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Driven: 2012 Hyundai Accent
  Hyundai is on a roll these days, having just launched the wildly successful Sonata midsize sedan and the Elantra compact. Both cars are selling at record volumes, and Hyundai has ramped up production at their Montgomery, Alabama plant (where both cars are built) to meet demand. The line is running three shifts per day, but that’s still not enough to meet demand, so Hyundai is importing additional cars from Korea. For any automaker, such success would be a tough act to follow. For Hyundai, it’s just business as usual, and their newly-launched Accent subcompact is about to change the market in the same way its bigger brothers did. Forget everything you may know about the outgoing Hyundai Accent, which was inexpensive and designed to compete on price alone. The new car is better styled (carrying on Hyunda’s “fluidic sculpture” exterior design theme), roomier, more comfortable, and much safer, thanks to the addition of electronic stability control, traction control, and even electronic brakeforce distribution. You can read our full review of the 2012 Hyundai Accent here. Just as the 2011 Hyundai Elantra set the bar for compact cars, the 2011 Hyundai Accent will cause consumers to rethink what’s possible from an entry-level subcompact. All Accents come powered by Hyundai’s 1.6-liter Gamma engine, which somehow manages to produce both class-leading horsepower and highway fuel economy of 40 mpg. With 138 horsepower, driving a car that weighs just 2,400 pounds, acceleration is surprisingly brisk. The Accent pulls away from a stop noticeably harder than the competition, and it never manages to feel like an economy car. Full story after the jump. Full storyDriven: 2012 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec
 Unless you’ve been living in a cave in the wilderness for the past 12 months, it’s impossible to miss the huge strides Hyundai has gained in market share. Its Sonata mid-side sedan and Elantra compact have won numerous industry awards, and dealers can’t keep cars on their lots. In fact, Elantra supply is so short these days that dealers are selling from inventory in the pipeline, not on the showroom floor. If you get the sense that Hyundai is doing a lot of things right these days, you’d be correct. When Hyundai announced the Genesis R-Spec last February, we’ll admit to being a bit skeptical; Hyundai had proven that they could build and sell mainstream and even luxury cars, but what did the Koreans know about building a sport sedan, long the domain of manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz? After all, not much has been done with their sole sports car, the Genesis Coupe, since launch, which has many critics questioning how serious Hyundai is about attracting performance-oriented buyers. Check out our full review of the 2012 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec after the jump. Full story 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe GT
Hyundai has put together a special edition Genesis Coupe in order to celebrate the company’s participation at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring race this year. Don’t get too excited though, this special edition will only be made available to the German market. The new model, called the Genesis Coupe GT, will be limited to only 50 units and carries a price tag of 41,990 Euro, or about $59,800 at the current exchange rates. This special edition sports silver and blue livery and a new set of 19" OZ wheels wrapped in Dunlop Sport Maxx GT tires. A new sports suspension also found its way to the special edition and drops the car’s ride by about 30mm. Joining the sports suspension is a brand new sports exhaust with 4 outputs integrated into the new rear bumper. Under the hood, there is a 3.8-liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission that together deliver a total of 303 HP. Rumor: Hyundai working on Corvette Z06 rival
The automotive industry has been sprinkled with a number of supercars from rather unlikely countries in the recent months. Samplings from Sweden, Denmark,Spain, and even Poland are popping up to give the major supercar manufacturers a run for their money. Now, it’s rumored that we may be adding Hyundai to the mix as well. The South Korean automaker is rumored to be working on a new supercar that will take on models like the Corvette Z06, the Nissan GT-R, and the Porsche 911. If produced, the new model could be a sports coupe powered by the company’s new all-aluminum Tao 5.0-liter V8 engine. The choice for transmission is still up in the air, but due to the car’s excessive weight, it would be a rear wheel drive model. Since it will be placed above the Genesis R-Spec Coupe, expect the new supercar to deliver more than 429 HP and 376 lbs-ft of torque. Hyundai’s new supercar will deliver the same luxury options as the Equus sedan, including an iPad owners manual and pick-up and delivery service when the car needs servicing. Of course, this is all just a rumor at this time. When asked about the future supercar, Hyundai CEO John Krafcik said there is no supercar in the works. In fact he replied, "No, no," and called the rumor "scurrilous nonsense." Anyone recall how many vehicles were born out of an outright denial? Video: Rhys Millen prepares for 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb
Last year, Rhys Millen was set on breaking the 10:01.408 record set by Nobuhiro Tajima and his Suzuki XL7 Hill Climb Special in the "Race to the Clouds." Unfortunately, Millen did not succeed, but he is back again and more determined than ever to break the 10-minute barrier at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with his Red Bull-sponsored Hyundai Genesis RMR PM580. This vehicle has undergone some modifications and upgrades and, with the new tarmac portions of the course, Millen is well on his way to achieving his goal. However, Rhys Millen isn’t the only Millen in the bunch hoping to break records. Rod Millen will also be on hand at the event, ready to break the record set by his son in the Time Attack 2WD class. Rod will actually be driving an updated version of the Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe that Rhys set the class record in two years ago. Rod Millen is already a Pikes Peak pro with five overall race wins and eight class wins, but we can only imagine that having a son who currently holds a record in an event his father has dominated in the past can only bring about some healthy competition between the two. Here’s to great success for both Millen men as they attempt to break records at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb! 2012 Hyundai Genesis
