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2017 Hyundai Elantra First Drive [w/video]

Here's the thing: It's tough to get excited about a mainstream compact car. We tried. Hyundai's latest Elantra is better than the last Elantra, a car that got few people excited. Not a ton has changed, but there's fresh sheetmetal, improved efficiency, and more options than before, all on top of a revised chassis. That's kind of the trend in new cars these days. The last one was fine, this one is more fine. The Elantra engineers at least resisted the urge to make the car larger. Its interior and cargo volume figures are within tenths of last year's figures, which means they once again put the Elantra into the EPA's midsize bracket. With that comes a midsize feature set, including a few items no other "compact" car offers. For now, Hyundai is offering the 2017 Elantra in base SE and top-of-the-line Limited trims. Both come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder (more on that below). The SE offers a Popular Equipment Package that most people will want and many will choose (hence the name). It includes a seven-inch touchscreen head unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality, as well as a rearview camera, automatic headlamps, audio controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth, cruise control, heated side mirrors, 16-inch wheels, and a hood insulator to keep some engine noise from making it to your ears. An SE tech package adds things like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. For now, Hyundai is offering the 2017 Elantra in base SE and top-of-the-line Limited trims. Step up to a Limited, and you get leather, a power driver's seat, 17s, and a bunch of other stuff. The Limited also unlocks option packages: one that revolves around an eight-inch nav touchscreen and another that adds safety items like radar cruise control and auto braking with pedestrian detection. That last one is a segment exclusive, if you're keeping score at home. To get all of the stuff you can't in any other car in this class, you'd be shopping in the next segment's price range anyway. And speaking of segment firsts, cars with the proximity key (SE with Tech Package and above) come with a hands-free trunk release. It lets you pop the trunk lid by just standing near it with the key, but it only releases it and doesn't fully open wide like on some cars with power trunk open and close. So it sort of solves a problem. The engine and available transmissions are nothing groundbreaking. In contrast to the features, the engine and available transmissions are nothing groundbreaking.

Hyundai brings US troops to the Super Bowl, virtually

Hyundai waited until after the game ended to show off its most impressive Super Bowl commercial. Through the magic of technology, Hyundai brought troops from a US Military Base in Zagan, Poland, right into Houston to watch the game, along with their families. Hyundai reportedly bought the first three 30-second commercial spots after the game ended – and in this case, considering that this was the first Super Bowl in history to go into overtime, the Korean automaker certainly got its money worth. In addition to Corporal Trista Strauch, Specialist Erik Guerrero and Sergeant Richard Morrill, and their families, the commercial featured ex-NFLers Joe Montana and Mike Singletary. We don't know exactly how Hyundai was able to pull it off in real time, but the end result was pretty impressive. To see how it all went down, check out the commercial above. Related Video:

John Krafcik eyes Sonata, talks about his new role

As hundreds of people gathered to watch the unveiling of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata at the New York Auto Show on Wednesday, John Krafcik, a driving force behind the new vehicle, found himself in a peculiar position.
He stood far away from the car, away from the crowd. He watched from the Nissan stand as the covers were pulled off the Sonata.
If it was an awkward moment for Krafcik, whose tenure as Hyundai's chief executive officer ended on January 1, he didn't show it. He offered effusive praise of the Sonata. "It's a beautiful car," he said. "I think it's wonderful."