2006 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Hyundai Kona joins compact-crossover fray

This week in Seoul, South Korea, Hyundai finally pulled back the covers on the all-new Kona, the automaker's first compact crossover. The Kona enters one of the hottest segments on the market and will compete straight against Honda HR-V, Toyota C-HR, and Fiat 500X. The stylish Kona slots below the larger Santa Fe and Tucson, filling out the Hyundai's crossover offerings. The new model goes on sale in Korea later this month, hitting showrooms in Europe and the US later this year. Like others in this segment, the Kona sells itself on style as well as substance. The design is more aggressive than Hyundai's other crossover offerings, though the automaker says it hints at a new direction for other products. After a few years of conservative design throughout its lineup, Hyundai has returned to the bold direction that kicked off with the sleek 2010 Sonata. The Kona's large, shield-like grille is similar to that on the new Elantra GT and refreshed Sonata. There's a wide air scoop just above the new grille. There's a lot of outside influence on the design. The rest of the body has a taut, masculine look. Big fenders and sharp creases carry on the rugged look. Hyundai is calling the black cladding "armor," though we're not sure exactly how much it protects. It's going to be a divisive design choice for sure. Like the Toyota C-HR, the Kona can be had with a contrasting roof color. The Kona makes use of LED lighting both front and rear, though the low placed headlights remind us of the controversial ones on the Jeep Cherokee. The taillights are wide, slim units that aren't like anything else in Hyundai's lineup. Like so many compact crossovers, it looks more like a high-riding hatchback than a shrunken SUV. It's a handsome design though that's more tough than cute. The interior has been designed with efficiency first. Hyundai boasts that the Kona has the best-in-class interior space. The simple layout is far more conservative than the exterior, but it appears well designed and well arranged. Like the Elantra GT, the infotainment screen sits above the dash like a tablet. It's a common design feature, though not always a popular one. The Kona can be had with a 5, 7, or 8-inch infotainment display, though availability depends on the market. Higher-spec models come with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD and satellite radio, a rearview camera, and in the US, 4G telematics. The Kona will have wireless smartphone charging.

Did a US automaker blow the whistle on Hyundai, Kia fuel economy issue?

In all of the most hotly contested mainstream segments of the motoring universe, the difference of one mile per gallon averaged on a widow sticker can mean the difference between a sale and a walk-off - to say nothing of two or three mpg. So, when Hyundai and Kia were forced to reveal that many of their 40-mpg ratings were actually 38s and 37s, well, it made for big news.
It also, conceivably, made for a competitive disadvantage immediately, when the Korean automakers' products were being shopped versus the guys down the block. And it's that disadvantage that makes a recent story from Automotive News so juicy.
AN is reporting that Margo Oge, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, got a tip in 2010 that Hyundai/Kia were "cheating" to get its impressive fuel economy numbers. The tip, said Oge (who retired from the EPA this past September), came from a senior vice president from a domestic automaker. The source was credible enough for Oge to launch an audit of the Hyundai figures, which ultimately lead to the debacle that we reported on a few months ago, and that the Korean company has been trying to bounce back from ever since.

Hyundai FE Fuel Cell Concept previews next year's hydrogen SUV

For a while and without too many specifics, Hyundai has been talking about a new hydrogen powered CUV or SUV to replace the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell. Now, in Geneva, the Korean automaker has given us a preview of that vehicle: the Future Eco (FE) Fuel Cell Concept. The FE Fuel Cell definitely looks like a concept car, with a clean, flowing look Hyundai says is inspired by water, which happens to be this car's only tailpipe emission. It has a sturdy stature, with the large wheels pushed to the corners. Aerodynamic touches help make it more efficient, and add to its fresh design. Let's hope the production vehicle keeps some of these visual cues. Inside the car, an internal air humidifier recycles some of those water emissions inside the cabin's atmosphere. The FE Fuel Cell Concept also has portable battery packs for powering passenger devices, and the trunk is built to stow and charge an electric scooter to help you go that last mile. The FE's hydrogen fuel cell technology improves upon the Tucson Fuel Cell by being lighter and more efficient, with a fuel cell stack with 30 percent greater energy density. That means more range. Driving range is, of course what sets FCEVs apart from other zero-emissions vehicles, and the FE Fuel Cell has plenty of that to go around. "We have designed the car to run the longest distance ever achieved by a fuel cell vehicle," says Hyundai Vice Chairman Dr. Woong-Chul Yang. It'll go about 500 miles on a full tank of hydrogen, which is especially helpful while fueling stations are still few and far between. Hyundai expects to launch the production SUV inspired by the FE Fuel Cell Concept in early 2018. Related Video: