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NADAguides awards 2011 Hyundai Sonata “Car Of The Month” for March…

The all-new Hyundai Sonata has been named the “Car Of The Month” by Nadaguides, one of the leading providers of vehicle information in the U.S. market.

According to NADAguides, the sixth-generation Sonata sedan represents the most fun-to-drive vehicle that Hyundai has ever produced. It features innovative powertrain technology, class-leading safety and best in-segment MPG ratings. In addition, the model incorporates nicely executed styling cues which make the vehicle stand out from many of its rivals.

“Just when you think the industry is out of good ideas, a car like the 2011 Sonata comes along and knocks you off your feet” said Michael Caudill from NADAguides.

The “Car of the Month” program provides consumers with expert reviews on cars, SUVs and trucks. Selecting one vehicle per month only, NADAguides announces the “Car of the Month” through online video reviews, press releases and blog posts, which means the vehicle gets exposed to thousands of consumers shopping for new cars.

About Hyundai Sonata: The 2011 Hyundai Sonata sedan is most definitely one of the most important Hyundai cars that are planed to be released over the next five years. The all-new Sonata sedan also plays a major role in enhancing the brand’s image and increasing its sales in the U.S. market.

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Hyundai i-flow concept car made its official debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show today. Check out some nice shots and read the official press release from Hyundai:

Making its official world premiere at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, the Hyundai i-flow concept car carries forward the automaker’s evocative new form language called “fluidic design”. Flowing lines incorporated to the body of the concept car not only create a futuristic shape, but also contribute to exceptional aerodynamics and help to reduce the car’s CO2 output to just 85g/km.

The key factor in delivering such an environmentally-conscious performance is Hyundai’s first-ever diesel hybrid powertrain and application of next-generation technologies and materials developed in conjunction with world’s leading chemical company BASF.

With an overall length of 4.780mm, 1.850mm width, 1.420mm height and a 2.800mm wheelbase, give the i-flow a stance which is more akin to a coupe than a traditional mid-size sedan.

Despite its sporty appearance, the i-flow concept car redefines the perception of space. Fundamental elements, such as the seats and centre console, were crafted for minimal weight and volume using cutting-edge materials from BASF.

Hidden under the sleek bonnet is automaker’s first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, which mates the all-new two-stage turbocharged 1.7L diesel engine with six-speed dual-clutch transmission and Lithium Ion-Polymer batteries.

According to Hyundai, the i-flow concept car is a test bed for new energy harvesting ideas, ranging from flexible solar panel roofing to a thermo-electric generator which uses exhaust heat to produce power.

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Hyundai posts a record breaking February 2010 sales in Canada…

Hyundai has been gaining sales in the wake of Toyota’s recall problems in the US recently, where the automakers saw its sales increase 11.5 percent in February. But the company has also been successful in Canada where it has sold 8.502 new vehicles.

February also marked the fourteenth straight month of double-digit sales increases for the South Korean largest car company.

Hyundai saw its sales rise 23 percent compared to a year ago, with several models achieving record-high sales increases in February. Sales of the 2010 Tucson crossover went up by 118 percent to 1.145 units, while new Sonata sales soared by 58 percent compared to a year ago. The 2011 Sonata made its official Canadian debut at the Canadian International Auto Show earlier in February.

The restyled Santa Fe SUV also performed well. With 1.980 units sold, the Santa Fe was third best selling Hyundai vehicle in February. It was followed by Elantra and Sonata with 1.412 and 745 units sold, respectively.

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South Korean top five carmakers, including Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors, Daewoo-GM, Renault-Samsung and Ssangyong post impressive sales gains in February 2010.

All five South Korean carmakers today reported their sales numbers for the month of February 2010. Their sales were not only

Hyundai Motor Company, which holds around 50 percent market share in Korea, announced it has sold a total of 250.995 new vehicles at home and abroad. The number represents a 23 percent increase from the same month a year ago.

Hyundai’s sales were particularly strong at the international markets, where the company increased its sales by 27 percent to 202.014 units, while at home, the automaker posted a 9 percent increase (48.981 units). The all-new Sonata sedan once again topped the South Korean new car sales charts with February sales of 13.291 units.

Kia Motors saw its February sales increase by almost 46 percent from a year ago to 138.811 units, with domestic sales increasing 21 percent to 33.209 units and international sales soaring to 105.602 units (+55 percent)!

GM Daewoo reported February sales rising 6 percent to 47.200 units, while troubled Ssangyong Motors saw its sales rising to 4.478 cars last month, up 90 percent from the same month last year.

The Renault-Samsung, a Korean unit of French carmaker Renault, also reported stronger demand for its vehicles.The company sold 19.715 vehicles in Korea last month.

Hyundai recalls a small number of 2011 Sonata sedans and 2010 Tucson crossover.

It was announced last week that Hyundai recalled some models of new Sonata sedan in the U.S. market due to a faulty front-door latch mechanism. The automaker produced about 5.000 units of new mid-size sedan since its January unveiling, but reportedly, only 1.300 units of the 2011 Sonata were affected.

Larger number, approximately 46.000 Sonata sedans have been recalled in the South Korean market, where the model has been on sale since September 2009.

