Second Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T

Here in the U.S., the mid-size sedan market is thought to be all but impregnable to newcomers. Ruled for decades by models that have become icons of the industry, the segment has enjoyed a long and peaceful reign by the likes of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. But the funny thing about success is that if you’re not very, very careful, it breeds complacency. While the titans of the four-door kingdom have been sleeping on beds of cash made on the innovations of two decades ago, Hyundai has been busily polishing its reputation and pouring over $550 million into fresh research and development for new and advanced drivetrains for its 2011 Sonata.

One of the long accepted tenants of the mid-size sedan is “Thou Shalt Have a Six-Cylinder Option.” Ironically enough, this mode of thought arose as a challenge to the previously held belief that if you wanted to move four-doors in America, you had to offer a V8 under the hood. But when Japan’s Big Three proved they could dish out V8 horsepower with six-cylinder fuel economy, the eight-cylinder family hauler all but disappeared from the scene. Now, Hyundai is out to repeat history by debuting a turbocharged four-cylinder designed to rattle the cages of Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

Second Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

At some point, the minds at Hyundai got serious about the company’s mid-sized sedan game. Seemingly in a heartbeat, the Korean manufacturer went from being completely under the radar of the average American family sedan buyer to a viable alternative to default buys like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. That jump fell solely on the shoulders of the all-new 2011 Sonata, a sedan that has so far delivered the kind of styling, efficiency and low MSRP that sends consumers scrambling for their checkbook. But if you want to go the full distance in this segment, you had better come to the fight packing more than just a competent base model.

That’s something you don’t need to tell Hyundai. The company has shored up its Sonata line with a potentturbocharged 2.0-liter model designed to tango with V6-equipped competitors as well as the car you see above – a hybrid model that comes loaded with nearly all of the latest and greatest tech to keep fuel consumption at a minimum. Is it enough to put the Sonata Hybrid ahead of the electrified versions of the heavy hitters already prowling the scene? We took the wheel to find out.

Hyundai Sonata 2.0T configurator hits the interwebs

Time to get your creative caps and color swatches out, because it’s configurator time again. Next up is theHyundai Sonata 2.0T, the sedan that continues to show a ton of strengths and few weaknesses.

Of course the palette is slightly limited, necessary when the package is so thorough and priced at just $20,865 for the SE. For instance, that trim offers just one interior, gray leather with cloth (nope, not making that up). You have to step up to the Limited trim, for another $2,900, to get one more interior hue. We don’t expect that to stop the car’s assault on the mid-size segment, so get to the configurator and arm yourself.

2011 Hyundai Equus starts at $58,000

Hyundai has released pricing information for the all-new 2011 Equus, and the full-size luxury sedan we drove earlier this year, will start at $58,000 in Signature form. Option up for the top-tier Equus Ultimate and the sticker swells to $64,500. So what does the extra $6,500 nets you?

• 50/50 split rear seats (four-passenger seating) with reclining function
• First-Class passenger-side rear seat with leg support and a massage system
• Cooled rear seats, a rear-seat entertainment system with an eight-inch monitor
• Thermoelectric rear center console refrigerator
• Rear-seat power up/down head rests
• Rear-seat illuminated vanity mirrors
• Forward-view cornering camera
• Power trunk lid

All 2011 Hyundai Equus’ features Hyundai’s new “At Your Service” ownership experience, which includes a plethora of service options ranging from valet pick up and drop off to the use of a Hyundai Genesis while the Equus is in for service, not to mention no-cost maintenance for five years or 60,000 miles. Every authorized Hyundai dealership will play host to an Equus Champion; a product expert who is available to answer any questions about the car. New Equus owners also get to enjoy an Apple iPad in place of the traditional owner’s manual.

Hyundai to be most American automaker by next year?

Which automaker do you think is the most “American”? Some might say Chevrolet, since they’re the self-proclaimed Heartbeat of America. Others might say Ford since the Mustang is as iconic an American image as baseball and apple pie. What if we told you the answer might just be Hyundai? As of next year, 80 percent of the vehicles that Hyundai sells in the United States will be made here as well.

That number puts Hyundai above all other automakers in the United States. Ford and Chrysler don’t have exact figures, but estimates for the two manufacturers puts them both below 80 percent as those two automakers assemble many of their popular vehicles in Canada and Mexico. General Motors says between 60 and 70 percent of vehicles sold in the United States are built here.