After being revealed at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, the Hyundai Genesis sedan enters the 2012 model year with a new version added to the line-up, exterior design improvements, new direct injection technology for its Lambda V6 engine, new eight-speed automatic transmissions, and enhanced chassis tuning. For 2012 the Genesis will go on sale at a starting price of $34,200 for the base model and will go up to $46,500 for the R-Spec version. For the new model year, the Genesis will get a more aggressive grille and front fascia design, new headlight design with LED accents and daytime running lights, redesigned rear taillights, while the line-up will include: a 3.8 version powered by a 333 HP 3.8-liter V6 engine, a 4.6 version with a 385 HP 4.6 V8 engine, while the most powerful version, R-Spec will get a 5.0-liter direct-injected V8 with an impressive output of 429 HP. Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Hyundai Genesis. Full story 2012 Hyundai Genesis Prada Limited Edition
Technically, this is not the first time the Hyundai Genesis will be wearing Prada, but it seems that people enjoyed the whole collaboration between the Korean automaker and the Italian fashion house. For this installment, Hyundai used a 2012 Genesis and is positioning it as one of the most luxurious models the company has ever built. Aesthetically, the Genesis Prada will be offered in three colors – Black Nero, Blue Baltico, and Brown Moro – and will include a host of other items, including distinguishable dark chrome accents, a new “shark-fin” antenna, a limited Genesis Prada badge and GP500 emblem, and a set of 19” alloy wheels. Inside, the Genesis Prada will be dressed with “Saffiano” leather – Prada’s signature top quality leather - upholstery with a piano black trim and a new rear entertainment system. As for performance, the Genesis Prada will be powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine that produces 424 horsepower and 376 lb/ft of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai will be offering the Genesis Prada through customized personal orders. The initial plan is to have only 1,200 units of the car, distributed mostly in the Korean market with a limited number of models headed to the rest of Asia and the Middle East. 2012 Hyundai Accent
The New York Auto Show is fast becoming a busy event with automakers left and right introducing their new 2012 model line up of vehicles. In the middle of all the chaos, Korean automaker Hyundai presented the all-new 2012 Accent, a car that promises to take the popularity of its predecessors to a whole new level. Thanks in large part to the car’s new and upscale "Fluidic Sculpture" design, the new Accent sure looks like it doesn’t belong in the subcompact market anymore. At the very least, it’s changing the game in the market. “The 2012 Hyundai Accent reinvigorates the subcompact segment, similar to what the game-changing Sonata and Elantra have done in their categories,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. On top of the Accent’s new design, Hyundai made no bones about the car’s performance and capabilities, promoting the car as a class-leader across the board. “The Accent’s class-leading standard fuel economy is another showcase of Hyundai’s dedication to improving fuel efficiency with advancements to traditional gasoline powered vehicles and is the fourth nameplate in Hyundai’s lineup delivering 40 mpg on the highway,” O’Brien said. While it’s easy to promote the car given the drastic changes done to it, we’ll reserve all our judgments until we get to experience the new Accent first-hand. But for now, we do have to give props to Hyundai for a design well-done. Who knew that their "Fluidic Sculpture" language would translate well to the Accent too? Details on the Hyundai Accent after the jump. Full story 2011 Hyundai Blue2 Sedan Concept
Seeing as this is effectively their hometown auto show, Hyundai was out in full force at the Seoul Motor Show with a host of new offerings. One concept that the Korean automaker brought was the Blue2 Sedan Concept, a car that the Korean automaker is pegging as the next generation FCEV sedan. The car bears the codename HND-6 and is being touted as Hyundai’s very first Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle that’s powered by hydrogen and is capable of delivering 90kW – around 120 horsepower – and estimated fuel economy figures reaching an impressive 82 miles per gallon. Aesthetically speaking, the Blue2 Sedan Concept has an exterior whose design language is being described as ‘Intersected Flow’ with other external features complementing the contoured form of the car, including the LCD screen panels on both the front and back, side cameras in place of the standard side mirrors, a roof camera, and automatic opening doors. Inside, the Blue2 Concept features an asymmetrical dashboard, wider seats to make room for a spacious interior cabin, and a couple of out-of-this-world features, including what the company is describing as a Transparent Organic Light Emitting Diode (TOLED) monitor that has been officially christened the Gorilla Glass. This monitor appears more accurate and vivid compared to standard LED screens. Another unique feature is the Motion Sensor Moustick, a haptic wheel and motion sensor that respond to the driver’s touch and hand movements, giving drivers a new experience. Hyundai Elantra dominates Academy Awards advertising
The King’s Speech may have won Best Picture at the Academy Awards last night, but the true winner - at least from an automotive perspective - was the 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The best looking small sedan of 2011 didn’t have to share the spotlight with anyone as Hyundai was the exclusive automotive sponsor for the third year in a row. The 2011 Hyundai Elantra is powered by an all-new 1.8-liter inline-four that produces 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. Throw in the six-speed automatic transmission and the Elantra shines with 28 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. Hyundai says that 40 mpg is attainable on the full range of Elantra trims, not just ECO models. This isn’t your typical small sedan, the Elantra looks brilliant and can offer best in class fuel economy. Hyundai’s approach to their Academy Awards advertising was much more low key and to-the-point than the Super Bowl ads they produced. In total, Hyundai had nine advertisements airing before and during the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, including two new spots for the Elantra and Genesis called "Drawing Board" (shown above) and "Greatest Luxury," respectively. Other spots include "Good Things Come in Threes" highlighting Hyundai’s powertrains, "Comfy Home" featuring the Equus, "Family" featuring the Sonata, "Anachronistic City" featuring the Sonata Hybrid, "iPad" which highlights the Equus’ application of the iPad owner’s manual, and "Childhood" and "Deprogramming" also featuring the Elantra. | featured reviews:Hyundai cars reviews2014 2013 2012
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Hyundai cars
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