2013 Hyundai Sonata Gls on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets bigger, better battery pack, lower MSRP

Just yesterday, we told you how Hyundai's 2013 Sonata Hybrid was late out of the gate (along with its mechanical twin, the Kia Optima Hybrid), with growing speculation suggesting that the company was revisiting its gas-electric sedan with an eye toward improving its efficiency.
Well, today Hyundai has released official details, and that's exactly what's happened. Sporting a larger starter generator, a higher output electric motor and a more potent 47 kW lithium polymer battery, the 2013 Sonata hybrid is more efficient than before. The revised hardware helps the sedan jump two miles per gallon combined over its 2012 predecessor. That pushes the 2013 Sonata Hybrid to 36 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 38 mpg combined. Engineers also tweaked the machine's software, with revised driving pattern detection and engine on/off logic.

Peter Schreyer designs the future of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis

Peter Schreyer now leads the design teams at Hyundai, Kia, and the new Genesis brand. He has the difficult task of differentiating the three brands aesthetically, even if they share mechanical components. A new profile about the designer by Bloomberg shows just how much he means to the Korean brands, and it's well worth a read. According to Bloomberg, Schreyer has distinctive ideas for the Korean brands' design. A Kia should look sporty and appeal to young buyers. In contrast, a Hyundai would be for someone who prefers a minimalist design. So far, Genesis is blending those traits for its Athletic Elegance design language. Schreyer went to Kia from Volkswagen Group in 2006, and his mission was to revolutionize the Korean's brand's boring look. He succeeded with sharper, more modern designs for vehicles like the Optima and Sorento that arrived after he took over. He did such a good job there that Hyundai-Kia Motor Group appointed him as its first non-Korean president at the end of 2012. He also now oversees former Lamborghini designer Luc Donckerwolke at the Genesis luxury brand. Bloomberg speaks with industry analysts and other designers to get a better idea of Schreyer's meaning to the company. The piece presents him as an easygoing person who knows exactly how each vehicle should look. If you want to get a better Schreyer and his work at Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, the story is worth checking out. Related Video:

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo: April 2013

Learning To Love Understand You
I will admit, I haven't had the nicest things to say about our long-term 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo since its arrival in our fleet earlier this year. I can't exactly say that I've bonded with our turbocharged Hyundai, despite the fact that I've driven it quite a bit since its arrival in the Autoblog Garage. Several of my friends will no doubt recall me saying things like, "I love everything about this car - except driving it," which is a shame, since the driving aspect is what's supposed to make this car so special. I'm a big fan of the base Veloster, and this one has the extra power bump that the naturally aspirated could really benefit from. So what gives?
Recently, I took a trip to the south of France, where I drove the brand-new Ford Fiesta ST along the lovely roads of the Alps. I adored that car - it's everything a hot hatch should be, and it's priced right, too. But when I came home and picked up the Veloster Turbo at the airport, I found myself disappointed. The Ford I drove in Europe was similar to the Hyundai in terms of size, function, equipment and price, but it was far better to drive. To be fair, that car wasn't even out to benchmark when the Veloster Turbo debuted, but my already sour feelings only got worse at that moment.