2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

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Hyundai previews new Creta crossover in first design sketch

It was barely a week ago that Hyundai announced the name of its upcoming subcompact crossover, the Creta. And now the Korean automaker has released the first sketch. The design bears obvious links to the larger Santa Fe (which was just unveiled in facelifted form) and the new Tucson (unveiled in Geneva), particularly at the front end with its angular eyes and trapezoidal grille. Hyundai promises "a bold front, voluminous side, [and] sporty rear," with a hidden A-pillar and an overall "premium look." Called the Creta, the new small crossover is set to take on the likes of the Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-3, Jeep Renegade, and others in an increasingly vital, growing, and competitive segment. HYUNDAI MOTOR UNVEILS FIRST RENDERING OF CRETA SUB-COMPACT SUV Hyundai Motor Company today unveiled its first rendering of the upcoming Creta, sub-compact SUV. The design of Creta follows a premium look, based on Hyundai Motor's evolved design philosophy. Harmony between a bold front, voluminous side, sporty rear and other details complete the premium sub-compact SUV design. Creta with its bold and glamorous looks feature singular hexagonal radiator grille, sleek profile and a stable stance. The hidden A-pillar was applied to grant a unique and dynamic image, hinting at an open and airy cabin. Related Video:

BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.

Hyundai Veloster N reveals menacing grille, big wing

Once again, the Hyundai Veloster N has been spotted at the 'Ring. This time, though, the car was sporting considerably less camouflage, giving us our best look yet at the first N car for the United States. The first thing most people will notice is that the top-spec Veloster will feature a massive black grille, just as the outgoing Veloster Turbo had. It does differ from the old one in that the far corners have been brought up higher and squared off to bring it inline with the new "cascade" corporate grille. The greenhouse is more visible now, too. And like the grille, it has been squared off a bit at the rear corners. It appears there's more glass, either due to the roof being raised slightly, or the window sills being dropped. The back of the Veloster N may reveal the most, though. This car gives us our first uninhibited glimpse at the rear wing, and it's a big 'un that closely hugs the bodywork on each end. The triangular shape in the middle suggests it will have a brake light similar to the i30 N. We can also finally see the taillights better. They're more horizontal than the previous car's, and they're also mounted flush to the window seam. Looking closely, we can see that they extend forward, still hugging the rear window, and the edge leads into a arching line created by the side windows. The rear glass is interesting, too, because there's just a single rear pane, rather than the old model's split glass similar to the Honda CR-X, Toyota Prius, and Hyundai Ioniq. The rear bumper also features an aggressive diffuser design in the bottom, and, as with the i30 N, there is a red accent line. We'll probably see another red line at the front. The exhaust has two outlets on each end as well, which is further indication that this is the N model and not a standard Veloster or Veloster Turbo. Since we won't be getting the i30 N in the U.S., we wouldn't be surprised if the Veloster N carried the same turbocharged four-cylinder as that car, which produces 271 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. After all, if the i30 N isn't sold here, there's no reason not to hamstring the Veloster to keep it from cannibalizing sales. Continuing on that line of thinking, it will likely use the same front-wheel-drive system with limited-slip differential and six-speed manual transmission. We also expect to see a full reveal of the Veloster line later this year.