2013 Hyundai Sonata Limited on 2040-cars

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5 Hyundai and Kia models have higher-than-average fire insurance claim rates

DETROIT — Owners of five Hyundai and Kia cars and SUVs file fire insurance claims at a rate far higher than the average for comparable vehicles, according to an insurance industry study. The Highway Loss Data Institute, which analyzes data from insurers representing about 85 percent of the U.S. industry, found that some Hyundai and Kia vehicles equipped with four-cylinder engines have double the noncrash fire claim rates than the average of comparable vehicles. Last week the South Korean brands announced they would recall about 168,000 vehicles to fix a fuel pipe problem that can cause fires. The problem stems from improper repairs during previous recalls for engine failures. They also announced additional sensor software for another 3.7 million vehicles. Hyundai and Kia started recalling 1.7 million vehicles in 2015 — about 618,000 of which are Kias — because manufacturing debris can restrict oil flow to connecting rod bearings. That can cause bearings in 2-liter and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines to wear and fail. The problem can also cause fires. The repair in many cases is an expensive engine block replacement. Results of the Arlington, Virginia-based institute's study have been turned over the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is investigating engine failures and fires in Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The agency is mostly closed this week due to the partial government shutdown. Hyundai said Tuesday that the majority of its models in the study are already being recalled or are part of additional actions to keep customers safe. "Hyundai actively monitors and evaluates potential safety concerns, including non-collision fires, with all of its vehicles and acts swiftly to recall any vehicles with safety-related defects," spokesman Michael Stewart said. Kia spokesman James Bell said the company is cooperating with NHTSA "and will take any necessary corrective action in a timely manner." Many of the fires involve vehicles included the engine failure recall and could have been prevented if owners had the recall repairs done, he wrote. The institute began studying fire claims after the Center for Auto Safety petitioned NHTSA last year seeking a wider recall of Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The center had found a higher-than-normal number of consumer complaints about Hyundai and Kia fires in the agency's database. NHTSA has used Highway Loss Data Institute studies in the past to help make recall decisions.

2019 Hyundai Elantra major facelift brings minor price increase

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra has been completely redesigned for the new model year, and it's a pretty substantial overhaul from a visual standpoint. The front and rear fascias are all new with sharp, angular styling. Besides the styling, most Elantras get minor equipment tweaks. SEL and higher trims pick up additional forward collision prevention and lane-keeping assist. The base SE trim and top level Limited trims also get a few minor equipment additions, which you can check out, here. With the redesign comes a slight price increase across the board. The base trim sees the smallest increase and goes up $150 for both the manual and automatic varieties. The turbocharged Sport model has the largest increase of $600. The other trims go up by $400 to $600. Nothing changes with the powertrains, either. The Eco gets a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder making 128 horsepower, the Sport has a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine making 201 horsepower, and the rest have a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine making 147 horsepower. You can see the full price breakdown below for both the new 2019 model and the outgoing 2018 version. The new car is on sale now. Hyundai Elantra 2019 2018 SE (Manual) $17,985 $17,835 SE (Automatic) $18,985 $18,835 SEL $20,285 $19,735 Value $21,285 $20,735 Eco $21,835 $21,435 Limited $23,485 $22,985 Sport (Manual) $23,285 $22,685 Sport (DCT Automatic) $24,385 $23,785 Related Video:

Google's new Android Autos OS unveiled, will be in cars this year [w/video]

Connected cars are coming en-masse. We know this much. How, though, remains something of an open question, especially as two of the world's largest tech companies are preparing to battle for control of your car's dashboard. On the one hand, we have Apple and its CarPlay system. And now, we know what Google has been working on with Auto Link.
Its new name is Android Auto, and yes, it's based off the Android architecture that is the primary challenger to Apple's iOS mobile operating system. Announced at Google's I/O conference today, Android Auto functions similarly to CarPlay - owners will need to plug their smartphones into their cars to access the full breadth of capability.
In Android Auto's case, that means a wealth of voice controls to limit distracted driving. Google's marquee apps will be available when the interface arrives in production models later this year, including Google Play Music, Google Maps and voice-activated texting and text playback. Meanwhile, developers will be able to begin designing custom apps for the new system via an upcoming software development kit.