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2018 Hyundai Kona SEL 2.0-liter Quick Spin Review | Slow down and save money

The 2018 Hyundai Kona has certainly impressed us, at least in its turbocharged, all-wheel-drive form. It makes healthy power — 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque — to hustle around town and up on-ramps. It also has a playful chassis and suspension that provide responsive handling with minimal body roll. But Hyundai also offers the Kona with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder making just 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. And no matter what engine you choose, if you pick a front-wheel-drive Kona it'll be saddled with a primitive torsion-beam rear axle instead of the AWD's independent multi-link setup. All of this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but as it turns out, the 2.0-liter Kona is mostly as good as its force-fed iteration, just slower and cheaper. Just like the turbo Kona, the naturally aspirated models feature the same distinct styling. It's not for everyone (though this editor quite likes it), but you'll never mistake it for anything else. No other compact crossover fits so many creases, angles, gills and materials onto one vehicle. The naturally aspirated models, SE and SEL, do have smaller alloy wheels than the turbo versions, but the alloy wheels are a standard feature regardless. Inside, the interior is nearly identical as well, using the same plastics and most of the same colors. You will have to make do with cloth seats, but that's OK in our book because the houndstooth upholstery is way cooler than the plain black leather seats of the Limited and Ultimate turbo models. Ride and handling are also nearly identical to the turbo all-wheel-drive Kona. The ride is on the stiff end of compliant, the steering is quick, and turn-in is eager, even though feel is lacking. There isn't much body roll, and you can carry a decent amount of speed in corners. Admittedly, the Turbo feels more planted and confident in corners thanks to its rear multi-link suspension, but the non-turbo doesn't feel unsettled on a bumpy, curvy road. There's just no getting around the fact that it's noticeably slower than the turbo Kona. Whereas the turbo engine will whisk you away fairly effortlessly on a wave of low-down torque, the naturally aspirated engine will be buzzing away at high RPM to get you moving. While we're thankful that the engine itself has a reasonably deep note and is fairly smooth, when you ask for some oomph it gets pretty loud. Passing vehicles and running up on-ramps can be a bit grating.

Hyundai-Kia dealer offers $180k in gift cards to local residents

In many smaller communities, auto dealers are often major players in the local business and political world, and they interact with large portions of the population. Now, Grand West Hyundai and Grand West Kia in Grand Junction, CO, are putting their marketing dollars to work in a way to help the local economy, while also potentially generating some sales at the same time. Over the next six months, the dealers are contacting about 8,000 previous customers and offering them a gift card worth at least $50 to over 100 of the city's shops and restaurants (pictured above), according to Automotive News. All people need to do to receive the certificate is stop by the showrooms. Hopefully, the visitors would check out a new Hyundai or Kia at the same time. "We'd love to sell them a new car, but it is really a customer-appreciation gesture," said Ken Reeher, the dealers' marketing manager, to Automotive News. The two stores already bought about 3,600 cards with $181,000 going into the local economy. Paying people to come to the showroom isn't really new but generally works well. The Colorado dealers expect around half of the people they contact to visit for the gift card, which is still significantly more foot traffic than from traditional mailings. The decision to keep the cards local also means more money goes to small businesses, and the move gains goodwill in the community, too. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Aaron Hoffman Marketing/Advertising Hyundai Kia Car Buying Car Dealers colorado

Teacher gets free car for his role stopping Indiana school shooting

Jason Seaman, the seventh-grade science teacher who was shot three times but was credited for helping avert a worse tragedy in a school shooting last month in Indiana is the recipient of a new 2018 Hyundai Elantra, courtesy of a local dealership. The Ed Napoleon Automotive Group is also donating money to the 13-year-old girl who was shot seven times in the May 25 shooting, saying it plans to donate $25 for every car sold between Memorial Day and Father's Day at its four Indianapolis-area dealerships to Ella Whistler's medical expenses and therapy. "As I read more and more about Jason, I heard him say he didn't think what he did was that heroic because it was the only acceptable action to take," Brian Napoleon, director of Midwest operations at the dealer group, told TV station Fox 59. "In my mind that way of thinking is what makes him a hero to me." The shooting took place on May 25 at a middle school in Noblesville, Ind., when a student asked for permission to leave the classroom and then returned armed with two handguns and opened fire. Students in the classroom said Seaman, a 29-year-old seventh-grade science teacher, tackled the boy to the ground and yelled for students to call 911. Whistler remains hospitalized in stable condition and reportedly faces a long recovery. Seaman underwent surgery after being shot through the abdomen, in the hip and forearm but was released the next day. Seaman was in court earlier this week to attend the hearing for the accused shooter, one of his students, whose name is not being released because he is not being charged as an adult. The boy, who is 13, faces 11 charges. "People just want to say thank you and be nice," Seaman told the Indianapolis Star. "I don't like the attention. It's not that I'm not receptive to it. I'd rather be the guy who just moves around and nobody notices. But it's just people being nice, so I think I can be OK with that." He said he's visited Whistler in the hospital every week since the shooting. Several other organizations are organizing fundraisers to assist in her recovery. Related Video: Image Credit: Fox59 Auto News Hyundai Sedan shooting