You’ve seen a year’s worth of spy shots and teaser photos, some of which we fed you.  But here’s the real thing live in the flesh.  The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe has been vastly improved over the previous (current?) model, and features a very stylish and aggressive exterior that surrounds perhaps the most luxurious interior found in the non-luxury midsize CUV segment – so luxurious, it looks like Hyundai lifted it right out of the new 2012 Azera.  Even more noteworthy is the seating capacity.  Remember a few weeks back when Hyundai CEO John Krafcik said that the company would soon play a larger role in the seven-passenger crossover segment?  We do.  And Hyundai has delivered – well, sort of.  Point is, you can get the 2013 Santa Fe in either a five or seven passenger seating configuration, designated by trim level.  The Santa Fe will offer seating for seven, while the Santa Fe Sport offers seating for five.  Some of the most noteworthy comfort and convenience features in the 2013 Santa Fe include available heated front and rear seats, available heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, power seats for the driver and front passenger, and an available third-generation Hyundai navigation system with an eight-inch display.

Under the hood, the three-row Santa Fe will be powered by Hyundai’s new 3.3-liter direct-injection V6 with 290 horsepower (again, practically lifted right out of the Azera).  But the fun doesn’t stop there.  The five-passenger Santa Fe Sport can come equipped with either a base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 190 horsepower or a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces a hefty 264 horsepower.  Perhaps even more impressive are the fuel economy numbers for the Santa Fe Sport – 2.4-liter equipped models will achieve an estimated 33 mpg on the highway, while the 2.0T will achieve an estimated 31 mpg on the highway when equipped with FWD and an automatic transmission.  The Santa Fe Sport also has a maximum estimated towing capacity of 3,500 lbs.

Pricing and availability have not yet been announced, but our guess is that the Santa Fe Sport will start somewhere in the mid-$20k’s while a fully loaded Santa Fe AWD model will top out well below the $40k mark.  We’ll bring you more information on the 2013 Santa Fe as it becomes available.

Source – Hyundai News

Image Credit – Hyundai News

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Just when you thought that your day in St. Louis was in the can because of overcast skies with a chance of showers, a glimmer of hope emerges.  Today, Hyundai bestows the online configurator for the 2013 Genesis Coupe upon the masses.  That’s right – your day just got a little brighter.  Now, if they’d only bring back Lime Rock Green…

For 2013, the price of entry in a base 2.0T is an MSRP of $25,125 – not bad, and it gets you the new 274 horsepower inline-four with a new Hyundai developed 6-speed manual, Traction Control, ABS, ESC, power door locks, windows, and mirror controls, LED tail lights, remote keyless entry (takes a deep breath), Bluetooth hands-free phone system, iPod/USB auxiliary input jacks, tilt and telescopic (thanks, Mr. Krafcik) leather wrapped steering wheel, and six airbags.  Likewise, a fully-loaded Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track (with 8-speed automatic transmission, if you must) will set you back a reasonable $35,125 MSRP.  Why reasonable?  Compared to a similarly equipped Infiniti or BMW product (with which the Genesis Coupe most directly competes with in terms of features and layout), you’re saving more than $10,000.

Nevertheless, head on over to Hyundai’s website and spend some imaginary money – and remember to put in the Zip Code “63040” because that’s where Mungenast Hyundai is located.

Source:  Hyundai USA

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Before Hyundai packs their bags for NYC in April, they’ve decided to post some drawings lifted from their design studio for our viewing pleasure.  After months of spy photos, specification leaks, and rampant speculations, it’s nice that Hyundai heeded the call and gave us an early glimpse of what the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe will look like when it debuts on the show floor of the New York Auto Show in April.  As you can probably make out from the photos, the third-generation Santa Fe looks larger than the current model, and will adopt a very CUV-like physique.  Its styling is aggressive, but Hyundai says the design langue employed was a variation of the “Fluidic Sculpture” design philosophy they call “Storm Edge,” which captures the strong and dynamic images created by nature during the formation of a storm.

The only images that Hyundai has released still reveal a lot about what we’ll see on the Santa Fe – notice on the front fascia, there’s a bold, hexagonal front grille, framed by a much more aggressive front bumper and fog lights with integrated LED DRLs.  There are HID headlights (hinting that HIDs will now be an option on say, a Limited package version of the Santa Fe) and LED turn signal indicators on the side mirror housings.

