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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.

Hyundai Kona crossover factory grinds to a halt ahead of U.S. launch

SEOUL — Hyundai workers in South Korea have stopped building the Kona sport utility vehicle this week ahead of its U.S. launch at the L.A. Auto Show — a protest against what the automaker's labor union says are plans to trim assembly-line headcount. The union, which is also in annual talks with management over pay, warned that a wider strike was possible. Hyundai has been in discussions with its labor union since October on production plans for the Kona, a key model that it hopes will reverse a U.S. sales slump. The union contends that the automaker wants to introduce more automation and outsource more assembly of key sections to part makers — plans that it is vehemently opposed to. Hyundai management argues that the union is making "irrelevant demands" such as requests for extra windows in the factory as part of the production discussions. The automaker's decision to start production of the Kona on a new assembly line was made without consultation with the union and was unacceptable, union leader Ha Boo-young said in a statement, adding that a wider strike was possible "should there be another provocation by management." The move comes ahead of a planned unveiling of the U.S.-production version of the Kona at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday, with U.S. sales slated to begin early next year. The Kona is currently sold in South Korea, where it has proven to be a popular model, as well as Europe. The two days loss of production so far this week is equivalent to 1,230 vehicles, Hyundai said. Hyundai Motor President Yoon Kap-han said it was regrettable that the labor union was disrupting production for a high-demand model at a time when most of its plants were "suffering from the worst sales slowdown." Hyundai Motor's global sales fell 6 percent from January to September compared with the same period a year earlier, as a limited number of SUV models hurt sales in the U.S. market and a diplomatic row between Seoul and Beijing hurt sales in China. Reporting by Hyunjoo JinRelated Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Hyundai Kona: LA 2017 View 13 Photos Related Gallery 2018 Hyundai Kona View 20 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Plants/Manufacturing LA Auto Show Hyundai Crossover SUV 2017 LA Auto Show autoworkers

2020 Kia Telluride comparison: Specs and pricing versus other 3-row crossovers

The 2020 Kia Telluride is a three-row family crossover that slots into the top spot in Kia's SUV lineup. It does not replace the three-row Sorento — rather, this bigger, more luxurious model is intended for those who need even more space. And that they'll certainly get, because as you'll see below, the Telluride is one of the biggest crossovers on the market. In this comparison of engine specs, dimensions, pricing and photos, we'll take a look at the 2020 Telluride versus the Honda Pilot, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, the all-new 2020 Ford Explorer, and the Telluride's mechanically related cousin, the equally new 2020 Hyundai Palisade. Of course, those just represent one corner of an iceberg that also includes the Mazda CX-9, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Dodge Durango. Passenger space Like most other entries in the three-row segment, the Telluride offers seven- or eight-passenger capacity. The difference is determined by whether you get second-row captain's chairs. Judging by the Telluride's 55.3 inches of third-row shoulder room, it looks like it won't be quite as spacious with three kids across back there as it would be in the Pilot or Ascent. Two inches can make a big difference in this regard. Third-row legroom is very competitive, however, and if it's indeed just as spacious back there as the Pilot and Ascent, two full-sized adults should be able to fit quite comfortably. Its third-row headroom is also quite good, one of the areas in which the Telluride surpasses its otherwise comparably sized Palisade cousin. If you're wondering about second-row space, there's really nothing outstanding to glean from these specs. As expected for this segment, it's huge, with abundant leg- and headroom. There should be no problem fitting child seats. Cargo space The Telluride would seem to have class-leading space behind its raised third-row seat. If we were to guess, this is the result of its rather boxy tailgate and roofline design. This should also help explain why it has more maximum space than all but the Explorer. Space with the third row lowered is middle of the pack, but when you're talking about vehicles this size, the differences in cubic feet behind the second-row ultimately don't matter much. 2020 Kia Telluride View 46 Photos Performance and Fuel Economy The Kia Telluride has the same powertrain as the Hyundai Palisade, although their tuning and consequent driving experience may differ even if their specs are seemingly the same.