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2018 Hyundai Accent vs subcompact sedans: How it compares on paper

Hyundai first revealed the new 2018 Hyundai Accent a few months ago, but that debut was in Canada for the Canadian-market car. We didn't get our look at the U.S. version until just recently, which is when we also finally got plenty of specifications on the little car. So as we did with the Genesis G70, we've brought you a breakdown of the Accent's specs and some of the segment's best and most popular: the Nissan Versa, Kia Rio, Chevrolet Sonic and Toyota Yaris iA. Before we get to the chart, let's give you a quick reintroduction to the 2018 Accent. The subcompact is completely new this year, and under the hood is again a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. It makes 7 fewer horsepower and 4 fewer pound-feet of torque than the outgoing model with totals of 130 horsepower and 119 pound-feet. This drop in power probably won't be noticeable, though. It's also available with either a manual or automatic transmission, both featuring six speeds. Fuel economy hasn't been announced, but the Rio's numbers below are probably a good indicator as they share powertrains. The one thing that isn't available with an Accent is a hatchback. According to Autoweek, the hatchback was canned with the assumption that hatch buyers would simply purchase an example of the upcoming Kona crossover. But if you want a traditional subcompact hatch from South Korea, Kia is happy to oblige, as the Rio is still available as a hatchback. Learning that the Kona may have killed the Accent hatch causes us to wonder if Kia brought the Rio hatch to the U.S. because it wasn't planning on offering the Stonic. Related Video: News Source: Hyundai, AutoweekImage Credit: Hyundai Chevrolet Hyundai Kia Nissan Toyota Sedan nissan versa hyundai accent kia rio toyota yaris ia

Nissan has now sold 75,000 Leaf EVs in the US

Somehow it doesn't surprise us that the 75,000th Nissan Leaf electric vehicle sold in the US would go to a guy from Portland, Oregon. Rishabh Mehandru, who first experienced the Leaf through a lease a couple of years ago, took the full plunge with a 2015 model and ended up being No. 75,000 (ding, ding, ding!). You've got to love those repeat customers. The Intel engineer has a 30-mile commute, so, theoretically, the Leaf does the trip with about two-dozen miles to spare in its single-charge range. The Portland dealership that sold him the car says its Leaf customers are an "even" mix between new and repeat. Nationwide, Nissan boosted its Leaf sales last year by 34 percent to 30,200. Things have cooled off a bit so far this year, as Leaf sales through February were down 15 percent from the same period in 2014 to 2,268 units. As of the end of last month, Nissan Leaf's US sales since its late-2010 introduction trailed sales of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in by exactly two units. Which means we can expect General Motors' announcement that the Volt has hit 75,000 units any day now. Take a look at Nissan's press release below. Related Videos: Nissan delivers 75,000th all-electric LEAF in the U.S. to Oregon family NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan celebrated with Rishabh Mehandru of Portland, Oregon, as he purchased the 75,000th Nissan LEAF in the United States. This is Mehandru's second Nissan LEAF after leasing his first one two years ago in an effort to reduce the emissions he was putting into the air. "I'm a runner, and when I ran outside I found that I was inhaling a lot of exhaust from the gas-powered cars that passed me on the roads," said Mehandru. "I instantly became aware of the amount of fuel I was burning, and that's when I first decided that I wanted to get an electric car." Mehandru, senior engineer at Intel, has a commute of about 30 miles and enjoys the spirited driving experience Nissan LEAF has to offer. "When the lease was up on my first Nissan LEAF, I knew that I didn't want any other car. I had to have another Nissan LEAF," said Mehandru. "I love how quickly I can get up to speed on the highway-even my three-year-old son notices how zippy it is-and I like that I don't have to stop for gas." Mehandru's excitement for his electric car is contagious, and he recently convinced a friend to also purchase a Nissan LEAF.

Recharge Wrap-up: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Finishes AXCR, Nissan Leafs drive 528 million collective miles

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has successfully completed the Asia Cross Country Rally 2014. The plug-in Mitsu finished first in the EV class, and 14th overall, clocking in at 19 hours, 17 minutes and 12 seconds. For its second year in the competition, the Outlander PHEV used a new suspension with more ground clearance to help it tackle the race's treacherous terrain. Besides the glory of taking on the challenging competition, the rally helped Mitsubishi gather valuable data for EV development. The race took place over 1,367 miles of varied terrain from Thailand to Cambodia. Read more at Hybrid Cars, or visit Mitsubishi UK's Facebook page. Nissan Leaf drivers have driven more than 528 million miles worldwide. That accounts for a reduction of 150,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions since the EV's 2010 launch. Nissan projects that Leaf drivers will surpass a collective 1 billion electric kilometers (621 million miles) by January 2015, or perhaps even sooner if sales keep increasing. The mileage data was collected through the car's CarWings telemetry. Read more at Green Car Congress. 40 percent of luxury cars will be powered by some form of electrification by 2030, according to Audi. Whether it's battery-electric, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid, electrons will be doing their share to get the well-heeled from place to place. According to an article at The Sydney Morning Herald, PHEVs are "the most promising option." The BMW i8 is a fine example, as is the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, and Audi and Mercedes-Benz have plug-in plans of their own. Lexus, not so much. Read more at The Sydney Morning Herald. PGA golfer Hunter Mahan has taken delivery of a BMW i3 he won by scoring a hole-in-one. BMW offered a free, all-electric i3 to the first player to score a hole-in-one in the 2013 BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club, which Mahan did on the 17th hole. The BMW Championship raised money for Evans Scholars Foundation. BMW Hole-in-One Scholar Melyzjah Smith, who was awarded a full four-year college tuition and housing scholarship in honor of Mahan's slick shot, was on hand to meet the golfer as he received his i3. Read more in the press release below. Uber has hired President Obama's 2008 campaign manager as its senior vice president of policy and strategy. David Plouffe will help the ride-hailing app navigate government policy and relations. The Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association didn't think the move was a good one.