2014 Hyundai Sonata Limited on 2040-cars

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NACTOY announces top nine finalists for Car, Truck and Utility of the Year

Finalists for the 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards were announced at this year’s L.A. Auto Show. This whittles the field down to nine vehicles in total, with the winners scheduled to be announced on January 4, 2024. The finalists in their respective categories: Car category: Honda Accord, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Toyota Prius Truck category: Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford Super Duty Utility category: Genesis Electrified GV70, Kia EV9, Volvo EX30 These nine cars were chosen from a list of 25, which was previously narrowed down from a list of 52 eligible vehicles. Notable misses include the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, Toyota GR Corolla, GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Mazda CX-90 and Toyota Grand Highlander, among others. Jurors will now evaluate the final nine through the end of the year to determine the four winners. Autoblog Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is among the jurors. Green LA Auto Show Chevrolet Ford Genesis GM Honda Hyundai Kia Toyota Volvo Truck Crossover Hatchback SUV Electric Hybrid Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance Sedan

2015 Hyundai Azera appears refreshed in Miami

Hyundai has taken the unusual approach of debuting a newly refreshed model - the refreshed 2015 Hyundai Azera - at the Miami International Auto Show instead of one of the larger usual suspects (the LA Auto Show is just around the corner). According to Hyundai, Florida is a large market for the Azera sedan, which surely had something to do with the decision to debut in Miami.
There aren't many big changes to the Azera for 2015, but what has been updated is meaningful, starting with redesigned front and rear fascias, standard 18-inch alloy wheels and LED fog lights on Limited models. Inside, an eight-inch display - all the better to work with Hyundai's latest Blue Link system - joins a new center stack design as notable improvements. On the safety front, Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross Traffic alert and Lane Change Assist are now standard.
Power still comes from the well-regarded 3.3-liter V6 with 293 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque. While none of the changes for 2015 are likely to make the Azera into a best seller in the highly competitive large-car market, where models like the Chevy Impala, Toyota Avalon and Buick LaCrosse live, not to mention Hyundai's sibling from Kia, the Cadenza, we're sure Azera buyers will be happy with the updates all the same.

Hyundai And Kia Penalized $350 Million For Overstated MPG Claims

Nearly two years after Hyundai and Kia announced they exaggerated fuel economy numbers for several of their most popular models, the two Korean automakers have paid a heavy penalty for the transgressions. The Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement Monday that will cost the two car companies approximately $350 million. The financial sum includes a $100 million fine, the largest ever levied under the Clean Air Act, and about $200 million in forfeited greenhouse-gas emissions credits. At a time when car buyers rank fuel economy as a top concern when they head to dealerships and the federal government has mandated increased efficiency, Attorney General Eric Holder said the settlement should serve as a warning to automakers not to fudge their numbers. "This will send a strong message that cheating is not profitable," he said. The settlement ends a federal lawsuit filed against the automakers in U.S. District Court, but it's important to note that it doesn't end a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of consumers. A preliminary settlement in that case, based in Los Angeles, was approved last month, but final approval isn't expected until July 2015. Officials with the EPA said the $100 million figure roughly equals the economic benefits the two companies received from exaggerating the mileage claims on the window stickers of new cars. Fuel-efficient boasts helped Hyundai and Kia establish a strong foothold in the U.S. marketplace. Advertisements for the Hyundai Elantra stated the vehicle achieved 40 miles per gallon in highway driving, and helped the car win the prestigious North American Car Of The Year honors at the Detroit Auto Show for its 2012 model. In July 2011, the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog began receiving complaints from consumers that the Elantra and other Hyundai models fell short of their stated mileage claims in real-world driving. The group wrote to the EPA and Hyundai, asking both to investigate. Government officials said Kia had overstated the mileage on its popular Kia Soul crossover by 6 miles per gallon, and more than a dozen overall models were affected. On Monday, EPA administrator Gina McCarthy said the violations were "egregious." Based on the exaggerations, the EPA calculated that Hyundai and Kia had underreported the greenhouse gas emissions of their fleets by about 4.75 metric tons over the estimated lifetime of the vehicles. That figure aided in the $200 million credit forfeiture.