2013 Hyundai Sonata hybrid bulks up with more power

By David Booth

Hyundai has upgraded its Sonata hybridfor 2013 with a more powerful electric motor, a more fuel efficient 2.4-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine and a lighter, but more powerful, lithium-ion battery. The result is a better Natural Resources Canada fuel economy rating (5.4 L/100 km in the city and 4.9 L/100 km on the highway) as well as improved real-word fuel economy. Indeed, in the city, the Sonata hybrid consumed about half as much dinosaur juice as the Fusion EcoBoost – 7.0 L/100 km versus 13.6. Its parsimony continued on the highway although, like other hybrids, the size of its advantage dissipated as speeds increased. By 120 km/h, it was consuming just 1.0 L/100 km less than the Sonata Turbo and the Accord V6.

Nonetheless, this and its superior drivability see Hyundai’s hybrid much improved. Indeed, though the 2013 is seven horsepower down on the 2012 model, it gains 40 pound-feet of torque, making 2013 hybrid much more responsive.

Car Review: The 2013 Hyundai Elantra still tops the compact market

DALLAS, May 27, 2013 — Changes to the 2013 Hyundai Elantra are miniscule this year, but there has been the introduction of new body styles, a coupe and a hatchback.

The Hyundai Elantra comes in a hatchback too.

For the standard Elantra, however, it’s business as usual and still all about the classy styling as well as what’s under the hood, emphasizing good fuel economy and many excellent standard features.

A fixture in the compact car market, particularly after a redesign several years ago, Hyundai’s competition ranges from the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus and Mazda 3 to the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla.

There are two trims to choose from: the GLS and Limited. With the GLS, you get 16-inch steel wheels, heated mirrors, power accessories, a height-adjustable driver seat, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, and a good bit of techie options like a trip computer, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack, and iPod/USB audio interface.

If you choose the GLS with automatic transmission, there is a Preferred Package, making a few changes to the standard features like 16-inch alloy wheels as well as the addition of fog lamps, upgraded interior trim, heated front seats, and lighted vanity mirrors.

The Limited 2013 Hyundai Elantra offers all the goodies from the GLS Preferred Package, but 17-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, leather upholstery, and heated front and rear seats are also added. For more luxury, you can also opt for the Technology Package, which adds to the mix automatic headlamps, rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an upgraded sound system.

Under the hood, this Hyundai has front-wheel drive with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. The six-speed manual transmission is the norm, but a six-speed automatic is optional on the GLS. On the Limited sedan, it is automatic as the standard.

For safety, the 2013 Hyundai Elantra has traction and stability control, antilock disc brakes, active front head restraints and front seat side-impact, and side curtain airbags.

Inside the Elantra, you will find a stylized interior that boasts a center stack and easy to use and manipulate buttons and knobs, a design that Hyundai can certainly boast about overall.

Space-wise, the Hyundai Elantra offers plenty of it for the compact car market. Plenty of headroom even for a front seat driver or passenger who stands over six-feet, and even in the backseat seat there is plenty of legroom. The trunk is large with 14.8 cubic feet of cargo space too.

Behind the wheel, the 2013 Hyundai Elantra is fun to drive as there is plenty of power to get where you need to go quickly and easy with handling good for this compact market option.

Should You Need to Know: Kudos to the larger than usual trunks found in this class and the outstanding warranty coverage. Take particular note of the 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT, which is an all-new hatchback that replaced the Elantra Touring wagon with a 51-foot cargo area.

Miles Per Gallon: The 2013 Hyundai Elantra has impressive fuel economy with 29 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

Cost: The 2013 Hyundai Elantra starts at around $17,000 for the GLS.

Rita Cook is a writer/editor with over 1300 articles to her credit in the past 15-plus years. She is a frequent auto and travel contributor on a national radio show called “The Duva Show” where her “The Insider Mag’s”I’m Standing Here segment can be heard weekly between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. Monday evenings.

Cook is a member of the Texas Auto Writer’s Association and the North Texas Film Critics and writes for the Dallas Morning News, Focus Daily New, Living Magazine and Valley Scene Magazines as well as http://www.greensourceDFW. She also spends much of her time on the road traveling or working on books.

She recently received the 2012 Green Media Award from the North Texas Corporate Recycling Association.

Her latest book release is “Haunted Bartlesville, Oklahoma”from http://www.historypress.net and she will be publishing her ninth book this spring about Prohibition-Era cocktails in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Follow Cook at Twitter at @ritacook13.
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Service Appointment Scheduler

Gary Rome Hyundai has launched a new online appointment site designed to serve you better. Our old site is now discontinued and unavailable. Please follow the link and instructions below. For your protection, you will need a new username and password with our new site. We welcome your feedback as we add new features. As always, you will be able to book appointments 24/7 at your convenience.
Click here to access the new online appointment site!

