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2016 Hyundai Tucson and Sonata each get TSP+ rating by IIHS

Hyundai is no stranger to building vehicles that get Top Safety Pick+ honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but the company is getting two of the awards at once thanks to the latest results from the 2016 Tucson and Sonata. Both models feature a front crash prevention system that's rated highly by the safety agency. The biggest advancement in this round comes for the new Tucson. In the small-overlap front crash, it now earns the IIHS' best score of Good, versus Poor – the lowest – for the previous generation. In the latest test, the crossover shows at most six inches of intrusion into the passenger compartment, compared to 16 inches last time. The airbags work to protect the head, and the sensors indicate a low risk of injury. The Tucson has Good ratings in all the other safety evaluations, too. The 2015 Sonata already did quite well when checked last year, but Hyundai apparently wasn't happy with the sedan's Acceptable result in the small-overlap front crash. According to the IIHS, the automaker adjusted the driver's seatbelt and the front suspension in hopes of a better score. However, even with the tweaks, the 2016 Sonata kept the same result. It scored Good in the other safety categories. The company isn't giving up on acing things, though. "Modifications are planned to take Sonata to 'Good' in the small overlap test," Hyundai spokesperson Jim Trainor said to Autoblog. The IIHS gave the crash prevention tech in both models its top Superior grade. The systems' automatic braking was able to avoid accidents from 12 and 25 miles per hour. The forward collision warning added the last bit needed to give them the maximum six points from the institute. Related Video: Hyundai Tucson and Sonata earn 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards ARLINGTON, Va. — A redesign for 2016 has taken the Hyundai Tucson from a poor to good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small overlap front crash test. With an available front crash prevention system that earns a superior rating, the small SUV qualifies for the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award. The 2016 Hyundai Sonata also earns a superior front crash prevention rating and a TOP SAFETY PICK+. In the Tucson's small overlap test, the driver's space was maintained well, with maximum intrusion of 6 inches at the parking brake pedal, but no more than 3 inches at other locations. The dummy's movement was well-controlled, and the front and side curtain airbags worked well together to protect the head.

Hyundai's electric car strategy takes shape under the radar

Green car fans are frothing over the Tesla Model 3. The Chevy Bolt may turn out to be the better car, and it will be available sooner. But don't overlook another electric car that's also due next year: the Hyundai Ioniq. With far less attention, Hyundai is launching an EV that is expected to be competitively priced and will spearhead the Ioniq lineup, which also has hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. They share the same platform and look similar, but the Ioniq EV could prove to be a game-changer for Hyundai when it arrives at the end of the year, bringing new customers and casting the company as one with proficiency in the electric arena. Built in South Korea, the Ioniq line will be available at every Hyundai dealership that wants to sell the cars, already giving it a leg up on Teslas that often have long waiting periods for buyers. With a range of 124 miles on a single charge, it won't compete with the Model 3, which will travel at least 215 miles on a charge, or the Bolt, which has a range of 238 miles. Rather, it will face off against humbler products like the Nissan Leaf (107 miles) and the Volkswagen E-Golf (83 miles). Hyundai has not announced pricing, but is mindful the Ioniq trails Chevy and Tesla in range. An executive also indicated it could be working on an Ioniq with a longer distance capability, but declined to discuss specifics. Hyundai argues its found a sweet spot with the Ioniq EV, whose range is well within the distance most Americans drive in a day. It can recharge in about four hours and 25 minutes, which is faster than the six-hour charge time for the Leaf but slightly longer than the four-hour E-Golf. In quick charge mode, the Ioniq can juice up to 80 percent in 23 minutes. Critically, Hyundai is also offering a lifetime warranty on all of its hybrid and electric battery packs (it has since 2012), which could sway consumers still wary of the technology. It's a lot of numbers, and Hyundai will need considerable marketing muscle to make buyers consider Ioniqs in the face of a growing field of electrified competitors. But it's part of a broader play to reach an audience of younger consumers, who expect electrification to be baked into their cars. Millennials will account for 40 percent of new car purchases by 2020, and Hyundai says the generation is more likely to consider alternative powertrains than older ones.

2019 Hyundai Veloster N Review | Testing Hyundai's hottest hatch in America

WILLOWS, Calif. — Turn 5 at Thunderhill Raceway is notorious, with an uphill approach that launches you toward a blind crest. As you reach the top you see an off-camber curve sweeping off to the right as it drops 1.5 stories before you. And it's at that very moment the car peaks and becomes momentarily weightless. This is where I, and the 2019 Hyundai Veloster N, came in too hot over the summit. As the asphalt dropped away in front of me I expected the Veloster N, pulled by momentum and gravity, to rocket straight into the sand ahead. But then a strange thing happened. The inside wheel tucked in as I yanked the wheel rightward, the nose jerked starboard, and the Veloster N hunkered down and pulled me through the turn like a loyal sled dog. This is evidence that the Veloster N is very much the spiritual successor to the inexpensive, tossable, front-drive compact heros of a generation ago. Race tracks swelled with Acura Integras, Nissan Sentra SE-Rs, Toyota Celicas, and the like. You could drive them to work like a responsible citizen during the week, and autocross every weekend. The Veloster N is a key part of the final phase of Hyundai's grand plan in the U.S. market. In the late 1980s, they entered the market with rock-bottom prices but not much else. By the 2000s, a focus on quality led to the 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty. And by the 2010s, styling became a focus, enticing customers to buy cars with their hearts. But making Hyundais fun to drive? That's the N line's job. N stands for Namyang, the location of Hyundai's R&D center in South Korea, as well as Nurburgring, where dynamic testing of its N cars took place. And yes, that's cars as in plural. The first N model, the i30N, has already become very well respected as a serious sporting machine in Europe. Savvy observers might note that the i30 is sold as the Elantra GT in the U.S., but Hyundai says the i30N will remain exclusive to Europe. Instead, they've developed the Veloster N specifically for the Korean and North American markets. And with a lower profile, it puts down even better numbers than its European cousin. The Veloster N comes in two flavors, both powered by a 2.0-liter direct-injection turbo four. Standard trim churns out 250 horsepower, 49 more than the Veloster Turbo, put down through 18-inch alloys wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sports perched at the ends of electronically controlled dampers.