Hyundai shows photos of new Santa Fe crossover

Here's an early peek at the next Hyundai Santa Fe. Hyundai is calling it a teaser, but it doesn't look to us like there's much left to guess.

Known by the code name DM in South Korea, the crossover will get its full unveiling at next month's New York Auto Show.

CAPTION

By Hyundai

This much is clear: Hyundai will keep the name Santa Fe. It will be the crossover's third generation.

Says Hyundai: "The third-generation Santa Fe features sophisticated and refined lines, which are in harmony with bold and voluminous surfaces, completing a more aggressive and classic look than its predecessor. The design adopts the hexagonal grille – a key design cue of the Hyundai family look – a two-tone voluminous bottom car body and wider front and rear bumpers, creating a futuristic and urban-style SUV image."

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Hyundai Accent, 2012: More powerful, better gas mileage

The new Hyundai Accent promises to make this automaker even more popular. The Accent has been Hyundai's lowest-cost model and always has been cheap to buy and run. The revamped, longer fourth-generation 2012 model remains inexpensive and cheap to run, but it's sleeker with its “Fluidic Sculpture” design and more powerful with improved fuel economy.

You can say one thing for Hyundai — it never stands still.

The new front-wheel-drive Accent comes as a sedan or four-door hatchback. It has best-in-class fuel economy of an estimated 30 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on highways with either its six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Compared to its predecessor, fuel efficiency is up 18 percent for the manual-transmission version and 11 percent for the automatic-transmission model.

This is the first car to use gasoline direct injection for the subcompact category. It results in better fuel economy, more power and lower emissions. Although small, the sophisticated 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine also has dual continuously variable valve timing.

The Accent generates best-in-class 138 horsepower, except for the new identical-horsepower Chevrolet Sonic. Acceleration is good, but 65-75 mph passing times on highways are average. And the manual transmission must be downshifted to third gear for the quickest passing. The engine needs lots of revs for the best performance, which is par for the course with this class of car.

Accent list prices range from $12,545 to $16,895.

The sedan’s length has been increased to 172 inches. The hatchback rides on the same 101.2-inch wheelbase but is 10 inches shorter, although

it has a larger cargo area, with best-in-class hatchback cargo volume.

Models are the base GLS, mid-range GS and top-line SE. The sedan is now the cheaper of the two body styles, but all come with either the manual or extra-cost automatic.

The base GLS has a fair number of features, such as a tilt wheel, power door locks, an AM/FM satellite radio with a CD/MP3 audio system, 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and height adjustable driver’s seat  But you  must order the automatic transmission to add air conditioning and power windows and mirrors. .

Safety features include front, side and head curtain air bags.

GLS options with the automatic include remote ke

yless entry, cruise control and larger 16-inch (versus standard 14-inch) wheels with wider tires.

The GS has such items as standard air conditioning, even with the manual  transmission, cruise control, remote keyless entry, body color mirrors and door handles.

The top-line SE has “sport-tuned” steering, premium cloth seats, chrome inside door handles, piano black accents, the larger 16-inch alloy wheels with wider tires, fog lights and a rear spoiler.

The automatic transmission is a $1,000 option.   

I tested a $15,895 Accent SE hatchback with the manual gearbox, which shifts slickly but works with a light clutch that has a long throw.

The automatic version is said to shift nicely.

However, the Accent invites the manual gearbox because it’s a sporty car with agile handling and nicely geared motor-driven electric power steering. The ride is supple over most roads, but bad road imperfections can definitely be felt. Helping handling are electronic stability and traction control, along with a vehicle stability management system.

The Accent also is the only car in the subcompact class with standard four-wheel disc brakes, which have an anti-lock system, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist. Pedal action is progressive.

The upmarket interior is quiet and has easily used controls and a deep covered console bin, although the hatchback has rear blind spots. My SE test car had supportive front seats and an especially attractive interior with the premium cloth seats and piano black accents. Its 16-inch wheels and wider (50-series) tires enhanced handling.

All Accents have plenty of room, front and back. The EPA thus classifies it as a “compact” because of its interior space.

The hatchback opening is wide, but a little too high for quick unloading at such places as airports. Cargo room is decent, but is greatly improved by flipping the split rear seabacks forward.

The heavy hood is held open by just a prop rod instead of hydraulic struts, and some fluid filler areas are a little hard to reach.

In all, Hyundai has a winner with its new Accent, which has features not even found on large luxury cars just a few years ago.

