Knauz Hyundai

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Coupe, Budget, Hyundai

In addition to the GT hatchback, Hyundai also rolled out a new Coupe version of the C-segment Elantra here at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. The new two-door is clearly meant to take on the likes of the Honda Civic Coupe, and it's got a spec sheet that compares rather favorably with its competitor from Japan.

For starters, the 2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe rides on a wheelbase that's three inches longer than the Civic. The 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine puts out 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet and up to 29 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway highway with the six-speed manual gearbox. Automatic models score one mpg less in both city and highway testing.

So... the Elantra Coupe has more room, more horsepower and better fuel economy than the Honda Civic Coupe. As far as styling goes, that's obviously subjective... but we'll cast our lot in the direction of the Hyundai for its sweeping good looks over the more subdued sheetmetal of its biggest competitor. Check out our high-res images of live photos above.

2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe serves up space and style in equal measure originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heading to New York this weekend for the big night? Got an iPhone? Want to race a Veloster while thousands of people judge your driving skill? If so, Hyundai has the game for you. HYUNDAI RACE will be...

COSTA MESA, Calif., Dec. 15, 2011 Six Hyundai models, the all-new Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, Genesis, Equus, Tucson and Santa Fe, achieved the 2012 Top Safety Pick honor from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Top Safety Pick recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners must also have available Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a crash avoidance feature that significantly reduces crash risk.

COSTA MESA, Calif., Nov. 22, 2011 The all-new 2012 Hyundai Veloster three-door coupe earned an Auto Style Award from eCityofStyle as part of its12th annual awards program. eCityofStyle.com, the ultimate online source for an insider's look into the world of style, picked the five most stylish autos for the current model year. With more than 300 new cars for 2012, the finalists were selected after judges assessed exterior and interior style, fun-to-drive factor, exclusivity, and the all-important head-turning quotient.

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Coupe, Budget, Hyundai

Hyundai has just confirmed that a two-door coupe version of the Elantra is coming, but despite prior speculation pegging its debut at next week's LA Auto Show, the Korean automaker will be waiting until next February at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show to do the reveal.

We've seen the car, and the Elantra Coupe looks much like your regular four-door Elantra but with two less ports of entry and a much more sporting flair. Hyundai hopes to differentiate the coupe from the sedan by giving it a different set of gear ratios for a more sporting driving experience. The Elantra Coupe will also get its own unique SE trim level, which as we know based on Hyundai's traditional trim designations, is the sporty trim. The company expects the coupe to make up 20 percent of the Elantra's volume, and its obvious target is the Honda Civic Coupe, as well as the Kia Forte Koup that will share the same basic underpinnings.

In other Elantra news, Hyundai has also confirmed that a new five-door Elantra, heretofore called the Elantra Touring, will arrive in 2013. We've already seen this model; it's called the i30 in Europe where it's already debuted. The new five-door hatchback will not, however, retain the Elantra Touring name. Hyundai is keeping the new name close to its chest, but did tell us that the car will be called "Elantra something."

Hyundai Elantra Coupe confirmed, coming to Chicago originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: LA Auto Show, Sedan, Hyundai, Luxury

The 2006 Azera was the first shot that Hyundai took at going upmarket, a big, soft, front-wheel-drive sedan packed with content and offered at a bargain price compared to the Toyota Avalon and Buick LaCrosse. But today, this Korean import seems more like it comes from the Island of Misfit Toys. Azera has quietly persisted while Hyundai has launched several well-received models, from the Genesis to the 2011 Sonata to the brand-new Veloster. Now comes the Azera's 15 minutes of fame, in the form of a complete overhaul for 2012 designed to make the Azera more of a premium offering.

The new Azera adopts Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design language that we've loved on the Sonata, but in this application something went amiss. Everything looks good up front, as the Azera's Fluidic front fascia looks similarly aggressive. But follow the attractive chrome trim strip back from the headlights and something goes bump in the night. The Azera's rear quarter panel retains a bulging character line similar to the old model, except that in the new sheet metal the flanks are even more pronounced - and Buick-like. Things get better out back, as the new Azera has an elegant decklid and rear taillights that wouldn't look out of place on any luxury car.

Underhood, the second-generation Azera gets a new 3.3-liter V6 with direct injection. This "Lambda II" powerplant is good for 293 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque, while providing an estimated 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway. Hyundai has also fitted the new Azera with its Active Eco mode, which should be good for a five-percent boost in fuel economy, according to the automaker. Like the old Azera, power is fed to the front wheels through a six-speed transaxle.

Standard Azera equipment includes some formerly optional content, like a navigation system with rearview camera, and Hyundai is also equipping Azeras with its Blue Link telematics system. Leather interior with heated front and rear seats, 18-inch alloys, and Vehicle Stability Management are all included, as well.

The 2012 Azera goes on sale in February, and while we will admit to being more excited about some of Hyundai's other launches next year (that's you, Elantra coupe) we're certainly not going to complain when we get our opportunity to chew up some comfortable highway miles, Azera style.

We've got the official press release from the LA Auto Show after the jump, as well as a full gallery of Azera images.

Continue reading 2012 Hyundai Azera goes Fluidic, gets direct injection power [w/video]

2012 Hyundai Azera goes Fluidic, gets direct injection power [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today, Hyundai's South Korean blog treated us to the first official photos of the upcoming 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

The new pictures confirm that the styling changes will bring the rear-wheel drive coupe in line with Hyundai's more recent offerings such as the Veloster as well as the European i30 hatchback and i40 sedan.

The most obvious changes take place up front where the Genesis Coupe obtains a new nose featuring a larger hexagonal grille split in the middle by a glossy black section, along with a different bumper, sleeker lights and a redesigned hood with air vents.

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Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hyundai

Hyundai is practically a regular at the Super Bowl by now, having run Big Game spots touting the Genesis, Genesis Coupe, Elantra and Brett Favre over the past few years. Those ads focused on more practical reasons to buy a Hyundai. This year, Hyundai's intent on "sparking an emotional connection with consumers" with an ad that is as super as its backdrop.

With quips that sound like a halftime go-git-'em talk, Hyundai's VP of marketing said, "We're making Super Bowl spots. We need to get that headset on. The bar is high." All we're left to wonder is what kind of direction Hyundai plans to go - taking a look at other industry offerings, Chevy had its historic Volt, BMW had its clean diesel drifting, sister-brand Kia went CG blockbuster with its Optima Epic Ride, Bridgestone had its popular Beaver, and Volkswagen had its just-as-popular Black Betty. Oh, and VW also had its intergalactically popular Darth Vader. There was that little something about being Imported from Detroit as well...

So the bar is high. But Hyundai's come this far, so we figure at the very least whatever they do will be big. And expensive. If you have ideas, you can leave suggestions for The Flying H in the comments. For a refrshser, you'll find Brett Favre's offering after the jump.

Continue reading Hyundai pledges to tailor ads specifically to Super Bowl

Hyundai pledges to tailor ads specifically to Super Bowl originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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