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Gladiators, Pilots, and Palisades, plus a couple boring crossovers | Autoblog Podcast #562

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. The duo discuss the leaked Jeep Gladiator, Ford's Baby Bronco, the Aston Martin DBX, and then touch on other reborn names like the Honda Pilot. They also discuss how boring crossovers have taken over as the family car of choice in the United States and debate the merits of turbocharged V6 engines versus the classic American V8. Finally, we spend your money.Autoblog Podcast #562 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Jeep Gladiator leaked Hyundai Palisade and Honda Pilot teased Aston Martin DBX Ford Baby Bronco leaked Boring crossovers Ford F-150 2.7-liter EcoBoost Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Podcasts LA Auto Show Aston Martin Ford GMC Honda Hyundai Jeep Truck Crossover SUV honda pilot jeep gladiator aston martin dbx hyundai palisade ford baby bronco

How Hyundai lost momentum, and will 'take a few years' to recover

SEOUL/DETROIT/CHONGQING, China — At a near-empty Hyundai Motor showroom in the Chinese mega city of Chongqing, the store manager is grumbling about his shortage of customers and a lack of bigger, cheaper SUV models popular in the world's largest auto market. Even with discounting of as much as 25 percent, his dealership was selling barely a hundred vehicles a month, said the manager surnamed Li. A nearby Nissan dealership was selling about 400 vehicles a month, a store manager there said. "The sales are simply poor," Li told Reuters. "Look at the Nissan store next door, they have tens of customers while we just have two." An hour's drive away is Hyundai's massive $1 billion manufacturing plant, which opened last year with a target to produce 300,000 vehicles per year. But with sales weak and the Chinese auto market slowing sharply, the factory is running at roughly 30 percent of capacity, two people with knowledge of the matter said. The sources asked not to be identified because the information was not public. Hyundai, the world's fifth largest automaker, declined to comment on the Chongqing plant's production or the showroom's sales but said it is "closely cooperating" with local partner BAIC to turn around the China business. BAIC did not respond to requests for comment. Hyundai's woes mark a major reversal for the automaker which was an early success story in China as it quickly and cheaply rolled out popular new models into a surging market. In 2009, Hyundai and partner Kia's combined sales ranked third in China after General Motors and Volkswagen. The South Korean duo now ranks ninth, and its market share in China was 4 percent last year, from more than10 percent at the beginning of this decade. Executives and industry experts say Hyundai conceded its once stronghold in the low-end segment to fast-growing Chinese rivals such as Geely and BYD. Foreign rivals not only defended their turf in premium segments but also kept pricing competitive for mass-market models, squeezing Hyundai's positioning as an affordable foreign brand, they said. In the United States, the world's second-biggest auto market, Hyundai's market share fell to 4 percent last year, near a decade low. Hyundai ran into problems in China and the United States for similar reasons: It missed shifts in consumer tastes, especially the surge in demand for SUVs, and it sought higher prices than its brand image could command, four Chinese dealers and half a dozen former and current U.S.

Hyundai, Kia to put solar panels on vehicle roofs

Hyundai Motor Group said Wednesday that future Hyundai and Kia models will be equipped with solar panels capable of generating electricity as a way to increase fuel-efficiency and range and lower CO2 emissions. Hyundai says the solar panels will feature in the rooftops or hoods of select vehicles "after 2019" and will supplement traditional internal combustion, hybrid and battery-electric vehicles. The parent group said it's developing three different types of solar roof charging systems comprised of a solar panel, controller and battery. The first generation will be a silicon solar panel system mounted to the rooftops of hybrid models and capable of charging 30 to 60 percent of the battery per day, depending on weather conditions and other factors, starting as early as 2020. The second generation involves a semi-transparent solar roof system applied to a panoramic sunroof and capable of charging an electric-vehicle battery or a battery mounted on a gasoline engine. Hyundai says the latter configuration will help it increase vehicle exports, since solar-equipped ICE vehicles will be able to adhere to regulations limiting CO2 emissions. A third-generation system is being tested right now. It will add solar production capability in the hood and roof of EVs – but the companies don't provide more detail than that at this moment. "In the future, various types of electricity-generating technologies, including the solar charging system, will be connected to vehicles," said Jeong-Gil Park, executive vice president of engineering design at Hyundai Motor Group. "This will enable them to develop from a passive device that consumes energy to a solution that actively generates energy. The paradigm of the vehicle owner will shift from that of a consumer to an energy prosumer." To date, solar vehicle charging technology has mostly been for light-duty tasks, like cooling off the interior or trickle-charging a conventional battery, such as the system offered in the previous Nissan Leaf. Systems that do more than this have typically come with a very steep pricetag for modest capabilities. Panasonic has developed a 180-watt solar roof available for the Japanese version of the Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid that is capable of adding up to 3.7 miles of range per day – at an unspecified (as of this writing) but undoubtedly high cost. Elon Musk, unsurprisingly, has also discussed making a solar roof optional for the Tesla Model 3.

Hyundai-Kia names former Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley designer as design chief

Luc Donckerwolke, former designer for both Bentley, Audi and Lamborghini, is succeeding Peter Schreyer as the lead designer for both Hyundai and Kia. This follows a significant shuffle within the Korean automaker's upper management. Schreyer — himself a former Volkswagen Group designer — will head design management. Chung Eui-sun, the son of company chairman and CEO Chung Mong-koo, was promoted as executive vice chairman. The head of Hyundai Motor America, Kyung Soo-lee, is leaving his position after just more than a year on the job. That's a lot of moving pieces at the top of Korea's largest automaker. Donckerwolke has been with Hyundai-Kia since 2015 when he left the Volkswagen Group to take over Genesis design. Some of his most famous designs include the Lamborghini Murcielago, Lamborghini Gallardo, Bentley Flying Spur and Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6. Schreyer led the design of the original Audi TT and has helped push forward Hyundai and Kia. The pair's influence can be seen and felt throughout the company's lineup. According to Reuters, part of the shakeup within the leadership follows a company announcement that third-quarter profits have fallen, sending shares to their lowest level in nine years. Related Video:

U.S. Senate panel wants Hyundai, Kia to testify about engine fires

WASHINGTON — The Senate Commerce Committee's Republican chairman and ranking Democrat said on Wednesday they had asked top U.S. executives at Hyundai and Kia to testify at a Nov. 14 hearing on reports of engine fires involving vehicles from the Korean automakers. The call to testify comes after safety advocates raised concerns about fires in vehicles not involved in collisions. The nonprofit consumer advocacy group Center for Auto Safety said last week that 103 fire complaints had been filed with U.S. safety regulators since June 12 and urged an immediate recall of nearly 3 million vehicles. Hyundai said in a statement it had received the request to appear "and is currently reviewing it." The company added it "actively monitors and evaluates potential safety concerns, including non-collision fires, with all of its vehicles and acts swiftly to recall any vehicles with safety-related defects." Kia did not comment. Shares of Hyundai Motor fell as much as 3.8 percent in Seoul trading on Thursday. Kia Motors stock also slid 3.7 percent, while the wider market was down 0.6 percent as of 0232 GMT. In May 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, opened a formal investigation into the recall of nearly 1.7 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles over engine defects. A South Korean whistleblower in 2016 reported concerns to NHTSA, which has been probing the timeliness of three recalls carried out in the United States and whether they covered enough vehicles. Sen. Bill Nelson, the top Democrat on the Commerce Committee, said a non-collision fire death had been reported last year in a 2014 Kia Soul. "We've got to get to the bottom of what's causing these fires," Nelson said in a statement Wednesday. "Car owners need to know if their vehicles are safe." The letter to the automakers, also signed by Sen. John Thune, who chairs the committee, said the hearing will also "examine efforts to mitigate vehicle fires and promptly identify and respond to defects that may pose a fire risk" and invites the chief executives of Hyundai and Kia's U.S. units to testify or their designee. In 2015, Hyundai recalled 470,000 U.S. Sonata sedans, saying engine failure would result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash. At that time, affiliate Kia did not recall its vehicles, which share the same "Theta II" engines. In March 2017, Hyundai expanded its original U.S.