The numbers may be quite interesting, but of course they don’t tell the whole story. The Big Three domestic automakers produce a much greater volume of vehicles in the United States when compared to Hyundai. For example, if GM built 66 percent of the vehicles it sold here in the states in 2009, it would triple Hyundai’s projected U.S. output for next year.

2011 Hyundai Sonata Turbo priced at $24,145

Hyundai’s ever-expanding Sonata lineup will soon include the delectable 2.0T model, packing a turbocharged and direct injected 2.0-liter (Theta II) four-cylinder. You’ve probably already memorized the most important figures – 274 horsepower, 269 pound-feet of torque, 33 mpg on the highway, all on 87 octane fuel – but here’s a new one for you: $24,145. That’s what the 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE 2.0T will set you back, and there’s a lot more on offer than just a hot engine.

Mated to the blown 2.0 is a six-speed automatic that can be manipulated through a set of steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, while a (modestly) sport-tuned suspension holds up 18-inch wheels wrapped in high-performance summer rubber. A host of standard features are included in the kit, while two packages – Navigation and Sunroof and Limited – are available when sales begin later this year. Get all the details in the press blast after the jump and read our impressions from behind the wheel.

Hyundai recalling nearly 140,000 new Sonatas

It looks like the Hyundai Sonata is officially taking its place near the top of the midsize car category. We already told you how it has moved into third place in the sales race, and now it moves up the charts again… but on a much less desirable list. Hyundai has issued a recall of 139,500 Sonatas over steering issues.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report at safercar.gov identifies the issue says “the steering column intermediate shaft universal joint connections may have been either improperly assembled or insufficiently tightened.” The consequence could be “a complete separation or compromised attachment of the connections, such that the driver could experience a loss of, or reduction in, steering capability increasing the risk of a crash.”

The recall affects MY 2011 Hyundai Sonata sedans built between December 11, 2009 and September 10, 2010. Dealers should begin sending out recall notices in October. They will inspect and re-torque the assembly, and update the steering software too, at no charge.

Hyundai reveals Solaris sub-compact for Russia

The production version of the Hyundai RB Concept has officially been christened the Solaris for the Russian market. A slightly tweaked-on-the-outside version of the sedan known elsewhere as the Verna or the Accent, the real changes took place underneath in order to handle Russian climes. A more powerful battery and enduro headlights, heating vents for rear seat passengers, a four-liter washer fluid tank and mudguards all around will help alleviate concerns in Northern Russia.

Further north, Siberians can add more cold-proofing in the form of heated front seats and mirrors, a de-icer for the wipers, and an emergency stop signal that activates in an accident. Engines are suspected to be a 1.4-liter four-cylinder with 109 horsepower, or a 1.6-liter four with 124 horses, working through either a five-speed manual or six-speed auto.

Hyundai would like to see 85,000 Solaris’ rolling out of its Russian plant and into Russian hands every year between the sedan and a five-door hatch. It is expected to be going against the Volkswagen Polo sedan, launched not long ago and also built in Russia, and the Dacia Logan.

SEMA Preview: ARK Performance Hyundai Genesis Coupe

With the Genesis Coupe 3.8 finally getting its own R-Spec model, it was just a matter of time before Hyundaistarted partnering with tuners to boost the performance of its V6-powered aftermarket-friendly coupe.

ARK Performance, one of Korea’s leading tuners, will be upgrading nearly every component of its Track Time Attack Genesis Coupe for this year’s SEMA show, boosting the output of the 3.8-liter V6 from 306 horsepower to 450+ ponies through the help of new internals, an APG supercharger and a host of breathing mods.

Brembo brakes with Endless pads and DBA drilled and slotted rotors hide behind lightweight Volk TE37 SLs, with ARK’s full suspension system (coilovers, sway bars and front strut bar) working together with a range of Cusco parts.

In addition to the custom front and rear bumpers, hood, side skirts, rear diffuser and fenders, ARK will be equipping the inside with Bride seats, a six-point cage and Sparco steering wheel, along with the defacto sound system and Apple iPad integration.

