2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited on 2040-cars

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Honda scores big in Automobile Advertising of the Year Awards [w/videos]

This year the Detroit Auto Show didn't just celebrate the automobile, it celebrated how we find out about the automobile, too. Partnering The One Club, this year introduced the 2014 One Show Automobile Advertising of the Year Award to Cobo Hall, celebrating winners in five different categories of advertising: broadcast television, online, interactive, experiential, and print/outdoor. Winners in those categories were judged by 50 creative directors and journalists, while a Public Choice category was chosen from among nearly 20,000 online votes.
Honda walked off with three of the six awards, its Hands spot taking Broadcast honors, its Sound of Honda getting the Online category and Illusions winning Public Choice. Hyundai made the grade in Interactive with Driveway Decision Maker, Fiat captured Print/Outdoor with its "Letters" ad, and Toyota's Tundra Endeavor Campaign spot and BMW's A Window into the Near Future were co-winners for Experiential.
You can watch all of the press release and winning videos below or check out all of the finalists, announced last month, for a refresher.

2018 Honda Accord charges into slumping sedan market

DETROIT - Honda on Friday revealed its newest-generation Accord, one of four re-engineered midsize sedans that Asian automakers are betting on to win market share as Detroit automakers shift focus to SUVs, crossovers, and pickup trucks. The new Accord, like rival Toyota's all-new Camry arriving this month, offers major improvements in fuel economy, technology, styling and safety. Honda declined to discuss details ahead of Friday's event in Detroit. The Accord and Camry are pillars of their manufacturers' US businesses, each selling well over 300,000 vehicles a year. In the coming months, Nissan is expected to launch a new Altima midsize sedan, and Hyundai will launch a new Sonata. Both are popular marques that will be promoted heavily. "There has been no new news on the midsize sedan side for three years, and we think this is a great opportunity to bring attention back to the segment," said Jack Hollis, Toyota's head of marketing for North America. Year to date, US passenger car sales are down 11.4 percent, and sales of midsize sedans are down 14.2 percent. Still, Americans bought 7.1 million sedans in 2016. With General Motors and Ford cutting sedan production, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles abandoning the segment, Honda and its Asian rivals could boost sales with updated models, dealers said. "They could take share from other brands, which is traditionally what happens when a new product is launched," said Pete DeLongchamps, vice president for manufacturer relations at Group 1 Automotive Inc, the third-largest US auto dealer group. "NOT FINDING A PLACE WITH CONSUMERS" The Accord for years was Honda's top-selling model in the United States. Within the past year, US sales of the Honda CR-V have eclipsed the aging Accord, and Honda has expanded production capacity for the compact crossover. Passenger-car sales have steadily declined since 2012, when they made up 51.2 percent of the US market. Sedans have sagged to a 38.1 percent share in the first half of this year. IHS Markit said US consumer loyalty to SUVs and pickup trucks has risen since 2012, but declined for sedans. The new Accord and Camry "may stem the decline," said IHS Markit's Tom Libby. "I don't think they will cause a marked reverse." Improvements to the Accord should boost sales at Galpin Honda in San Fernando, California, general manager Ed Hartoonian said.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla Electric Road Trip, Google autonomous cars vs. cyclists

Tesla is inviting owners on "Electric Road Trip" events on four continents. To celebrate the 2.5 billion electric miles Tesla owners have logged, the automaker is hosting a series of open house events at Destination Charger locations (think hotels and resorts) in various cities across North America, Australia, Asia, and Europe. Attendees will "have the opportunity to swap stories and share your favorite road trip experiences with fellow Tesla owners and like-minded fans," according to Tesla, as well as enjoy local food and drinks. Owners have received email invitations to the series of events, but those interested can also RSVP online. Learn more about the events at Tesla's website, and read more at Teslarati. Google has published its most recent autonomous vehicle testing results, this time with regard to sharing the road with cyclists. The system is programmed to predict when a cyclist will swerve around an open car door, leave room for cyclists during passing and other situations, recognize and remember cyclist had signals, and recognize a variety of bike styles – even unicycles. The report also lists two minor collisions with other vehicles in June, both occurring in Austin, Texas. In one instance, another car swerved into the Google car's lane. In the other, the Google car was rear-ended. Read more at Green Car Congress. Hyundai is expanding its fuel cell program in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) beyond Southern California. For the second phase of the fuel cell confirmation program, Hyundai will provide the DOE with a number of its Tucson Fuel Cell crossovers for daily use in Northern California, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Michigan. The partners are looking to expand the use of fuel cell vehicles to the rest of the country in the near future. Read more in the press release below. Hyundai And U.S. Department Of Energy Extend Fuel Cell Vehicle Loan Partnership In Concert With New D.C.-Based Hydrogen Fueling Station Latest, Phase II of current program prepares for rollout of fuel cell vehicles nationwide in near future WASHINGTON, July 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are extending their fuel cell vehicle confirmation program, originally from 2013 through 2015, to its second phase, from 2016 through 2017. The program involves Hyundai providing a number of Tucson Fuel Cell CUVs for daily use and confirmation by the DOE using existing hydrogen infrastructure.