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Hyundai finally settles inflated fuel economy claims lawsuit for $41.2 million

Remember when Hyundai and Kia changed their claimed fuel economy numbers for a bunch of models? That happened back in 2012, and Hyundai has finally settled a lawsuit concerning the economy adjustment with a payment of $41.2 million. The lawsuit was filed by 33 state attorneys general, as well as one from Washington D.C. Each state will decide how to use its money from the settlement. According to Hyundai, this settlement was an "amicable agreement," and the company also denies any wrongdoing in changing claimed fuel economy numbers. Hyundai also reports that the agreement was reached, in part, due to the reimbursement program instituted after the economy adjustment. This program allows owners to be reimbursed the extra fuel cost, with payments determined by miles driven. The payments are sent after an owner has an affected car's odometer checked by a dealer. In addition, Hyundai also offered lump-sum payments as an option after the results of a class-action lawsuit. So far, the company reports about 75 percent of eligible owners have participated in the program. This isn't the only major payment Hyundai has made concerning the fuel economy issue. In 2014, Hyundai paid roughly $300 million in fines to the EPA. The company was also sued for inflated fuel economy claims in South Korea. In the US, models affected by the adjustment include the Hyundai Santa Fe, Accent, Veloster, Sonata Hybrid, Tucson, Genesis and Azera, along with the Kia Soul, Rio, Sorento, Sportage and Optima. Related Video: Image Credit: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Government/Legal Green Hyundai Kia

Kia Sorento spotted high-altitude testing after 'Ring run

Some models stick around the market longer than others. The Kia Sorento, for example, lasted for a good eight years in its first iteration, and the second-generation model has been around for five years now. Sure, it had a facelift a couple of years ago, but if it's going to make it in the highly competitive midsize crossover market, Kia is going to have to do better than that.
And that appears to be just what it has in store. Following the previous spy shots we brought you from the Nürburgring the better part of a year ago, the next-generation Sorento has now been spotted shlepping a trailer up a mountain.
Expected to debut as soon as the Paris Motor Show in October, the third-generation Kia Sorento appears to have grown longer in order to better accommodate third-row passengers. You can also expect the latest technologies on board and maybe, just maybe, a plug-in hybrid powertain option. Watch this space for more and scope out the spy shots in the gallery above for a closer look.

Kia Proceed wagon teased, could be sign of things to come for other Kias

One of our favorite cars from the Frankfurt Motor Show last year was the Kia Proceed concept (shown below). It was a rakish, sleek wagon that looked a bit like a smaller, more practically-minded Kia Stinger GT. One of the key questions, though, was whether a production version could look as good, as well as when that production version would arrive. To partially answer those questions, Kia has released a teaser image of the final product. The teaser shows us the rear of the car, and it does hint that this wagon will have a low roofline and an almost fastback rear hatch. This is evident by the small glass opening relative to the rest of the car. There are of course compromises for production. It doesn't look like the rearward side glass wraps around to the hatch glass, and the spoiler is reshaped. The taillights aren't just a single wide bar, either. Now they take a shape closer to that of the Kia Sportage or Stinger. We do like the looks of the wide haunches at the base of the glass, though. Between that and the low roof, this should be a very stylish hatch. The subtle high-mount brake light is a slick touch, too. Kia also announced that the car will be revealed in September and also be shown at the Paris Motor Show in October. We're excited to see the final product. We're less excited about the fact we probably won't get the car in the U.S. The Ceed line of cars has historically been European, and since wagons still aren't popular here, there's not much hope for this to have an American rendition. Stranger things have happened, of course. Hyundai has continued to sell the American Elantra sedan alongside the European i30 under the Elantra GT name. Kia could possibly do something similar. At the very least, there's a good chance that the Proceed's design will influence other Kia models, possibly even some of its crossovers, so that's a plus. View 5 Photos Related Video: