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Porsche tops J.D. Power quality index as Korean brands soar

While complaints about infotainment systems remain a thorn in the side of automakers for J.D. Power's annual Initial Quality Study, there's a lot to celebrate this year. The average number of problems reported per 100 vehicles fell to 112 in 2015 – a three-percent improvement compared to 116 in 2014. The results of this year's survey are based on the responses of over 84,000 people about problems within the first 90 days of buying or leasing a 2015 model-year vehicle. For the third consecutive year, Porsche tops the rankings with an average of 80 problems per 100 vehicles. Although, that's slightly more than the 74 the German sportscar maker scored in 2014. "While the Japanese automakers continue to make improvements, we're seeing other brands, most notably Korean makes, really accelerating the rate of improvement," Renee Stephens, vice president of US automotive quality at J.D. Power, said in the study's release. In fact, Kia ranks as one of the biggest movers in this year's list. The Korean brand jumped to second place from seventh last year. The company had an average of 86 problems per 100 vehicles, a 20-point improvement. Third place went to Jaguar with an average of 93 problems reported, versus last year's second-place finish with 87 of them. Fourth place was Hyundai, and fifth-place Infiniti also earned a gold star for improvement with 97 issues per 100 vehicles – 31-points better than last year. Fiat still anchored the bottom of the list. However, its 161 problems this year is a lot better than the 206 in 2014. Ranked by nationality, Korean brands (Hyundai and Kia) are now leading the industry in initial quality with an average of 90 problems reported per 100 vehicles. According to J.D. Power, this is the first time Europe's figure beat Japan with 113 and 114 issues, respectively. The American brands also averaged 114. Whereas General Motors dominated last year, the segment awards are spread out in 2015. GM, Hyundai, Nissan, and Volkswagen Group are all tied with four models each earning prizes. For more information, you can also see all of the graphs, here. J.D.

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 hydrogen fuel-cell SUV spied nearly naked

Back in August, Hyundai showed what seemed to be an extremely thinly veiled concept version of a hydrogen-powered crossover SUV at a special event in Seoul. Besides its showy gold paint and two-toned interior, it definitely looked like something that could roll down the production line with minimal effort. Well, judging by these spy photos, that looks like it'll be the case. Hyundai didn't even really bother to camouflage these test mules. The intricate taillight clusters carry over from the concept, as do the distinctive grille and Tesla-like extending door handles. Heck, even the wheels look to be exactly the same. And if we were to make a guess based on its proportions and size, this shares a lot with the Kia Nero. Featuring Hyundai's fourth-generation hydrogen fuel-cell technology, the FCEV (or whatever the compact crossover will eventually be called) features a 20 percent power increase over its Tucson hydrogen FCEV predecessor and is more capable in cold weather. The new FCEV will also have greater hydrogen capacity, featuring three tanks instead of two. (If you want to learn a little more about how hydrogen fuel cell vehicles work, our Honda Clarity first drive is a decent place to start.) The spy photographers didn't get a glimpse inside, but the "concept" back in August showcased a pretty production-looking cabin. If the exterior's any indication, it should look exactly like that. We've included pictures of that "concept" at the end of the gallery above so you can easily compare the "transformation." Expect the final product to be unveiled at CES in January. Related Video: Featured Gallery Hyundai FCEV Hydrogen SUV Spy Shots View 19 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Green Spy Photos CES Hyundai Crossover SUV Concept Cars Future Vehicles Hydrogen Cars fcev