2014 Hyundai Tucson Limited on 2040-cars

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Hyundai HCD-15 Santa Cruz might be the compact pickup we've been waiting for

The recent pickup truck renaissance and the dominance of the crossover has not been a great thing for car-heavy brands like Hyundai. That doesn't mean the Korean manufacturer is sitting on its hands, though, as it's taken the 2015 Detroit Auto Show to introduce the Hyundai HCD-15 Concept, also known as the Santa Cruz. The handsome trucklet heralds an eventual production model, and while the overall styling is likely to be softened by the time a sellable model arrives, there are a number of features present on this design-only concept that give us hints about the future Santa Cruz. Rear-hinged half-doors grant access to the back seats, while the cabin itself can seat five people without much shoehorning. The cargo area, while quite compact at first glance, can easily be expanded to space Hyundai describes as "similar to a mid-size pickup." Aesthetically, we're fans of the Santa Cruz's styling, which is more brutish than "fluidic sculpture 2.," without appearing brash. The hexagonal grille, upright front fascia, and fast C-pillar are all very nice touches, although the rear tailgate does appear somewhat awkward. The Santa Cruz's theoretical powertrain (it never moved while on stage, and it lacked a real interior) features at its heart a 2.-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder. With 190 horsepower, 300 pound-feet of torque and HTRAC all-wheel drive, we can only hope that Hyundai's powertrain claims see the light of day. Take a look at our full gallery of live images from the floor of the 2015 North American International Auto Show, and then head below for Hyundai's official statement on its latest concept truck. Hyundai's Fresh Take on the Sport Truck Concept Appeals to Trending "Urban Adventurer" Millennial Lifestyles Appeal of a Modern CUV with the Incremental Utility of an Expanding Truck Bed DETROIT, Jan. 12, 2015 – Today, Hyundai revealed its innovative Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This fresh concept reflects a completely new interpretation of truck utility for a new generation of buyers, especially Millennials, who represent the second-largest population of car buyers. "The Santa Cruz crossover truck concept meets the unspoken needs of a growing Millennial lifestyle we call 'Urban Adventurers'," said Mark Dipko, director, corporate planning, Hyundai Motor America.

Hyundai Kia asked to pay $28.9M in patent infringement case

After years of litigation, Hyundai and Kia have lost their hybrid technology patent infringement case against Paice LLC. The jury ordered the South Korean automakers to pay $28.9 million, but according to Bloomberg, because the violation was allegedly intentional, the judge could triple that amount. The automakers have announced plans to appeal the ruling. Paice's patent dates from 1994 on a piece of tech called the Hyperdrive, and it was a way to seamlessly switch between power from an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. This lawsuit was first filed in 2012 and covered the systems in the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Kia Optima Hybrid. According to Bloomberg, the companies tried to argue that the patent was no longer valid, but the strategy failed. "Hyundai strongly believes its position and will appeal any remaining adverse findings to the Federal Circuit," the company said in a statement to Autoblog. Paice is certainly no stranger to litigating over the Hyperdrive patent, though. It and Toyota had a similar court battle that lasted years. Eventually, there was a settlement, and the result was Paice getting royalties for each hybrid that the Japanese automaker sold. Similarly, there's a lawsuit pending against Ford over tech in the C-Max, Fusion, and Lincoln MKZ. Hyundai Statement: Hyundai believes that the verdict returned by the jury today in the matter of Paice v. Hyundai Motor Company et al., is not supported by the evidence. Accordingly, Hyundai has requested that the presiding judge enter a judgment in its favor notwithstanding the verdict. Hyundai strongly believes its position and will appeal any remaining adverse findings to the Federal Circuit.

Rockstar Performance creates off-road Hyundai Tucson for SEMA

Hyundai is rapidly filling its space for this year's SEMA Show on November 3 in Las Vegas, NV, but the latest addition to the growing list of debuts takes a slightly different approach. Rather than going for all-out power like the rest, Rockstar Performance Garage is bringing a tuned 2016 Tucson that's custom modified to head off-road. To handle getting through mud and over rocks, Rockstar Performance gives the Tucson a major suspension upgrade. Some 2.5-inch, adjustable coilovers are fitted at the front, and the rear is equipped with 2.5-inch shocks with remote reservoirs and progressive springs. To get the power to the dirt, 32-inch Mickey Thompson tires are mounted on some 17-inch wheels. "The focus behind this build was to create an off-roader that nobody expected," says Nic Ashby, owner and general partner of Rockstar Performance Garage. The tuners give the Tucson a meaner look thanks to a black paint job that's trimmed with yellow and silver accents, and the roof features a custom rack with an LED light bar. Inside, the stereo gets an upgrade with improved speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer. The powerplant isn't left alone, either, and Rockstar Performance fits new parts for the turbo piping and intercooler, plus a Magnaflow exhaust, to get the most from the 1.6-liter engine. Rockstar Performance's work should be quite a contrast next to the lowered, blue, 700-horsepower Tucson from Bisimoto Engineering also coming to SEMA. Related Video: ROCKSTAR PERFORMANCE GARAGE TURNS 2016 TUCSON INTO A TRUE OFF-ROADER FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 12, 2015 – Rockstar Performance Garage (RPG), the off-road specialists, have revealed details on its 2016 Tucson SEMA build. This is the first year that Hyundai has teamed up with the off-road gurus at RPG, injecting off-road lifeblood into Hyundai's popular CUV. The car will be revealed at Hyundai's SEMA press conference on November 3 at 11:30 a.m. PT, in Las Vegas. The bumper-to-bumper overhaul started with the most important piece of any serious off-roader: the suspension. The Tucson now sits six inches over stock height, riding on massive, 32-in. MTZ P3 tires from Mickey Thompson, and a fully-custom, adjustable shocks and struts system from King Shocks. The vehicle's wheel wells were reconstructed to create space for the new setup, now able to fit the massive suspension and tire combination.