help the company focus on improving the ride and handling of its vehicles through extensive research and development.
Sounds like a plan to us. While we've seen Hyundai vehicles improve on many fronts over the past few years, the company continues to struggle with suspension refinement compared to its Japanese, German and domestic rivals.
Automakers routinely flock to the Nürburgring for testing and development thanks to the track's unusual attributes. With a variety of surfaces, banking, turns, elevation and even weather, the circuit offers engineers the ability to put a vehicle through its paces in a wider range of conditions than most facilities.

A brief taste of Korea's latest dish | 2018 Hyundai Kona

Disclaimer: We were limited to a short 10-minute drive at Hyundai's research and development facility in Namyang, about a 90-minute drive from the South Korean Capital of Seoul. The closed loop didn't provide much in the way of road variation, and we reached a blistering top speed of 45 mph with all of three opportunities to use the brakes. The Kona we drove was a Korean-spec model. Suspension and steering tuning will be adjusted for the US, though we couldn't get a clear answer on what sort of changes that entails. Expect the US model to be a bit softer than what the Koreans and the Europeans will see, though we'll have to wait until a full first drive to be sure. Hyundai has been on a roll lately, releasing a series of solid if not exactly groundbreaking products, though until now they company was missing an entry into the ever-burgeoning B-segment crossover. For several years, compacts like the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3 have ruled the class, but Hyundai is going all-in on crossovers, with several new models on the horizon. The first one out of the gate is the Kona. In the next few years, we'll see a model that slots below the Kona and a large SUV that will sit above the Santa Fe. We got our first look at the new model at Hyundai's new Motorstudio, a place that's half interactive museum and half high-end conference space. The Kona's styling, a mix of original and derivative design elements, is sure to be divisive. The most standout feature is the plastic cladding that comes in either black or grey, depending on the body color. Hyundai is calling it armor. We just hope it's affordable to replace. The front wears Hyundai's cascading grille, an element that's making it's way across the automaker's lineup. It's flanked by what Hyundai is calling is calling composite headlights. It's a split design that places the slit-like turn signals above and separate from the actual headlights. It looks very similar to the current Jeep Cherokee, odd considering the controversy that model caused a few years ago. There's also a bit of Nissan Juke in there, though substantially toned down. You best get used to it, though, as design chief Luc Donckerwolke says it's the new face of the brand. Expect to see some variation making its way across the automaker's lineup. Not so with the rest of the Kona, as Donckerwolke said each model will get unique elements only found on that particular car. For the Kona, it's the armor.

Porsche, Jaguar continue dominance in 2015 JD Power APEAL study

The top of JD Power's 2015 APEAL Study has not changed much in the last year. Porsche remains No. 1 with Jaguar nipping at its heels, although both premium brands saw their overall score fall compared to 2014. For those that need a refresher, the APEAL Study looks at how "gratifying" a vehicle is to own and drive, rating cars and brands on a 1,000-point scale. The industry average for 2015 has increased from 794 to 798, while the total number of automakers that finished above the curve increased from 16 to 20. While Porsche and Jaguar finished at the top, their scores dropped eight and seven points, respectively, to 874 and 855. The top "non-premium" brand was Mini, which scored an impressive 825, up from 795. If the BMW-owned British marque is still a bit too premium for your tastes, last year's non-premium winner, Hyundai, did climb five points and is this year's runner up. At the opposite end of the scale, Smart sits at the very bottom of the rankings, with a score of 683 (it didn't appear on the 2014 rankings). Fiat also dropped, from fourth worst in 2014 to second worst in 2015, despite the 500 being named most appealing city car. Subaru made an impressive climb, from third worst to seventh, falling just 10 points shy of the industry average and two points south of the non-premium average. In the individual vehicle segments, eight brands earned multiple awards, with Ford, Chevrolet, and Porsche earning three apiece. Surprise segment victories included the new Ford Expedition, which beat out Chevy's popular Suburban. The Infiniti QX80 bested the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Range Rover for best large luxury SUV, and the Dodge Challenger beat its muscle car rivals from Ford and Chevy. Most of the victories, though, were quite predictable. The Mazda6 and CX-5 took wins for the midsize sedan and compact SUV categories respectively, while the Volkswagen Golf captured the compact car win. The Ford F-150 won the large pickup category, while the Porsche Cayman was named most appealing compact premium sporty car. Check out the official release on the 2015 APEAL Study, available below, from JD Power. 2015 U.S. APEAL Study Results The latest safety-related technologies are among the drivers of customer satisfaction with new vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S.