2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

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Reader Spy: 2012 Hyundai Accent hatchback caught napping

2012 Hyundai Accent hatchback - Click above for high-res image gallery
Eagle-eyed Autoblog reader James spotted a camouflaged compact hatchback sitting in a parking lot in South Korea the other day, and fortunately for us, he had a camera with him. At first glance, this is obviously a new Hyundai based on the upward sweeping crease along the side that is characteristic of Hyundai's new 'fluidic sculpture' design language.
Closer examination indicates that this is almost certainly the five-door hatchback version of the new Verna/Accent that debuted at the Beijing Motor Show in April. The wheels are the same as the ones we saw on the Verna and the side crease extends ahead of the door cut-line which differs from the Elantra that debuted a week later at the Busan show in Korea.

Hyundai Santa Cruz could get green light this year

The market for smaller trucks is gaining steam in the United States with introductions like the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, and the forthcoming, updated Toyota Tacoma. After the enthusiastic reaction to the Hyundai HCD-15 Santa Cruz concept at 2015 Detroit Auto Show, that pickup is looking increasingly likely to see production, as well. "There is a very high probability we get the approval of the truck soon," Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski said to the TheDetroitBureau.com. Customer surveys have shown the possible pickup to be quite popular around the country, except among Texans, according to Zuchowski. However, the final sign-off still needs to come from corporate headquarters in South Korea. The production Santa Cruz might be very different from the vehicle on the stand in Detroit. The concept was just there to gauge reactions, and the company hadn't even decided on a platform at that time. The slide-out bed extension was thought to be possible in the real world, but there were reportedly still other hurdles to overcome. The unibody pickup isn't the only project Hyundai is developing for North America. The automaker also wants to step into the expanding compact crossover market with an entry specifically designed for this market. "This is a growth segment," Zuchowski told TheDetroitBureau.com. "We want a piece of it." While neither of these new models are fully approved yet, it certainly looks like Hyundai intends to be a bigger player in the truck and crossover world in the coming years. Related Video:

Hyundai's green vehicle line might be called AE

When we got spy shots back in June of Hyundai's challenger for the Toyota Prius, intel suggested Hyundai would name it AE HEV, an acronym that possibly meant Advanced Experimental or Alternative Energy Hybrid Electric Vehicle. The Korea Herald reports that AE is indeed the tentative project name, and that it could be applied to an entire model line of green-only models with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric variants. We're told the hybrid's launch is slated for January 2016, the first configuration being a five-door hatchback based around the company's 1.6-liter direct-injected Cappa engine. The size of the battery pack and capability of the electric motor are still unknown. It aims to outdo the Prius in at least two ways, one of them being to exceed the Prius' rating of 21 kilometers per liter of combined fuel economy. The other would concern model range instead of on-road range: if the other powertrain options follow, the AE could be the world's first model with three different green drive configurations (if Honda doesn't get there first). The Korea Herald said Kia will be rolling out a hybrid-only vehicle of its own called the DE. We're not sure what the specs and timeline are for that car, nor if it is included in the "22 green cars" that a Hyundai spokesman told the paper the automaker plans to release by 2020. Right now we're awaiting the initial response to Hyundai's full dive into green waters with the Sonata PHEV that just went on sale. Featured Gallery Hyundai Prius-Fighter Spy Shots View 14 Photos News Source: The Korea HeraldImage Credit: Chris Doane Automotive Green Rumormill Spy Photos Hyundai Alternative Fuels Hatchback Electric Hybrid