2010 Hyundai Accent Gl Hatchback 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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2019 Hyundai Kona Electric gets 250-mile range rating in the U.S.

Let's get the most salient details out of the way: The Hyundai Kona Electric will show up in California in the fourth quarter of 2018, and other "ZEV-focused states" will soon follow. We'd expect to see the Kona EV in dealerships along the East and West Coasts and in New England in early 2019. It'll have an estimated range of 250 miles from its 64 kWh lithium ion battery pack. Its electric motor sends 201 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. Other markets get a lower-cost, entry-level model with less power and range, but the U.S. will only get this lone range-topping version. View 15 Photos Those specs put the U.S. Kona EV squarely into the thick of the burgeoning electric vehicle market, where it will compete with cars like the Chevy Bolt EV (238-mile range) and Tesla Model 3 (up to 220-mile range). The Nissan Leaf has a much lower 151-mile range. The Kona EV can be fully charged at Level 2 in in a little less than 10 hours. DC fast charging capability is standard on the Kona, and it can go from zero to an 80 percent charge in less than an hour. Cargo capacity stands at 19.2 cubic-feet, which is identical to the gas-powered Kona. The EV also benefits from a standard multi-link rear suspension setup in place of the standard gas-powered, front-wheel-drive model's low-tech torsion beam system. Normal, Eco, and Sport drive modes alter the steering feel and powertrain programming to either emphasize acceleration and performance or maximize range. Hyundai didn't make sweeping changes to the look of the standard Kona in its conversion into an electric vehicle. The helmet-shaped grille of the standard car gives way to a more aerodynamically efficient design with lightly debossed slashes and dashes. The door covering the charging port is also housed in the grille. Split lighting units remain front and rear, and thick plastic cladding lends a utilitarian look to the lifted hatchback profile. It doesn't scream 'electric vehicle' like the Toyota Prius or Hyundai's own Ionic, but differs sufficiently from the gas-powered Kona to make it easy to spot on the road. The rest of the Kona EV package is well-sorted for daily driving duties. A full suite of active and passive safety systems come standard as part of the Hyundai Smart Sense package, including forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, blind-spot warning, and lane-keeping assist.

Is this the new Hyundai Elantra?

Hyundai's future models have a tendency to leak out of the South Korean market before they are shown elsewhere, and that appears to be the case with the next-gen Elantra. According to Indian Autos Blog, the official unveiling isn't scheduled in South Korea until April, but at least one shot of the upcoming sedan is online a few weeks early. Based on this single photo of the front of the car, Hyundai's designers are vastly altering the Elantra's styling for its latest generation, moving it closer to the current Sonata. The grille receives the wide, trapezoidal shape from the latest members of the brand's lineup, and the headlights wear a more angular look, as well. This image also barely shows an arching crease running up the side through the door handles. According to Indian Autos Blog, the powertrain range for the future Elantra might include the new 1.6-liter turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder from the recently unveiled Tucson. In European trim, the engine makes 174 horsepower and is paired with either a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or a six-speed manual. If you're wondering why it's worth caring about a Korean-market Hyundai, it's because the automaker often only lightly tweaks designs (if at all) before bringing them to the US. So, this is quite likely an accurate preview of the next-gen Elantra in North America, as well.

US expands probe into ZF-TRW airbag failure-to-deploy to 12.3 million vehicles

DETROIT — U.S. auto safety regulators have expanded an investigation into malfunctioning airbag controls to include 12.3 million vehicles because the bags may not inflate in a crash. The problem could be responsible for as many as eight deaths. Vehicles made by Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Fiat Chrysler from the 2010 through 2019 model years are included in the probe, which was revealed Tuesday in documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It involves airbag control units made by ZF-TRW that were installed in the vehicles. The control units can fail in a crash, possibly because of unwanted electrical signals produced by the crash itself that can disable an air bag control circuit housed in the passenger compartment, according to NHTSA documents. The electrical signals can damage the control circuit, the documents say. ZF, a German auto parts maker which acquired TRW Automotive in 2015, said in a statement that it's committed to safety and is cooperating with NHTSA and automakers in the investigation. The case is another in a long list of problems with auto industry airbags, including faulty and potentially deadly Takata airbag inflators. At least 24 people have been killed worldwide and more than 200 injured by the inflators, which can explode with too much force and hurl dangerous shrapnel into the passenger cabin. The inflators touched off the largest series of automotive recalls in U.S. history involving with as many as 70 million inflators to be recalled by the end of next year. About 100 million inflators are to be recalled worldwide. On April 19, NHTSA upgraded the ZF-TRW probe from a preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, which is a step closer toward seeking recalls. So far, only Hyundai and Kia and Fiat Chrysler have issued recalls in the case. Four deaths that may have been caused by the problem were reported in Hyundai-Kia vehicles and three in Fiat Chrysler automobiles. NHTSA opened an investigation in March of 2017 involving the TRW parts in Hyundais and Kias. The upgrade came after investigators found two recent serious crashes involving 2018 and 2019 Toyota Corollas in which the airbags did not inflate. One person was killed. Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer group, said the ZF-TRW case shows the auto industry thus far has learned very little from Takata.