Motor Authority - blog Category: Sonata

April was another tough month for carmakers but amidst all the doom and gloom was some positive news for South Korean duo Hyundai-Kia. Despite seeing sales decline more than 14% last month, Hyundai-Kia managed to overtake Nissan for sixth place in U.S. new car sales on the back of several exciting new models. The combined sales of Hyundai-Kia totaled 59,558 units, with Hyundai selling 33,952 new cars and Kia managing 25,606 units.

The overall industry fared much worse, with carmakers seeing their sales levels plunge an average 34% on levels just one year ago. Nissan’s sales dropped even further in April, falling 38% on last... April was another tough month for carmakers but amidst all the doom and gloom was some positive news for South Korean duo Hyundai-Kia. Despite seeing sales decline more than 14% last month, Hyundai-Kia managed to overtake Nissan for sixth place in U.S. new car sales on the back of several exciting new models. The combined sales of Hyundai-Kia totaled 59,558 units, with Hyundai selling 33,952 new cars and Kia managing 25,606 units. The overall industry fared much worse, with carmakers seeing their sales levels plunge an average 34% on levels just one year ago. Nissan’s sales dropped even further in April, falling 38% on last year’s levels to 47,190 units. Those figures saw Hyundai-Kia ranked sixth in the American market with a 7.4% share of the market - a first for the company. Hyundai’s quality and reliability have improved substantially in the past couple of years and not only have we seen this in the company’s strong sales but also in awards like the coveted North American Car of the Year title for the Genesis saloon. Strong sales of new models like the Kia Soul and Genesis Coupe also helped the carmaker improve its position during one of the worst sales slumps in automotive history. As for the other players, General Motors kept its top position, followed by Ford, Toyota, Honda and Chrysler. New car sales in April 2009: 1) General Motors - 172,150 2) Ford – 129,476 3) Toyota – 122,098 4) Honda – 101,029 5) Chrysler – 76,682 6) Hyundai-Kia – 59,558 7) Nissan – 47,190 Read More

At last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Hyundai rolled out a concept version of its Sonata sedan fitted with the company’s new ‘Blue Drive’ hybrid powertrain. Blue Drive is actually a new branding for Hyundai’s future range of eco-friendly models and will encompass everything from hybrids, to flex-fuel models and even aerodynamically-enhanced diesels.

Hyundai has been relatively quiet on its plans for its upcoming hybrid but the company’s R&D chief Woong-chul Yang has now revealed some important details about it. Speaking with Automotive News, Yang confirmed the vehicle will be Hyundai’s first... At last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Hyundai rolled out a concept version of its Sonata sedan fitted with the company’s new ‘Blue Drive’ hybrid powertrain. Blue Drive is actually a new branding for Hyundai’s future range of eco-friendly models and will encompass everything from hybrids, to flex-fuel models and even aerodynamically-enhanced diesels. Hyundai has been relatively quiet on its plans for its upcoming hybrid but the company’s R&D chief Woong-chul Yang has now revealed some important details about it. Speaking with Automotive News, Yang confirmed the vehicle will be Hyundai’s first petrol-electric hybrid when it launches in the U.S. in October next year. Yang also revealed that despite being based on the Sonata the hybrid will get its own distinctive styling and possibly its own unique name as well. “People who drive a hybrid like to be differentiated," he explained – something that has been proven time and time again with the Toyota Prius. It will feature a 2.4L petrol engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission and 40hp (30kW) electric motor running on lithium-polymer battery technology. The hybrid set-up will be able to run on electric power alone for short distances but most of the time it will utilize both the electric motor and internal combustion engine. Before the launch of the Sonata-based hybrid, Hyundai will have an Elantra hybrid already on sale in South Korea. It will be capable of running on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and is expected to hit showrooms towards the end of this year. Unfortunately, availability will be extremely limited and there are no plans to sell yet to launch it in other markets.Hyundai Sonata Blue Drive hybrid concept Read More

Hyundai is definitely on a roll. Having already launched the award-winning Genesis sedan and striking new Equus flagship, the company’s bread and butter models like the Sonata are now primed to be updated. The next-generation Sonata has been spied testing in prototype form ahead of a market launched planned for late 2009, and these latest shots reveal a much sleeker and sportier look for the new model.

