2012 Sonata Hybrid Certified Navigation Leather Moon Rf on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Hyundai Veloster | Overdue overhaul, and this just in: N

Hard to believe the Hyundai Veloster is only now coming into its second generation after eight years on the market. Our surprise is likely due to the fact that the Veloster, like the ancient American Alligator mississippiensis, lives mostly out of the way and hasn't changed much in its time here. Hyundai planners worked up a restrained evolution for the 2019 Veloster that takes place mostly in the cabin and under the skin in the standard and middle models. The 2019 Veloster's dimensions grow by fractions: Length grows by 0.8 of an inch, width by 0.4, front overhang by 0.8. Height holds steady at 55.1 inches, but rear headroom gets a few hairs' improvement, increasing by 0.6 of an inch. The three-door wears a new face, that wider, hexagonal grille — and especially that hood shutline connecting the headlights — reminding us of the Ford Focus, a competitor. Elsewhere, details work to make the most of massaged sheetmetal, like the rear of the hood and the A-pillar squeezed rearward "to create a long hood profile," and the liftgate handle moved from the rear hatch sheetmetal to the backlight. Two engines suit up for duty, a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder in the base model, with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. That's a bonus of 15 hp and 12 lb-ft over the naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter in the current Veloster and Veloster Value Edition. The next trim rung gets the 1.6-liter turbocharged GDI engine, with no increase in output at 201 hp and 195 lb-ft. View 11 Photos The 2.0-liter comes in either standard or Premium trims. The entry-level gets a choice of either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, the Premium only comes with the automatic. The Turbo comes in three flavors, R-Spec, Turbo, and the new Turbo Ultimate. The R-Spec gets the six-speed manual, Turbo comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, Turbo Ultimate buyers get their choice of manual or DCT. Moments before the reveal of the Veloster at the Detroit Auto Show, photos leaked of a Veloster N performance version. We've read rumors that the truly hot Veloster N could get anywhere from 250 hp to the same 271 hp as in the i30 N; our guess is that Hyundai wants to leave plenty of room in the middle for revolution at the top of the range. The interior benefits from an overdue overhaul sprinkling available goodies like a full-featured heads-up display, an eight-inch infotainment screen, wireless charging, and Infinity audio.

Hyundai i30 N: This is the 271-horsepower hot hatch we won't get

Hyundai has finally taken the wraps off of its very first N-badged car, the i30 N, along with many of the car's features and specs. Visually, the car has subtle changes including larger grilles in the front bumper, a front spoiler with red trim, black headlight housings, new side skirts, a larger rear wing, and a more sculpted rear bumper. The car can also be fitted with either 18- or 19-inch wheels. Inside you'll find heavily bolstered seats, blue buttons on the steering wheel for driving modes, blue stitching on the seats and trim, and aluminum pedals. Performance-wise, the i30 N should be pretty potent with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 271 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That's nearly 20 more horsepower than the Focus ST, and about 50 horsepower more than the GTI Sport. The Focus ST does have 10 more pound-feet of torque, and the GTI Sport roughly matches the twist output. The i30 N channels its power through a six-speed manual transmission and electronic limited-slip differential to the front wheels only. View 6 Photos To make the most of all this power, Hyundai bestowed an array of electronic aids. The sportier suspension features electronically adjustable shocks to improve ride or handling depending on preferences. An automatic rev matching system is included for flawless, smooth, quick downshifts. The i30 N also has a variable exhaust system for quiet cruising or loud hustling. All of the above features along with steering feel and stability control sensitivity can be adjusted by selecting one of the car's five driving modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, N, and N Custom. There's even a launch control function. Unfortunately, we won't be getting Hyundai's hot hatch here in America, despite the fact that we already have a version of the regular i30 in the form of the Elantra GT. But we know that Hyundai is working on an N version of the Veloster, and we expect that N car to make the trip Stateside. It will probably have the same engine found in the i30 N, just in a funkier body. And if it has the same engine, we wouldn't be surprised if it comes with most of the i30 N's handling upgrades and gizmos. Related Video: Hyundai Hatchback Economy Cars Performance hyundai elantra gt hyundai i30 Hyundai N

Recharge Wrap-up: Hydrogen Hyundais and Tesla tax breaks

The 70 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cells owned by customers in southern California have driven a cumulative 475,000 miles. "Over the past year, Hyundai's Tucson Fuel Cell owners are showing the world today that this technology represents the next generation of zero-emissions transportation," says Hyundai's Mike O'Brien. "Building momentum for fuel cell vehicles and their real-world applications, these customers are sharing their experiences of how the Tucson fits seamlessly into their daily lives." A new video from Hyundai shares the story of a year of ownership for one such customer. Dave Uselton took delivery of his Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell in June of 2014. Other drivers' experiences have been shared in video on a dedicated website. See the video above, and read more in the press release below. The first of 200 fast charging stations as part of France's Corri-Door project are now operational. The Corri-Door project aims to have all 200 charging points installed by December 2015. The universal chargers can quick charge an electric vehicle to 80 percent in just 30 minutes. The first two are now online at the Bosgouet Nord (A13) and Tardenois Nord (A4) service stations. The chargers will be installed along major motorways throughout France at intervals of about 50 miles. Read more in the press release from Renault. California may give Tesla $15 million in tax cuts in exchange for jobs. After losing out on having the state be home to the Gigafactory, Governor Jerry Brown's GO-Biz agency is proposing the tax cuts in order for Tesla to buy equipment and property and create 4,400 jobs in California. In all, GO-Biz is proposing $49.5 million in tax relief to California companies in return for 11,000 new jobs. Last year, California lost out on the Gigafactory when Nevada offered $1.3 billion in tax breaks — an amount Governor Brown said would be unfair to taxpayers. Read more from CBS Sacramento.