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2019 Hyundai Santa Fe diesel engine cancelled before it arrives

When the totally redone 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe was revealed in February, we were told a 2.2-liter turbocharged diesel engine would be an option for the crossover. Now, a company spokesperson told Green Car Reports that Hyundai is canning the diesel for the U.S. market. In addition to that, the diesel was going to be the only Santa Fe with three rows. Since the diesel is done with, the third row is toast as well. With gas prices so low compared to diesel, we imagine consumers won't be clamoring for an oil burner crossover. Given this, the choice makes sense for this exact moment in time. Hyundai isn't exactly in dire need of a three-row vehicle anymore either, after the reveal of its giant Palisade SUV we just drove. In case you wanted to know what you could never have, the Santa Fe's diesel engine is slated to make 190 horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque. Now you'll be limited to either the 185-hp 2.4-liter or 235-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter. The best fuel economy you'll get in a Santa Fe is 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway in the 2.4-liter. This promise, then retraction of a diesel in a crossover is reminiscent of Mazda's attempt to bring its diesel engine to the United States in the CX-5. Then Volkswagen Dieselgate hit us, and Mazda learned why it couldn't make its diesel competitive. Perhaps Hyundai isn't willing to test the trust of U.S. car buyers with a diesel engine quite yet. That being said, GM, Jeep, Jaguar and Land Rover sell SUVs with diesel engines here. Related video:

Hyundai outlines EV strategy as it struggles with cost of engine defects

SEOUL — South Korea's Hyundai Motor pledged to boost sales of electric vehicles to over half a million by 2025 as part of a bid to focus on new technologies and catch up with rivals, but some analysts saw the target as conservative and warned of the costs. The announcement by Hyundai, the world's fifth largest car maker along with affiliate Kia Motors, underscores the accelerating strategy shift under Euisun Chung, who became the motor group's executive vice chairman last year. Hyundai announced a $35 billion investment last week in mobility and other auto technologies by 2025, less than a month after unveiling a $1.6 billion deal to develop self-driving vehicle technologies with Aptiv. The firm said on Thursday it plans to launch 16 EV models by 2025 to boost sales of such vehicles 17-fold to 560,000 by that year. Still, that would be equivalent to just over 10% of its projected global sales this year. The projection compares with more bullish forecasts offered by its bigger rivals. Volkswagen AG expects to make 22 million EVs over the next decade, while General Motors aims to sell 1 million EVs annually by 2026. "That is not an ambitious target. If Hyundai fails to boost volumes fast enough, costs of electric cars will weigh on profitability," Lee Jae-il, an analyst at Eugene Securities & Investment. Hyundai said that the EV market would face intensifying competition and oversupply soon and automakers failing to meet toughening European emissions regulations will face heavy penalties and suffer a serious blow to their reputation. "EV supply is expected to surpass demand from the second half of next year," Ka Suk-hyun, vice president of Hyundai Motor, told an earnings conference call. Quality issues Hyundai's third-quarter net profit rose 59% to 427 billion won ($365 million), well below the average 684 billion profit estimate of analysts based on Refinitiv data, due to 600 billion won provisions it earmarked to address potential engine defects in the United States and South Korea. Quality issues have been a major drag in Hyundai's attempt to steer a recovery from six consecutive annual profit declines and constrained its financial firepower to invest in future technologies. It is still under investigation by U.S regulators and prosecutors over potential faulty engines in some models. Total retail sales fell 3% in the third quarter, as higher U.S.

John Krafcik eyes Sonata, talks about his new role

As hundreds of people gathered to watch the unveiling of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata at the New York Auto Show on Wednesday, John Krafcik, a driving force behind the new vehicle, found himself in a peculiar position.
He stood far away from the car, away from the crowd. He watched from the Nissan stand as the covers were pulled off the Sonata.
If it was an awkward moment for Krafcik, whose tenure as Hyundai's chief executive officer ended on January 1, he didn't show it. He offered effusive praise of the Sonata. "It's a beautiful car," he said. "I think it's wonderful."