2004 Hyundai Sonata Lx on 2040-cars

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10 automakers sued over keyless ignitions

Keyless ignition has rapidly proliferated throughout the auto industry to become a fairly normal feature on new cars. It's supposed to offer the convenience of keeping the fob in your pocket and just pressing a button to drive away. However, ten major automakers are now being sued in US District Court over claims that the system is dangerous, Reuters reports. The suit alleges that people are forgetting to shut off the engine, and the lack of an idle timer is the cause for 13 deaths by carbon monoxide poisoning and multiple injuries. The suit currently includes 28 plaintiffs, according to Reuters, but the lawyers are asking for class-action status to potentially add many more. The case goes after a major swath of the industry, including BMW, Daimler, FCA, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen, plus their related brands like Acura, Infiniti, Mini, and Lexus. In all, over five million vehicles are affected. The assertion here is that people walk away from their vehicle without shutting it off because they believe the engine shuts off automatically. If parked in a garage, carbon monoxide can build up, leading to poisoning. The lawyers claim automakers know this is a problem and also cite 27 complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the issue, according to Reuters. The plaintiffs are asking for an automatic shut-off and damages from the companies. These concerns have come up before, though. Toyota previously faced a lawsuit over a carbon monoxide death after a woman accidentally left her Lexus running. Also earlier this year, GM recalled 64,186 examples of the 2011-2013 Chevrolet Volt because owners weren't shutting them off. The problem resulted in two injuries, and the company released a software update to limit the idling time.

Hyundai in trouble for overstating fuel economy numbers at home, too

Hyundai is, understandably, "very confused by the fine and the different results."
The South Korean government is investigating Hyundai and Ssangyong, alleging that the two manufacturers overstated the fuel economy figures on some of their crossovers. But while the initial investigation is being carried out by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, a separate branch of government, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is supporting the manufacturers' estimates. See Americans, our government isn't the only dysfunctional one.

Hyundai reveals new i20 hatchback ahead of Paris debut

If you had ever traveled overseas and rented a Hyundai Getz, you'll likely have gotten why it was the butt of jokes: it Getz you from A to B, but not much more. But like the company that makes it, the Korean supermini is all grown up now, long since eschewing the punchline nameplate for the i20 moniker. And here is its latest successor.
Set to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this fall, the new i20 is Hyundai's rival to the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris and such. Designed in Europe for the European market, the new i20 stretches its wheelbase nearly two inches longer than its predecessor (and four and a half inches longer than the knees-in-your-chest Getz) to offer best-in-class legroom and cargo capacity.
Hyundai also says the new i20 is the first in its segment to offer an opening panoramic sunroof. While we wouldn't exactly call the styling "exciting" (especially in that shade of brown), penned at the company's European design center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, it certainly does look more mature... which, we take it, is kinda the point.