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Hyundai Elantra Touring News & Reviews

   2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring GL Sport Road Test Review

The older I get the more the idea of a five-door wagon, fastback, hatchback or whatever you want to call it, appeals to me.

If you think the Elantra Touring has European good looks, you're right; it's Korean built, but German designed. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Now, if you would have asked my opinion on these kinds of cars years ago when I was driving the family wagon to and from high school, I would have said otherwise. Oh, how I coveted a coupe or sedan back then!

Perhaps my shift in opinion comes from the practicality a five-door has to offer in regards to moving people (or stuff!) in and out of the vehicle, or the generous amount of cargo room in both the rear seats and trunk. Or perhaps it's because I'm more environmentally and financially conscious than I used to be and would rather use less and pay less in fuel to operate a vehicle. Partly I think the shift in my opinion is because car manufacturers are now making cool, desirable and super sporty five-doors that not only look good but drive well, and turn the occasional head! I'm so vain.

Hyundai hasn't offered a five-door hatchback/wagon since its GT model in 2006, but the hiatus is over and it was worth the wait. For the 2009 model year, we now have the all-new Elantra Touring (in other markets, it's known as the i30) to grace the streets. And graceful it is. The German-designed, but South Korean-built Touring definitely combines the best of both worlds. Its classy exterior combines clean lines with pleasing curves and its spacious cabin is nicely detailed and very roomy. The fit, finish and overall quality of the Touring is nothing less than I would have expected from Hyundai; it is superb.

All Touring models from the base L to the top-of-the-line GL with the Sport Package share the same 2.0L, 16-valve, DOHC, 4-cylinder engine which produces 138 horsepower and 136 lb-ft of torque. <Read More>

   2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Road Test Review

Hyundai Turbo? That's a new phrase in automotive circles, but not as incongruous as any preconceived notions you may be holding

A beautiful design that easily rivals a Lexus ES, the Sonata now competes with V6 midsize sedans in performance thanks to a 2.0L turbocharged engine making 274-hp. (Photo: Hyundai)

about the automaker might lead you to believe. Reporting on the newfound grace of the turbocharged engine's Hyundai Sonata host earlier this year, we stated nobody would ever term the Hyundai as fast, and suggested power freaks might want to wait for the 2.0-litre turbo.

Well, having now driven the turbo, we're reminded of the old automotive adage, "There's no replacement for displacement." Yes, the 274-horsepower direct injected two-litre delivers the power and torque of a V6 engine. Yes, it gets better gas mileage than said V6. And, yes, it runs on regular fuel. However, waiting for the turbo to spool up and "git things to gittin'" will give you, uh, pause.

We clocked an unofficial eight-second 60 (96.6 km/h), admittedly with three adult American males, weighing a total of just under five hundred pounds on board. Other testers, in more optimal circumstances, <Read More>

   Hyundai to launch 2012 Elantra Coupe

With so many of the new four-door sedan designs shaped like coupes it only seems natural to extend their front doors while filling in

It certainly isn't difficult to imagine the sporty Elantra four-door made into a two-door coupe. (Photo: Hyundai)

those in the rear so as to make real two-door coupes in order to liven up a given lineup. This appears to be what Hyundai has in mind for its all-new Elantra, and by so doing it will go head-to-head with Honda and its popular Civic Coupe, let alone sister company Kia with its Forte Koup that's based on the same platform architecture.

A report comes in from Automotive News that sales of the new 2012 Elantra Coupe will begin as early as this coming spring, so we can expect a production version of the car to debut in Chicago later this month, or at the very latest New York in April.

At the other end of the size spectrum, Hyundai will bring a completely redesigned Azera to market in the U.S. (the model was dropped in Canada when the Genesis sedan was introduced so it won't likely return) to compete in the full-size mainstream segment currently filled with the Buick Lucerne, Chevrolet Impala, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus, Nissan Maxima, and Toyota Avalon. Along with new styling, the new 2012 Azera will get Hyundai's 3.3-litre V6 rated above 260-horsepower. <Read More>

   2011 Hyundai Equus Road Test Review

In continuation of its march to be a player in every automotive segment, Hyundai now offers-for your consideration-its first full

Would you park this Hyundai Equus in your driveway instead of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series? Let alone a Lexus LS? (Photo: Hyundai)

on luxury car. Equus. The most upscale Hyundai ever, the Korean manufacturer intends the 2011 Equus to be considered in the same thought as Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

So, does the Hyundai stack up?

Well, yes and no.

Exceptionally well executed, the Equus is solidly in possession of that indefinable quality known as presence. The look of the car clearly states its intention. And while many may decry the styling as derivative of various and sundry Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Buick products, the fact is the Hyundai is nonetheless one good-looking auto.