Many online sources agree that the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe will remain a 5-seater vehicle, despite recent comments by Hyundai USA President John Krafcik, who recently stated that Hyundai is looking to increase their presence in the 7-passenger CUV segment.  Will the Santa Fe have a third-row option?  Who knows, but one thing’s for sure – Hyundai doesn’t show any signs of slowing their roll any time soon.

Source – Hyundai News

Image Credit – Hyundai News

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The Newly Constructed Mungenast Hyundai Opens March 1, 2012

Mungenast Hyundai is proud to announce that we’re moving to our new, state-of-the-art facility on March 1^st.  We’ve designed our new 35,745 square-foot dealership, which is located at 649 Dunn Rd in beautiful Hazelwood, MO (63042) with our customers – and valued employees – in mind.  With the extra wiggle room, we’re able to better showcase Hyundai’s ever expanding lineup of value-oriented premium models and with the added acreage, we’re able to keep more new Hyundai vehicles in stock so that we can offer the best selection of new and used inventory, including the all-new Azera and the 2012 Elantra, which was named North American Car Of The Year for 2012.

Our spacious new showroom features an indoor delivery area (the first of its kind in the St. Louis metro), and our service department now features 16 work bays and brand new equipment to ensure your vehicle can be serviced in a timely fashion by our Hyundai technicians utilizing the latest equipment available.  If you choose to wait while we service your vehicle, you’ll be amazed by our new, comfortable customer lounge that includes a fully stocked beverage bar, complimentary Wi-Fi.  And we didn’t stop there – we’ve also integrated a unique “power bar” that allows you to conveniently charge your portable devices while you work.  We’ve even made sure that your kids won’t get bored – we’ve built a children’s room filled with games, toys, and a TV just for them!

Below we’ve included a sneak peek at what the inside of the showroom will look like.  Think of it as a moving panoramic photo.

(If you see a big empty space above this line, hit “refresh”)

If you’re in the area, make sure you stop by the all-new Mungenast Hyundai and let us show you why Mungenast Makes the Difference!

Source – Mungenast Hyundai

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For years, if you wanted “cheap” transportation, but you wanted to buy a new car, and size was no object, chances are that the Hyundai Accent may have been on your list at some point or another.  While the Accent has done relatively well in years past, Hyundai plans to launch sales into the stratosphere with the newest generation.  Boasting strong, handsome styling, thanks to a hearty helping of Hyundai’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design philosophy, the new Accent bears absolutely no resemblance to that cute little cream puff you might remember from a few years ago.  For 2012, the Accent comes in both a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback.  The old three-door Accent is now a thing of the past.

The new Accent is powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC 4 cylinder engine that produces a respectable 138 HP while returning up to 40mpg on the highway, which provides a fantastic combination of power and efficiency.  And with the standard six-speed manual transmission, the Accent is certainly fun to drive.  For those of us who aren’t so great with a clutch pedal, Hyundai also offers an available six-speed automatic with manual shiftability – just slide the gear selector over to manually upshift or downshift.

Inside, the Accent is a huge improvement not only over the previous generation, but perhaps an improvement on any other vehicle in the non-luxury compact segment.  The seats are very comfortable and the cabin materials are hard (as expected in this price class), but the textured treatments give the Accent’s interior a more upscale feel.  Throw in the available Bluetooth hand-free system, 172-watt audio, and plenty of versatility, and you’ll see why the Accent is a real winner.

But don’t just take our word for it – we encourage you to stop by our location in beautiful Hazelwood, MO for a test drive of the Accent.   Until then, check out our exhaustive high-resolution image gallery below.

UPDATE:

Motor Trend magazine just wrapped up their test of five-door economy hatchbacks including the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Chevrolet Sonic, Kia Rio, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Mazda 2, and Suzuki SX4.  You know what?  The Hyundai Accent beat out the competition not only with the best observed fuel economy numbers among the pack, but the reviewers also commented on how spacious and grown-up the Accent feels compared to its rivals.

To view the article on Motor Trend’s website, click here.