According to Hyundai, only a small number of new Sonata customers complained about the problem and none of them was injured or involved in an accident. The 2011 Sonata recall was voluntary, meaning it was not required by regulators!

Hyundai is also recalling its other new model, the Tucson CUV. The 2010 Tucson will be the subject of a voluntary recall due to a faulty occupant airbag detection. According to NHTSA, a properly seated adult right front seat passengers weighing over approximately 240 pounds cause the passive occupant detection system (PODS) module program to illuminate the ‘air bag’ warning lamp.

“If ‘air bag’ warning lamp is illuminated, the passenger air bag will deploy if a crash of sufficient force to require front air bag deployment is experienced, and will not be deactivated if a child is seated in the right front seating position, which may increase the risk of injury to a child front passenger.

Hyundai Tucson models built from November 10th to November 30th (2009) may be affected, so if you own a Tucson built in November 2009, have it checked out by your local Hyundai dealer. Dealers will replace the PODS module free of charge!

2011 Hyundai Elantra compact sedan spied testing in South Korea.

Spies have caught next-generation Elantra sedan testing in South Korea. Even though a heavily disguised prototype of a fully revamped C-segment car, which will compete against new Ford Focus, Chevy Cruze and established Civic and Corolla, wears plenty of camouflage, it does reveal a few interesting design details to us. 

In terms of design, the 2011 Elantra represents a major departure from the uninspiring design language of the current model. As evident from the spy shots, the overall exterior shape of new Elantra sedan is heavily inspired by the 2011 Sonata mid-size sedan.

It sports a sloping, coupe-like profile with short front and rear overhangs, stretched back head-lamps. Its steeply raked front windshield and the sloping roof-line create a very eye-catching coupe-ish side profile.

The 2011 Elantra sedan will host a range of fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines, including a 1.6L GDI and 2.0L Theta II engines, generating between 140 and 165 horsepower. It is speculated that Hyundai will likely place a newly-developed 1.6L turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine under the hood of Elantra SE. The 175-hp unit has been rumored to be available in Hyundai’s upcoming compact cars, such as Elantra and new Veloster based two-door coupe.

The wraps are ready to come off the new Elantra shortly as the Korean largest carmaker plans to unveil the newcomer in the second-half of 2010. [Photosource: bobaedream]

Hyundai Elantra MD spy shots gallery:

New image of Hyundai i-Flow concept car, codenamed HED-7, released to the web…

Hyundai released another image of its brand-new concept car called i-Flow yesterday. Codenamed HED-7, the eye-catching concept car was designed at Hyundai’s European design centre in Germany and previews the forth-coming D-segment car destined for European market.

The all-new i-Flow (HED-7) concept car incorporates sleek and elegant lines that create futuristic looking exterior lay-out. According to Hyundai, the vehicle boasts an exceptionally low drag coefficient of just 0.25 Cd, which helps to reduce car’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to only 3L per 100 kilometers and 85 grams per kilometer, respectively.

The eye-catching concept car is build upon a diesel-electric hybrid car architecture (Hyundai’s first), which mates two-stage turbocharged 1.7L diesel engine to six-speed dual-clutch gearbox (also Hyundai’s first) and electric motor. The i-Flow also features an advanced Lithium Ion-Polymer battery pack.

Hyundai will put its brand-new concept car creation on display at Geneva Motor Show, which starts next week -on March 4th. The i-Flow concept car will be joined on stage by slightly redesigned i30 hatchback and ix35 FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle) concept vehicle.

In addition, the Korean carmaker also revealed it will display a range of “Blue Drive” cars including the i10 blue, i20 blue, i30 blue and ix35 blue. Thanks to improved aerodynamics and innovations such as low-rolling-resistance tires and start-stop system, all of the above-mentioned “Blue Drive” cars, except of the ix35 Blue, have an output of CO2 below 100 grams per kilometer.

The i35 blue, meanwhile, boasts an impressive 135 grams per kilometer, which is a benchmark figure for a C-segment SUV, according to Hyundai!

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Hyundai ix35 goes on sale in the UK on March 25th with a starting price set at £16,495!

Hyundai UK today announced it will commence the sales of its newest model, the ix35 crossover on March 25th. The UK unit of a Korean largest automaker also released a few more details about the ix35’s pricing and trim levels.

Buyers of the all-new ix35 will be able to choose from Style and Premium trim levels and front- or four-wheel drive.

The entry-level Style trim comes equipped with standard features such as 6 air-bags, ABS, ESP, ESP, air-conditioning, trip computer, Bluetooth connectivity, leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, 17-inch alloy-wheels, reverse parking sensors and door mirrors with integrated LED side repeaters.

Higher-end Premium package ads dual-zone climate control air-conditioning, automatic headlights, cruise control, full size panoramic glass sunroof,  keyless entry, a start/stop push button and rain-sensing wipers. It also gets part-leather upholstery, roof-rails, electric folding door mirrors and upgrades 17-inch alloy-wheels to 18-inch wheels.

There are a few optional features available as well and those include a touch-screen satellite navigation, leather seats and a reversing camera.

At launch the ix35 will only be available with a base 2.0L petrol engine, which generates 161 horsepower and 2.0L R-diesel engine with 134 horsepower. Later in the year, Hyundai will broaden the ix35 model range by adding two new four-cylinder engines to the line-up.

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