2014 Hyundai Sonata Se on 2040-cars

Auto blog

World Car Awards finalists snub American-branded vehicles — except for Bronco

The list of World Car Awards has been whittled down to 10 finalists, but only one American brand — Ford — appears among the remaining nine carmakers for this yearÂ’s top award. The Bronco is there, and it also is balloted as a finalist in the design category. The other categories are performance car, urban car, electric vehicle and luxury model. Each category has five finalists except World Car, which has 10. One brand conspicuous by its absence in any category: Tesla. The winner in each is scheduled to be crowned March 27 at the New York International Auto Show in Manhattan. This year marks the 20th year of the World Car Awards and the partnership with the New York show. The selection process involves 100-plus automotive journalists from 29 countries who vote, as they review and test-drive the eligible vehicles for the 2024 awards. Their journey is captured virtually on World Car TV. If youÂ’re counting, the brands that appear most on the six finals lists are Mercedes-Benz (four times), BMW (also four), Hyundai (three), and Volvo (three). HereÂ’s the full listing. A video clip showing all of them is here: World Car -BYD Seal / Atto 4 -Ford Bronco -Hyundai Kona / Kona Electric -Hyundai Santa Fe -Kia EV9 -Mazda CX-90 -Subaru Crosstrek -Toyota Prius -Volkswagen ID.7 -Volvo EX30 World Car Design of the Year Ford Bronco Ferrari Purosangue Toyota Prius Volvo EX30 Zeekr X 2024 World Electric Vehicle BMW i5 Kia EV9 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV Volkswagen ID.7 Volvo EX30 2024 World Luxury Car - BMW 5 Series / i5 - Lexus LM - Mercedes-Benz CLE - Mercedes-Benz E-Class - Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 2024 World Urban Car  - Abarth 500e - BYD Dolphin - Lexus LBX - Suzuki Fronx - Volvo EX30 2024 World Performance Car - BMW M2 - BMW XM - Ferrari Purosangue - Hyundai Ioniq 5 N - Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid

2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Rally Edition Quick Spin [w/video]

Our year-long test of the Hyundai Veloster Turbo was a mixed experience. There were plenty of not-very-nice anecdotes about the blown Hyundai – at one point, our own Managing Editor Steve Ewing suggested we "stop thinking of the Veloster Turbo as a proper hot hatch," and Senior Editor Seyth Miersma said it was a car that "doesn't feel especially hot-hatchy." We felt this way despite the car's overt hot-hatch trappings: the red turbo badging, matte-gray paint, upgraded body kit, huge center-exit exhaust pipes, and sticky Michelin tires. Our reaction to this Rally Edition was lukewarm when it debuted earlier this year at the Chicago Auto Show. You can imagine, then, our trepidation with the arrival of the matte blue tester. As it turned out, a week behind the wheel proved that Hyundai has addressed a number of the complaints we lodged during our prior year-long Veloster test. Driving Notes There was only so much Hyundai could do to the Veloster during this year's mid-cycle refresh. That means the 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder is still there, writing checks its performance can't cash. We still get 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which is available between 1,750 and 4,500 rpm. Despite the generous torque spread, there's no sense of urgency with this engine. Pair that with the still persistent turbo lag, and the Veloster Turbo feels slower from behind the wheel than other hot hatches, even less powerful competitors like the Fiat 500 Abarth. There were a number of complaints about our Veloster Turbo's fuel economy during our year behind the wheel. At 24 miles per gallon, this Rally Edition managed to come in just under the EPA-estimated 25-mpg city rating, improving measurably on the less than 22 mpg Senior Editor Miersma returned in his long-term wrap-up. Still, we were four mpg below the 28-mpg combined rating in what was largely mixed driving. Aside from the unchanged powertrain, the Rally Edition brings a lot to the Veloster Turbo package worth liking. The inclusion of a B&M Racing short-throw shifter makes this gearbox not only easier but also far more enjoyable to manipulate, although the gearing is still too tall for our taste. The shift knob is just the right size, and the shift action feels rifle-bolt precise. It is delightful, aside from an annoying, almost inexcusable flaw, which you can see in the video below.

Hyundai sells its 10,000,000th Elantra

There aren't many nameplates that have sold over 10 million units in the history of the automotive industry. In fact there have only been ten, and now Hyundai has joined the list for the first time with the Elantra.
Launched 24 years ago, the Elantra has far and away been Hyundai's top selling model. Now in its fifth generation, the Elantra is sold as a coupe, sedan and wagon, and under the Avante name in its home market. It's one of the top selling cars in the world, and Hyundai has earned the right to crow that it has sold its 10,000,000 of them globally. That means that, on average, Hyundai has sold more than 45 new Elantras every hour of every day of every year since its introduction in 1990.
Other models in the 10 Million Club include the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, VW Beetle and Golf, and the Ford Model T and F-Series. The latter might still be considered the most impressive, selling over 34 million units - the vast majority in the US - to be America's top-selling vehicle for over 30 years running.