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Motor Trend says "the Genesis Coupe represents, in some ways, the best of both worlds. It is quick and fun to drive. It's easy on the eyes and on the wallet."
Stop by today to test drive a Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
Would
you recommend your car to a friend? Of course, we'd encourage you to conduct
more thorough research before investing tens of thousands in a new car - we can
even recommend a good website - but millions of Americans do ask friends,
neighbors and co-workers "how do you like your new car?" when
considering purchase. Auto industry research firm Auto Pacific did the same,
asking 25,000 new car owners whether they were satisfied with their recent
purchase. The result?
In a press release, the company write, "... Hyundai won the "Rising Star" award for the biggest jump, leaping over 11 other brands to sit in the top 5 for the first time."
The results come from a survey that, according to Auto Pacific, considers "48 separate categories that objectively measure the ownership experience."
Premium Mid-Size Car: Hyundai Sonata
Aspirational Luxury Car: Hyundai Genesis
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., January 11, 2009 ? DETROIT, 01/11/2009
After months of expert test-drives, critical acclaim and independent awards, the
Hyundai Genesis took
top honors in the most exclusive award in North America when it was named 2009
North American Car of the Year.
A jury of 50 independent automotive journalists evaluated all the new cars introduced last year and chose the 2009 Hyundai Genesis as the best new model. The award was announced at a news conference at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
?Genesis represents everything we?ve learned, so far, about engineering great automobiles ? and we?re delighted that the judges have recognized the good work of our R&D teams,? said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America acting president and chief executive officer. ?And we?re not stopping here?Genesis will share company in Hyundai showrooms this spring with its rear-wheel drive platform-mate, the Genesis Coupe.?
This year the jurors considered more than 50 new vehicles before selecting the top three cars and top three trucks. The Volkswagen Jetta TDI and Ford Flex were the other finalists.
The North American Car of the Year award is decided by a jury of 50
independent, full-time automotive journalists from the United States and Canada.
This is the 16th year of the awards, which were inspired by the prestigious
European ?Car of the Year.? They are administered by an organizing committee and
are funded exclusively with dues paid by the jurors. Jurors judge the cars on a
number of factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver
satisfaction and value for the dollar.
HYUNDAI
MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, 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 780 dealerships nationwide.


Say this for Hyundai: They're bold. Very bold.
Here's a company that, ten years ago, fielded little more than small economy cars -- cars that weren't all that well-received.
Now, the automaker is a force to be reckoned with, and frankly, I don't think it is about to stop. I look for Hyundai to be one of the three or four biggest sellers of cars in the U.S. within the next ten years.
Part of the reason for the growth is that Hyundai is daring to compete in segments that would have been unthinkable for them even five years ago. They clearly intend to market in every segment they can, and yes, they do pose a very serious threat to Toyota, Nissan and others.
Why? Because they provide high-quality, good-looking cars with long warranties at prices that undercut competitors by thousands of dollars.
If you doubt me, I have one word for you: Genesis.
The big news during the next model year will be the long-awaited arrival of Genesis, Hyundai's first true full-size rear-wheel drive sedan. A concept version was unveiled at the last New York International Auto Show, and it is ready to hit the ground later this year.
Concept Genesis rides on a prototype of Hyundai's all-new rear-wheel-drive platform, signaling the brand's desire to broaden its appeal to discerning driving enthusiasts. It will be powered by Hyundai's newly developed Tau DOHC 32-valve V-8 powertrain. And guess where the price will start: less than $30,000.
Concept Genesis marks the beginning of premium performance for the Hyundai brand.
"Concept Genesis is a manifestation of Hyundai's extraordinary desire to deliver world-class products across all model segments," said John Krafcik, vice president, Product Development and Strategic Planning, Hyundai Motor America. "With Genesis, we've got a unique product position -- an all-new, highly capable, rear-wheel drive platform; a high-performance powertrain; and premium, progressive design -- all at a price starting well under $30,000."
Not that Hyundai doesn't have some new stuff already gracing showroom floors. You better bring a score card to keep track.
Most recently, Hyundai introduced the all-new Veracruz large crossover, which is intended to do serious damage to the sales of Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.
The Veracruz, with prices ranging from around $27,000 to $35,000, is prompting comparisons with far more expensive crossovers -- namely Lexus RX350. Some magazines have said it at least equals the Lexus in styling, content, value and quality.
It has three-tiered headlights, a sculpted bumper and an interesting grille that includes a curved portion that houses the Hyundai "Flying H" logo. Its roofline is not unlike the one found on the sexy Infiniti FX series of crossovers.
Standard equipment includes electronic all-wheel drive; proximity key; rain sensing wipers; mirrors mounted on adjustable pedals; full power everything; an audio system that includes an AM/FM, XM Satellite radio, CD and an MP3 player; a 260-horsepower 3.8-liter V-6 (rated at 17 mpg city and 24-highway); heated power side mirrors; and side curtain bags.
