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Hyundai Sonata 2.0T by RIDES to debut at SEMA 
A few days ago we reported about Hyundai’s first announcement for the SEMA Show: a Hyundai Genesis Coupe by ARK. Today is time for the second one: a 2011 Sonata Turbo 2.0T tuned by Rides. Official debut will be made on November the 2nd. The Rides Sonata 2.0T comes with 20-inch concave monobloc wheels, matte pearl white paint and a slew of carbon fiber components including the roof, grill, interior trim, side mirrors and rear diffuser. To complete the design, fabricators will incorporate custom LED fog lights into the bumper. The interior will be inspired by the Ferrari F430. There will be a strategically placed stitched leather throughout and carbon fiber trim accents. Those strapped into the leather driver’s seat will take pleasure in performance upgrades including turbo and intake enhancements, and a quad tip dual exhaust. Stay tuned for the official details on the car! Press release after the jump. Full story Hyundai recalls 139,500 Sonatas due to faulty steering
You can’t enjoy the sweet taste of success without figuring into some trouble along the way and that’s what Hyundai is finding out after it has announced that the Hyundai Sonata, the car that has helped the Korean-based manufacturer surge into third place in the midsize car segment, is now being recalled because of a potential steering problem. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, a recall of 139,500 units is being issued after it was discovered that “the steering column intermediate shaft universal joint connections may have been either improperly assembled or insufficiently tightened.” If not fixed, the problem could lead to a complete separation or compromised attachment of the connections where the driver could lose steering capability and thus increase the risk of a crash happening. The NHTSA definitely said a lot to wrap our heads around, but it sure looks mighty serious, and if you happen to own a Hyundai Sonata built anytime between December 11, 2009 to September 10, 2010, then you are advised to call the Hyundai Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai Sonata Overtakes Nissan Altima For Third Place
We have had nothing but good things to say about the new Hyundai Sonata, expect of course for the recall issues. It won our midsize sedan test, beating out the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, and it has been praised by numerous other media outlets. With all these awards and great comments, the Sonata began to sell very well. It began to move up the sales ladder and now, it has overtaken the Nissan Altima for third place in the midsize sedan segment, according to The Detroit News. Hyundai sold 21,399 models, just falling behind Honda’s 22,506 mark for the Accord and Toyota’s 30,000 sales for the Camry. The Korean sedan has been kicking the tails of the Ford Fusion and the Chevrolet Malibu for quite some time, but this is the first time that it has beaten a major Japanese machine. There are many reasons for this overtaking. Styling, performance, build quality, and the car’s incredible fuel economy have helped it climb easily up the ladder. A Korean Surprise: The 2010 Hyundai Sonata
Nobody will ever get excited over a washing machine. It does one job and if it does it well, that’s enough to make you smile for at least a few seconds, but you will never get tingly over it. The same can easily be said of midsize sedans. There will never be one parked outside of a very expensive Beverly Hills country club and no super spy will drive one. Yet, that won’t stop the Hyundai Sonata from being a damn good car. What makes this machine so amazing is the fact that Hyundai wrapped so much into a package that costs so little. You get a 2.4-liter direct-injection four cylinder with variable valve timing, six-speed automatic with manual shift, an Ipod/USB/AUX jacks with Bluetooth, ABS, stability control, power everything, and a warranty that will outlast some of the owners, 10 years/100,000 miles, all for $20,195. That cost saving bundle is more shocking than this year’s San Diego Padres. The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is the sixth version of the sedan in the Korean automaker’s history. The plan with this car is to offer families more for their money than they get with the Honda Accord, the Toyota Camry, the Chevrolet Malibu, and so on. On paper, this is the best car for the money. Hit the jump to read on. Full story . Hyundai and Nissan get great marks in Consumer Reports test
The people over at Consumer Reports have just finished up a series of tests on a few family sedans. The magazine lined up the Chevrolet Impala, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, and the Suzuki Kizashi, which we just tested. After the miles and miles of driving and investigating were finished, it was the Hyundai and the Nissan that came out on top. The four-cylinder Altima and Sonata both got ‘Excellent’ ratings from Consumer Reports, but only the Altima managed to get the ‘Recommended’ badge. The reason that the Sonata failed to get that badge was because it was too new and the testers were unable to determine its reliability. The Kizashi suffered the same fate. As it’s new as well, the Kizashi failed to get the ‘Recommended’ rating, though it did get an ’Excellent’ score. Sadly, the Impala didn’t do so hot. The downright awful Chevrolet only managed a ‘Good’ rating, though it wasn’t ‘Recommended’ despite its age. The testers didn’t like its fuel economy, clumsy 19th century four-speed automatic, and the poor build quality. They also used the word "Dated". Hit the jump to see the press release. Full story Hyundai Sonata Turbo is mighty impressive
