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Hyundai Sonata's slow sales start to trigger more daring redesign

On paper, the latest Hyundai Sonata has been a winner. The sedan sold 216,936 units in 2014, around 13,000 more than the previous year, and the new model posted healthy year-over-year gains in both December and November. However, according to a report from Wards Auto, the Korean brand isn't happy with how the vehicle is doing and is planning a redesign, to be timed with the future refresh. Unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show, the latest Sonata has a more refined, almost luxurious air about it, and the sedan ditches the swooping styling from the previous generation. It also comes at a slightly lower base price. But the more mature design is also the problem. Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski told Wards during the 2015 Detroit Auto Show that the new model was "not as distinctive" as its predecessor. Previously, "people would seek us out because we look different. And we don't get that now," he said. While no details on the redesign were divulged, Zuchowski said the company was already at work on the shape. He suggested the changes would debut for the Sonata's refresh, likely in the 2017 or 2018 model years. Autoblog reached out to Hyundai about the possible design change and spokesperson Derek Joyce told us, "Dave was simply referring to our normal mid-cycle refresh where it's typical to make styling tweaks." According to Wards, the latest Sonata isn't conquesting as many buyers from other brands as Hyundai would like. The company reportedly raised incentives to get them to move. So while sales were up, the automaker was disappointed. AutoTrader senior analyst Michelle Krebs confirmed to Autoblog that incentives were high for the Sonata, but that had nothing to do with its design. "The midsize car segment has fallen out of favor with buyers who want utilities so they are carrying very heavy incentives. We expect that trend to continue and then some in 2015," she said. A previous report also claimed that the 2015 Sonata wasn't living up to sales expectations in part due to its more traditional styling. But the company shot down those claims because the sedan was still rolling out the entire range to dealers at the time. Even now, Hyundai is still adding the Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In to the lineup in the coming year.

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

U.S.-spec 2018 Hyundai Kona bows in L.A.

Earlier this year, Hyundai revealed its first entry into the increasingly competitive compact crossover segment with the 2018 Kona. That car, though, wasn't configured for the North American market, and it was unclear what sort of specs it would have in the U.S. Now we have an answer to that question, as Hyundai unveils the U.S.-production version of the Kona at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. Americans will have their choice of two gasoline powertrains for the Kona. One is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine running on the Atkinson cycle. It's good for a peak 147 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 132 pound-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm. The 2.0-liter will be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and an overdrive lock-up torque converter for highway efficiency. The second powertrain option is a turbocharged 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This setup provides 175 hp at 5,500 rpm, and 195 lb-ft available from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. The turbocharger uses electronic wastegate control, and oil jets and a water jacket insert help cool pistons and the top of the cylinder block, respectively. These features help preserve the engine and provide more efficiency. The 1.6-liter turbo will be available in the Limited and Ultimate trim levels. View 13 Photos The Kona will be available in front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive models, each with its own suspension setup. Both will feature MacPherson struts up front. 2WD models will have a rigid torsion beam in the rear, while AWD models benefit from an independent multi-link suspension. The Kona also offers 16-, 17- and 18-inch wheel options, depending on trim level. Inside, the Kona provides a variety of technology features. It has a standard 7-inch touchscreen display, with an 8-inch nav touchscreen also available. It offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, Hyundai's Blue Link LTE connectivity technology and wireless smartphone charging. An available head-up display helps keep eyes on the road where they belong. Other safety features include forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert and high beam assist. Hyundai will offer the Kona with "extroverted" paint colors. An optional color-contrasting roof will help it stand out even more. The Hyundai Kona will arrive in U.S. dealerships in the first quarter of 2018.