2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport on 2040-cars

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Thanks for keeping us on our toes, Detroit Auto Show [w/poll]

Here at Autoblog, we love unexpected debuts at auto shows – and judging by our Detroit Auto Show comments and traffic, you do, too. Surprise reveals have been fewer and farther between in recent years with so many ways for vehicles to be teased or leak out, but this week's show has been a revelation. More to the point, it's been a series of revelations, with automakers from around the globe successfully delivering a brace of concept and production surprises. It's made our jobs a lot more exciting and challenging this week, and even though it's actually more work to react and run-and-gun when the sheet is pulled on a surprise reveal than it is to publish an already-written embargoed story, we've had more fun covering this show for you than any domestic show in memory. We hope you've enjoyed the surprises along with us. To that end, borrowing the words of an unnamed automaker PR flack, we'd like to thank the following automakers for enduring "mountain of antacids" and that "creeping sense of paranoia" necessary to keeping ones' wares totally under wraps until the sheets are pulled off the sheetmetal: Buick Avenir concept Chevrolet Bolt concept Ford GT concept Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Hyundai HCD-15 Santa Cruz concept And while we're at it, we'd like to throw in an shout-out to Detroit's substantially revised and revitalized Cobo Center, and in particular, the redone Michelin media center, which is arguably the single best accommodations for writing show stories that we've encountered on the entire international circuit. Well done, everyone. Thank you, and keep the surprises coming. Auto News Detroit Auto Show Buick Chevrolet Ford Hyundai Volvo 2015 Detroit Auto Show

Here it is, Hyundai's headlining Super Bowl commercial

Hyundai has ponied up for five commercials to play in, around and after the Super Bowl on Sunday, and it's slowly been releasing them one by one this week to attract as much attention as possible to these expensive ads. You've stuck with us through the first four, and we've got one last ad from Hyundai, its headliner, to show you.
Called Epic PlayDate, the ad's big hook is alt-rock band The Flaming Lips, who not only appear in the ad, but also wrote a new track called Sun Blows Up Today just for the spot. The track is available on iTunes as a single today, and will be a bonus track on their new album called Terror, which comes out in April.
The commercial is meant to sell something, and that something is the new three-row Santa Fe crossover. It follows a day in the life of a family with kids who do all sorts of crazy things, and we're told by Hyundai that the activities in which they partake pay homage to "signature band references" of The Flaming Lips.

Hyundai Ioniq blends familiar cues with futuristic design

Hyundai is preparing to unveil its first dedicated electrified vehicle. Called the Ioniq, it's set to launch at the Geneva Motor Show this March. Now, the Korean automaker is giving us an idea of what to expect with a series of teaser renderings. As you can see from the first image in the slideshow above, the exterior design of the Ioniq announces the environmentally friendly powertrain at its heart. That means an aerodynamically optimized shape to cut through the wind with a minimum of interference. The greenhouse tapers off to a high tail not unlike those seen on the Toyota Prius and Chevy Volt – whose drivers Hyundai will seek to attract with this new model. The wheels also appear to adopt an aero-focused design, but signature Hyundai design traits are still evident, from the hexagonal grille to the upward kink in the C-pillar. Inside the cabin promises a forward-looking but comfortable space with simple rounded surfaces. Cool blue trim sets the mood, and screens in the instrument cluster and the center of the dashboard reduce clutter and display vital information. The manufacturer says it's using "eco-friendly materials to convey a futuristic yet warm cabin ambiance that will appeal to a new generation of motorists." The Ioniq will offer a choice of three powertrain options with varying degrees of electrification: a gasoline-electric hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, and full electric propulsion. It's rare for an automaker to offer all three choices. Most electrified vehicles come in conventional and hybrid versions (like Hyundai's own Sonata), hybrid and plug-in hybrid (like the Prius), or even plug-in or fully electric variants (like the BMW i3). Hyundai is slated to unveil the Ioniq in Korea next month ahead of its auto show tour, so watch this space for more. CLASS-LEADING AERODYNAMICS AND STRIKING DESIGN DETAILS FOR HYUNDAI MOTOR'S NEW ALTERNATIVE-FUEL IONIQ - Teaser rendering highlights eye-catching silhouette and design details - Sleek and simple exterior reduces aerodynamic drag for greater efficiency - Elegant interior combines environmentally-friendly materials and flexible space December 16, 2015 – A new rendering of Hyundai Motor's all-new IONIQ hints at how the innovative, alternative-fuel compact vehicle, which is due for launch in early 2016, will combine head-turning good looks with class-leading aerodynamic performance.