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John Krafcik stepping down as Hyundai CEO, replaced by VP of sales

Hyundai Motor America has announced that its affable president and CEO, John Krafcik, will be stepping down from his post on January 1, at the completion of his contract. He'll be replaced by the current executive vice president of sales, David Zuchowski.
Krafcik has helmed Hyundai through a product renaissance that's seen the Korean automaker go from budget afterthought to household name in less than a decade, launching stylish new models and expanding into new markets. "On behalf of Hyundai Motor Company, we sincerely thank John for his visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction, which has driven Hyundai's record growth over the past five years," said Im Tak Uk, the COO and executive vice president of HMA's parent company, Hyundai Motor Company.
"It's been a sincere privilege and honor to lead Hyundai Motor America over the past five years, and I am confident that with Dave's succession, our brand will continue to expand and thrive for years to come," said Krafcik in a Hyundai press release, available below. "We have many of the best and brightest employees in the business coupled with a committed and talented dealer network that will continue to pay dividends."

Hyundai pushes performance in Canadian Super Bowl ad

We keep seeing automakers put their Super Bowl ads online ahead of time, and here's one more to add to the list, although with a twist. The Internet might be the only place for many people to check out Hyundai's commercial because the spot is only playing in Canada during the game. The one-minute ad, titled Welcome to the New Age, eschews telling a narrative like many of this year's commercials. Instead, Hyundai offers a mix of energetic music over stylized imagery of the design, production and driving of the Genesis, plus a few brief cameos of other vehicles from the brand. The result is something a lot more visceral than many of the other spots so far. Too bad so many viewers are going to miss it. Autoblog reached out to Hyundai Canada for more information on the ad. According to company spokesperson Chad Heard, there is "no plan for it to be used in the US. It is specific to Canada." The spot will air during halftime.

2019 Hyundai Tucson revised with new styling and convenience tech

The Hyundai Tucson gets significant updates for the 2019 model year, with freshened styling all around to bring its look in line with the brand-new Kona and Santa Fe crossovers, revised engine options, and more of the safety and convenience technology that buyers have come to expect from the small crossover category. Gone is the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine option in the Tucson, replaced by a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter engine with 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. This same engine was just announced for the 2018 model year, available exclusively in the Tucson Sport, but the 2019 refresh puts the uprated mill in the SEL, Sport, and Limited trims. A 2.0-liter engine is standard in Value and SE trim levels, where it makes 164 hp and 151 lb-ft. The Tucson gets redesigned fascias front and rear, with Hyundai's latest "cascading grille" design. Unlike the Santa Fe and Kona, the Tucson has traditional single-unit lighting clusters that extend from the top corners of the grille. A smaller, angular set of driving lights sit well below the headlights. Interior changes are less noticeable, but the addition of optional second-row USB charging ports and Qi wireless smartphone charging add convenience to upper trim levels. A seven-inch touchscreen comes standard and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Forward Collision Avoidance and Lane Keeping Assist are standard on all 2019 Hyundai Tucson models. A surround-view monitor, pedestrian detection, high-beam assist, rain-sensing wipers, smart cruise control with stop-and-go, and a driver attention warning system are optional. Expect to see the 2019 Hyundai Tucson in dealerships this fall. In the meantime, check out our high-res image gallery above, and stay tuned for more — Hyundai is rumored to have an N-branded high-performance version of the Tucson in the works. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.