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Hyundai Azera large sedan officially dead in America

Hyundai has released its 2018 model year information, and it appears the Azera won't be making the cut for the new year. The large sedan has been cut from the American lineup, though overseas markets will still have access to the car. In fact, those markets will enjoy a fully redesigned model with muscular lines and an upright fascia. Hyundai's reasoning for dropping the Azera model is that other Hyundai models, as well as the current crop of Genesis cars, are becoming more widely appealing. So, basically, the narrow range of consumers that demanded a larger, more "luxurious" vehicle than the Sonata, but weren't willing to make the small jump to a Genesis, is too small to keep the model around. There are a couple of other noteworthy changes in the 2018 Hyundai lineup. The new Accent sedan is still on its way to dealerships, but the Accent hatchback is gone. Since the company hasn't shown an Accent hatch yet, we're not completely surprised by its omission. What is odd is that there's no hint in Hyundai's wording at it being introduced at a later date. Despite that, there's still the possibility Hyundai will simply introduce a hatchback version later, as it did with the Elantra and Elantra GT. And perhaps, in the vein of that i30-based Elantra GT, the Accent hatch could be based on the i20 this time. Speaking of hatchbacks, the Veloster won't have a 2018 model year. Instead, the 2017 model year has been extended through 2018. We of course know that the Veloster isn't going away permanently, since we've seen spy photos of new versions. So we suspect that this long model year indicates that we'll see the new Veloster by the end of this year, or possibly the start of 2018, with a launch a few months after for the 2019 model year. Related Video:

2018 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid costs $26,000, goes 29 miles on electricity

The Hyundai Ioniq hybrid and Ioniq Electric were two of the more pleasant surprises of 2017. Besides their lofty fuel economy and useful electric range, respectively, they boasted reasonable pricing, a useful interior and shockingly buttoned down handling. They could almost be deemed fun to drive. Yet, there was a missing member of the family for 2017. While we always knew a plug-in hybrid would be added — it was with its siblings when the Ioniq was introduced at the 2016 New York Auto Show, and we drove a prototype earlier this year — it wouldn't be until year 2 when the production car would show its face. And although that face is shared with the Ioniq Hybrid rather than the Electric, the 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid obviously has its own set of facts and figures that have now been revealed. Chief among them is a 29-mile all-electric driving range, which, when depleted, effectively turns the Ioniq Plug-in into a regular hybrid capable of 52 mpg combined. It has a 119 MPGe estimate, for whatever that's worth. To put all those numbers into perspective, there's the Toyota Prius Prime (25 miles, 54 mpg combined, 133 MPGe), the Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid (48 miles, 42 mpg combined, 110 MPGe), Chevrolet Volt (53 miles, 42 mpg combined, 106 MPGe), and the Ioniq's mechanical sibling, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid (26 miles, 46 mpg combined, 105 MPGe). Pricing for the Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid starts at $25,835, including destination. The Limited trim level starts at $29,185. By comparison, the regular Ioniq Hybrid starts at $22,200 for its Blue trim and goes up to $27,550 for the Limited trim. However, keep in mind that the Plug-in Hybrid is subject to a $4,500 federal tax rebate plus whatever your particular state doles out. As such, the Plug-in Hybrid is effectively cheaper. That's also the case with the Toyota Prius Prime relative to the regular Prius. However, the Prime starts at just north of $27,995 (including destination). A regular Prius' base price is also only about $1,500 lower than the Ioniq Hybrid. In other words, the Plug-in Hybrid seems like a screaming bargain ... and if its siblings are any indication, it'll be a pretty appealing car, too. Other updates for the 2018 Ioniq lineup include paddle shifters added to the Hybrid (yay?), lane keeping assist added when lane departure warning is specified, and the availability of red paint for the Hybrid.

Hyundai Elantra Sport likely to get 201 hp, optional manual

The South Korean market often gives us a preview of what's coming soon from Hyundai and Kia in the US, usually with only the model name differing. That's what we thought when we saw the new Avante Sport being shown there, and Hyundai Motor America spokesman Jim Trainor confirms that it's basically what we should expect from the upcoming Elantra Sport. Hyundai previously confirmed the quicker sedan will arrive in the US by the end of the year. The Avante Sport uses the Veloster Turbo's 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, making the same 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque as it does in the funky hatch-coupe. Expect a choice between a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a six-speed manual to go with it. The sporty compact upgrades to a multi-link rear suspension, replacing the standard Elantra/Avante torsion-beam setup. South Korean customers can choose an optional Extreme package that includes upgraded stabilizer bars, different springs and shocks, and a rear spoiler. We're hoping the suspension upgrades will be standard on the Elantra Sport. Hyundai made some subtle visual tweaks to signal the Sport model's extra performance. Lower side sills, larger openings in the front fascia, and a rear diffuser with dual exhaust tips poking out get the speedy message across. Inside, the front seats get larger bolsters and there's a unique flat-bottom steering wheel. Carbon-fiber-esque trim completes the sporty look. Currently, the only Elantra available in the US uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder running on the Atkinson cycle that makes 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque. An Eco trim will join the lineup this spring with a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. With the Sport, Hyundai will have a family of models to appeal to a large portion of buyers in the segment. Related Video: