2011 Hyundai Elantra Gls on 2040-cars

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Honda Ridgeline, Ford Ecosport and Tesla profits | Autoblog Podcast #537

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. We talk about driving the 2018 Ford Ecosport and Hyundai Accent. Joel tells us why he loves the naturally aspirated engine in our long-term Honda Ridgeline. We discuss Tesla's profitability claims, Johan de Nysschen leaving Cadillac and a possible date change for the Detroit Auto Show. As usual, we'll also spend a listener's money on a car. Autoblog Podcast #537 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 Driving the 2018 Ford Ecosport Driving the 2018 Hyundai Accent A love letter to the Honda Ridgeline's V6 Leadership change at Cadillac Will Tesla be profitable this year? Will NAIAS move to October? Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Earnings/Financials Green Podcasts Detroit Auto Show Cadillac Ford Honda Hyundai Tesla Used Car Buying Truck Crossover SUV Economy Cars Electric Sedan

Hyundai prices Nexo FCEV crossover within dollars of Toyota Mirai sedan

CarsDirect got hold of order guides for the 2019 Hyundai Nexo, revealing the price for the base Blue trim as $59,345. That includes the $1,045 destination fee. The Limited trim adds another $3,500, for $62,845. Since the Nexo is the only crossover FCEV in the segment, two sedans represent its closest competition, only one of which can be bought at all and is on sale right now. The Toyota Mirai costs $59,285 after destination, $60 less than the Nexo. The Honda Clarity FCEV is lease-only, and Honda's site says the fastback won't arrive until mid-2019. Hyundai won't offer any options for either trim, but both trims get generous spec. The Blue version has LED headlights, 17-inch wheels, synthetic leather, heated seats, and a bundle of driver assistance tech. The Limited bumps up to 19-inch wheels, plus a hands-free liftgate, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, eight-speaker Krell audio, a power sunroof, and niceties like remote parking assist. A couple of months ago, Hyundai announced three dealers in California, the only state where it will be sold: Van Nuys and Tustin in Southern California by the end of the year, and San Jose in Northern California getting inventory early next year. The crossover will be eligible for the California Clean Vehicle Rebate of $5,000, and perhaps more important, the HOV sticker that allows travel in carpool lanes regardless of the number of vehicle occupants. The Nexo uses a 95-kW fuel cell to recharge a 40-kW battery. A single electric motor produces 161 horsepower and 291-pound-feet of torque, pulling the Nexo from 0-60 in 9.5 seconds. The two trims are rated for two different ranges, the Blue going up to 380 miles, the Limited getting up to 354 miles. Broken down, the Nexo Blue returns 65 mpg-e in the city and 58 mpg-e on the highway, the Limited makes slightly smaller returns of 59 city and 54 highway mpg-e. The range numbers beat the 312-mile range of the Toyota Mirai and bracket the 366-mile range of the coming Honda Clarity FCEV. Based on our first-drive review, what the Nexo lacks in gusto and driving dynamics it makes up for in interior room, a huge bonus considering the overall industry. Even so, while the price and the specs aren't out of place for the market at the moment, probably the best the Nexo can do is make a huge splash in an infinitesimal pool. And provide HOV stickers. Related Video:

Hyundai may be working on Theta III power for a mid-engine car

Hyundai's been showing off mid-engine concepts and flogging mid-engine prototypes for at least four years. The fanciful 2014 Passo Corto gave way to a Veloster Midship concept just a few months later, the following years bringing the RM15 N and RM16 N. The "RM" stands for Racing Midship, and spy photographers caught the RM16 N painting a new racing line at the Nurburgring. Korean outlet Motorgraph reports that Hyundai is currently developing its Theta III engine for release late this year or in 2019 in the next-generation Genesis G80, but the four-cylinder will be engineered to suit front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and mid-engine applications. In the interests of more power, displacement in the Theta III will increase to 2.5 liters from the 2.0- and 2.4-liter displacements of the Theta II. Naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions are in development, both maintaining Hyundai's GDi direct injection. Front-wheel drive, turbocharged applications are predicted to output 280 horsepower, rear-wheel-drive turbo vehicles would get 300 horsepower. The turbocharged 2.0-liter Theta II in the current Sonata tops out at 245 hp, the same engine previously offered in the Santa Fe took that up to 264 hp. The mid-engine turbo Theta III would shrink to 2.3 liters, but rock a max output of 350 horsepower. That would put a mid-engine Veloster at the award-winning end of the competitive set, alongside the 350-hp Ford Focus RS and well in front of the 292-hp Volkswagen Golf R. Admittedly, it's early days for such talk, but with a motor in the middle and ex- BMW M boss Albert Biermann helming the chassis department, Hyundai might even aim for dynamic comparisons to the 350-hp Porsche 718 Cayman S. A potential super sporty offering from the N division needn't be a Veloster, either; that hatch might merely be an engine testbed. The Korean carmaker didn't poach two ex- Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini designers so that it could think small. Related Video: