When it comes to designing an MPV, it’s difficult to move beyond the standard two-box form. That’s where Hyundai’s “fluidic sculpture” design language comes into play. Penned by the automaker’s European R&D studio in Rüsselsheim, Germany and set to debut at Paris Motor Show at the end of the month, the ix20 attempts to add a level of style to the utilitarian MPV segment.

There’s no word on an engine or output, but Hyundai says the soiree in Paris will have a heavy focus on the brand’s BlueDrive drivetrains, and joining the ix20 on stage will be a refreshed i10 city car, complete with a new 1.0-liter engine. Full details in the press blast after the break.

Continue reading Paris Preview: Hyundai ix20 MPV sketched

Paris Preview: Hyundai ix20 MPV sketched originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The 2011 Hyundai Sonata has only been on sale for a few months, but it’s already winning over many American mid-size sedan buyers, and we’ve been every impressed by what we’ve found in our first drive and review. However, the rakish new Sonata could face a recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into about 16,300 Sonatas due to potential steering issues.

NHTSA has received reports that cite problems with either a separation of the upper universal joint in the intermediate steering shaft assembly. The result is a complete loss of steering capability, though the universal joint was not completely separated.

Hyundai says that it is unaware of any accidents or injuries connected to this issue and that it is fully cooperating with NHTSA on the investigation. The automaker also says that it had received reports of two vehicles with a steering problem linked to the upper universal joint, but that both were repaired without issue. Expect the results of NHTSA’s investigation to be released in the coming weeks.

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Steven J. Ewing / AOL
[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: NHTSA investigating steering issues on 2011 Hyundai Sonata originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially confirming what we’ve all but known for some time now, Kia announced this morning that its West Point, Georgia plant will add a second vehicle to its production line, the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe. The move will also be paired with the addition of a second shift beginning October 1, although limited production of the Santa Fe is earmarked to ramp-up on September 27.

The move hasn’t been driven by a need to consolidate as much as it is Hyundai-Kia’s need to find capacity to keep up with demand. The Sorento crossover, which is also produced at the plant, is currently Kia’s hottest-selling model, and Hyundai needs additional room to build more Sonata sedans at its Alabama facility, so it makes good sense to dual the two, especially as they share a sizable amount of components.

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, which opened just last November, has an annual capacity of some 300,000 units, so there’s room to grow.

[Source: Kia]

Kia confirms Hyundai Santa Fe to be produced alongside Sorento originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan has long been the number three Asian automaker in the U.S., lagging behind both Honda and Toyota on the sales charts. But the Japanese automaker has been on a bit of a roll of late, with 10 straight months of sales gains and an aggressive product onslaught planned for the next 24 months. Nissan would love to unseat Honda to finally sneak up to the number two slot in the States, but a funny thing’s happening: Hyundai is doing its best to push Nissan down to number four.

Nissan and Hyundai are currently in a dead heat in U.S. auto sales. Through July, Nissan has sold 522,669 cars and trucks, while Hyundai, when combined with Kia sales, has moved 515,316 vehicles. Hyundai has a treasure-trove of new product on dealer lots lead by the outstanding Sonata sedan. New products like the Kia Sportage and the Elantra are poised to battle hard for increased market share in their perspective segments. Nissan is countering with a new Juke in October, followed by the Leaf EV and the Quest minivan, and wrapping up with another six significantly upgraded vehicles by 2012.

So who do we think will win the battle for number two? Hyundai appears to have most of the momentum at the moment, but Nissan has a larger customer base – at the moment. In fact, we’d be surprised if either automaker surpasses Honda in the next couple years.

[Source: USA Today]

Nissan, Hyundai reportedly duking it out for No. 2 Asian automaker in U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s no secret that we Autobloggers are big fans of wagons. Unfortunately, the market here in the United States isn’t as wagon-friendly as those in other corners of the world, and because of this, there are very few examples to choose from – most automakers would rather introduce crossovers, as it’s a significantly bigger (and growing) market.

With that in mind, it’s unlikely that we’ll get a version of this five-door Hyundai Sonata (which will be dubbed “i40″ in other markets), though the automaker hasn’t officially given America the red light just yet. Aside from the cargolicious rear end, the Sonata wagon caught by the spy shooters at CarPix employs a different chrome treatment at the base of the A-pillar, and we can see that a slightly different front fascia has been adapted. In keeping with the Sonata’s sleek design, Hyundai has opted for a more rakish hatch assembly.

While you wait for Hyundai to take the wraps off this load lugger, scroll through the gallery below to see the prototype out on the street.

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: 2012 Hyundai Sonata (i40) wagon caught testing again originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our buddy Rich Truesdell over at Automotive Traveler was out at one of his favorite spy shot locales and came across some Hyundai prototypes under wraps. Among them was a hatchback that Rich initially figured was the new Accent. It turns out it’s more likely the production version of the Hyundai HED-5 undergoing testing.