Gary Rome Needs Your Help to Donate to The One Fund

This is Gary Rome and I’m here to talk to you about something much more important than cars. I want to talk to you about our friends and families that were impacted by the tragic events at the marathon. My family at Gary Rome Auto Group came to me and asked me what can we do? We decided to support the Boston One Fund. For every test drive we’ll donate $10and $100 for every car purchased. And because we know how important time with our family is, I’m going to give you a $10 gift certificate to Squires Bistro on Main Street in Agawam.

GO TO VIDEO

Please come to Gary Rome Hyundai in Holyoke or Gary Rome Kia in Enfield and take a test drive and I’ll donate $10 to The One Fund and I’ll give you a $10 gift certificate to Squires Bistro in Agawam and when you decide to buy from me, I’ll then donate $100 to The One Fund. Gary Rome Auto Group, helping those that help us. It doesn’t cost any of us extra to be nice!

You can also donate directly to The One Fund: OneFundBoston.org

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2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: First Drive

When it appeared in 2011 to counter rivals like the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid generally didn’t fare too well in head-to-head matchups. Complaints of a lack of refinement in the hybrid powertrain and braking feel were cited, and the Sonata routinely under-delivered on the fuel economy front. Hyundai seems to have been listening, as these are exactly the areas the company focused on for the 2013 Sonata Hybrid, and the result is a top-notch, fully competitive hybrid sedan ready to take on the competitors.

Changes start with the powertrain: The same 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine remains, but it now makes slightly less power, 159 horsepower compared to the 2012 model’s 166. This is made up for by a more powerful electric motor, rated at 35 kilowatts instead of the last model’s 30. Net power thus drops from 206 in the 2012 model to 199 in the 2013, but this is the only trade-off for superior performance, fuel economy and cargo room. The 2013 Sonata Hybrid’slithium polymer battery has a higher capacity, but it’s also lighter and better packaged, allowing the trunk’s cargo room to grow from 10.7 to 12.1 cubic feet.

Hyundai also tuned these new components far better than the last version. The car exhibits improved smoothness in its electric-to-gas hybrid transition, better regenerative braking feel and much more seamless acceleration. A light in the gauge cluster will light up when the engine shuts off while cruising on flat, level roads indicating that the car is operating electrically — and it will do so even at highway speeds. Although there is no dedicated EV mode button, the car seems like it’s engaged in all-electric driving over more distance and under harder acceleration than the competition.

The Sonata Hybrid has a conventional six-speed automatic, which makes the car feel more “normal” than many other hybrid sedans on the market that use continuously variable transmissions. There is no loud, buzzy drone under hard acceleration as there is with a CVT, just smooth acceleration and barely perceptible shifts. At speed, the Sonata’s ride is well damped, and the cabin is quiet with just minor wind noise.

The improvements boost the Sonata Hybrid’s fuel economy as well, with the 2013 rated at 36 city, 40 highway and 38 combined, compared to the 2012 model’s 34/39/36 (the 2013 Limited trim level gets 37 combined, due to the extra weight of equipment). This matches more favorably against the Toyota Camry Hybrid LE (43/39/41) and XLE (40/38/40) than the Ford Fusion Hybrid (47/47/47), although the average reported fuel economy for the Fusion is nowhere near the EPA rating, according to government website fueleconomy.gov. My test loop consisted of a morning’s worth of high-speed highway, some stop-and-go traffic and a few hard acceleration moments to pass slower traffic, returning a respectable combined 37 mpg. This compares favorably to the consumer-reported averages for the Camry and Fusion.

That number becomes even more impressive when one considers the car that delivered it. The ’13 Sonata Hybrid is a big midsize sedan with plenty of room inside, comfortable seats and high-quality materials throughout. Exterior styling is differentiated from conventional Sonatas through different front and rear ends, headlights, taillights and wheels. My Limited model had leather seats, navigation, a nine-speaker Infinity sound system, heated front and rear seats and a massive panoramic sunroof. The only aspect of the Sonata Hybrid’s interior that did not impress was the infotainment system’s subpar graphics. Hybrid functions and monitoring displays are located in several different places throughout the hierarchy of screens, and the ones that are available look extremely dated and offer limited information. This is an area that can easily be updated to look better, yet looks nearly a decade behind the times in its sophistication.

Pricing is still reasonable for the Sonata Hybrid as well, starting at $26,445 (including $795 delivery fee) for the base Hybrid and climbing to $31,345 for the Hybrid Limited. The only option is a $1,000 panoramic sunroof on the Limited model. The Camry Hybrid LE starts at $26,935 (including $795 destination fee), jumping to $28,465 for the more luxurious XLE. The XLE price does not include a leather interior ($1,185) or integrated back-up camera and alarm ($695), bringing a comparably equipped XLE to $30,345. The Ford Fusion Hybrid is more expensive, starting at $27,995 (including $795 shipping) for an SE trim model and jumping to $32,895 for the Titanium. Load it up with comparable technology goodies and a moonroof, however, and the Fusion Hybrid Titanium can easily top $36,890.

