2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

2012 Hyundai Veloster

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Posted in Hyundai

2011 Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai has been on a roll of late, turning out the fantastic Genesis Sedan and Coupe, following up with the new 2011 Sonata, and today, unveiling the Avante, which will be known here in the U.S. as the 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The new Elantra wears a completely different look from its predecessor, and that’s a very good thing.

From its streamlined, almost tear-drop profile to its sculpted and space-age front end, the new Elantra picks up where the Sonata left off, but with an edgier overall presence that fits its younger target demographic. The lines that tie the hood into the front bumper, accentuating the headlights and grille in the process are particularly pleasing to our eye..

Along the side you’ll see a character flare that’s reminiscent of the Sonata, and a rear-window finish that borrows a bit from the Genesis Coupe–both well-used family traits that add a dash of both sport and luxury to the look. Moving around to the rear of the car, we see the flowing design process continued, with the side’s flares meshing neatly with the wraparound tail lights, and the curves from the bumper coming forward to mate with the flared rear fenders.

Just over a week ago, Hyundai released official images of the car’s interior, which similarly elevates the game in the inexpensive compact sedan market, pushing overall design and materials to levels reserved for luxury cars just a handful of years ago.

As always, we’ll have to wait until we can get into a 2011 Elantra to give our first-hand take on the car, but based on the official imagery, we expect good things. Check out the video below for a quirkily-soundtracked video of the Korean-market version of the car.

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra Interiour

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra Intriour

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra Intriour

Wallpapers 2011 Hyundai Elantra Interiour

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Posted in Hyundai

Hyundai Accent

The 2011 Hyundai Accent is available in a choice of two-door hatchback and four-door sedan body styles. The hatchback is offered in three trim levels, including the renamed entry-level GL, midrange GS and top-of-the-line SE. The sedan can be had in a single trim level known as the GLS.
The base GL hatchback makes do without a standard stereo, but it features 14-inch steel wheels, variable intermittent windshield wipers, a six-way-adjustable driver seat, 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and a rear window defroster. The options list is pretty much limited to air-conditioning, Bluetooth and floor mats.
The GS adds an automatic transmission,
air-conditioning, body-colored outside mirrors and door handles, a rear window wiper/washer, a tilt-adjustable steering wheel and a 172-watt, six-speaker stereo with satellite radio and USB/auxiliary audio inputs. Power accessories, keyless entry and an alarm are all available as part of the Premium package.
The sporty Accent SE two-door hatchback adds 16-inch cast-aluminum wheels, firmer suspension tuning, foglights, cruise control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. The Accent GLS sedan's list of standard features and options is very similar to that of the GS hatchback.
Powertrains and Performance
The front-wheel-drive 2011 Hyundai Accent is equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 110 hp and 106 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on all models except the GS, which gets a four-speed automatic that's also available as an option on all but the entry-level GL. In performance testing, a manual-equipped Accent went from zero to 60 mph in 9.4 seconds.
In regard to fuel economy, the Accent models equipped with the four-speed automatic return EPA estimates of 27 mpg city/36 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined. Models with the five-speed manual are rated at 28 mpg city/34 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined.
Safety
ll 2011 Hyundai Accents are equipped with front-seat side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Antilock brakes aren't available for the GL but are optional for the GS hatchback and GLS sedan. The SE hatchback gets antilock braking as standard.
The Accent hasn't been tested using the government's new, more strenuous crash test procedure. Its 2010 rating (which isn't comparable to other 2011 tests) was a perfect five stars for front-occupant protection, four stars for front-occupant protection in side impacts and three stars for rear-seat passengers in side impacts.
In testing done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Accent received the second-highest "Acceptable" rating for frontal-offset collisions but the worst-possible "Poor" ranking in side-impact tests. In brake testing, an Accent with ABS stopped from 60 mph in a respectable 122 feet; without it, that distance shoots up to 155 feet.
Interior Design and Special Features

There's no getting around the fact that the Accent's plain interior styling and cheap-looking materials make it less attractive than competitors like the Nissan Versa. The front seats are comfortable, though, and the standard height-adjustable driver seat is a nice touch. The lack of a tilt steering wheel on the entry-level GL model may make it harder for some drivers to get comfortable, however.
The rear seats offer enough legroom for average-sized adults. That said, getting in and out of those seats in hatchback models requires some scrambling due to the tight space between the front seats and the door sill. Luggage capacity is about average for cars in this segment, with nearly 16 cubic feet of room in hatchback models and more than 12 cubic feet in the sedan's trunk.
Driving Impressions
As is the case with many small cars, the 2011 Hyundai Accent's performance depends to a great extent on which transmission you choose. The five-speed manual gearbox makes the car feel reasonably peppy, while the four-speed automatic bogs it down. Likewise, the sport-tuned suspension on SE models delivers better handling, while the softer suspension fitted to GL, GS and GLS versions emphasizes a smoother ride. Despite having one of the quieter interiors in this segment, the Accent's engine noise often negates this advantage under hard acceleration.

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Posted in Hyundai

Hyundai Plans to Sell 500 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars in 2012

In brief: Hyundai has made a surprise announcement on plans to sell hydrogen fuel cell cars beginning in 2012 - three years before Toyota, Honda, and the rest of the competition.

Hyundai plans to beat Toyota's announced $50,000 price tag and deliver the world's first series production fuel cell vehicle in 2012, with 500 FCVs coming off the line that year and more afterwards. Production is planned to ramp up to 10,000 units by 2015, the year when most other automakers will just be getting started on their FCVs. The first five hundred will likely be leased and will probably go mainly to fleets and similar buyers. Production will increase to at least 1,000 units in 2013, following customer demand. so What Coy... There is a reason most major automakers are working on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. They are a more than viable option for zero-emissions vehicles. Photo credits: Hyundai

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Posted in Future Cars , Hyundai