Up front, the new Sonata will adopt a pair of attractively shaped headlights and a three bar grille. Picking up some styling cues from the Genesis, the Sonata will also feature a strong character line across the front and rear doors and... Hyundai is definitely on a roll. Having already launched the award-winning Genesis sedan and striking new Equus flagship, the company’s bread and butter models like the Sonata are now primed to be updated. The next-generation Sonata has been spied testing in prototype form ahead of a market launched planned for late 2009, and these latest shots reveal a much sleeker and sportier look for the new model. Up front, the new Sonata will adopt a pair of attractively shaped headlights and a three bar grille. Picking up some styling cues from the Genesis, the Sonata will also feature a strong character line across the front and rear doors and dual tailpipes integrated into the rear bumper. The new Sonata, codenamed the YF, will arrive as a 2010 model and will be available in most markets with a range of diesel and petrol engines. The U.S., however, will be limited to the same petrol options as the current model. Overseas versions will get several economic units including 2.0 and 2.2L turbodiesels and the familiar 2.4L Theta petrol four-cylinder. There will, however, be a new hybrid version launched in the U.S. by late 2010 as previewed by Hyundai at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. It will use a parallel-hybrid drive system, featuring a 2.4L petrol engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission and 40hp (30kW) electric motor running on lithium-polymer battery technology.2010 Hyundai Sonata spy shots Read More

Hyundai has used today’s Los Angeles Auto Show to announce the expansion of its ‘i-blue’ environment conservation initiative, revealing that the eco-friendly brand will be expanded to include new petrol-electric hybrid models as well as future hydrogen fuel cell technology.

The i-blue sub-brand is Hyundai’s grouping of specially designed eco-friendly models, enhanced to offer improved fuel economy and lower emissions than their standard equivalents. At last month’s Paris Motor Show, Hyundai showed off new i-blue versions of its i20 compact and before that it showcased an i-blue i30 model – both of which... Hyundai has used today’s Los Angeles Auto Show to announce the expansion of its ‘i-blue’ environment conservation initiative, revealing that the eco-friendly brand will be expanded to include new petrol-electric hybrid models as well as future hydrogen fuel cell technology. The i-blue sub-brand is Hyundai’s grouping of specially designed eco-friendly models, enhanced to offer improved fuel economy and lower emissions than their standard equivalents. At last month’s Paris Motor Show, Hyundai showed off new i-blue versions of its i20 compact and before that it showcased an i-blue i30 model – both of which have been designed for the European market. For the North American market, Hyundai is calling the initiative ‘Blue Drive’ and with it the company plans to launch a new range of eco-friendly vehicles that will bring its fleet average fuel economy levels to the all-important 35mpg mark by as early as 2015. One of the first, unveiled today in Los Angeles, will be a new hybrid version of the Sonata sedan, which is due for launch in 2010. It will use a parallel-hybrid drive system, featuring a 2.4L petrol engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission and 30kW electric motor running on lithium-polymer battery technology. Other plans include the introduction of a new range of turbocharged engines with direct injection technology, as well as the launch of high-efficiency editions of the Accent and Elantra. Another new model pegged for the North American market is a production version of the HED-5 i-Mode crossover, which will eventually come to market with a 286hp (213kW) engine and a fuel economy rating of around 30mpg. The company also featured its proprietary fuel cell technology today, highlighting its Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) as part of its sustainability effort. The vehicle recently conducted a 13-day cross-country trip in the U.S., covering more than 3,400 miles and driving up to 185 miles between stops to fill up its hydrogen tank.Hyundai HED-5 i-Mode at Geneva Read More

Over 40 reports of severe corrosion of Hyundai Sonata frames has prompted the U.S. National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate the matter. The rust problem is reportedly so severe it is causing suspension failure and 'fist-sized holes' in the frame. The problem affects only the 1999-2002 model years (2008 model pictured is not affected).

The immediate symptoms of the problem have been reported to include: "suspension failure, partial or complete wheel detachment, steering anomaly, and/or sudden vehicle disablement," according to the NHTSA summary of the complaints. Several of the failures have occurred in... Over 40 reports of severe corrosion of Hyundai Sonata frames has prompted the U.S. National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate the matter. The rust problem is reportedly so severe it is causing suspension failure and 'fist-sized holes' in the frame. The problem affects only the 1999-2002 model years (2008 model pictured is not affected). The immediate symptoms of the problem have been reported to include: "suspension failure, partial or complete wheel detachment, steering anomaly, and/or sudden vehicle disablement," according to the NHTSA summary of the complaints. Several of the failures have occurred in traffic, although the majority were discovered during mechanics' inspections. Buyers of Sonatas with model years 1999 through 2002 have reported 'fist'-sized holes in the frame according to the NHTSA website. The problem either is more prevalent among the earlier cars, or takes several years to manifest. Of the 40 complaints received by the NHTSA, 19 are for 1999 models, 16 for 2000 models, 3 for 2001 models and 2 for 2002 models. The focus seems to be on the right side of the frame, especially the right rear corner where the suspension mounts attach. Some reports note the engine cradle, cross-member or front sub-frame, however, so it does not appear to be exclusively localized to the suspension mounts. A contributing factor is likely the addition of road salt, since 35 of the 40 complaints originate from the so-called 'salt belt' of northern states that have severe winters. Via: The Truth About Cars Read More