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2019 Subaru Ascent, 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe earn highest IIHS safety ratings

Two important crossovers introduced this year, the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2019 Subaru Ascent, have finally been crash tested by the IIHS, with both receiving a Top Safety Pick+ rating. Both crossovers earned the highest score of "Good" in every crash test, including the tricky passenger small overlap frontal test. Each comes with forward collision prevention technology that adequately warns the driver, and can bring the car to a complete stop before hitting an object at speeds up to 25 mph. View 72 Photos One of the other key tests to merit the Top Safety Pick+ award is headlight performance. In this case, each gets a "Good" rating to earn the award, but there's a caveat. Only high-end versions of each vehicle have highly rated lights. On the Subaru Ascent, the "Good" headlights are LED units on the Limited and Touring trims, and the Hyundai's are LED units that come with the Limited and Ultimate trims. The lower trim levels of both vehicles come with halogen headlights. The Ascent's halogens were rated "Poor" for not providing enough illumination while also causing glare for oncoming drivers, while the Santa Fe's lights were rated "Marginal," the next highest rating from bottom, for simply not illuminating enough, but they didn't cause glare. View 65 Photos While this doesn't apply to a Top Safety Pick+ rating, the Subaru Ascent has one additional commendation. The IIHS also evaluates how easy it is to access LATCH anchors for mounting child seats in a car, as well as how many there are. In this case, the three-row, family-friendly Subaru received the "Good" rating and a "+" for having extra anchors for more placement flexibility. The two-row Santa Fe just received an "Acceptable" rating in this regard, the second highest rating from IIHS. Related Video:

Hyundai's new fuel-cell vehicle will get dramatic price cut, more range

They say you can't be too rich or too thin, but Hyundai may be shooting for both with its plans for the successor to the hydrogen-powered Tucson Fuel Cell. The South Korean automaker says it's working on a fuel-cell vehicle that will not only be cheaper than the Tucson, but will have a larger full-tank range, the Korea Herald says. Hyundai disclosed details at a conference last week where the South Korean government said it wanted 10,000 fuel-cell vehicles on its roads by the end of the decade. This car, if it arrives as advertised, should help. Hyundai needs it. Since the hydrogen Tucson was unveiled in 2013, it has moved just 544 units worldwide. The new hydrogen vehicle will be priced at about $54,000 in Korea, about half the price of the Tucson Fuel Cell compact SUV. Factor in subsidies that the government is planning, and that price tag would drop to about $30,000. Hyundai is also planning for a full-tank range of about 373 miles, a 45-percent increase from the Tucson's 258. Hyundai has steadily been dropping hints about its next fuel cell car. The automaker debuted its Intrado fuel-cell concept (pictured) at 2014's Geneva Motor Show and said at the time that the car would have a full-tank range of about 375 miles. And last month, Hyundai Motor Group's Ahn Byung-ki spoke of a fuel-cell vehicle that's larger than a compact SUV that would also have a bigger battery but a smaller motor than the Tucson. Additionally, the automaker said it may launch the new model in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Seoul. Related Video: Featured Gallery Hyundai Intrado Concept: Geneva 2014 View 16 Photos News Source: Korea Herald via Green Car Congress Green Hyundai Hydrogen Cars

South Korea assists auto industry struggling with coronavirus fallout

SEOUL —  South Korea said on Monday it would provide logistical and financial support to help its auto industry through the coronavirus crisis, warning of disruptions to supply chains from Europe and the United States. The government said it would speed up customs clearance, arrange freight transportation and provide liquidity support for the industry, which employs about 12% of South KoreaÂ’s workforce, according to official figures. The coronavirus pandemic has led to shutdowns at auto factories and dealerships in the United States and Europe, which are expected to affect South Korean automakers such as Hyundai and Kia. “ItÂ’s time to prepare for the shock of a global demand contraction and European supply issues,” Industry Minister Sung Yoon-mo said in a meeting with parts supplier executives and industry associations, according to a readout from the ministry. “Survival is the most crucial thing in this unprecedented crisis when both demand and supply contract at the same time.” The ministry gave no details on how much liquidity support the government would provide or what form it might take. The assistance is part of 50 trillion won ($39 billion) in emergency financing announced last week to boost the economy. South Korea has reported 8,961 coronavirus cases and 110 deaths from the disease. Hyundai Motor closed its Montgomery, Alabama, assembly plant on Wednesday after an employee there tested positive for COVID-19. It also suspended production at its plants in the Czech Republic and India due to the coronavirus outbreak. Europe and the United States account for about 70% of Korean automakersÂ’ exports, and 54% of Korean parts exports, government data showed. A trade ministry official said South Korean exports would deteriorate in April and May, after rising 10% year-on-year in the first 20 days of March. Car exports rose 13.7% in the period, customs agency data showed on Monday. “For the time being, a drop in exports of cars and auto-parts are inevitable as car factories and dealerships are closing,” Sung said. South Korean automakers had stocked up on inventories which could last up to two months, Sung said. Related Video: Earnings/Financials Government/Legal Plants/Manufacturing Hyundai Kia coronavirus