The Hyundai Veloster Wins A 12th Annual Auto Style Awards

On November 22, 2011, Hyundai Motor America announced that the all-new 2012 Hyundai Veloster three-door coupe earned an Auto Style Award from eCityofStyle as part of its 12th annual awards program. The online source for an insider's look into the world of style, picked the five most stylish vehicles for the current model year. With more than 300 new cars for 2012, the finalists were selected after judges assessed exterior and interior style, fun-to-drive factor, exclusivity, and the all-important head-turning quotient. The eCityofStyle editors noted, ““Gone are the days of Hyundai's budget car status. Today, the Korean automaker is a legitimate threat to the establishment, designing cars that look considerably more expensive than they really are. The Veloster is perhaps Hyundai's most successful execution of its new design language, called Fluidic Sculpture. From the tight front end to the sculpted side creases to the powerful wheel arches, the Veloster's exterior is both aggressive and sleek.”

Following the 2011 Equus’ style award win last year, Hyundai is grabbing consumer attention and media headlines again with the Veloster. The Veloster and the other winners were selected by fashion editors, stylists, fashion photographers and designers; all experts that live outside of the automotive world.

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“With Veloster, we want to show consumers that high style and reasonable pricing can go hand in hand,” said Scott Margason, director, Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Veloster stands out from the crowd with a stylish yet functional design. We’re honored that eCityofStyle is recognizing the beautiful design and unique personality of the car.” According to Hyundai,  Veloster’s cutting edge integration of the third-door combined with a breakthrough design inspired by a high-performance sport bike allows Veloster to stand-out from its competition and makes a bold statement about Hyundai’s commitment to innovative design. Distinctive black A-pillars give the glass a motorcycle helmet visor appearance and in the front is an aggressive form of Hyundai’s signature hexagonal front grille and unique Hyundai-signature LED position lights. Veloster’s dynamic rear design has a distinctive glass hatch, dual centered chrome exhaust tips and black lower fascia that complement the assertive front fascia. Inside, the center stack and controls resemble a sport bike fuel tank and the air vents are inspired by motorcycle tailpipes, while the floor console mirrors the seat of a bike.

Beyond design, the Veloster’s fuel-sipping feature of 40 MPG highway adds to its appeal in LA where fuel prices are well above the national average. Joining the Veloster as Auto Style Award winners are the BMW 6 Series, Fiat 500, Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG, and Range Rover Evoque.

Source: examiner.com

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Hyundai’s Reputation is on the Rise

With another strong showing in one of the country’s top gauges of perceived quality, Hyundai is further growing its status as one of the most trusted names in the auto industry. According to ALG’s Fall 2011 Perceived Quality Study, Hyundai is now in the top ten in this important measure, having jumped from the 18th spot to the ninth position in just three years—by far the biggest improvement during that period.

“Hyundai has made impressive efforts to improve brand perception and we can see that it has truly paid off in the mainstream rankings,” said Eric Lyman, vice president, Residual Value Solutions, ALG.

According to Hyundai, much of this recent success can be attributed to a trio of high-quality, high-efficiency cars that have launched in the past year, including:

• Hyundai Elantra—Which will soon add a coupe body style to its popular sedan and five-door hatchback configurations.
• Hyundai Accent—With best-in-class fuel economy (30 mpg city/40 mpg highway/34 mpg combined) and horsepower (138 hp).
• Hyundai Veloster—Showcasing a particularly dynamic design as the industry’s only three-door coupe.

Plus, because the Elantra and Veloster are capable of 40 mpg as well, as is the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Hyundai now offers four different vehicles capable of reaching that impressive mark. As a result, not only did that frugal foursome account for nearly 20,000 sales in October alone, but they also helped Hyundai achieve an overall fleet fuel-efficiency rating of 37 mpg (using the current CAFE calculations).

“Hyundai continues to impress car shoppers with the level of quality throughout the lineup from the entry level Accent all the way to our flagship Equus sedan,” said Frank Ferrara, executive vice president, Customer Satisfaction, Hyundai Motor America. “And, with a slew of recently launched and redesigned models, Hyundai quality and brand perception will continue to grow.”

Source: hyundaiinthenews.com

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2012 Hyundai Azera: The sincerest form of flattery

If you've ever criticized Hyundai for derivative design, you'll want to have your torches and pitchforks at the ready for this one.

The first thing I thought when Hyundai pulled the wraps off of its new 2012 Azera here at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show was that it looked just like a Toyota Camry. Perhaps that's not totally fair, because as the large sedan spun slowly on its turntable, I also saw hints of Mazda6, Nissan Altima, and BMW 6-Series. For a brand like Hyundai that's been building a ton of steam over the last few years with its distinctive Sonata, Elantra, and Accent models, looking just like the competition is not a good thing.

Interestingly, the Azera was referred to as "the most dramatic example of the Fluidic Sculpture design language" during its unveiling. Whoever wrote that line on the prompter clearly hasn't seen the Veloster or the newly unveiled Genesis Coupe.

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Quibbles about design aside, the Azera does check many of the right boxes where specs and tech are concerned. Under its hood spins a 3.3-liter V-6 engine that uses gasoline direct-injection technology to send 293 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission (yes, there is a manual shift mode) and out through the front 18- or 19-inch wheels. Fuel economy is estimated at 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. Looking at the numbers, the Azera seems to be able to go blow for blow with the Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, and non-SHO Ford Taurus with which it competes.

The Azera is nicely equipped where cabin comfort is concerned. Leather heated seats are standard for the front and rear rows. If the Sonata and Genesis sedans that sandwich the new sedan in Hyundai's lineup are any indicator, fit and finish should be good.

One area where Hyundai has been consistently winning our favor has been cabin tech, and the Azera looks to be no exception. Hyundai's new Blue Link telematics system that debuted on the Veloster will be standard on the Azera with a similar tiered system (Assurance, Essentials, and Guidance) of available functionality. Navigation is also standard, as are satellite radio, traffic, weather, and stock data from XM Satellite Radio. Owners are also given a choice between a seven-speaker Dimension audio system or a 550-watt, 12-speaker Infinity premium audio rig. Regardless of which you chose, Bluetooth calling and audio streaming and USB/iPod connectivity are standard.

Source: cnet.com