The Elantra-based competitor for the Mazda5 and the forthcoming Ford Grand C-Max – was first shown as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show back in 2008, and then again in Los Angeles where Hyundai quickly confirmed it for production. Things got a bit quiet after that until February of this year when an alert reader sent us pics of a cloaked version of the production microvan undergoing testing in Scandinavia.

The three-row space wagon shows signs that it will be blessed with Hyundai’s new Fluidic Sculpture styling, a design language that we are finding very appealing, despite the kooky name. We’re not sure what’s under the hood, but Hyundai did mention its new 286-hp, 2.0-liter Theta Turbo GDI engine as a possibility when the concept was on the stand in Los Angeles back in ’08. That would certainly shake things up in this increasingly popular class, but such a powerful motor doesn’t seem likely. However, were it to recceive the force-fed motor, who knows? It could singlehandedly force a business case for a Mazdaspeed5 as well. Hmmm.

Click on over to Automotive Traveler for more pics of the cloaked Hyundai HED-5.

[Source: Automotive Traveler]

Spy Shots: Hyundai HED-5 making the rounds originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai has dropped its new RB concept on the crowd at this year’s Moscow Motor Show, and according to our Spanish-speaking sister site, the car you see above is likely to evolve into a genuine Russian-market production model with one of two engines.

On the base side of things, buyers can opt for a 1.4-liter four-cylinder with around 109 horsepower, while those looking for a bit more grunt will be able to snap up a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with around 124 ponies. Both engines should be available with either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic.

The mechanicals aren’t the kind of hardware we typically get excited about, but we do like the compact sedan’s lines. The design borrows plenty of cues from the similarly sultry Sonata, and the look wears well on a smaller craft. So far, it looks like the RB will stick to its Russian borders, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see a similarly handsome mug on our shores. From what we can gather, the next-generation Accent will be very similar to what you see above. Small things like fascias and tail lights may change, but the overall car is the successor to the Hyundai compact throne. Hit the jump for a look at a video of the concept as well as the full press release.

[Source: Autoblog Spanish]

Continue reading Hyundai RB concept for Moscow revealed [w/video]

Hyundai RB concept for Moscow revealed [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris, Sam and Dan return for Episode #192 of the Autoblog Podcast. We cover the reinstatement of GM’s high performance division and its new focus on small cars, the Ford Edge Sport being out-dragged by its lesser SEL sibling, and the BMW Megacity electric car. It’s an hour and eleven minutes, bookended by what’s in our respective garages and your questions/comments. See you next week!

In the Autoblog Garage:

Toyota Sienna LE
Jaguar XFR
Hyundai Azera

Hosts:
Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Shunk

Runtime: 71:11

Autoblog Podcast #192 – Slow Edge Sports, GM High Performance, BMW Megacity originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In case you hadn’t noticed, Hyundai is quickly moving up the ranks of automakers by pushing the boundaries of the classes in which its vehicles compete. Exhibit A was the Genesis sedan, which was quickly followed by the Genesis Coupe and now the Equus luxury sedan. But the Korean automaker isn’t content to rest on its rear-wheel-drive laurels.

John Krafcik, president and chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor America, has confirmed to us that the next generation of the Genesis (in both Coupe and sedan forms) and Equus will get optional all-wheel drive. All three machines share a similar platform, and when the architecture gets updated within the next couple of years, space for the all-wheel-drive components will be baked in.

At this point, we don’t have any word on powertrains for the next-gen rear- and all-wheel-drive Hyundais, but the automaker’s latest 5.0-liter V8 seems like a safe bet for both the Genesis and the Equus. Naturally, we’d love to see the big V8 in the Genesis Coupe as well, especially since Hyundai says the sport coupe will go upmarket (from Mustang to M3 fighter, perhaps?) for its next trip ’round the block.

Damon Lavrinc contributed to this report.

Next Hyundai Equus, Genesis and Genesis Coupe to get AWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Straight from HQ at The Department of the Obvious, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is selling as quickly as Miley Cyrus tickets before Cyrus lost the plot. That’s got Hyundai Motor America shuffling production plans around in order to build enough Sonatas in the U.S., instead of getting them from South Korea.

Hyundai’s Alabama plant produces the Sonata sedan and the Santa Fe, but Santa Fe assembly is being moved to a Kia plant in Georgia where the Sorento is built – easy stuff as they share a platform. With a production capacity of 300,000 cars at the Alabama plant running full tilt, the way things are going, it’s no wonder Hyundai might be looking use all of it.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Friends with Benefits: Hyundai shifts Santa Fe production to Kia plant to build more Sonatas originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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