2019 Hyundai Kona Electric First Drive Review | No compromises

The results of last week's United Nations climate study reveal that Earth's climate situation is much more dire than previously thought. Unless we do something drastic to stop pumping carbon emissions into our atmosphere, we'll do irreversible damage by 2030. It seems almost prophetic, then, that Hyundai is launching two vehicles — the hydrogen-powered Nexo FCV and an all-electric variant of the recently launched Kona crossover. The more compelling of the two is the Hyundai Kona Electric. It joins other purely battery-powered machines such as the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Bolt and the Tesla Model 3, but the Korean automaker one-ups the competition by arriving in the form of a crossover. Americans can't get enough of them, and no other pure electric on the market offers it unless you're talking about the $83,000 Tesla Model X. The Kona EV's next closest competitor is the boxy electric Soul, and in case you didn't know, Kia's affiliate company is none other than Hyundai. In truth, the crossover moniker isn't entirely accurate. Like its internal-combustion-engined counterpart, the Kona EV doesn't really sit above regular car height. Rather than call it a compact crossover, it'd be more appropriate to label it a hatchback with some rugged-looking body cladding. The Kona Electric does, however, top nearly all of its EV rivals for cargo space, with 19.2 cubic feet. Only the Leaf tops it at 23.6 cubic feet, but the Kona's footprint is almost a foot shorter than the Nissan's. Visually, the Kona Electric is distinguished from its petrol-powered sibling by a grille-less face, replaced by an LCD readout grid pattern with the charging port neatly hidden beneath a panel on the left side. A new light bar spans the prow, connecting the upper driving lights in a digital wave pattern repeated in the lower front, side and rear skirts. It's meant to evoke the pathways in a circuit board, according to senior chief designer Chris Chapman. Inside, more differences serve to remind you that you're sitting not just at the helm of a crossover, but a shuttle to the future. An array of PRND buttons and an electronic parking brake await your instructions. Neither seemed necessary nor an improvement over the Kona classic's tried-and-true gear selector and handbrake, but there they were. The e-e-brake perhaps does permit the double-decker center console, though, the lower level meant for gadget recharging, whether via USB or Qi wireless.

Center for Auto Safety wants Hyundai and Kia to recall 2.9M vehicles

DETROIT — A nonprofit auto safety group is demanding that Hyundai and Kia recall 2.9 million cars and SUVs in the U.S. due to consumer complaints that they can catch fire. The Center For Auto Safety said Friday that there have been more than 220 complaints to the U.S. government since 2010 about fires and another 200 complaints about melted wires as well as smoke and burning odors. The complaints involve the 2011 through 2014 Kia Sorento and Optima and the Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe. Also included is the 2010 through 2015 Kia Soul. The fires are being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as part of a 2017 probe into Hyundai and Kia engine failures. "The volume of fires here make it appear that Hyundai and Kia are content to sit back and allow consumers and insurers to bear the brunt of poorly designed, manufactured and repaired vehicles," Jason Levine, the center's executive director, said. The fire reports have come in from across the country, including a death in Ohio in April 2017, he said. Hyundai says it monitors safety concerns and acts quickly to recall defective vehicles. "We have a robust system in place for monitoring and investigating reported vehicle fires that includes investigation and reporting to NHTSA as required. Vehicle fires can result from a variety of reasons," the company statement said. Kia said it is using company and third-party fire investigators to determine what caused the fires so it can address them. "A vehicle fire may be the result of any number of complex factors, such as a manufacturing issue, inadequate maintenance, the installation of aftermarket parts, an improper repair, arson, or some other non-vehicle source, and must be carefully evaluated by a qualified and trained investigator or technician," the company said in a statement. The Center for Auto Safety filed a petition asking NHTSA to investigate the fires in June. The agency said Friday that it is still evaluating the petition and it has sent information requests to Hyundai, Kia and other automakers about the issue. Levine says the center does not know what's causing the fires. In May 2017 the government began investigating whether the automakers moved quickly enough to recall over 1.6 million vehicles because of engines stalling. NHTSA is looking into three recalls by the related Korean brands, and it's also investigating whether the automakers followed safety reporting requirements.

2019 Hyundai Nexo fuel-cell debuts in California by year’s end

Hyundai will make its 2019 Nexo hydrogen fuel-cell crossover available in California by end of the year, and while it still hasn't announced pricing, it said the vehicle will be sold at Hyundai dealerships in Van Nuys and Tustin in Southern Cal, with a San Jose dealer coming online in early 2019. Read Autoblog's Quick Spin review of the 2019 Nexo here. The Nexo is the replacement for the Tucson Fuel Cell, which it leased to customers and use to log testing miles in 18 countries. Considered the second generation of Hyundai's fuel cell car, the Nexo boasts an estimated range of 380 miles, 115 more than its predecessor, in the Nexo Blue trim, with an estimated MPGe of 65 miles in the city, 58 on the highway and 61 combined. The Limited model offers a slightly more, uh, limited driving range of 354 miles and an estimated MPGe of 59/54/57. The EPA has yet to publish official fuel-economy ratings. Power and acceleration are also improved to 161 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque. Hyundai developed the Nexo on its own dedicated architecture, which it says weighs less (though how much is not known), offers an improved power-to-weight ratio, and delivers a 20 percent faster 0-60 mph sprint time at a not-particularly blistering 9.5 seconds over the Tuscon. Despite the three hydrogen tanks, they take up less total space than the Tucson FCEV, so rear cargo volume is increased by nearly 6 cubic feet to 29.6 cubic feet, with the battery relocated to the trunk. The Nexo is also longer by 10.3 inches and wider by 1.5 inches, with a longer wheelbase, though it's shorter by 1 inch. Overall power increases to 135 kilowatts, with a slightly less energy-dense fuel cell but a battery pack that jumps by 16 kW to 40 kW. The Nexo also gets a host of driver-assist technologies, like forward collision-avoidance assist, high-beam assist and what it calls remote smart parking assist, which enables the car to autonomously park or retrieve itself from either a parking space, including parallel slots and rear-first parking spaces. Related Video:

