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Hyundai And Kia Penalized $350 Million For Overstated MPG Claims

Nearly two years after Hyundai and Kia announced they exaggerated fuel economy numbers for several of their most popular models, the two Korean automakers have paid a heavy penalty for the transgressions. The Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement Monday that will cost the two car companies approximately $350 million. The financial sum includes a $100 million fine, the largest ever levied under the Clean Air Act, and about $200 million in forfeited greenhouse-gas emissions credits. At a time when car buyers rank fuel economy as a top concern when they head to dealerships and the federal government has mandated increased efficiency, Attorney General Eric Holder said the settlement should serve as a warning to automakers not to fudge their numbers. "This will send a strong message that cheating is not profitable," he said. The settlement ends a federal lawsuit filed against the automakers in U.S. District Court, but it's important to note that it doesn't end a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of consumers. A preliminary settlement in that case, based in Los Angeles, was approved last month, but final approval isn't expected until July 2015. Officials with the EPA said the $100 million figure roughly equals the economic benefits the two companies received from exaggerating the mileage claims on the window stickers of new cars. Fuel-efficient boasts helped Hyundai and Kia establish a strong foothold in the U.S. marketplace. Advertisements for the Hyundai Elantra stated the vehicle achieved 40 miles per gallon in highway driving, and helped the car win the prestigious North American Car Of The Year honors at the Detroit Auto Show for its 2012 model. In July 2011, the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog began receiving complaints from consumers that the Elantra and other Hyundai models fell short of their stated mileage claims in real-world driving. The group wrote to the EPA and Hyundai, asking both to investigate. Government officials said Kia had overstated the mileage on its popular Kia Soul crossover by 6 miles per gallon, and more than a dozen overall models were affected. On Monday, EPA administrator Gina McCarthy said the violations were "egregious." Based on the exaggerations, the EPA calculated that Hyundai and Kia had underreported the greenhouse gas emissions of their fleets by about 4.75 metric tons over the estimated lifetime of the vehicles. That figure aided in the $200 million credit forfeiture.

2021 Kia Telluride Nightfall Edition is a stealthy appearance package

The Kia Telluride has made quite the splash here in the U.S. The stylish, versatile and well-equipped crossover won the hearts of much of the Autoblog staff, as well as those of buyers. Now, going into its second model year, the 2021 Telluride gets a broody appearance package full of black elements with the Nightfall Edition. The Nightfall Edition will be available on the EX AWD trim equipped with the premium package, as well as the SX AWD and SX Prestige package. Unique to Nightfall is a new, black radiator grille design and 20-inch black wheels with black lug nuts and center caps. Rounding out the look are roof rails, window trim, lower door side molding, skid plates, front bumper side air duct accents and exterior emblems all in gloss black. The Kia logos get a unique dark finish. The SX models’ LED headlights and fog lights get black inner bezels. They also get body-color door handles, which are already standard on the EX. 2021 Kia Telluride Nightfall Edition View 20 Photos The Nightfall package is available on a number of different paint colors, but thereÂ’s now a new Wolf Gray thatÂ’s exclusive to the Nightfall Edition. We donÂ’t yet have pricing details for the 2021 Telluride Nightfall Edition, but weÂ’ve reached out to Kia, and will update the post when we have those figures. It will be available at dealerships “in the second half of the year,” Kia says. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.    

2021 Kia Stinger facelift caught in the wild in new spy photos [Updated]

(The gallery has been updated to include fresh photos of the 2021 Kia Stinger prototype testing on the Nurburgring.) The 2021 Kia Stinger was caught testing on the roads of Germany this week sporting heavy camouflage to disguise the changes coming in its mid-cycle update.  This prototype is wearing extensive exterior and interior disguise, hinting that both will receive significant updates as part of the 2021 facelift. We can't see much under all of this vinyl and cloth cladding, but the fact that updates are coming at all should be taken as a good sign for Kia's beleaguered rear-wheel drive sedan.  Despite rumors swirling that the large touring fastback is destined to get the axe, stories have leaked suggesting that the 2021 model will get some power upgrades to go with its styling and interior changes. Most have ruled out the possibility of new engines, but the existing turbocharged 2.0-liter and 3.3-liter mills are expected to be tuned for a little more punch.  This will be unwelcome news to those still holding out hope that the 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 from the new Genesis G80 sedan, which delivers 380 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque, would make its way under the hood of the Stinger GT. And if you figured the new, 300-horsepower, 2.5-liter turbo-four making its way under the hood of several forthcoming Hyundai and Genesis models would be a shoe-in too, well, the prospects for that seem similarly bleak.  If there's any hope for enthusiasts, it lies in the fact that Hyundai and Kia have shown a stubborn dedication to maintaining production and U.S. distribution of slow-selling halo models such as the Kia K900, which has been a slow seller since its introduction.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Stinger Goes West Road Trip | Driving the Kia Stinger GT from Colorado to Oregon