Review: 2011 Hyundai Azera Limited

Even five years ago, Hyundai was widely considered to be a bargain-basement marque. After all, anyone interested in checking out the brand’s lineup could visit a rental company within five miles of any major airport. But why dwell on the past when the Korean automaker is kicking butt and taking names in the here and now? Hyundai has been on a roll these past few years, with hits like the Genesis, Genesis Coupe and2011 Sonata. With those successful entries, Hyundai has clearly established itself as a prime player in the U.S. market, but the company’s improved standing has also substantially raised the public’s levels of expectation. Where qualifiers like “for a Hyundai” were once the norm, we’re now measuring each and every new entry donning the italic H against the best from Toyota, Ford, General Motors and Honda.

Hyundai’s most recently refreshed product is the 2011 Azera. When the Azera first arrived on U.S. shores as a 2006 model, it came came close to nixing the “for a Hyundai” stigma with an impressive level of standard equipment and a lower price tag than its competition. But even with a strong value equation and plethora of amenities, that original Azera still wasn’t as refined as the current crop of winners coming out of South Korea. Can the freshly redesigned 2011 Azera, with an improved powertrain and increased level of luxury equipment, truly succeed like its all-star siblings?

Report: Hyundai Sonata overtakes Nissan Altima for third in mid-size segment

Hyundai is movin’ on up. According to The Detroit News, the Sonata officially displaced the Nissan Altima as the third best-selling mid-size sedan in America last month. In August, the Korean manufacturer sold 21,399 units, falling just behind the Honda Accord at 22,506 and the Toyota Camry at a little over 30,000. Those numbers are just based on retail sales, not the vehicles that are sold off to rental fleets. The Sonata has been besting rivals like the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu for a good while now, but this is the first time the car has managed to rattle the Japanese triumvirate that dominates the segment.

It seemed to be only a matter of time, though. The Sonata now wears some of the best looking sheet metal of any midsizer out there and its price tag comes in a good bit lower than both the Accord and the Camry. Throw in a snappy interior and very efficient drivetrain options, and suddenly you’ve got the attention of the car-buying public. The Detroit News says that since the 2011 Sonata debuted, the number of car buyers considering the vehicle has leapfrogged from 6.2 percent in January of 2007 to 19.5 percent recently.

Hyundai moving Elantra production to Alabama

Hyundai is getting ready to launch its redesigned Elantra here in the United States. Not only will it sell that car here, it will also be built here as well. Slated to join its Sonata and Sante Fe siblings, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra will be built at the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama facility in Montgomery, Alabama.

Already on sale in South Korea, the redesigned Elantra will join a strong Hyundai lineup that aims to take a larger slice of the U.S. automotive vehicle sales pie. The design is attractive, the fuel-economy rating should be good, the interior will be feature packed and we expect the price to be just right.

According to CEO and President of Hyundai Motor America John Krafcik,

“Hyundai’s philosophy is to build our vehicles where we sell them, and with the addition of the Elantra to our U.S. production mix we now manufacture our three most popular models right here in the U.S.”

The North American-spec 2011 Hyundai Elantra is expected to make its North American debut at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show, and sales of the re-designed model are earmarked to begin early in 2011.

First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Equus

If the Genesis sedan was Hyundai’s opening salvo to bring the pain to Lexus, the Equus is a set of leather-covered brass knuckles flying towards the jaws of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. It’s a bold move by an automaker riding high on the intoxicating fumes of increased marketshare and boosted brand awareness. But here’s one thing the Equus is not: Phaeton Part Deux.

Hyundai RB concept for Moscow revealed [w/video]

Hyundai has dropped its new RB concept on the crowd at this year’s Moscow Motor Show, and according to our Spanish-speaking sister site, the car you see above is likely to evolve into a genuine Russian-market production model with one of two engines.

On the base side of things, buyers can opt for a 1.4-liter four-cylinder with around 109 horsepower, while those looking for a bit more grunt will be able to snap up a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with around 124 ponies. Both engines should be available with either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic.

The mechanicals aren’t the kind of hardware we typically get excited about, but we do like the compact sedan’s lines. The design borrows plenty of cues from the similarly sultry Sonata, and the look wears well on a smaller craft. So far, it looks like the RB will stick to its Russian borders, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see a similarly handsome mug on our shores. From what we can gather, the next-generation Accent will be very similar to what you see above. Small things like fascias and tail lights may change, but the overall car is the successor to the Hyundai compact throne. Hit the jump for a look at a video of the concept as well as the full press release.