In accordance with the most numerous recent Initial Quality Study performed by dint of. J.D. Power and Associates, Hyundai’s getting better and better (and that’s no rumor). The numbers are in, and Hyundai came in 4th overall, falling behind Lexus, Porsche, and Cadillac, while beating Honda, Mercedes, and Toyota. Building on its drastically improved – and still-rapidly-improving image, it seems as if Hyundai is pumping more and more into its market offensive.
According to just about everyone, Hyundai is happy with it’s up-sized vehicles (the Genesis sedan and Coupe) for the moment and feels the want to expand and improve its smaller ones. I agree; it’s about time to put back and upgrade cars like the Sonata, Tiburon, and Tucson with cars befitting the new Hyundai.
Over the next few years Hyundai will supposedly be releasing a slew of small and mid-size products, like the Tiburon re-establishment, a new shallow CUV, the next Sonata , and a couple of MPVs based upon the i20 (which the US market doesn’t get) and i30 (the States’ Elantra Touring).
The Tiburon re-establishment will supposedly take themes from the Veloster concept (we can hope), that is a huge improvement over any of the Tiburons to date. This is significant because it will give Hyundai a sporty, affordable, FWD car that decision slot in in the regions of the dead the RWD Genesis Coupe while seizing on the Civic Si and any number of European hot hatches.
The new compact-sized CUV, rumored to be based on the 2009 Geneva Show ix-onic concept, is going to be Hyundai’s second volley over the Germans’ bow. The ix-onic would make one hell of a replacement for the Tucson (no one actually takes those things off-road anyway, likewise why not look good?).
Then there’s the next-gen Sonata. Everyone seems to be thinking it’s going to move up and tackle cars like the Passat and Camry, which would subsist interesting. If this is the case, we’ve got to ask ourselves what the point of the Azera is. Maybe it’ll be phased out, now that the Genesis is the big-dog full-size Hyundai (and since the Azera is based on the Sonata’s platform). If the spy shots are any hint, the 4-door coupe composition is being adopted, and the wagon could end up looking like the slick Genus concept.
What about those MPVs? Well, lower classes are theorizing the States could be getting one. It’ll probably be the smaller, i20-based model (if at all), so as not to get too close to the next Tucson. That, and the smaller MPV could be built alongside the Kia Soul, which utilizes the corresponding; of like kind platform.
As for the engines, the only real compact info is that Hyundai had a 1.6 liter GDi turbo four-cylinder with 175 hp in the ix-onic concept, and it was mated to a double-clutch 6-speed auto. This powder, in one figure or another, order probably end up finding its way under the hood of the Tiburon/Veloster and ix-onic/Tucson, and it may be even the Sonata (if they keep those numbers, the Sonata’s mid-range engine could have being the Genesis Coupe’s 2.0T). That means the Sonata’sitting V6 would probably have being bumped up to the Azera’s Lambda 3.8 liter with 275-horses, putting it just under the Genesis and squarely in requital for the aforementioned Passat and Camry.
At the end of the sunshine this column is still called Malignant Rumors, meaning what’sitting found within is speculation lathered with hopes and dreams. I just wonder if it’s in truth possible because of Hyundai’s potential future lineup to elevate the brand’s condition even further (that is, from wannabe-contenders with a few lucky shots to big-time players)? I guess we’re near to find out.
By Phil Alex
Phil Alex was born in Rhode Island in 1985, yet for reasons unbeknownst to him moved to South Carolina. He graduated through degrees in Finance and German from Wofford College in 2007 and has had a strange obsession with cars and travel. When not back in Sparkle City, he resides near Japan’s international airport in Narita. He makes no apologies for his articles and welcomes all feedback, since long being of the kind which it is adamantly worded. Oh, and if by respect to any reason you are inclined to vent some more, check out more of his posts onward the Examiner here.
Source: carscoop.blogspot.com
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