2010 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Awd V6 Automatic on 2040-cars

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Feds open investigation into recall of 1.7M Hyundais, Kias

US safety regulators have opened a formal investigation into the recall of nearly 1.7 million vehicles by Hyundai and affiliate Kia over engine defects, according to filings published Saturday. A South Korean whistleblower reported concerns last year to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which will probe the timeliness of three recalls carried out in the United States and whether they covered enough vehicles. Fines could be imposed on the automakers if the NHTSA determines the recalls were not conducted properly. The agency did not immediately comment on the probe. A Hyundai spokesman in Seoul the company "has conducted recalls in compliance with US regulations and procedure" and will "sincerely" cooperate with the investigation. 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. Kim Gwang-ho, then an engineer at Hyundai, flew to Washington in August 2016 to tell NHTSA the companies should have recalled more vehicles over the problem, citing an internal report. He also reported several alleged safety lapses to both U.S. and South Korean authorities. On March 31, Hyundai expanded its original U.S. recall to 572,000 Sonata and Santa Fe Sport vehicles with "Theta II" engines, citing the same issue involving manufacturing debris, the NHTSA said. On the same day, Kia also recalled 618,160 Optima, Sorento and Sportage vehicles which use the same engine. The recall, which was also conducted in Canada and South Korea, cost the duo 360 billion won ($322.40 million). "TIMELINESS AND SCOPE" According to the filings published Saturday, the agency opened a probe May 18 into "both the timeliness and scope" of the "Theta II" engine recalls and their "compliance with reporting requirements." In August 2014, Hyundai agreed to pay a $17.35 million fine to settle a NHTSA investigation it delayed the recall of 43,500 Genesis cars to fix a brake defect linked to two injuries. NHTSA said in 2014 Hyundai "must change the way they deal with safety-related defects." Hyundai vowed to make improvements to how it handled safety issues after the fine. In 2015, the company retained former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood as an adviser on safety issues.

Rally Argentina crash hospitalizes six spectators

This weekend's Rally Argentina ground to a halt when one of the competing vehicles struck a group of spectators. The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, when the Hyundai i20 WRC piloted by Hayden Paddon and John Kennard lifted over a crest, landed sideways, snapped to the left and hit several spectators who were gathered by the side of the rally stage to catch the action. Paddon and Kennard were left unharmed and their i20 made it back to the garage on it own, but six of the injured spectators were evacuated to nearby hospitals in Cordoba. Two were airlifted by helicopter and four were taken over road by ambulance. According to reports, one of the injured spectators has already been released, but another 25-year-old man remains in intensive care. The 14-mile state from Capilla del Monte to San Marcos was canceled in the wake of the incident. We wish all involved a speedy recovery.

2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Quick Spin Review | Now with actual 'velo'!

Hyundai finally seems to be figuring out driving dynamics. You know, suspensions that don't become flummoxed after hitting a mid-corner heave. Steering that does more than simply exist. A general driving experience that you may actually remember. Indeed, I'm going to remember the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo, the latest Hyundai group car to demonstrate newfound dynamic talents. Fully redesigned, it picks up its predecessor's funky mantle, bringing over its unique three-door count and unusual hatchback rear, but actually satisfies the "velo" bit of its name. The old car was a dud, this one is not. Well, at least in Turbo guise, as no amount of chassis improvements can make the base 147-horsepower version go anywhere with immediacy. The Turbo packs Hyundai's 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. That's pretty much equal to the Honda Civic Si Coupe, as is its curb weight of 2,899 pounds. Though it doesn't sing the same melodically mechanical song as the Honda's, the Veloster's turbo four-cylinder nevertheless delivers a satisfying punch. It responds and feels like it belongs in a vehicle with sporting intentions. On a mountain road, the new Veloster is capable, poised and legitimately fun. When completing my local mountain road evaluation route, I was compelled to turn around and run it again — the usual indication of a dynamic job well-done. This handling boon also doesn't come at the expense of ride quality. Sure, it's on the firm side, but it's also not crashy or tiresome relative other sporty compact cars. I'd be curious to try it with the Veloster Turbo R-Spec's manual transmission, though, as the regular Turbo's seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual lacks the precision and smarts of VW's DSG and other such transmissions. In Smart or Sport mode, it's not quick enough to respond to throttle or braking inputs, let alone anticipate the need for them. In manual mode, the engine oddly hangs onto revs when upshifting. The tachometer drops down to a lower rev count, but the engine continues to sing for a split-second. It's unusual. Though this transmission performed well enough in a compact crossover like the Kona, a wannabe hot hatch like the Veloster might be asking too much. That, however, is not why the Veloster ultimately left me cold. While it excels on a mountain road, it is merely OK everywhere else. It just isn't alive and involving enough to make mundane drives a joy — much as a Civic Si or VW GTI can.