Hyundai : Accent Gls Sedan on 2040-cars

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Krafcik says US Gov. shutdown is slowing Oct. auto sales

The government shutdown is eroding consumer confidence in the auto market, says John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai's US sales unit, and could lower October sales by as much as 10 percent, Automotive News reports. "It's that anxiety that keeps customers, potential buyers, on the sidelines when making a big purchase like an automobile," Krafcik says, adding that industry sales could be off by five to 10 percent in October compared to September.
The fourth quarter, which started October 1, usually consists of increased auto sales as dealerships clear their lots to make room for the next year's models. Leading up to the fourth quarter this year, the auto industry was doing well in the fragile, recovering US economy, although September deliveries decreased by 4.2 percent, due in part to this year's Labor Day sales being recorded for August.
To help its customers, Hyundai announced it is deferring new-car loan and lease payments for furloughed federal workers until they're called back to work and also offering them a three-month payment deferral if they buy a new Hyundai in October. "We have already had requests from over a thousand people to have their payments deferred," Krafcik says.

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

Meet Hyundai's new flagship, the Genesis G90

Hyundai just revealed the first vehicle for its new Genesis luxury brand. It'll be called the EQ900 back home in Korea, but to the rest of us, it will be known as the Genesis G90, effectively replacing the Hyundai Equus. The G90 is as big as a Mercedes S-Class, but like the outgoing Equus, will be priced closer to the E-Class. Exterior dimensions are incrementally larger than the outgoing Equus, and compare roughly to the Mercedes S-Class (in the long-wheelbase form we get in America). But if Hyundai keeps pricing in line with the Equus we currently know, the G90 will be priced closer to the smaller E-Class. Design was carried out under the watchful eye of Peter Schreyer at the company's new Prestige Design Division, headlining a new Athletic Elegance design language that will expand to the five new Genesis-branded models coming after the G90. The front end is characterized by a Crest-shaped grille with the Genesis brand's new winged emblem (also projected onto the pavement from the side mirrors), and flanked by LED headlamps. A chrome beltline bridges to the rear with its dual exhaust tips. While the interior of the Equus may not have been up to par with the competition, the G90's cabin looks poised to rival the best of them. Italian leather offsets real wood trim. The ergonomic seats are certified by German back specialists, with 22-way power adjustment for the driver and 14 ways for the other occupants. In Korea the EQ900 even features a Smart Posture Caring system that positions the seat, steering wheel, head-up display, and outside mirrors to the driver's optimal position. There's a 12.3-inch high-definition screen in the dashboard, a megapixel parking camera, 360-degree around-view monitor, Lexicon surround sound system, and wireless inductive phone charging – all of which adds up to what looks like a sumptuous environment in which to pass the miles. While the Equus is powered exclusively by a V8, the G90 offers three engine options. While the Equus is powered exclusively by a V8, the G90 offers three engine options: Least potent is the new 3.8-liter V6 launched in the Kia K900, rated at 311 horsepower. There's a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 good for 365 hp. And the 5.0-liter V8 carries over at 419 hp (though the current version is quoted at 429 hp), propelling the sedan to 62 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds. Power in any case is transmitted through an eight-speed automatic transmission to either the rear wheels or all four.