So, we all know by now that the Hyundai Sonata is very good and better than most of the competition. It looks brilliant and can turn heads like a topless woman walking down the street. It has never lacked power, but Hyundai wanted to offer up something fun, for those of us who are speed freaks. The Hyundai Sonata Turbo is coming and we simply can’t wait. Hyundai say that under the hood of the Turbo will be a 274-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged motor that will allow the car to hit 60 miles per hour in just 6.5 seconds. Nissan Altima 3.5 SR, watch your back. The power is great, but so is fuel economy. And like the base Sonata, the new Turbo version doesn’t disappoint. The Sonata Turbo, with its turbocharged motor, will be able to get 22 miles per gallon city and 34 on the highway. Mind you, that is on regular-grade fuel, not the premium nonsense that some turbocharged cars have to use. That is mighty impressive if you ask us. Hyundai claims that the fuel economy figures are 16 percent better than the 3.5-liter V6. Driving impressions should be coming soon and we can’t wait to take this new Hyundai out on the back roads. 2011 Hyundai Sonata Convertible
Hyundai made an impressive statement with their new models unveiled in the past few years on the automotive market and the new Sonata is no exception. So, inspired by their great success, Hyundai decided it was time to try a convertible version for the new sedan. Now, since the Chrysler Sebring has received some undesirable attention and the Toyota Solara and Pontiac G6 convertibles are dead, it seems that a future Sonata Convertible will have no competitors on the market. Most likely - if built - the convertible version will feature the same engines as the sedan: a 200-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-4 as in the SE model or the 274-hp 2.0-liter turbo from the 2.0T model. A power-folding fabric top will be used instead of a retractable hardtop. 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
Hyundai unveiled the 2011 Sonata hybrid today at the New York Auto Show. It is Hyundai’s first hybrid in the U.S. market and will go on sale later this year. The 2011 Sonata Hybrid uses Hyundai’s new Hybrid Blue Drive - hybrid system that combines a 2.4-liter Theta II engine (169 hp at 6,000 rpm and 156 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm) with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 30kW (151 lb-ft) electric motor. The electric engine is recharged by 270V lithium polymer rechargeable battery. Compared to a standard Sonata, the hybrid version is even more aerodynamic thanks to the addition of new bumper fascias, rocker panels, a bold hexagonal grille, eco-spoke wheels and, air dam and aero side sills. Updated 12/16/2010: Hyundai has announced today prices for the 2011 Sonata Hybrid. The model comes in just two flavors from the factory – the very well-equipped Sonata Hybrid at $25,795, and the incredibly well-equipped, tech-feature-packed Premium version at $30,795. Press release after the jump. Full story 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid first teaser revealed
The New York Auto Show is fixing to be a big event for Hyundai after the Korean manufacturer has already given the green light for the unveiling of a hybrid version of their newly launched 2011 Sonata sedan. With the release of the Hybrid Sonata, Hyundai is banking the assumption that the car will have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with its competitors, including the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid. The 2011 Sonata Hybrid will feature a massive lower grille inspired by the Blue-Will Concept. It will be powered by the same 2.4-liter direct injected inline-four as the standard sedan. The engine will be combine with a six-speed automatic gearbox and a 30 kw electric motor. Stay tuned for the official debut on Wednesday, March 31. Louis Vuitton files infringement suit against Hyundai for improper use of design trademark on a basketball
We didn’t notice it at first but a certain high-end couture brand certainly did and they’re dropping the hammer on Hyundai for having the audacity to associate their luxury line to the Korean automaker and its 2011 Sonata. Apprently, Louis Vuitton wasn’t all that thrilled when Hyundai used their trademark design and symbols on an obviously high-end basketball in one of their Super Bowl commercials. The whole scene happens a little too fast in the commercial so it could’ve escaped even the most astute eyes watching television during the Big Game, But it turns out, Louis Vuitton has the eyes of the hawk, immediately recognizing their image and liking on the basketball and immediately filed a law suit against Hyundai for copyright infringement. We’re not familiar with the whole lexicon of infringement laws but Louis Vuittions demand of “triple damages, punitive damages, a halt to the alleged infringement, and other remedies” doesn’t sound a whole lot like “Ok, we caught you. Now drop that footage from your ad”. We’ve still to hear from Hyundai regarding Louis Vuitton’s lawsuit so we don’t know how they plan to address the situation. Nevertheless, we can show you the commercial and the clip-in-question in its entirety so you can see what got LVM all riled up. Video after the jump Full story | Find us on Facebook | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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