Hyundai-Kia sales have been struggling this year even though the past four or five years has seen rapid growth. Part of the problems were understandably created by the 2011 earthquake in Japan, but the Hyundai-Kia assembly plants are running at full capacity now. The first quarter of this year reported 248,900 vehicles sold which is a 9% decrease over the same sales period last year. To help make up for the incline, the automakers have turned to fleet sales and that seems to be working out okay for them, but not as wonderfully as what they would like.

Bob King Automotive Group in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., points out, “We’ve been in a seller’s position. Today the competition is more closely aligned to some of the value proposition that Hyundai has had. Our customers can elect to buy what they want, not just what you have.” His thoughts are that now that the Japanese automakers have improved their inventory, Hyundai is having a hard time in the competitive arena. What this spells out is that Hyundai-Kia has to work harder to keep up.

The Veloster, for example is in short supply and sales would be much better if the inventory was kept up with the demand. John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America said he believes there would be a 70% increase here in America under those circumstances. He said, “We’re growing where we can and where we have capacity. We have more Elantras, and Elantra sales are growing. We have more Santa Fes, and Santa Fe sales are growing.

So the question remains, will more cars equal more sales for Hyundai-Kia, or will more fleet sales equal increasing sales rates? From the sounds of it, Hyundai-Kia is approaching both of these options. Either way, the dealers are all in agreement that if they didn’t keep selling out, then their sales would show a much higher increase.

Source Autonews

The 2013 Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list was just released and it looks as if the Asian automakers get to do the Happy, Happy Joy dance for building what it takes to make the Top Ten. General Motors also seems to know what will keep drivers and passengers comfy and cozy for their drives as well in order to make the list. For drivers, it gives us something to keep in mind when we are wondering what the next best commuter vehicle will be to plant our butts in.

WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief, Drew Winter, comments, “This year’s batch of winners really drives home the point that auto interiors are vital in the battle for consumers’ hearts and minds. It wasn’t uncommon all that long ago for auto makers to view interiors as the best place to take cost out of a vehicle program. They eventually figured out that’s a big mistake because people spend a lot more time looking at the inside of their car than the outside.”

The winners are determined by being time tested and driven during routine commutes and scored for “materials, ergonomics, comfort safety, value, fit-and-finish and overall design.” According to Ward’s Auto, they are also scored for how driver friendly they are to use in regard to using the technology and accessing vehicle information.

This year’s 2013 Ward’s 10 Best Interiors winners:

• Acura RDX – Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
• Cadillac XTS – General Motors Co.
• Chevrolet Spark – General Motors Co.
• Hyundai Santa Fe Sport – Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.
• Kia Forte – Kia Motors Corp.
• Lexus GS 450h – Toyota Motor Corp.
• Mazda6 – Mazda Motor Corp.
• Nissan Pathfinder – Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
• Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn – Chrysler Group LLC
• Toyota Avalon – Toyota Motor Corp.

Hyundai was proud to show off their 2014 Hyundai Equus at the New York Auto Show because they went to great lengths to make sure this car would compete in the stable of luxury sedans, with the Caddy and other iconic favorites coming out, they really have no other choice if they want to survive in this set of vehicles. Nevertheless, Hyundai does claim to have “The most shopped” luxury liner with the Equus and according to them it is ahead of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, Lexus LS, and Jaguar XJ, at least in how much it’s shopped. In sales, we’ll have to wait and see how the final numbers play out across the board.

In the meantime, here are some specs for the 2014 Hyundai Equus:

Equus Signature Key Standard Features

• 5.0L GDI DOHC D-CVVT Tau® V8 engine w/429 HP
• 8-Speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC®
• Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS)
• Electronically Controlled Air Suspension with Continuous Damping Control (CDC)
• 19″ polished-silver finish alloy wheels with P245/45R19(Ft)/P275/40R19(Rr)
• 4-Wheel disc brakes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and EBD
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with TCS and Brake Assist
• Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system w/ pre-collision warning
• 9 Airbags: Advanced dual front airbags, front and rear seat-mounted side-impact airbags
• Driver knee airbag, and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags
• Electronic active front head restraints w/ power controls / Electronic seatbelt pre-tensioners
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
• Lane-departure warning system (LDWS)
• Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-traffic Alert
• Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with stop/start
• High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights with LED turn signal indicators
• Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFLS) with auto-leveling
• LED Fog lights & Automatic headlights
• Front and rear parking assistance system with rearview camera & Rear Cross-traffic Alert
• Dual power-folding heated auto-dim side mirrors w/ turn signal indicators/approach lamps
• Dual asymmetrical exhaust tips integrated with rear bumper
• Proximity key (card type) entry with push-button start
• Illuminated scuff plates, inside door handles & door armrest
• Premium leather seating surfaces and microfiber suede headliner
• 12-way power driver seat plus lumbar adjustment and 10-way power front passenger seat
• Heated & Cooled front seats
• Heated, wood-trimmed & leather-wrapped steering wheel /power tilt-and-telescopic function
• Integrated Memory System (IMS) for driver-side seat, mirror and steering wheel
• Leather-wrapped dash and genuine wood interior trim
• Electroluminescent cluster with 7-inch TFT LCD screen
• Electronic parking brake with automatic vehicle hold
• Power windows with auto-down/up
• Blue Link® Telematics System
• Assurance Connected Care (with 3-years complimentary service)
• Navigation system w/ 9.2 inch LCD screen w/ DIS multimedia controller
• Lexicon® 7.1 Discrete surround-sound audio system with 17 speakers
• AM/FM/HD Radio®/SiriusXM/CD/DVD/MP3 audio system
• iPod, USB and MP3 auxiliary input jacks
• Bluetooth® hands-free phone system
• Three zone Automatic Temperature Control with Air Quality System
• Windshield-wiper deicer, rain-sensing wipers / auto-defogging windshield
• Electrochromic auto-dimming inside rearview mirror with HomeLink® and compass
• Acoustic Laminated Windshield , Front and Rear side Windows
• Power tilt-and-slide glass sunroof
• 60/40 power reclining and heated rear seats
• Power rear sunshade
• Premium-grade floor mats, premium-grade trunk cargo mat and first-aid kit

