2014 Hyundai Sonata Gls on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

2016 Hyundai Tucson and Sonata each get TSP+ rating by IIHS

Hyundai is no stranger to building vehicles that get Top Safety Pick+ honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but the company is getting two of the awards at once thanks to the latest results from the 2016 Tucson and Sonata. Both models feature a front crash prevention system that's rated highly by the safety agency. The biggest advancement in this round comes for the new Tucson. In the small-overlap front crash, it now earns the IIHS' best score of Good, versus Poor – the lowest – for the previous generation. In the latest test, the crossover shows at most six inches of intrusion into the passenger compartment, compared to 16 inches last time. The airbags work to protect the head, and the sensors indicate a low risk of injury. The Tucson has Good ratings in all the other safety evaluations, too. The 2015 Sonata already did quite well when checked last year, but Hyundai apparently wasn't happy with the sedan's Acceptable result in the small-overlap front crash. According to the IIHS, the automaker adjusted the driver's seatbelt and the front suspension in hopes of a better score. However, even with the tweaks, the 2016 Sonata kept the same result. It scored Good in the other safety categories. The company isn't giving up on acing things, though. "Modifications are planned to take Sonata to 'Good' in the small overlap test," Hyundai spokesperson Jim Trainor said to Autoblog. The IIHS gave the crash prevention tech in both models its top Superior grade. The systems' automatic braking was able to avoid accidents from 12 and 25 miles per hour. The forward collision warning added the last bit needed to give them the maximum six points from the institute. Related Video: Hyundai Tucson and Sonata earn 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards ARLINGTON, Va. — A redesign for 2016 has taken the Hyundai Tucson from a poor to good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small overlap front crash test. With an available front crash prevention system that earns a superior rating, the small SUV qualifies for the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award. The 2016 Hyundai Sonata also earns a superior front crash prevention rating and a TOP SAFETY PICK+. In the Tucson's small overlap test, the driver's space was maintained well, with maximum intrusion of 6 inches at the parking brake pedal, but no more than 3 inches at other locations. The dummy's movement was well-controlled, and the front and side curtain airbags worked well together to protect the head.

Hyundai previews new infotainment system ahead of CES

One of the most common refrains in the world of automotive infotainment is that soon, smartphone-enabled infotainment systems would come to dominate the industry. We've seen some progress in this regard, with a number of automakers offering apps and services that take advantage of a driver's smartphone data plan, but few that have gone whole hog and offered a system that genuinely relied on a cellular service. At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, Hyundai will offer up its take on smartphone-enabled infotainment, with a new, seven-inch-touchscreen Display Audio system. Designed specifically to work with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the system will first be rolled out to Hyundai's more affordable 2016 offerings before rolling out to the brand's entire entry-level lineup. Once mated with the car, both systems will offer access to a plethora of third-party apps, in addition to the typical satellite navigation and text message services. Apple CarPlay users will build on the standard suite of stuff with Siri Eyes Free. Overall, whichever phone you're loyal to, this new Hyundai system sounds remarkably interesting. Of course, expect to hear plenty about the new Display Audio system in the coming months. Until then, let us know what you think in Comments. Should automakers just stick to traditional infotainment systems, or do you support the idea of relying on a smartphone inside the car? Scroll down for the full press release. HYUNDAI TO DEBUT DISPLAY AUDIO SYSTEM AT 2015 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW All-New Infotainment Unit to Be Offered in Select 2016 Models Brings Android Auto™, which extends the Android™ platform in a way that is purpose built for driving Brings Apple CarPlay™, the smarter, safer and best iPhone experience, on four wheels Features the next generation Blue Link system with Connected Care, a suite of safety and car care features and remote engine start with climate control Incorporates the latest smartphone-enabled technologies and the next generation Blue Link® system into more lower price Hyundai models without embedded navigation systems The Display Audio system includes a large color touch-screen display that has been optimized for smartphone integration Fountain valley, Calif., Dec. 17, 2014 – Hyundai is doing the unthinkable at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES®) by showing a new Display Audio system with no CD player or embedded navigation system.