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Hyundai Azera tested on the roads of Las Vegas

The big news here this week is the all-new, full-size, front-wheel drive Hyundai Azera sedan. Bigger than Sonata, smaller than Equus and priced barely more than 30 grand, the Azera is poised to make a big splash in its segment of the market. This is essentially a near-luxury, large sedan sharing the segment with Lexus ES 350, Nissan Maxima, Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus and maybe even Chrysler 300. It’s a crowded segment with stiff competition.

The last generation Azera has been out of production for a while as they cleared inventories in anticipation for this new one. When I was shopping for a backup car last summer, used Azeras were on my list, but I didn’t find many. It was not a hot selling car. Like other Hyundai and Kia products of the last generation it was competent, good quality but not particularly inspiring. This new Azera, like its Korean stable mates, is changing all that. It remains competent with excellent quality, improved content and significantly more inspiring.

 

Hyundai continues its “fluidic sculpture” design language with Azera. They’ve now applied it to just about the entire line of cars and crossovers. Swoopy lines with bold, fluid shapes suggest movement and high style. Haunches thicken like LaCrosse without interfering with the sense of length and litheness. Wraparound LED headlights and squinty fog lights surround a distinctive grill under a sculpted hood to give the Azera that eye-catching style.

Under the hood only one powertrain is available, but it’s a good one. This new version of Hyundai’s Lambda 3.3-liter V6 features direct injection, but is normally aspirated. With 293 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque it is second only to LaCrosse in power, but the horsepower/liter number is best in class at 88.8. Putting that power to good use is a smooth 6-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy matches the best in the segment at 20-mpg in the city, 29 on the highway and 23-mpg combined using regular fuel. This 3,600-pound Azera is lighter than LaCrosse and Taurus.

Suspension is of conventional design with McPherson struts in front, an independent, multi-link design in the rear and stabilizer bars at both ends. Our relatively limited experience on the smooth, uncomplicated roads of the Mojave shows the suspension tuning to be well-balanced, but we’ll reserve judgment on that until we get it on some of our dismal urban roads in Michigan. The cabin seemed exceptionally quiet at speed.

Safety features include nine, count ‘em, nine airbags. That’s more than most congressional committees. Chassis dynamics, like stability control, abs, brake assist and everything else the science guys could come up with, are included to keep the overzealous driver from getting in trouble, and to assist the average driver in bad conditions.

 

Most impressive is the list of standard features on Azera: leather seats, navigation with 7-inch screen, heated 10-way power driver’s seat and 8-way power passenger seat, cooled glove box, dual climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, and Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics system with 90-day subscription.

We drove the new Azera out to the race track at Pahrump by way of the tiny desert town of Blue Diamond and famous Red Rock Park, just a few miles down the road. My co-driver had not experienced the desert back roads so we spent a good deal of the day exploring.

Driving dynamics are excellent. Without having them side-by-side I can say with some confidence that it feels as good as any of its competitors and better than some. Characteristically, this Hyundai sedan has raised the bar substantially, particularly in standard content.

Price is close to the same as a comparably equipped last generation Azera. Remember, it comes standard with a lot of stuff that was optional on the last gen car. The standard Azera now starts just over $32,000 and with the optional Technology Package (19-inch alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, HID Xenom headlights, power rear sunshade, Infinity audio system, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, ambient lighting, rear parking assist sensors and ventilated front seat) adding another 2 grand.

As we expected the new Azera becomes a value leader in its class, as have the other new Hyundai products of this generation.

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Hyundai i-oniq Concept Revealed Ahead of 2012 Geneva Auto Show

The Hyundai i-oniq concept, an electric sports hatchback that hints at future powertrain possibilities for the Korean automaker, was unveiled ahead of the 2012 Geneva Auto Show.

Hyundai took the wraps off the i-oniq with a single photograph that was released on Thursday. The car had been teased in December.

The concept, which gets a long hood and a low-slung look, also previews the evolution of the brand's "fluidic sculpture" design language. Design cues include what Hyundai calls a "penthouse roof" and LED headlights. The four-passenger cabin is described as a "lounge-style space" with sculpted surfaces "inspired by musical instruments."

The i-oniq is equipped with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder gas engine mated to an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack.

In electric-only mode, the car has a range of 74 miles, but can travel up to 435 miles with the gas engine.

No production plans were detailed.

Hyundai said in a statement that the i-oniq "provokes contemplation on the future of automotive possibilities and a powertrain that highlights one of the ways in which we could power future products — wrapped in a package that exudes premium qualities."

Source: Motor Trend Magazine