2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2014 Hyundai Elantra revealed in Korean spec

As is usually the case with most Hyundai models, we're getting a sneak peek into the future by way of the company's Korean market lineup. Hyundai released images of the 2014 Avante on its home-market Facebook page, showing us what the updated 2014 Elantra will look like when it arrives this fall.
With the fifth-gen Elantra just three years old at this point, all of the changes will be relatively minor. Judging by the pictures of the Avante, updates to the exterior include new front and rear fascias, new headlights with LED running lights, LED taillights and new wheel options. The interior also gets some visual changes, mainly to the buttons and controls. Hyundai is also adding more comfort inside its compact sedan by adding a ventilated driver's seat, heated steering wheel and rear HVAC vents.

Hyundai N Performance division working on 'exotic' halo model like the RM16

This is the year of Hyundai N Performance. After three official launches, the division's leadership has made imprecise noises about a halo car since this summer. Brand boss Albert Biermann said, "Right now, we don't need a halo car in N. We have to get in a routine with N cars, and not just hit a peak." Around the same time, VP Thomas Schmera said, "Rest assured we are coming up with something," that something being a halo car. Reports expected either a two-seat coupe or a four-door sedan like the Kia Stinger. In a recent interview with AutoRAI, Schmera narrowed the focus, saying, "Think of the Hyundai RM16 and you have a bit of an idea of what is possible." The RM16 is the third iteration of the mid-engined Veloster RM first showed at the Busan Motor Show in 2014. In 2015 the RM15 debuted at the same motor show, followed in 2016 by the RM16. By then, the performance specs listed a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 296 horsepower, an electric compressor and electronic differential, rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual. The bodywork, draped on an aluminum spaceframe, channeled the spirits of other outrageous mid-engined hatchbacks like the Renault 5 Turbo, Renault Clio V6 Renault Sport, and Lancia Delta S4. Four months after showing the RM16, Hyundai took a running prototype to the Nurburgring (pictured). Earlier this year we heard tale of a new Theta III engine suited for front- and rear-wheel drive, and mid-engined applications. With the ability to be tuned to 350 hp, this led to suspicion that there could be a mid-engined Hyundai sports car on the way. The evidence is circumstantial, but now we have Schmera telling us to consider a long-lived mid-engined concept as the potential template for a future N Performance halo car. The idea of Hyundai rolling out a mid-engined coupe sounds crazy. It sounds doubly crazy when Biermann has said of the i30 N, "This is a halo car that can make [the company] money, so what better halo can we get?" Hyundai knows its math better than we do, but we don't see how the carmaker makes money in a segment ruled by the Porsche 718 twins under $100K, and by a number of storied brands above that figure.

10 of 18 midsize SUVs earn 'good' IIHS side impact safety rating

It's not terribly surprising that midsize SUVs earned better safety ratings than small SUVs in the latest side-impact tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Just how much better they scored, on the other hand, certainly raises an eyebrow. Ten out of 18 midsize SUVs earned the highest rating of 'good' in the stringent new test, altered for vehicles starting with the 2020 model year with a heavier barrier (4,200 pounds) that moves at a higher speed (37 miles per hour) and is fitted with a hard honeycomb frontal structure. By way of contrast, just one out of of 20 small SUVs earned a 'good' score.  SUVs that receiving 'good' scores were the Ford Explorer, Infiniti QX60, Lincoln Aviator, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, Volkswagen Atlas, Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and Volkswagen ID.4. For EV fans, it's worth noting the ID.4 was the only electric vehicle included in the test. The Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse scraped away with 'acceptable' ratings while the Honda Passport, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Wrangler 4-door, Kia Telluride and Nissan Murano were deemed merely 'marginal' in the tough new test. Only two models — the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen ID.4 — earned a "Good" rating in every test category.  Interestingly, the Jeep Wrangler would have scored a 'good' rating if it were equipped with side airbags for the rear seating positions. It would likely be an engineering challenge to equip its removable top and/or doors with airbags, but the lack of that safety feature allowed the head of the rear passenger dummy to hit the vertical support of the top. Otherwise, the Wrangler scored good ratings across the board. The new Ford Bronco, which makes more allowances for side-impact safety, has not yet been tested.  The popular Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride SUVs stand out in the test with 'poor' ratings for driver pelvis injuries. The Nissan Murano, a vehicle last redesigned for the 2015 model year, was the only vehicle tested that received a 'poor' rating for its structure and safety cage. Videos of the tests of 12 of these 18 SUVs can be found on the IIHS' YouTube page. Related video: Green Buick Chevrolet Ford Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jeep Kia Mazda Nissan Subaru Toyota Volkswagen Safety Crossover SUV IIHS Insurance Institute for Highway Safety