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2016 Hyundai Tucson First Drive [w/video]

For most of us, September 2009 doesn't seem like that long ago. We had the same president, carried Apple iPhones, and were even paying roughly the same amount for a gallon of gas. For Hyundai, though, this particular month was when everything began to change, thanks to the introduction of "fluidic sculpture" and the second-generation Tucson. The swoopy, handsome styling introduced on the Tucson infiltrated the rest of the brand's offerings, starting with the Sonata sedan and filtering through. In the process, Hyundai raised its flag not as a manufacturer of ultra-affordable utilitarian transport, but as a company that builds fashionable, well-equipped, and high-quality cars. While it's no secret Hyundai is in a better place than it was nearly six years ago, the importance of the Tucson has grown substantially. Much as the second-gen model helped to signal Hyundai's arrival as a global player, the company hopes the third generation will mark its entry as one of the industry's premier crossover builders. Based on a day of driving around some of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes, we think that's an attainable goal. According to Hyundai's research, the Tucson is viewed as "sporty, stylish, and modern." Targeting that first notion is the new 1.6-liter, turbocharged Gamma four-cylinder, which sits under the hood of Eco, Sport, and Limited models. The single-scroll turbo allows the tiny four to deliver 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. There's also a 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated four-cylinder for the base SE, with 164 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque, although we weren't able to score any time behind the wheel. Look for more on the base Tucson in the near future. The turbo, though, is shockingly quiet at idle, and isn't too bad as it climbs the tachometer. North of 6,000 rpm, though, it's loud, buzzy, and unpleasant. Even with the turbo's peak twist available from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm, there's little hiding the maximum curb weight of 3,710. After a smidge of lag, initial torque comes on strong, although the weight of this compact crossover soon overwhelms what power is available. That'd be a problem were it not for the new seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission. Paired exclusively with the 1.6-liter turbo (the 2.0-liter gets a traditional six-speed auto), the dry-clutch gearbox is able to deliver smooth but quick changes, particularly at engine speeds below 5,000 rpm.

Porsche 911 Turbos, and the new Lotus Emira | Autoblog Podcast #686

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. The two talk about their experiences in the 911 Turbo and Turbo S Cabriolet, then pivot to talking about the BMW M3 Competition on the Indiana Nurburgring. They follow that up by discussing driver assistance systems, given recent experience in the 2021 Cadillac Escalade with Super Cruise and Hyundai's Highway Drive Assist. After that, they get into some news, talking about the new Lotus Emira and Genesis G80 Sport. Finally, they wrap up with a rather interesting two-for-one "Spend my Money" edition where they help two listeners with different car buying conundrums. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #686 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown What we're driving: 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo 2021 BMW M3 on Indiana Nurburgring 2021 Cadillac Escalade with Super Cruise Long-term Hyundai Palisade update News: Lotus Emira Genesis G80 Sport Spend My Money, Double Edition Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video: Podcasts BMW Cadillac Genesis Hyundai Lotus Porsche Technology Convertible Coupe Crossover SUV Luxury Performance Sedan

Hyundai beefs up HB20 R-Spec in Brazil

If you've been following the news from the Sao Paulo Motor Show, you'll likely have seen not only a series of new concept cars, but also a whole mess of production vehicles you never knew existed because they were developed specifically for the Latin American market. One of them is the Hyundai HB20.
Hyundai Brasil makes the HB20 in Sao Paulo for local consumption in three forms: there's the HB20 hatchback, HB20S sedan and HB20X crossover. It's the former which it has transformed into the R-Spec concept you see here.
Decked out in matte blue, the HB20 R-Spec concept packs an aggressively upgraded aero kit, extra cooling ducts, 17-inch alloys, LED headlights and an interior with leather trim and striped seats. Even if we don't know what's under the hood, it all looks pretty convincing, and makes us wish Hyundai would offer it Stateside as part of the Accent family with which it shares its underpinnings.