Hyundai, KIA, referring to 1.9 million vehicles

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau - 3 days

Korean Automakers Hyundai and Kia initiating one of its largest recalls – or more precisely said, today, 1.9 million vehicles announced three separate service actions sold in the U.S. market since end of 2006 include.

The majority of the involved vehicles were formerly reminds developed the same problem - electronic gremlins, a variety of systems, from affect stability control could brake lights, and even prevent the use of the stop button.

Now the small Japanese automaker Subaru is recalling 200,000 vehicles of its own due to brake line problems.

The major recalls of Hyundai and Kia present some serious headaches for the Korean manufacturer after repeated efforts to deal with electronic control questions. Much of the same technology under the skin of their cars work the two makers in the United States as separate companies but to share.

The biggest announcement, with 1.06 million Hyundai models follows an earlier 2009 recall and three separate service actions, the problems with taillight of assemblies. The 2007 20009 accent, 2007 to 2010 Elantra, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2011 Santa Fe, 2011 Sonata, 2007 to 2009 Tucson and 2008 to 2009 Veracruz are insured.

According to Hyundai, the "condition could potentially intermittent push-button start feature, intermittent way to remove the vehicle gear from the Park position, lighting by" ESC "(Electronic Stability Control) indicator in the instrument cluster, intermittent interference with operation of the cruise control function or intermittent operation of the stop lamps."

Total 623.000 KIA models are affected by the same problem and are 2007 Sedona 2007-2010-Rondo 2011 Optima, 2007-2011 Sorento, 2010 and 2011 soul and the 2007 to 2010 Sportage.

A third goals remember Hyundai specifically potential airbag problems linked to 190,000 Elantra sedans sold model years 2011 to 2013-compact. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pressed the manufacturer to act after receiving complaints that even a support bracket in case of a crash can be moved, raises the side-impact airbags.

NHTSA was first notified of the problem if a passenger had serious injuries during a crash at her ear. Hyundai has found several vehicles, which apparently offered could experience the same type of problem, by installing a special auto-dimming mirror as an option in the US market.

Hyundai said that the problem can be easily fixed. "Industrial adhesive tape on the mounting bracket set curtain airbags prevent displacement mount coupled off during page."

Repairs for all new Hyundai and Kia are reminded owners free of charge made.

The three new recalls come only a few days after NHTSA announced that it would begin a formal investigation of reports of excessive corrosion, which may impact on the 400,000 older Hyundai Sonata models. The rust problem could lead to the failure of the rear suspension, the Agency noted.

Corrosion is made also responsible for the recall of 200,000 Subaru legacy and Outback models produced between December 2003 and April 2009 and sold in 20 cold weather States and the District of Columbia.

2005 To 2009 model years referred, could the legacy and Outback all-wheel drive vehicles break line occur cracks, the fluid leaks cause could be. That could in turn reduce brake functionality and cause a crash.

Subaru owners notify and repairs free of charge to undertake.

Copyright © 2009-2013, the Detroit Bureau

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Mileage flap could cost Hyundai, Kia millions

Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit Bureau

Forced to restate mileage claims after a government audit, Hyundai and its Korean sibling Kia could be in a world of financial hurt – even as they struggle to overcome the potential damage to their image which, in recent years, has put an emphasis on delivering industry benchmark fuel economy.

With several lawsuits already filed and more likely, Moody’s Investors Service has warned that the ultimate cost to the two brands could reach $100 million in the U.S. While other analysts aren’t ready to embrace that specific number, there is clear consensus the damage may be costly and long-lasting.

Together, Hyundai and Kia “will incur additional annual costs of about $100 million until the affected models are largely scrapped,” warns the ratings agency in a new report. It also noted that despite the size of that figure, it comes to less than 1 percent of the Korean automaker’s total earnings.

Both Hyundai and Kia have put an emphasis on fuel economy in recent years, together advertising more than a half-dozen models delivering highway mileage of at least 40 mpg. Or so they claimed until last week before an audit released by the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal agency overseeing fuel economy standards and vehicle testing.

Spurred by complaints about the real world mileage some Hyundai and Kia products produce, the EPA conducted an audit showing that the figures for 13 models – accounting for the sale of 900,000 vehicles in the U.S. since 2010 – were overstated by anywhere from one to six miles per gallon.

The Koreans insisted the mileage gap was not intentional but rather was the result of errors in their own testing procedures. After issuing a mea culpa, they also announced a plan to reimburse owners based on the added cost of fuel for their vehicles – adding in another 15 percent to cover the expense of having to bring those vehicles in to Hyundai and Kia dealers for odometer checks.

