2005 Hyundai Sonata Gl Sedan 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Hyundai and Genesis launch Job Loss Protection programs for new buyers

In 2009, to help new owners through The Great Recession, Hyundai created what it called Hyundai Assurance and Assurance Plus programs. Together, the allowed new buyers to return their cars within 12 months in case of an involuntary layoff, and made up to three car payments for new buyers in the same jobless boat. With the novel coronavirus Covid-19 already creating similar effects to the financial crisis, Hyundai has reinstated its Assurance Job Loss Protection program, and brought Genesis in on it with Genesis Cares Job Loss Protection. Hyundai will make up to six months of payments for anyone who buys or leases a new Hyundai from a Hyundai dealer, financed though Hyundai Capital, between March 14 and April 30, 2020 if the owner or lessee loses their job any time this year. The relief is available to any customer, regardless of employment history. On top of that, anyone who buys a new Accent, Venue, Kona, Elantra, Elantra GT, Tucson, or Santa Fe before April 30 and finances through Hyundai Capital can ask to have their payments deferred for 90 days. The Genesis Cares Job Loss Protection program provides the same benefit, covering anyone who takes home a new Genesis at a Genesis dealer, financed through Genesis Capital, from March 14 to April 30. Any involuntary termination through the end of this year can qualify for having up to six months of payments taken care of. Those who elect to buy a G70 sedan and finance through Genesis Capital before April 30, 2020 can request to have payments deferred for 90 days. For more information on the programs, check out the Hyundai and Genesis web sites. Related Video:

Hyundai HG350 ready to take on Europe's Transits and Sprinters

Here in North America, Hyundai has been historically known as a purveyor of affordable, content-laden everyday cars and crossovers. More recently, it's also been pushing upmarket and attempting to gain respect for its sporting joneses. In other parts of the world, however, the Korean automaker is a major force in commercial vehicles, providing everything from chassis cabs and dump trucks to fullsize motor coaches. Now, it's looking to push further overseas, squarely into Europe's already mature van business with this new HG350, a new commercial vehicle that will form the basis for a cargo van, passenger transport and flatbed truck.
This three-pronged approach will see Hyundai fighting directly against the new Ford Transit, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and models like the recently overhauled Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer twins. The rear-drive, six-speed manual-equipped range is available in 3.5-ton cargo or flatbed spec, or in 4.0-ton guise with as many as 15 seats. The cargo version, incidentally, can hold up to 456 cubic feet of stuff. Regardless of configuration, power comes from a common-rail diesel displacing 2.5 liters with either 148 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque or 168 hp and 311 lb-ft.
With the American market finally embracing Euro-style cargo vans, does that mean that Hyundai might bring the HG350 here? Not likely. "While a heck of a vehicle, this isn't anything we are seriously considering right now for the US market," Jim Trainor, Hyundai Motor America's national manager of product public relations, tells Autoblog.

Hyundai will add smaller crossovers and make the Santa Fe and Tucson bigger

At the LA Auto Show, Hyundai North American CEO Dave Zuchowski detailed plans to change the all-important crossovers in the company's lineup to better suit the ravenous tastes of American CUV shoppers, Automotive News reports. There are two important aspects: up-sizing existing crossovers, and introducing new small crossovers beneath them. With regard to the first part, Zuchowski said that the Santa Fe and related Santa Fe Sport will both grow in size, and differentiate from each other – which is good, because consumers are generally confused about how the five-seat Sport relates to the seven-seat Santa Fe. In the future, the regular Santa Fe will grow to become an eight-seat crossover, and the Sport will also grow and be redesigned as a more rugged-looking Jeep competitor, AN reports. Along those lines, Zuchowski says the company will change the name of the Santa Fe Sport to reduce confusion and better communicate its market position. The Tucson will grow a bit, but won't be significantly reimagined. The report also indicates that Hyundai also plans on introducing a B-segment crossover in 2018 – that is to say, a competitor to vehicles like the Honda HR-V and Jeep Renegade. We had previously reported that a B-segment crossover was on the way but didn't have timing. Further down the road, an even smaller A-segment crossover will be introduced. These new vehicles will be on sale by 2020, as will the revised Santa Fe and Tucson lines. Related Video: