2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Base on 2040-cars

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Hyundai and Genesis launch Job Loss Protection programs for new buyers

In 2009, to help new owners through The Great Recession, Hyundai created what it called Hyundai Assurance and Assurance Plus programs. Together, the allowed new buyers to return their cars within 12 months in case of an involuntary layoff, and made up to three car payments for new buyers in the same jobless boat. With the novel coronavirus Covid-19 already creating similar effects to the financial crisis, Hyundai has reinstated its Assurance Job Loss Protection program, and brought Genesis in on it with Genesis Cares Job Loss Protection. Hyundai will make up to six months of payments for anyone who buys or leases a new Hyundai from a Hyundai dealer, financed though Hyundai Capital, between March 14 and April 30, 2020 if the owner or lessee loses their job any time this year. The relief is available to any customer, regardless of employment history. On top of that, anyone who buys a new Accent, Venue, Kona, Elantra, Elantra GT, Tucson, or Santa Fe before April 30 and finances through Hyundai Capital can ask to have their payments deferred for 90 days. The Genesis Cares Job Loss Protection program provides the same benefit, covering anyone who takes home a new Genesis at a Genesis dealer, financed through Genesis Capital, from March 14 to April 30. Any involuntary termination through the end of this year can qualify for having up to six months of payments taken care of. Those who elect to buy a G70 sedan and finance through Genesis Capital before April 30, 2020 can request to have payments deferred for 90 days. For more information on the programs, check out the Hyundai and Genesis web sites. Related Video:

Sonata, Elantra driving down Hyundai quality scores

Hyundai was the butt of many jokes in the auto industry when it first entered the US market, but since then, it has forged ahead and built cars that stand with the best in their respective segments. The 2011 Sonata and 2011 Elantra were seen as the apotheosis of the brand's forward progress when they were introduced, but falling J.D. Power and Associates Dependability Study results may actually cause them to hurt the company's hard-earned reputation.
J.D Power's study examines three-year-old vehicles for problems per 100 vehicles. Since the 2011 study for 2008 model year cars, Hyundai has fallen from 10th overall with 132 problems to 27th in the 2014 survey of 2011 model year vehicles with 169 problems. It was also Hyundai's second consecutive year of an increase in reported problems. According to Automotive News, many of these problems are due to faults with the Sonata and Elantra, but J.D. Power didn't identify specifically what issues caused Hyundai's dependability to tumble so far down the list. However, the study found that, on average, reliability fell throughout the industry for the first time since 1998.
Getting the Sonata and Elantra right are vital to Hyundai. In 2013, they were the company's best-selling cars. "We'll be closely going through the data to see where improvements need to be made. Hyundai's goal is nothing short of quality leadership, and the report shows we have work to do," Hyundai spokesperson Jim Trainor said in an email to Autoblog.

Hyundai opens up European Test Centre at N"urburgring

Anyone who's anyone among automakers tests at the Nürburgring, and the latest to join them is Hyundai. After fifteen months of construction and a €6.6-million investment - just shy of $9M USD - the Korean automaker has finally completed its new trackside testing center that was initially announced back in January.
Hyundai's new European Test Centre encompasses nearly 40,000 square feet of floor space on four levels in a glass and steel building that houses workshops, offices and hospitality areas. Acting as an extension of the company's European R&D center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the new Nürburgring test center will allow Hyundai to conduct more regular and rigorous testing around the 73 corners and 13 miles of tarmac that make up the famous racetrack - definitely a good thing for a powerhouse brand that still sometimes fumbles when it comes to the dark arts of suspension and steering tuning.