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2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco nets 38 mpg from 1.6L turbo, 7-speed DCT

The wholly renewed 2015 Hyundai Sonata is on the verge of launching here in the United States, but it appears there's a bit more to the story first told at the New York Auto Show earlier this year. Hyundai has just revealed the first images and details of the Sonata Eco, a new entry in its midsize sedan lineup that combines a small, turbocharged engine and dual-clutch transmission to achieve an estimated 28 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg highway.
That new powertrain is Hyundai's 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four, rated at 177 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. That power is sent through a new, seven-speed dual-clutch 'box - the first gearbox of its type in the segment. Hyundai points out that the Sonata Eco's 32 mpg combined rating offers a 10 percent improvement over the 2015 Sonata SE with its 2.4-liter naturally aspirated inline-four.
38 mpg highway is pretty impressive, especially considering rivals like Toyota's electrified Camry Hybrid musters up only one better, with 39 mpg on the highway (though its 43 mpg city fuel economy is, obviously, much better). And while Hyundai still has not detailed news about a next-generation Sonata Hybrid, we've heard the company is still committed to offering one.

Hyundai sticks to EV rollout plans, sees solid growth this year

SEOUL — Hyundai Motor said on Thursday it would not delay plans to roll out new electric vehicles and was upbeat about prospects for continued growth this year — a contrast to recent steps by rivals to cut back on EV output. Electric vehicle sales are growing strongly but not as much as carmakers had forecast, with demand hit by high interest rates. "We do not plan to dramatically reduce EV production or our line-up due to likely near-term hurdles as we believe EV sales will grow longer term," Seo Gang Hyun, an executive vice president at the South Korean automaker, told an earnings briefing for analysts. The Hyundai Motor Group, which encompasses the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, said in April it plans to launch 31 EVs by 2030. This includes the launch of the Ioniq 7 SUV next year. Seo said Hyundai's EV sales next year could be slightly lower than previously expected, but the automaker had the production flexibility to boost output of gasoline engine cars if demand shifted that way and he did not expect a significant impact on overall sales. When asked about the impact on Hyundai Motor of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union reaching a tentative labour deal with Ford, Seo said the company expects the deal will have an impact on wage increases at its U.S. factories, but such costs could be covered as the automaker has been putting effort into reducing costs, such as in logistics. Hyundai Motor, which is not a member of the UAW, operates an assembly plant in Alabama and is building a factory to produce EVs in Georgia. For the third quarter, Hyundai booked a net profit of 3.2 trillion won ($2.4 billion), more than double its year-earlier result and beating an LSEG SmartEstimate of 2.9 trillion won, with the automaker helped by a favourable exchange rate. Sales also increased, climbing 8.7% to 41 trillion won on solid demand for high-margin gasoline SUVs. Sales of EVs and hybrids also grew, up by a third to 169,000 units. This month has seen a flurry of downbeat EV announcements. Citing flattening demand for EVs, GM said it would delay production by a year of Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra electric pickup trucks at a plant in Michigan. Ford is temporarily cutting one of three shifts at the plant that builds its electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck. Tesla is also slowing plans for a Mexico factory, while GM and Honda announced on Wednesday that they were ending a $5 billion plan to develop lower-cost EVs together.

Hyundai i30 comes to America as the 2018 Elantra GT

At last year's Paris Auto Show, Hyundai revealed its clean and classy i30 hatchback, with the promise that it would arrive in the US as the Elantra GT. The company has fulfilled that promise and then some, bringing us the same attractive hatch, but with even more power. Visually and structurally, the car is pretty much identical. The lines aren't fussy, and the look is more upright than its predecessor. The interior is reasonably attractive, but we wish the infotainment display was better integrated with the dash like the Elantra sedan's dash. View 52 Photos The big differences are under the hood. The European i30 features an array of gas and diesel engines, and the most potent of which produced only about 140 horsepower. In the United States, the least powerful Elantra GT is the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-4 that makes 162 horsepower. And if that's not enough, a Sport version will be offered with Hyundai's 201-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter. The Elantra GT Sport, like its sedan counterpart, also picks up a few other improvements. It trades in the standard hatch's torsion bar rear suspension for a multi-link set-up. It also moves up to 18-inch alloy wheels, instead of the standard 17-inch alloys, and larger front and rear disc brakes. The interior gets some sportier accoutrements, too. View 6 Photos All Elantra GTs will be available with a number of premium options, including leather, dual-zone climate control, cruise control with start and stop functionality, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping assist. You'll also be able to use Hyundai's Blue Link Alexa feature. Interested buyers will be able to check out an Elantra GT at dealer lots this summer, but Hyundai has not yet released pricing. Related Video: Related Gallery 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT | 2017 Chicago Auto Show View 9 Photos Image Credit: Hyundai Chicago Auto Show Hyundai Hatchback Economy Cars