It's <Read More>

   Hyundai Blue Link telematics to take on OnStar

OnStar has become a household name that some might argue is General Motors' fifth major brand behind Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac

Blue Link will take on OnStar later this year. (Photo: Hyundai)

and GMC. And while it will likely become the go-to name for in-car telematics for time immemorial, just like Jeep is merely another term for a 4x4, iPod for mp3 players and Kleenex for tissue, the rest of the auto industry isn't about to let GM have all the fun.

Hyundai, for one, is anteing up with a telematics system of its own dubbed Blue Link, which, like OnStar, will connect its customers to a live agent so they can sing the "blues" about locking themselves out of their car or, more critically, send accident notifications and a live link to a trained emergency professional. This latter features is part of Hyundai Assurance, which can also send an SOS if you're experiencing car trouble, an advanced roadside assistance program.

"Blue Link <Read More>

   Hyundai passes half-million mark in U.S. sales

What's the hottest automaker right now? Arguably it's Hyundai, a brand that has reinvented itself from a lowly needs-driven economy

Hyundai's 2011 Sonata has helped spur on North American sales due to great styling, excellent performance and fuel economy, plus a strong value proposition. (Photo: Hyundai)

option to a highly stylish quality player in the North American market.

While Hyundai sales in Canada are fierce, the U.S. division hit a milestone in sales by passing the half-million mark this week. Hyundai's previous high was before the economic collapse when it sold 467,009 units in 2007. The automaker has been one of the least affected by the recession, however, along with its Kia brand.

"Hyundai's sales continue to climb as more consumers become aware of our great products, high quality, the industry's best warranty, and improving dealership experience," said Dave Zuchowski, executive vice president, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. "We expect our sales momentum to continue as we head into the New Year with models like the new Elantra, the first of four planned 40-mpg [EPA equivalent of 5.88 L/100km] Hyundai vehicles in our lineup, and our premium luxury sedan, <Read More>

   New Hyundai Elantra exposed ahead of LA Auto Show

   Hyundai to Launch New 2011 Elantra Later This Year

If your current Elantra is starting to feel a bit dated or you want to move from another compact sedan into something with a little

The upcoming 2011 Elantra pulls cues from the new Sonata and new Tucson for one stylish little compact sedan. (Photo: Hyundai)

more pizzazz, Hyundai has some good news. The 2011 Elantra is on its way, and it's one stylish little four-door.

Pulling cues from its Sonata sibling, the next generation Elantra will impress traditional compact sedan buyers longing for a little more wow factor. The car incorporates the same Fluidic Sculpture design language as Hyundai's larger midsize model and also applies "a new design aesthetic called Wind Craft," says a press release for the Korean market model, dubbed Avante. Where the old design looked like it could have wrapped itself right around a previous generation Corolla, the new car is unlike anything else on the road.

Likewise, <Read More>

   2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Road Test Review

When Hyundai announced that their 2011 Sonata would no longer be offered with a V6, there was some doubt about the wisdom

Who would have thought? More power from the fuel-efficient new four than last year's V6! (Photo: Hyundai)

of such a move. It takes real leadership, the right products (and guts) to change the mindset of the buying public.

Clearly, the 2011 Sonata is a big hit.  Sales of this freshly designed family sedan have more than doubled those of its predecessors. Now, the risk of eliminating the V6 in future Hyundai models looks more like clever marketing at a time when rising fuel economy standards are the norm. 

Even though the base Sonata's four-cylinder is a good performer, and there is still a significant market segment that wants the performance of a V6, Hyundai has chosen to replace the V6 using turbocharging and direct injection to get V6-like power with four-cylinder economy. Thus, the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T.

"The Sonata 2.0T <Read More>

   Sonata 2.0T Turbo Hits 100km/h in 6.7 Seconds and Returns 6.9 L/100km Highway

When near-luxury brand Buick announced the output numbers for its new top-line turbocharged midsize Regal, all we could think

Stylish, well made, fuel-efficient and powerful, the new Sonata 2.0T will make you forget a V6 even existed in the last iteration. (Photo: Hyundai)

about was that Hyundai's non-premium Sonata offers a naturally aspirated 200 horsepower four-cylinder model that comes pretty close to the performance of GM's 220 horsepower Ecotec.

Sure the Regal Turbo's torque is high at 258 lb-ft, which will give it serious kick from the standing start, but the Sonata Turbo provides even more twist at the front wheels with 269 lb-ft of torque on tap, and its 274 horsepower makes for tremendous acceleration when already rolling, especially during highway passing maneuvers.

Hyundai is a company literally on a roll right now, every one of its new introductions stunning auto fans far and wide. The Sonata has stepped up standard <Read More>