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CES 2020 and Carlos Ghosn | Autoblog Podcast #609

Welcome to a new decade of the Autoblog Podcast. In this week's episode, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Alex Kierstein and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. First they talk about their early impressions of CES 2020 in Las Vegas, in particular how interesting Sony's Vision-S Concept is. Then they talk about the intriguing saga and daring escape of former Nissan boss and global fugitive Carlos Ghosn. After that, they turn their attention to what they've been driving, including the Genesis G70, Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. Finally, they help a listener pick a new fun toy to replace an unloved Porsche Cayman in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #609 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown CES 2020 And that excellent Sony Vision-S Concept What's going on with Carlos Ghosn? Cars we're driving:2020 Genesis G70 2.0T Sport RWD 2020 Chevrolet Blazer Premier AWD 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.0T AWD Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Did a US automaker blow the whistle on Hyundai, Kia fuel economy issue?

In all of the most hotly contested mainstream segments of the motoring universe, the difference of one mile per gallon averaged on a widow sticker can mean the difference between a sale and a walk-off - to say nothing of two or three mpg. So, when Hyundai and Kia were forced to reveal that many of their 40-mpg ratings were actually 38s and 37s, well, it made for big news.
It also, conceivably, made for a competitive disadvantage immediately, when the Korean automakers' products were being shopped versus the guys down the block. And it's that disadvantage that makes a recent story from Automotive News so juicy.
AN is reporting that Margo Oge, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, got a tip in 2010 that Hyundai/Kia were "cheating" to get its impressive fuel economy numbers. The tip, said Oge (who retired from the EPA this past September), came from a senior vice president from a domestic automaker. The source was credible enough for Oge to launch an audit of the Hyundai figures, which ultimately lead to the debacle that we reported on a few months ago, and that the Korean company has been trying to bounce back from ever since.

Hyundai Sonata's slow sales start to trigger more daring redesign

On paper, the latest Hyundai Sonata has been a winner. The sedan sold 216,936 units in 2014, around 13,000 more than the previous year, and the new model posted healthy year-over-year gains in both December and November. However, according to a report from Wards Auto, the Korean brand isn't happy with how the vehicle is doing and is planning a redesign, to be timed with the future refresh. Unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show, the latest Sonata has a more refined, almost luxurious air about it, and the sedan ditches the swooping styling from the previous generation. It also comes at a slightly lower base price. But the more mature design is also the problem. Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski told Wards during the 2015 Detroit Auto Show that the new model was "not as distinctive" as its predecessor. Previously, "people would seek us out because we look different. And we don't get that now," he said. While no details on the redesign were divulged, Zuchowski said the company was already at work on the shape. He suggested the changes would debut for the Sonata's refresh, likely in the 2017 or 2018 model years. Autoblog reached out to Hyundai about the possible design change and spokesperson Derek Joyce told us, "Dave was simply referring to our normal mid-cycle refresh where it's typical to make styling tweaks." According to Wards, the latest Sonata isn't conquesting as many buyers from other brands as Hyundai would like. The company reportedly raised incentives to get them to move. So while sales were up, the automaker was disappointed. AutoTrader senior analyst Michelle Krebs confirmed to Autoblog that incentives were high for the Sonata, but that had nothing to do with its design. "The midsize car segment has fallen out of favor with buyers who want utilities so they are carrying very heavy incentives. We expect that trend to continue and then some in 2015," she said. A previous report also claimed that the 2015 Sonata wasn't living up to sales expectations in part due to its more traditional styling. But the company shot down those claims because the sedan was still rolling out the entire range to dealers at the time. Even now, Hyundai is still adding the Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In to the lineup in the coming year.