2018 Hyundai Kona Drivers' Notes Review | Trying to stand out in a crowd

The 2018 Hyundai Kona is the Korean automaker's smallest crossover, slotting below both the Tucson and Santa Fe. We've driven the Kona a few times now, both in turbocharged and naturally-aspirated forms. You can check out the video review below with Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. We may come off mixed on the styling, but, from the engine to the infotainment system, everyone on staff seems to have found something they like. Our test car this week is a top-shelf Kona Ultimate with all-wheel drive. The car we drove was a 2018 model, though things have changed slightly for 2019. The Ultimate comes with LED lighting, keyless entry with push-button start, heated front seats, a heads-up display, wireless charging, an upgraded stereo and more. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder — I found the Kona in the parking lot, hopped in, synced my phone, and headed out in a bit of a daze. I immediately started to relax driving the Kona, though. It was easy to drive and easy to use, if a bit more of an appliance than a thing of fancy. The lane-keep assist worked surprisingly well, and did so without being intrusive. I popped up the little mechanical head-up display and, even though my mirrors and windows offered a good sense of what was around me, I liked being able to keep my eyes forward and know when a car was in either of my blind spots. It wasn't until I got home and my large son (an absolute unit, that lad) pulled me outside to show him the Kona. He was taken by it, and, eventually, so was I. It looks great in this sort of electric blue, and the exterior accents make it look somewhat sporty (even if Sport mode does little to actually make it feel that way). The rear view is better than the face, though, I'll admit. I'm glad I didn't have to give the little man a ride, though. That rear seat is tiny, and my boy's big car seat and long legs wouldn't have been a great fit. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale — I'm quite a fan of the Hyundai Kona. I love its funky aggressive styling, even after it's been on the market for a while. And I quite like the way it drives, with either engine. A big part of this is that it's a sprightly little handler. The steering is quick, well-weighted and precise, and the car turns in quickly and confidently. It also doesn't feel as top-heavy as the Ford EcoSport. The handling doesn't come at the cost of ride quality, either.

2019 Hyundai Kona gets standard safety tech, as prices creep up

The 2019 Hyundai Kona is marking its second year on the market with a few upgrades to sweeten the funky subcompact crossover. The most significant change is the addition of new standard safety equipment. Every trim level from the base SE to the ultimate, well, Ultimate, get automatic emergency braking and collision warning, lane-departure assist and driver attention warning. All of these features were only available on the Ultimate trim level last year. There are a few other small changes here and there. Hyundai is eliminating the silver with black roof color option, but adding a new color called Sunset Orange. The 12-volt power outlet up front goes away on all models in favor of dual USB charging ports. The Infinity upgraded sound system and Hyundai BlueLink connectivity software are now available on the SEL with the SEL Tech Package. The sunroof is also only available as an option on the Ultimate trim, and is included with the SEL Tech Package. View 16 Photos And as is the way with new model years, especially when new equipment is added, prices have crept up a bit for all Kona trim levels. The SE increases by $490, SEL by $650, Limited by $900, and Ultimate by just $100. All-wheel-drive is $100 more expensive, too, at $1,400. The same goes for the SEL Tech Package, which now starts at $1,600. You can see all the prices for both model years below. Trim Level 2019 2018 SE $20,970 $20,480 SEL $22,780 $22,130 Limited $26,530 $25,680 Ultimate $28,480 $28,380 AWD option $1,400 $1,300 SEL Tech package $1,600 $1,500 Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Hyundai, James Riswick Hyundai Crossover Hatchback hyundai kona