Equus Ultimate Package – Add Ons or Replacement Options:

• Heads-up display
• Cooled rear seats
• Power rear side window sunshades
• Rear seat power up/down head restraints w/ manual tilt
• Rear seat illuminated vanity mirrors
• Forward-view Cornering Camera
• Power trunk lid
• Steering-wheel haptic dial control for center cluster
• Full 12.3 inch TFT LCD instrument cluster display screen
• Rear seat entertainment system w/ dual 9.2″ monitors
• Power lumbar (rear outboard seats)
• Multi-view camera system
• Power door closure

Source Hyundai

At first glance the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe looks exactly like you would imagine a sporty looking crossover to show up as. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing and many crossover fans love the fact that they can expect what they feel is the ideal vehicle for that class. With that the new Santa Fe certainly isn’t going to disappoint. The question is what’s behind the looks in terms of what you can expect for safety, performance and comfort? Again, it seems as if Hyundai had their sights set on giving drivers what they expect, and maybe just a little extra to boot. Whether this crossover will become a favorite of not remains to be seen, but at this point it looks as if it’s positioned to be a top contender.

What you don’t see from the first glance of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is what’s under the hood and drivers shouldn’t be disappointed when they find out that what is waiting for them will give them a pretty assertive experience. Namely, there is a 3.3 liter V6 engine in the standard version. This is mated to a six speed automatic transmission and will give you 290 horsepower and 252 pound feet of torque. While that might not sound like a powerhouse to you, it is at least 20 horses more than the closest competition. The Toyota Highlander offers 270 horsepower and 248 pound feet of torque, the Nissan Pathfinder has 260 horses and 240 pound feet and the Honda Pilot comes in last with 250 horses and 253 pound feet. The direct injection of the Hyundai’s engine also gives a bit more power to top it off with. Plus, it gets about 18 miles per gallon which isn’t breathtaking, but not too shabby for this size vehicle.

The interior of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe seems to be a bit busy with all types of finishes and materials, but it is roomy and should fit a family or soccer team reasonably well. Of course all the up to date technology is added for entertainment value.

Source YouTube

It won’t be long now before some happy automaker walks away with the 2013 Car of the Year Award. This coveted award will be given away later today at the Geneva Auto Show and the finalists have all ready been chosen. The judges’ panel for this award includes 59 automotive journalists from 23 European countries. This is a European auto show after all.

Well, these judges have been haggling and voting and have narrowed their choices down to eight finalists. While we aren’t quite sure what criteria they used, we know it was a comprehensive collection of specific points to make up what that “Car of the Year” should require.

Eight Finalists for the 2013 Car of the Year Award:

• Ford B-Max
• Hyundai i30
• Mercedes A-Klasse
• Peugeot 208
• Renault Clio
• Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86
• Volkswagen Golf
• Volvo V40.

Congratulations to these finalists. We’ll be excited to hear who the Grand Prize Winner is. In the meantime, the 83rd International Geneva Motor Show is the first one to have 10% of the 130 World and European premier autos listed as Clean. Along with these premier vehicles, there are 260 exhibitors from around 30 countries showing up in the following categories:

• Motor cars (3 or 4 wheels)
• Electric cars and alternative powered cars
• Special bodywork for motor cars, design and engineering
• Converted cars (tuners)
• Accessories and parts for motor cars
• OEM: original equipment manufacturers
• Workshop installations for the repair and maintenance of motor cars
• Animation

As you can imagine, the news will be pouring in about all the premiers, awards and other particulars from the Geneva Auto Show. So keep a close eye out so you can stay up to date on the most exciting news from the top automakers.

While many of the automakers have gotten into trouble at some point in time for misrepresenting their fuel ratings, Hyundai Kia seems to be hit the hardest with thirty eight class action lawsuits to date from drivers who want to “Make them Pay”. Whether these drivers are more lawsuit happy than the rest, or if Hyundai and Kia went way overboard with their claims is a puzzle, but it did prompt the EPA to step in and finally agree to improve on the way it works with automakers and offering more realistic fuel economy labels.

The rumors are flying about what the approximate damages are for Hyundai in this unfortunate chain of events, but some sources are saying it’s around the $775 million range. This is due to a whopping 900,000 vehicles being  involved in incorrect MPG numbers posted on the window stickers. There are more cars involved in the same claim that had gone to a class action lawsuit, for the Hyundai Elantra before this bigger debacle began. Hyundai has decided to go ahead and settle out of court by offering lump sum payments to unhappy drivers, Kia is still on the fence in regard to how they want to proceed.

Kia Motors America spokesman Scott McKee commented, “Kia Motors America’s priority is and will remain making things right for our customers, which is why we are offering to compensate all current and former owners of affected vehicles, using MPG ratings adjustments for the full length of their vehicle ownership.”

Hyundai drivers involved in the class action lawsuits should expect more news about this lump sum payout soon. If you bought a used car, you will get half of what  new car drivers will get in this settlement. You will also be able to opt for 150% of the lump sum payment in dealer service credits, or 200% of that sum in new car rebates instead of cash if you prefer.

Source Automotive News