For someone clocking 15,000 miles a year, the result could be payouts of more than $80 a year for some models. Hyundai and Kia are promising to continue issuing reimbursements as long as the car is in the original owner’s hands. Considering the length of time many buyers today hang onto their vehicles, that could mean eventual payouts of as much as $500 or more per affected automobile. And if that were the case with all 900,000 vehicles, the payout bill might approach $500 million.

“Our focus is on making it right for the customers. We’re honestly not so focused on that cost,” Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik asserted during a media conference call late last week.

In reality, the typical payout is expected to be far less. Indeed, cautions analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics, “For many owners, punching two hours out of their day to go to a dealer for a $60 debit card won’t be worth it.”

For the moment, Hall insisted trying to put a price tag on the fiasco would be like “trying to pull numbers out of the air,” though he agreed, “it is going to cost them.”

And other factors in the long-term payout could dwarf the cost of handing out debit cards to owners of vehicles like the 2012 Kia Soul – whose mileage rating has been cut by 6 mpg.

For one thing, there will almost certainly be fines imposed by the EPA. And the Federal Trade Commission could weigh in if it determines the makers violated advertising rules.

Then there are the legal bills. Even before last week’s disclosure, Hyundai had been sued by a consumer group that had insisted the maker’s mileage claims were inflated. This week, three Hyundai owners in Ohio filed another lawsuit seeking to recover damages and legal fees. It’s almost certain more lawsuits will follow and may very likely morph into one or more national class action cases. If successful, the bill for the Koreans could climb into the tens, even hundreds of millions of dollars.

But analyst Hall warns that the for-now “incalculable cost” could be the way the flap impacts Hyundai and Kia’s image. One may never get a clear sense of the damage to their brand images, as there’s no direct correlation between image and sales. But if mileage brouhaha reduces the number of potential buyers who consider their products, that will soon become obvious – and translate into lower sales.

That may be where the real numbers start to add up.

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Fuel consumption in some Hyundai, KIAS overvalued

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau
The two major Korean automobile manufacturers in the United States active realised that exaggerated the fuel consumption of vehicles such as the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Sorrento of less than six miles per gallon delivered.

Discovered while the environmental protection agency, Government now faces sanctions the makers, could add a routine monitoring of up to millions of dollars in fines. You have promised to refund money to the purchasers, but also face could the same complaints, with affected the other makers are to promote inaccurate mileage or performance numbers.

"Consumer confidence on the window sticker to help, informed decisions about the cars that they buy," said Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator of the EPA air quality Office. "EPA investigation help consumers and level playing field between the automakers protect to ensure."

The audit was triggered by a dozen complaints by the Agency the Federal fuel economy rules monitored. The driver said that it gave up a large gap between the mileage ratings their vehicles known as Monroney sticker and what they actually provided in real use shown.

Office of the Agency in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where mileage test is performed, led EPA results with the paperwork, to compare, written by Hyundai and Kia.

A total of 900,000 sold in the United States could, according to the EPA, be affected, led the 13 different models. These include seven different Hyundai: Elantra, Sonata hybrid, accent, Azera, Genesis, Tucson, bike service and Santa Fe models. Six different KIAS were influenced: soul, Sportage, Kia Sorrento, Rio and Optima hybrid.

The manufacturers claim that it their internal testing procedures changed in 2010, leading to the problem. They claim that vehicles, before produced then not their mileage would have adapted.

Most of the models numbers were from one to two miles per gallon have overvalued, but funky KIA soul his claims by a full 6 mpg to adjust.

"We are very sad about these errors," said Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik, add, "we went to make this right."

Meanwhile excused Michael Sprague, the head of marketing for Kia Motors America, also pointed out that both decision makers is customer to reimburse the difference in fuel economy numbers.

The news comes as a major embarrassment for both manufacturers. Mileage has become last month - an industrial battlefield with gas prices nudge record levels several times this year - and briefly exceeding records in California. Hyundai and Kia have aggressively their efforts to improve the mileage, with many of its models leading their segments - supports at least until now.

It is not uncommon for vehicles to deliver mileage, which varies from the EPO test. The Government uses a test cycle which should reflect real-world conditions, but on the road, such things as height, road conditions and driver can have a big impact behavior. The Agency occasionally fit his tests as it did a few years ago, to make the results for hybrid vehicles consistent with real results.

But it is rare for automakers, mileage on their stickers Monroney oversubscribed. It has happened only twice since 2000, according to the EPA.

Hyundai and Kia executives say that they plan to exhibit new window stickers in a few days.

They plan also owners, based on how much they drive, calculation, that are against the cost of fuel and add 15 percent of the total to reimburse. A driver in Florida, the watches of 15,000 miles per year, could get a debit card, for example, $88. And Hyundai and Kia will continue to pay, as long as they have the vehicles for drivers.

In view of 900,000 vehicles affected by the news the first payment could add up to $10 million and finally reach in the hundreds of millions.

The EPA has yet not to disclose, that Hyundai and KIA paid the fines. Measures to take if she feel that intentionally mileage overvalued the Koreans claims in their advertising could another government authority, the Federal Trade Commission.

The impact to the makers reputation remains to be seen, but they might additional legal challenges confronted, as have some other manufacturers who have confirmed, to confuse numbers.

Mazda settled with consumers, after it admitted that the PS ratings the RX-8 sports car fell short. And Honda settled a class-action lawsuit over the driving performance of early Civic hybrid models. The manufacturer fought and a high-profile challenge in small claims court, but won.

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Hyundai recalls some Sante Fes; Infinitis probed

Hyundai Motor Co is recalling some Santa Fe SUVs and Sonata sedans for separate air bag issues, U.S. safety regulators said Monday.

In the United States, Hyundai is recalling 199,118 Santa Fe SUVs from the model years 2007 to 2009 that were made from April 2006 through July 7, 2008, because the front passenger air bag may not deploy in a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a filing.

Separately, Hyundai is recalling 22,513 Sonata sedans in the United States for the model years 2012-2013, made from January to June this year, because the side air bag may inflate, to the surprise of the driver.

Meanwhile, U.S. safety regulators have opened an investigation into Nissan Motor Co's luxury brand Infiniti's new crossover vehicle JX35 on possible improper application of the emergency brake.

The probe is not a recall, but may lead to one. The probe focuses on about 8,000 vehicles from the 2013 model year.

Two consumers have complained "that the intelligent brake assist system inappropriately activated emergency braking autonomously bringing the vehicle to an immediate and complete stop," said a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

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Feds look into report Hyundai air bag sliced ear

DETROIT — Federal safety regulators are investigating a complaint that a car owner's ear was cut in half when a side air bag inflated in a Hyundai Elantra.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday on its website that it's investigating to see if the problem will recur in about 123,000 Elantras from the 2012 model year.

In a complaint filed with the agency, the Elantra owner said the driver's side curtain air bag inflated in a crash on April 7, and a metal bracket came with it, slicing the owner's ear. The owner gave the agency photos showing a metal component sticking out from the car above the driver's seat.

"It appears that the metal component caused a laceration to the driver's ear/face," the NHTSA documents said.

The agency said it will evaluate the compact cars to see if there's a safety problem. No recall has been ordered.

Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson said in an e-mail that the incident appears to be isolated. "Hyundai has no other reports of injury from side curtain air bag deployment in 2012 Elantras," he wrote.

The company is cooperating with NHTSA in the probe, but neither the company nor the government has had a chance to look at the owner's car, Johnson wrote.

Hyundai has sold more than 164,000 Elantras in the U.S. since June of last year, the first full month that the 2012 model was on sale. Some of those sales likely were from the 2011 model year.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Finally! Hyundai Azera is ready for prime time

Hyundai CEO John Krafcik, left, and Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun unveil the Hyundai Azera at the L.A. Auto Show in November.

By Dan Carney, msnbc.com contributor

REVIEW: “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.”  It is a pseudo-Latin passage commonly used in publishing as a placeholder in anticipation of the real text.  Such placeholders let editors stake out space for the planned final product.

Similarly, the Hyundai Azera, introduced in the 2006 model year, was meant to stake out the company’s spot in the premium full-size sedan segment.  The Hyundai execs knew the car wasn’t going to cause a rush to dealers like we saw recently with the Sonata and Elantra models, but they thought it could help establish the brand in that market in preparation for the day when a truly competitive entry would arrive.

Finally, that day has come.

The original Azera could well have been Hyundai’s last disappointing car.  And in today’s fiercely contested car market new models age in dog years, making it less competitive by the day.  Recent monthly sales have numbered in the dozens, which was good, because the company stopped building the old Azera in December.  Of 2010.

So the new Azera was well overdue.  That doesn’t diminish the excellence of the 2012 Azera.  The new car isn’t just better than the old one, a false comparison carmakers commonly frame, but it is thoroughly competitive with the segment’s heavy hitters.

Among front-wheel-drive mainstream brands it matches up against the Ford Taurus, Nissan Maxima and Toyota Avalon and in the near-luxury segment it contends with the Acura TL, Buick LaCrosse, and Lexus ES350.  Judged in isolation, these are all impressive cars, and the rear-drive Chrysler 300 is another member of this otherwise front-drive group.

Every one of these cars is excellent, judged on its own.  Hyundai hopes you’ll compare the specifications, which show better fuel economy and more features for less money, the very same recipe that has been so successful for the Sonata and Elantra.

And as the latest member of the family, the Azera now shares the graceful Fluidic Sculpture design theme that attracts shoppers’ interest before they start looking at gas mileage and the bottom line.  All other things being equal, consumers will gravitate toward the better-looking car because it is the outside face we show the world when driving.

The old Azera overlapped a bit with the old Sonata, but with the new Sonata’s four-cylinder-only specification, the 293 hp, 3.3-liter V6 Azera has a bit of breathing room.  Customers who want the smoothness and power of a six-cylinder or who need the extra couple inches of space inside can move up without making the leap to the much-pricier rear-drive Genesis sedan.

Where the old car’s suspension was soggy as Seattle in April, the new car is no longer cursed with the cheapest shocks available, an engineer explained. Instead, now the Azera uses the advanced Sachs shocks featured on the Genesis and Equus premium models.

The Azera’s steering is excellent on the road, with direct, firm feedback and hinting at its overboosted, numb past only at a walking speed in parking lots.  Another adjustment Hyundai got right is the engine’s response to the gas pedal. 

Even the company’s popular recent models have suffered from old insecurities.  That meant the cars leap forward in response to the slightest pressure on the gas pedal, a gimmick that sees the throttle snap virtually wide open with any pedal application to trick drivers into thinking the car is faster than it is.

This is an understandable ploy when a car has a wheezing obsolete engine with no power.  But these days Hyundai is a leader in engine technology, with powerplants that are at or near the top in horsepower, fuel economy and specific output (a ratio of power to engine size).  The Azera is the first Hyundai that finally abandons this unnecessary practice, and hopefully the rest will follow soon.

But lets talk about what is really most important in this category of cars: comfort.  The standard leather seats are heated front and rear and the fronts are ventilated with the Technology Package.

The seats are not only power-adjustable and comfortable even for finicky drivers with troublesome backs, but they include a built-in impact-absorbing structure that the company says reduces head and neck injuries by 17 percent compared to the seats in the old car. 

The seat design, along with nine air bags, stability technology that actually steers the wheels to keep the car on course and automatic crash notification in case a crash does happen all bolster Azera’s safety appeal to customers in the full-size segment who tend to care about such things.

Best of all, Hyundai keeps Azera shopping simple.  Almost everything you could want is standard equipment for a sticker price of $32,000 even.  No games with a $31,999.99 price, just a flat $32K.  And if you do want a few more bells and whistles, grab the technology package to get the panoramic sunroof and HID headlights for a $36,000 price.  Shipping is another $875, but everybody breaks that out separately.

Hyundai Motor America president and CEO John Krafcik notes that the sales price of its cars come closer to the sticker price than almost every other brand.  That’s because “consumers are looking at the sticker price and saying ‘That’s a fair price to pay,’” he said.

This kind of pricing simplicity and clarity makes Hyundais as appealing as their Fluidic Sculpture styling.  The result is an Azera that is no longer a placeholder.  “Lorem ipsum” no more.

Vital statistics: 2012 Hyundai Azera

Base price: $32,000 (not including $875 shipping)

As tested: $36,000

Pros: Lovely styling, comfortable ride, class-leading efficiency

Cons: Lack of name recognition, continuing skepticism of Hyundai, its not one of Hyundai’s American-made models

Verdict: Hyundai has arrived in the market for big sedans.

Standard equipment:293-hp 3.3-l V6 engine, six-speed automatic transmission, navigation, premium audio, Blue Link telematics, heated leather seats, automatic climate control

Major options: Panoramic sunroof, HID headlights, ventilated seats

Safety equipment: electronic stability control, nine air bags, including driver’s knee bag, impact-reducing front seats.

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Hyundai is placing big bets on the Super Bowl

DETROIT — Hyundai Motor Co. is hoping that five television spots before and during the Feb. 5 Super Bowl will help to bolster its rising brand recognition and continue big sales gains from the past few years.

North American CEO John Krafcik says the fast-growing brand is working on a 60-second spot that will run right before kickoff, plus two ads on the pregame show and two during the first and third quarters of the game.

He wouldn't say how much the Korean automaker is spending on the ads, which will compete with most creative spots American companies have to offer during one of television's highest-rated and most expensive sporting events. Last year Super Bowl ads cost companies about $3 million for 30 seconds.

Chrysler Group LLC's two-minute spot featuring rapper Eminem was among those that created the most Super Bowl buzz this past February, and it helped kick off what has been a strong sales year for the recovering company. The cinematic third-quarter ad showed Eminem driving through Detroit and introduced a new car, the Chrysler 200 sedan, amid gritty scenes of the city. A voiceover talked about how the city has survived going through "hell and back."

Krafcik said Hyundai hopes to have standout spots as well, but it will focus more on a brand message rather than going for entertainment value.

"We're competing with Doritos and Pepsi and Anheuser-Busch," he said Friday at an auto show briefing for reporters at a technical center near Ann Arbor, Mich. "Those are tough competitors from an entertainment point of view."

Hyundai, he said, might have a little more fun with its ads this year and try to make them more memorable than in the past. But it's also trying to sway about a third of the auto market that has a neutral view of the brand, which sells the Elantra compact, Sonata midsize car and Tucson crossover SUV, among other models.

Hyundai has had huge sales growth in a lackluster U.S. auto market. Through October, the company has sold more than 545,000 vehicles, already passing last year's record sales of 538,000, according to Autodata Corp. Hyundai's U.S. market share has risen from 4.2 percent in 2009 to 5.2 percent so far this year, and analysts believe the company has taken sales mainly from Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., both of which have experienced declines.

Hyundai's sales are so strong that it's having trouble supplying cars and crossovers to its dealers, Krafcik said. It has raised the annual output at its Montgomery, Ala., factory to around 330,000 this year, and will produce more cars in North America in 2012, he said. But he wouldn't comment when asked if the company plans to build a new factory in the U.S.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Hyundai leads in corporate loyalty — study

DETROIT — Long ignored by most American auto buyers, and slighted by others due to quality problems, Hyundai is now tops when it comes to corporate loyalty, according to a new study.

But Ford Motor Co. is also making gains in the marketplace, according to the report by Experian Automotive, a data service that tracks vehicle registration data as well as consumer attitudes. The Detroit maker captured the lead in six of the spots in the top 10 product segments.

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Hyundai had a loyalty rate of 49.6 percent, according to the Experian study, edging out General Motors and Ford – as well as major Japanese makers like Toyota. It was the first time the Korean carmaker led the list, marking a significant turnaround for a brand that was once the butt of jokes, not a marque that won repeat business.

Hyundai’s loyalty – translated as the repurchase rate of its owners – has also helped drive the brand’s market share to record levels, 9.2 percent during the second quarter of this year, up from 7.9 percent a year earlier. The maker’s performance in the study also reflected well on its sibling brand, Kia actually outscoring the Hyundai brand with a 47.9 percent loyalty rate.

General Motors, which came in second in the Experian study, had the second-highest loyalty rate, at 48.1 percent, and also saw its market share grow by 0.5 points – to 19.6 percent during the second quarter of this year.

Ford was third in the latest Experian loyalty study, at 47.6 percent. But it also took six of the Top 10 sports in terms of loyalty to specific products. That included the Ford Fiesta, third at 63 percent, and the Fusion, fourth at 61 percent.

The product with the highest individual loyalty was the Kia Forte, according to Experian, at 68 percent. The maker’s quirky crossover, the Soul, was fifth at 59 percent, with its Forte Koup ranking eighth at 57 percent.

Makers have become increasingly focused on brand loyalty in recent years. Repeat business not only helps prop up sales and market share but also helps hold down marketing costs. Experts say it can cost as much as 11 times more to “conquest” a buyer from a competing brand as opposed to winning back one of your loyal owners.

Copyright 2011 The Detroit Bureau. All rights reserved.

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New Hyundai Elantra competes with the best

Given its reputation for quality and reliability, since the Toyota Corolla a favorite of compact car buyers in the United States a long time

Toyota customer loyalty has indeed become so reviews and even a shocking number of callbacks, and continue to buy narrow-minded recently that the purchaser intentionally ignore poor Corollas based on their experience with Toyota vehicles that were built in the past.

But today, there are others vying for her affections, including the new 2011 Hyundai Elantra suitors. At first, like with a Hyundai in the family like a bad idea, the automaker which given recent reputation for spotty quality and imitators in previous models. But all this is in the past and the Elantra, which asks that you now be improved on a date, suave and dependent. It is an invitation that should seriously consider car shopper.

Finally, the Elantra is a handsome devil. Take a look at its dynamically flowing lines, out behind the front wheel with a slashing character line and includes the front and rear door handles on its flight motor length behind on the rear wheel before immersion in the taillight lens.

The result is a car which strongly echoes the design of the mid-size Sonata, earned the well-deserved recognition of your own. The contoured headlights give thoroughly contemporary style that visually minimize openings Elanta front end, and the emphatic wheel arches, beveled corners and channeled fog light the front overhang, which visually the car before the horse so many front-drive vehicles sets.

But the real news is under this handsome hood. For years Honda is known for his engine design skills, an ability, which led the company, which remind someone you listen to, Honda Motor Co., with the emphasis on "Motor" is the full name of the company.

In the vehicle was United States to say it as "Hon-Day," in a less than subtle attempt, the relatively easy prestigious Korean newcomer confused with your established under the different at the same time with the name "Hun Day" for many owners suffer during Hyundai's two decades, and estimated, Japanese rivals. (Even the logo is Hyundai logo on the hood as an italic version of Honda's "H".)

This was understandable. Honda has set the standards for technology, design and performance for decades. Until now. The new Hyundai Elantra offers more power, more torque and better fuel economy than the 2012 Honda Civic.

Their transmissions - both automatic and manual - how are both six speeds have more gear. The bottom line is the Elantra cost less and perform better than the best selling model in the compact segment, the Honda Civic.

Of course my friends at Honda will quickly point out, that now have an app for it, so to speak it. Honda offers a high efficiency version of the civic, the mpg city from the Elantra 29, 40 mpg highway EPA fuel economy rating, edges, although it will probably take 2-3 percent of the civic based on the history of such models. And Honda offers a sporty, expensive Civic Si hot-rod version replete with the larger, thirsty engine from the accord, which is definitely faster than the Elantra.

But Hyundai engineers have surpassed Honda's by each Elantra exemplary fuel economy and performance, at no extra charge. Sure, the difference in fuel economy is low, such as the difference in the power and torque, the number of gears and the performance. But overall I, the Elantra, the civic exceeds think.

Plunge for Hyundai to Honda in one of these categories is unexpected. For Hyundai, Honda in all of them bother is shocking, because there is the Elanta and the determination of the engineers, the job right do. No automaker of Lucks in a victory over Honda.

It is not, declined that Honda is quality, but rather that the automaker has a long time scale for most manufacturers of fuel efficiency, performance, and clever engineering. These competitors have long taken Honda in the line of fire, but they are rarely landed a shot so far.

As a successful model in the segment, the civic is a natural point of comparison for many buyers. Other models - such as the Toyota Corolla and the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta - are running, because these companies obviously have contempt for customers by offering cars that were cheaper to the to the point insult buyer intelligence.

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The new Chevrolet Cruze fits well, on which a handsome cabin, and only the 2012 Ford focus presents an impressive alternative to the Elantra. But while the focus of the top car in the segment is almost undisputed, that leadership is not cheap. Consumers, unable, or unwilling, a fabulously dressed focus an additional few grand will spend may conclude that the Elantra is the more intelligent value close seconds.

Unlike many competitors, the Elantra is only in a single body style - 4-door sedan. A compact wagon, the Elantra 5, based on the previous generation car, is also available, but this is an outdated vehicle, currently that this excellent new Elantra model is comparable.

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Three and five-door hatchback in the compact class segment sell found other great success, but so far, Hyundai is satisfied to the mainstream 4-door sedan part of the market. The Elantra lively Dynamics suggest that the fun sports version of the car would very well recorded, especially if it were in the hatchback style that defines the segment "hot hatch".

As more and more customers the Elantra (and the Ford focus) that go to, can escape Word driver, the faithful have been other brands (to her own detriment of late). They are excited to discover that they have ugly hard cabin surfaces, deaf, not separate steering to put up, soggy suspension and grumble, thirsty engines only, because they want to buy a small economical car.

The Elantra, which is out there on the welcome mat with the flowers. Go ahead and leave it.

© 2011 msnbc.com. Reprints

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