Another new model is the Azera GLS, an entry-level variant of the popular mid-sized sedan that starts at $24,235 with a five-speed transmission and a 3.3-liter V-6 that is rated at 21/28. New this year for Azera for 2008 is a standard XM satellite radio.
The Elantra also was all new last year. For 2008, electronic stability control is standard in SE trim, and brake assist has been added to the standard ABS system for the SE model. A tire pressure monitoring system is standard on all models, and the Elantra SE premium plus Leaher Packagte replaces the Elantra Limited model. If you want a nice surprise, check out the new 2007 Elantra. This is a car that lists for between $13,395 and $16,895, and is better equipped than some cars selling for about half as much more. It has front and rear side curtain air bags, adjustable head restraints, full-power equipment, remote keyless-entry system, tilt steering wheel, rear center armrest with cup holders, center console with two-tier storage compartment and more.
It's got so much interior volume that the federal government places it in a class size above the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic -- there's more interior volume than you'll find in Acura's TL entry-level luxury car.
And don't think you get all this in a "Plain Jane" car. The new Elantra is curvaceous, not flat and angular as some compact cars seem to be. It's got a flowing character line along each of its flanks and an aggressive-looking grille. Inside you'll find interiors with two-toned themes and touches of aluminum trim.
Power comes from a 2.0-liter, 132-horsepower four-cylinder engine with mileage ratings of 28 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway. Prices range from $13,395 to $17,845.
Another star of Hyundai's lineup this year is the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe small crossover which was new last year.
For 2008, the power tilt and slide sunroof has been made standard on the Limited trim level, the LG navigation system will be available on the Limited staring in the first quarter of 2008, and premium seat cloth is now standard on the SE. A 605 watt Infinitiy Logic 7 CD changer audio system with ten speakers is now standard on the Limited.
The Santa Fe has several competitive advantages: It offers a third-row seat, which is a big deal for shoppers these days; two transmissions and two engine choices -- both are V-6s, a 2.7-liter, 185-horsepower version (rated at 21 mpg city/26 highway) and a 242-horsepower model (rated at 19/24); and, of course, a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty.
It also comes with a full complement of safety equipment, including electronic stability control, anti-whiplash active head restraints and six air bags, including side air curtains.
The new Santa Fe has more flowing lines than its predecessor; you don't see the odd character lines or sharp angles and odd wrinkles that were part of the previous car.
Inside, there's more luxury and comfort than you might expect: dual zone climate controls; blue backlighting for all interior gauges, switches and buttons; and soft-touch, high-quality materials and low-gloss surfaces through the car. The Santa Fe is priced from about $21,000 to about $28,000.
"This recognition further reinforces our brand philosophy on how smart consumers think about premium sedans," said Scott Margason, national manager, Product Development at Hyundai Motor America. "Clearly, the Azera raises the bar by combining safety, luxury and value like no other vehicle in its segment. Consumers who want full-size sedan features, a smooth and powerful engine and a comfortable ride will be pleased with the Azera."
2011 HYUNDAI SONATA NAMED "TOP SAFETY PICK" BY IIHS
This
award is only given to those vehicles that do a superior job protecting people
in front, side, rear and rollover crashes. A car's ability to handle itself in
these crashes is determined by how many "GOOD" ratings it receives in each of
the IIHS tests. Additionally, the
vehicle must have electronic stability control readily available as an option.
Sonata is built from the ground up with safety in mind, with a hot stamped ultra-high-strength steel body structure, advanced airbag technology and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), delivering on Hyundai's commitment to both active and passive safety technology leadership. In 2005, the Sonata was the first popular midsize sedan to standardize ESC-- once again every 2011 Sonata has lifesaving ESC as standard equipment. This is important because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that ESC results in 35 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes and 30 percent fewer single-vehicle fatalities in passenger cars.
The Sonata also features a state-of-the-art Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) including Brake Assist and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). Sonata features six airbags-including dual front, front seat-mounted side-impact, and front and rear side curtain airbags-along with active front-seat head restraints.
While past Hyundai models,
such as the Genesis, have been named IIHS "Top Safety Picks," the standards are
higher than ever for 2010, with a roof strength test added to the
qualifications. According to the new guidelines, roofs must be more than double
the strength of current federal requirements in order to better maintain
vehicle integrity in the event of a rollover accident.
Because this roof strength
test is so demanding, many of the vehicles that had previously been named "Top
Safety Picks" were dropped from the list in 2010. From the 2011 Sonata's inception, Hyundai
engineers carefully considered the importance of roof strength and designed the
newest edition to pass this high hurdle set by the IIHS.
The other IIHS "Top Safety
Pick" standards are stringent as well - the institute's frontal crashworthiness
evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on
measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures
recorded on a dummy representing a 50th percentile male in the driver seat, and
analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled
dummy movement during the test.
Side evaluations are based
on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a
barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier
represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures
recorded on two instrumented dummies representing an average-sized woman,
assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle's structural
performance during the impact.
Rear crash protection is
rated according to a two-step procedure.
Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint
geometry - the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the
back of the head of an average-size man.
Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested
dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a
stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph.