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Nine things we learned driving the 2017 Hyundai Elantra [w/video]

You know how there are pretty much no bad cars anymore? Manufacturers have switched their efforts from eradicating badness to improving on good things. If the last Elantra had any real issues, it rode kind of poorly and had a so-so interior. This 2017 model fixes that while quietly improving on just about everything else too. Not a lot of it is noticeable on its own, but it adds up to a better car. Read our full First Drive for the usual impressions, or if you prefer, take them in via this new format we're trying out. Cutting right to the chase, here are nine things we learned from our time in the 2017 Hyundai Elantra. It looks like three or four other cars, but that's a good thing. The old model of derivative styling took a few well-known designs as inputs and spat out a bland object reminiscent of nothing and everything at once. Because there are no new ideas, and since recycling is a thing, designers have thankfully moved on to picking and choosing the pieces that work best and knitting them together into a cohesive design. On this Elantra, that means some Dodge Dart (RIP) in the hood and front fenders, a bit of Jaguar in the headlights, and hints of Mazda in the way the front end comes together. The result is handsomely inoffensive – less character than the last Elantra, maybe, but it all works. And the interior is a big step up in terms of materials, layout, and design. Have a look at our 360-degree VR overview below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. It will talk to your phone. Every Elantra but the basiest base car comes with a touchscreen head unit. On models with the Popular Equipment Package, that's a seven-inch head unit with normal radio functions plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. The Limited with Tech Package swaps that out for an eight-inch display with nav and the same smartphone projection powers. The ride is better than the last Elantra's. The front and rear suspensions have both been tweaked for the 2017 model, and the car is supposed to be much more rigid. It's most noticeable over big bumps; the car doesn't shudder like it used to and the suspension manages body movement well in almost all situations. There's still some body roll, but the front seats have surprisingly large bolsters that keep you in place. The steering is as numb as most other electric systems, although it does feel less artificial than on previous Hyundais.

Hyundai will invest $35 billion in autonomy and emerging technologies

SEOUL — Hyundai Motor Group said it plans to invest $35 billion (41 trillion won) in mobility and other auto technologies by 2025, part of which will be directed to an ambitious effort to become more competitive in self-driving cars that has also received government backing. The plan, which Hyundai said encompasses autonomous, connected and electric cars as well as technology for ride-sharing, comes after the automaker and two of its affiliates announced an investment of $1.6 billion in a venture with U.S. self-driving tech firm Aptiv. South Korea's government is also onboard, unveiling more funding for autonomous vehicle technology with President Moon Jae-in declaring on Tuesday that he expected self-driving cars to account for half of new cars on the country's roads by 2030. "The self-driving market is a golden market to revitalize the economy and create new jobs," Moon said in a speech at Hyundai Motor's research center near Seoul. The government intends to spend 1.7 trillion won between 2021 and 2027 on self-driving technology. It expects Hyundai to launch level 4, or fully autonomous, cars for fleet customers in 2024 and for the general public by 2027, an industry ministry official told Reuters. But some experts question whether targets set by the government and the automotive group, which also includes Kia Motors, are realistic given the technological and cost challenges and the lack of home-grown technology. In a 45-page report on future automotive technology, the government acknowledged South Korea lags in some key areas necessary for self-driving cars such as artificial intelligence, sensors and logic chips. "Hyundai has to buy technology from someone else because it lacks software technology. Even though it has a lot of cash, this could become a financial burden if its earnings deteriorate," Esther Yim, an analyst at Samsung Securities, said. Other analysts noted that the prospects for self-driving cars are quite murky. General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise, said in July it was delaying the commercial deployment of cars past its target of 2019 as tech firms and automakers acknowledge it will take more time and money than they had expected to make autonomous vehicles safe for unrestricted use on public roads. South Korea's government said it would prepare a regulatory and legal framework for autonomous cars and the safety questions they pose by 2024.

Hyundai's new fuel-cell vehicle will get dramatic price cut, more range

They say you can't be too rich or too thin, but Hyundai may be shooting for both with its plans for the successor to the hydrogen-powered Tucson Fuel Cell. The South Korean automaker says it's working on a fuel-cell vehicle that will not only be cheaper than the Tucson, but will have a larger full-tank range, the Korea Herald says. Hyundai disclosed details at a conference last week where the South Korean government said it wanted 10,000 fuel-cell vehicles on its roads by the end of the decade. This car, if it arrives as advertised, should help. Hyundai needs it. Since the hydrogen Tucson was unveiled in 2013, it has moved just 544 units worldwide. The new hydrogen vehicle will be priced at about $54,000 in Korea, about half the price of the Tucson Fuel Cell compact SUV. Factor in subsidies that the government is planning, and that price tag would drop to about $30,000. Hyundai is also planning for a full-tank range of about 373 miles, a 45-percent increase from the Tucson's 258. Hyundai has steadily been dropping hints about its next fuel cell car. The automaker debuted its Intrado fuel-cell concept (pictured) at 2014's Geneva Motor Show and said at the time that the car would have a full-tank range of about 375 miles. And last month, Hyundai Motor Group's Ahn Byung-ki spoke of a fuel-cell vehicle that's larger than a compact SUV that would also have a bigger battery but a smaller motor than the Tucson. Additionally, the automaker said it may launch the new model in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Seoul. Related Video: Featured Gallery Hyundai Intrado Concept: Geneva 2014 View 16 Photos News Source: Korea Herald via Green Car Congress Green Hyundai Hydrogen Cars