Hyundai’s updated Sonata Hybrid removes all the complaints many had about the operation of the old model, displaying a welcome refinement that further demonstrates the company’s ability to do something that previously the Japanese had been known for: continuous improvement.
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HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA SETS ALL-TIME RECORD FIRST QUARTER SALES

March sales are the second best month in history
Elantra sets all-time record, up 33 percent

COSTA MESA, Calif., April 2, 2013 — Hyundai Motor America today announced sales of 68,306 units, down just two percent versus the best volume month Hyundai ever recorded last year, and up more than 30 percent over February levels. The first quarter of 2013 was the best in Hyundai’s history.

“March felt just great,” said Dave Zuchowski, executive vice president of national sales. “We definitely benefitted from better inventories of Elantra thanks to the addition of the third shift at our Alabama plant, improved weather conditions in our important Northern markets and more robust retail activity reflecting a steady recovery in consumer confidence. Elantra led the pack with an all-time monthly sales record of 26,153 units, up 33 percent year-over-year. Sonata Hybrid also set a new all-time sales record with 2,006 sales, up 13 percent versus last year.”

Fleet mix was 17 percent for the month and stands at 16 percent for the year, among the lowest in the industry.

“This March was an incredibly strong month for us, the second best sales month in our history, just two percent below our all-time record from last March,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “While our plants continue to stretch to hit our demand levels, we still have one of the tightest inventory levels in the industry. This month, you could see the impact of improved Elantra availability, but our dealers remain constrained on Sonata, which continues as one of the fastest turning mid-size cars in the industry.”

According to data from Cars.com, the traditional five highest volume mid-size sedans (Accord, Camry, Altima, Fusion, and Malibu) have 72 percent more dealer stock than Sonata.

Sales in March of Certified Pre-Owned vehicles totaled 6,715, up eight percent for the first quarter. More than 80 percent of Hyundai’s dealers are now participating in the CPO program, which has been a key component in driving Hyundai residual values to record high levels. Hyundai Elantra, Azera, and Santa Fe Sport are all ALG Residual Value award winners for the 2013 model year.

CARLINE	MAR/2013	MAR/2012	CY/2013	CY/2012
ACCENT	5,669	8,337	13,914	18,484
SONATA	18,031	23,281	47,285	55,195
ELANTRA	26,153	19,681	54,546	44,401
SANTA FE	7,116	5,853	19,446	14,535
AZERA	1,117	128	2,709	159
TUCSON	4,073	4,197	11,010	11,049
VERACRUZ	39	622	136	1,809
VELOSTER	2,693	3,848	6,357	8,781
GENESIS	3,124	3,429	8,113	8,232
EQUUS	291	352	814	928
TOTAL	68,306	69,728	164,330	163,573

SALES-WEIGHTED FUEL ECONOMY

	February Label Combined MPG	March Window Label Combined MPG	2013 CYTD Window Label Combined MPG
Car	28.0	28.4	28.0
Truck	22.9	22.5	22.8
Hyundai Brand	27.9	28.2	27.8

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. On May 16, 2013, Hyundai Assurance will be expanded to include Assurance Connected Care for all Blue Link equipped vehicles. Assurance Connected Care provides Hyundai owners with proactive safety and car care services made possible by the Hyundai Blue Link telematics platform standard for three years. These services include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostic Alert, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and in-vehicle service scheduling.

Hyundai to Launch a Compact SUV, MPV and a new Hatchback: Official

Image used for represenation purpose only.

In an earlier report published on CarDekho, we talked about Hyundai’s plans of launching a new hatchback to rival Maruti Suzuki Swift. The said hatchback will sit between the company’s flagship hatches i10 and the i20, taking the total no. of hatchbacks to five. Now a report published today on ET confirms the same, it also reveals that there will be “a slew of products for the Indian market , including a compact SUV, an MPV as well”. This has been confirmed by none another than Hyundai’s CEO and MD, BO Shin Seo.

Seo also said that the company’s focus will be on diesel engines, the company has recently made investments in diesel engine capacity. Speaking to TOI, Seo said that “the HMI will launch a small SUV soon The SUV will COME earlier, followed by an MPV “.

Hyundai’s arch rival Maruti Suzuki India has already launched the Ertiga MPV, while it still doesn’t have anything in the growing compact SUV/MPV segment. On the other hand, the newly launched Renault Duster has already been doing superb in terms of sales, Ford is ready with its compact Crossover, the EcoSport and Chevrolet Enjoy MPV will be here anytime soon. So, it has become more a necessity now for Hyundai India to launch a good product to earn the market share in this space.

Hyundai India is keeping its focus on diesel run cars, diesel vehicles accounted for 28% of the company’s total sales. “We have invested $ 300 million in a new diesel gasoline flexible plant which has a 3,00,000-unit capacity. The flexi assembly line future-proofs us from any changes in the government’s fuel POLICY, the while at the same time it Protects us from currency fluctuation since we no longer import diesel engines, “he said.

The company is also working on the next-generation i10, which will house the company’s newly developed 1.1-litre diesel engine, while the petrol version will continue to derive its power from the existing 1.2-litre Kappa2 motor. The aforementioned 1.1-litre diesel engine is the company’s smallest engine right now, which might also power the new compact car we mentioned above.

Speaking about the new compact car, Seo says “between the i10 and i20. It will create a completely new segment and will have better pick -up and performance than the i10 segment “. Denying that Hyundai will get into sub-Eon segment, he said, “Our Brand POSITIONING is On all about modern premium, so we will not go below the Eon, “said Seo.

Stay tuned to CarDekho for all the latest updates on upcoming Hyundai cars, Cheers!

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hyundai-equus-20131.jpg

By LAWRENCE ULRICH

Introduced on Wednesday, March 27, 2013: 2014 Hyundai Equus

2013 New York Auto Show

What is it? A refreshed version of perhaps the biggest social climber in luxury cars, Hyundai’s roughly $60,000, full-size sedan.

Is it real? Dismissed by some critics as a poseur, the Equus has established a modest toehold in a class dominated by far pricier models from Mercedes, BMW, Lexus and Audi.

What they said: John Krafcik, chief executive of Hyundai Motor America, said the Equus led every car in the industry – luxury or mainstream — in J.D. Power’s most recent customer satisfaction survey. Customer service has been an Equus hallmark, including free iPads and owner perks; dealers pick up cars from owners’ homes and return them following service visits.

What they didn’t say: How quickly Hyundai can advance the Equus from its generic large-car styling to something resembling its well-received HCD-14 Genesis concept car.

What makes it tick? The formidable 5-liter, direct-injection V-8 with 429 horsepower and 8-speed automatic transmission carry-over from last year’s model. The air suspension is retuned, hopefully lending the Equus the sophisticated dynamics it currently lacks. But the Equus is noticeably gussied-up inside, with more convincing wood, aluminum, leather, display screens and features.

How much? How soon? The reworked Equus goes on sale in May, for roughly $57,000 to start.

How’s it look? No threat to design leaders like the Audi A8 or Jaguar XJ. But the Equus is more convincingly deluxe, especially inside, where it looks more Lexus, less Buick.

Nolan Gould Of ABC’s Modern Family Joins Hyundai Hope On Wheels In New York To Help Kids Fight Cancer

Mar 27, 2013 10:00 AM EDT

NEW YORK, March 27, 2013 /3BL Media/ PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Hope On Wheels®, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids fight cancer, today announced that Nolan Gould, star of the Emmy Award-winning comedy series Modern Family, will join the organization for its 2013 launch activities in New York City. Yesterday at the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square, Nolan Gould was on hand as Hyundai Motor America and its dealers rang the Closing Bell to commemorate their 15^th year in the fight against pediatric cancer through Hyundai Hope On Wheels.

 

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“Being in New York with Hope On Wheels, I’m learning firsthand the immense impact cancer has on thousands of kids throughout the country,” said Nolan Gould. “I believe us kids coming together to help other kids can send a powerful message and bring greater awareness to this important cause. I congratulate Hope On Wheels on its 15th year in this fight and encourage everyone to give hope a hand.”

 

To increase public awareness for childhood cancer, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has launched a new social media campaign called, “Give Hope A Hand.” Throughout the year, supporters are invited to join the cause by snapping a photo of their hand and sharing it on social media outlets. Visit http://www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org/hope to find out more.

 

“We congratulate Nolan for participating in the Hyundai Hope On Wheels program launch this week,” said Zafar Brooks, Program Director, Hyundai Hope On Wheels. “His celebrity status and willingness to be involved with such a worthwhile cause will no doubt help boost awareness for the program. We appreciate his support.”

 

Hyundai Hope On Wheels will surpass $72 million in donations in pursuit of a cure since its inception in 1998. Hope On Wheels will officially launch its 2013 grant program during a special press conference on Thursday, March 28 at the New York International Auto Show. Nolan Gould will participate in the press conference and will also visit Columbia University Medical Center with Hope On Wheels to meet children battling cancer.

For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels, please visit http://www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org. 

You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter, by visiting facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels or twitter.com/HopeOnWheels.  

 

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

 

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 800 U.S. dealers. At the end of its 15th year, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will have awarded more than $72 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

Copyright 2012 PR Newswire.  All Rights Reserved

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