Source – Hyundai USA

Image Credit – Hyundai Newsroom

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When the 2013 Genesis Coupe made its official world debut online thanks to Korean media embargo leaks at this year’s 2012 Detroit Auto Show it was met with mass approval from those of us in the press and public alike.  Unfortunately, the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe will probably be discounted by many mainstream luxury car buyers as little more than a boy-racer’s fantasy – but we really don’t care.  Why?  Even Hyundai recognize that this car won’t be for everyone, and that’s OK.  With the bold, almost outrageous revised exterior styling, it’s obvious that Hyundai’s going after driving enthusiasts who want to express their automotive passion and enjoy doing it all without having to sell their organs on Craigslist.

For those not familiar with the old Genesis Coupe, let’s talk about what’s different this year.  For starters, the whole front end is revised.  The headlights are more distinctive, the grille is murdered-out and widened, and also new for 2013 are awesome available LED running lights just above the fog lamps.  Out back it’s a similar story, the real stars here are the newly revised LED taillights that sport a clear lens rather than a red-tinted one, kind of like the old “Altezza” lights, only cooler.

Now, for what matters – the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe receives a significant power upgrade whether you opt for the 2.0 inline 4-cylinder turbo or incredibly powerful 3.8 V6, which now make a staggering 274hp/348hp, respectively.  Although if you want to make that much power, you’ll need to order your petro-coctail from the top shelf, but as always, you can snub your ‘Coupe and feed it regular if you need to.  Thanks to gasoline-direct-injection (GDI) technology, Hyundai is able to squeeze a few more MPG than last year, thanks also in part to a new 8-speed Shiftronic® automatic transmission that Hyundai developed in house to replace to ZF-sourced unit.  For the 2.0T, expect somewhere around 20 city/31 highway with the auto and 21 city/30 highway with the manual.  What’s surprising is that the fuel economy for the 348 horsepower six-pot isn’t far off of those numbers:  It comes in at 18 city (both A/T and M/T) and 28 highway with the automatic and 27 highway with the stick.

Inside the 2013 Genesis Coupe occupants will be treated to a similar design as before, but with a much more upmarket feel thanks to a revised instrumentation and telematics layout.  The navigation/telematics screen has been significantly raised and slightly enlarged (from what we can tell, not like anyone’s actually measured it), and the appointments on the dash and upgraded trim really give the new Genesis Coupe a luxury car feel.  Buying one may feel a little bit like stealing, it’s so nice.

We’ve not been given an official on-sale date for the new Genesis Coupe, but once we receive our first truckload you’ll be the first to know because we’ll do a video review on it to give you our impressions.  Until then, enjoy the high-resolution gallery below.

Source – Hyundai Newsroom

Photos – Hyundai Newsroom

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Not to worry, though.  Just like when Hyundai released the Sonata Hybrid, they’re back at it again with the “not all hybrids are created equal” approach, and that’s because Hyundai is backing the battery pack in the Sonata Hybrid for life.  It’s the first time that a manufacturer has extended such an offer to instill consumer confidence.  Although the Sonata Hybrid is currently the only vehicle with a battery pack in the Hyundai lineup, rest assured that more hybrids are certainly in the automaker’s future.  Granted, this offer is only valid with the original owner and is non-transferrable, but it certainly encourages hybrid buyers to own rather than lease their new vehicle.

Speaking of the Sonata Hybrid though, it’s certainly a fantastic vehicle, and it’s the only hybrid we know of that’s actually positioned more towards highway commuters than urban drivers.  Most hybrids yield more impressive city mpg figures than on the highway because they’re engineered to draw more heavily on the battery pack at low speeds to get the car going than anything else.  While there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, the vehicle’s EV mode is only effective up to a low speed and for a very limited distance (in other words, it’s good for a slow crawl, great for when you’re sneaking in and out of the driveway late at night).  The Sonata Hybrid can run in full EV mode up to about 60 mph or roughly a distance of one mile, whichever comes first.  You’ll also notice that at 35mpg city/40mpg highway, the Sonata Hybrid achieves better fuel economy on the highway than around the city.  Also unique to the Sonata Hybrid is its conventional six-speed automatic transmission – while other hybrid vehicles tend to use a CVT, which can significantly numb the driving experience the vehicle provides its driver.  We plan on doing a more in-depth review of the Sonata Hybrid in the near future, but until then, feel free to view and enjoy the high-res photo gallery below.

For more info on the Hyundai  Lifetime Hybrid Battery Replacement Guarantee, please follow the link to Hyundai’s official press release by clicking here.

SOURCE – Hyundai Newsroom

IMAGE CREDIT – Hyundai Newsroom

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Well-globalized automobile manufacturers have funny ways of disguising things to keep prying eyes away from what’s right around the corner.  In some cases, there’s really no disguise necessary, and the Hyundai i30 is a great example of that.  The i30 has been Hyundai Europe’s bread-and-butter sales machine that has allowed the company to gain substantial market share throughout the Euro-Zone, where hatchback sales account for a large percentage of all vehicles sold.  That said, while the U.S. isn’t prime real estate for car companies to hawk c-segment hatchbacks, the fact that there aren’t very many choices on the menu provides companies like Hyundai with an opportunity to capture market share in a burgeoning, yet often forgotten segment.  Not counting the current Elantra Touring, the only vehicles in Hyundai’s lineup without a trunk-lid (besides their CUVs) are the Accent hatchback, and the Veloster.

That’s where the i30 comes in.  In Korea, the i30 is sold alongside the Avante (Elantra) sedan to cater to similar buyers with slightly different wants and needs – but effectively, it’s a very similar car.  Hyundai plans to do the same with the new Elantra Touring.  The current model is a raised and stretched “wagonized” version of the 2010 Elantra and never sold in particularly high numbers (wagons typically don’t).  Although Hyundai is going the decidedly more stylish hatchback route this time around, they also don’t seem concerned whether it cannibalizes part of the Elantra sedan’s sales numbers.  The Hyundai Elantra sedan has been so popular in the U.S. that the Alabama plant has been operating at 110% capacity and a large percentage of them are being brought over from the Ulsan, South Korea plant as well – despite the lack of product on dealer lots.  So, if sedan buyers begin to instead opt for the new Elantra Touring, this may help loosen the grip that the overwhelmingly positive consumer response of the new Elantra sedan has on the company’s manufacturing capacity.

So, exactly what is the i30?  It’s basically an even more stylized (never thought that was possible) 5-door version of the Elantra sedan we all know and love, and some of the most influential internet blogs have clearly stated that their sources indicate we will see a rebadged i30 hatchback in the U.S. later this year.  The headlamp design on the new Elantra Touring is identical to what’s found on the Elantra sedan, except the hatchback features projector-style headlights instead of reflectors.  You’ll also notice that the grill/fascia design is slightly different than what you get on the sedan, and the front and rear fenders receive more pronounced wheel arches as well.  Around back, you’ll find the expected nip/tuck as a result of the boot-reduction surgery Hyundai designers performed, with a couple added bonuses – the first of which is a rear backup camera that’s mounted in the rear badge and pops out when the vehicle is put in reverse, and the second being Veloster-style lower reflectors.  Although absolutely no information regarding price, packaging, or options has been made public by Hyundai USA, it’s safe to say that federalized i30s… or Elantra Tourings (whatever you want to call it a this point) will probably not include the following features for Benjamins’ sake:

• Chrome door handles
• Available diesel power plant
• Laser-guided cruise control
• Lane departure warning/intervention
• HID headlights
• Side mirror-mounted LED courtesy lamps
• Dual-zone, automatic climate control
• Active park assist

Other than that, it’s safe to say that the Elantra Touring will share the same 1.8 liter “Nu” engine with the Elantra Sedan, or maybe even the Veloster’s 1.6 liter mill… who knows.  One thing’s for sure – Hyundai will predictably shoot for a 40-mpg highway rating from the EPA.

The Hyundai i30 is expected to make its U.S. debut as the 2013 Hyundai Elantra at this year’s upcoming Chicago Auto Show, and sales are certainly expected to begin sometime later this year.  The sooner Hyundai can get this car on the ground, the better, and we can’t wait to do a more in-depth review of the ‘Toruing as soon as one finds its way onto our dealer lot in Hazelwood.  Until then, enjoy the high-resolution photo gallery of the European-spec model below.

Source – Jalopnik

Image Credit – Hyundai Global

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Ok, let’s play a little game.  In your mind, think of a vehicle that costs more than $100,000 – it can be any large luxury car that has four doors.  Any of them – doesn’t matter.  Got it?  Good.  Now, ask yourself some yes-or-no questions:  Does this car have redundant window controls for the each rear seat passenger?  What about a power reclining rear passenger seat?  How about Touchscreen control over HVAC and audio controls?  A 10 Year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty?  If you didn’t answer ‘no’ to all of those questions, you might want to go check your spec sheets.

Point being, with a starting price of $59,000, the 2012 Hyundai Equus has all the features you would expect to find on cars costing at least $35k more, and it has some available features you can’t even buy for $400,000.  We understand that at first, the Equus doesn’t seem like a “bargain” at nearly $60,000.  But put it up against its German, Italian, Japanese, and even British rivals, and you’ll soon see what Hyundai is on about.

When you first see the Equus in person, one of the first things you might notice about it is the quality of the paint finish.  Seriously – the paint is completely flat.  Not flat, like the matte finish on the forthcoming Veloster Turbo, but flat – as in no dimples or “orange peel”.  Inside, the Equus is swathed in rich, supple leather, real wood inlays and a full Alcantara headliner.  The leather smells like what you would find in a British-made luxo-barge that costs north of $200,000 that we’ll just let go unnamed.  It’s that good.  The carpeting and floor mats are plush, and there are plenty of cup holders, too.  In addition, it has an optional rear-console refridgerator, and 17-speaker Lexicon audio system. You’ll quickly realize it’s more than just a Genesis 4.6 wearing its Sunday best.

We can wax all day long about how awesome the Equus is and give you engine specs, brag about 0-60, and tell you what it’s like on the road – but that would hardly seem fair.  You owe it to your senses to come down and take a look at one of these for yourself.  Until then, browse our high-res gallery below.  All of the images are sharable – C’mon, your friends wouldn’t mind the free wallpaper.

IMAGE CREDIT – Hyundai News

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Back in 2010, Hyundai announced that it was going to commence a revitalization of the brand through redefining what it meant to be a value brand.  Today, we can retrospectively assess Hyundai’s transition from a “value” brand into a “valuable” brand over the last 24 months or so by its robust and diverse product lineup, and it’s distinction as one of the worlds’ most respected automotive manufacturers.  Hyundai is committed to providing consumers with a “have your cake and eat it too” approach to each model it manufactures by combining a unique combination of content and quality and then offering it at a very competitive price point.

No vehicle exemplifies this philosophy more than the 2012 Hyundai Elantra.  First introduced in 2010 to US consumers as a 2011 model, the newest Elantra boasts the availability of premium features for a not-so-premium price – such class-exclusive availability of heated rear seats.  That’s a feature not even offered a class above the Elantra (with the exception of its larger sibling, the Sonata) and generally isn’t an option on most non-Korean vehicles that cost less than $50,000.  The Elantra is also available with proximity keys with push-button start, a voice-activated navigation system, Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming, USB connectivity for iPod or a USB stick loaded with MP3 or WMA files, and in case you still want one, a single-disc CD player.  What’s particularly nice about the navigation system is its integration of XM Data services that includes weather information (forecasts, severe weather advisories, radar, road condition, cloud cover, etc.), stocks, traffic, and sports.

About the design – it’s awesome.  While its predecessors were competitively styled at the time, the latest Elantra’s design is a full generation ahead of its competitors, according to Hyundai’s design team.  And it shows, too – the sculpted lines and accents (no pun intended) give the Elantra a very aggressive appearance that primarily plays off its strong, side character line that visually lengthens the dimensions of the vehicle beyond what they physically are.  When you look at it, walk around it and sit inside, it’s hard to believe that this car is actually only 178.3 inches in overall length – which is actually less than an inch longer than the last gen model, yet this newest model is classified as a midsize car because of how voluminous the interior is.

The bottom line is that not only has Hyundai hit the ball out of the park with the new Elantra, they broke the bat doing it.  The effort behind this vehicle has been tumultuous, and a lot of things were riding on its success.  And to make the car fit within its price-point (which, fully loaded, weighs in at about only $23,000), Hyundai kept the price down by throwing some bits and pieces overboard before coming into port, like the HIDs, LED taillights, sport pedals, color TFT screen in the gauge cluster, extra sound deadening, exterior LED courtesy lights, automatic climate control, and SPAS (Smart Parking Assist System – literally parks itself for you).  While the end product us Yanks receive is still very impressive, all of those Korean market-exclusive goodies offered on the Avante (as it’s known as in Korea) cost money, and Hyundai knows this.  Since the price of these options decreases over time, maybe the next Elantra’s journey from the drawing board to the showroom will include some, if not all, of those things.  We can only hope.

IMAGE CREDIT:  Hyundai USA

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