Hyundai's American CEO, John Krafcik recently confirmed that its upcoming Equus sedan as well as the Genesis and Genesis coupe will be getting all-wheel-drive in the near future.

The move to make all-wheel-drive optional on its two luxury sedans is to make them more competitive with other luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. All-wheel-drive on the Genesis coupe will give it something that isn't offered on the Ford Mustang or Chevy Camaro.

Hyundai's newest flagship, the Equus will hit dealerships later this year. It will be powered by the 4.6L Tau V8 with up to 385 horsepower. Pricing is expected somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000.

Kelley Blue Book has announced the results of its latest Market Intelligence Brand Watch study, which contains the five most-considered auto brands. For Q2 2010 Ford remains on top, but the big news is that Hyundai has made a significant jump into the top five, pushing Nissan out.

"According to the Q2 2010 Brand Watch Study, over the past quarter Hyundai consideration has surged nearly six percentage points in the non-luxury coupe/sedan/hatchback segment, now garnering 29 percent of the total consideration among shoppers of this segment and bested only by Honda (45 percent), Toyota (42 percent) and Ford (38 percent)," kbb said in a statement.

Ford held the number one spot followed by Toyota, Chevy, Honda and then Hyundai.

Hyundai's all-new Elanta aka Avante is officially on sale now in South Korea. The Avante debuted at the Busan show in Korea earlier this year with styling that is reminiscent of its larger brother, the Sonata.

The Avante is powered by a 1.6L 138-hp four-cylinder that is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai hasn't released official details on the 2011 Elantra other than stating that it will be on sale in the US by the end of the year.

Hyundai has been on a roll the last few months with the new Sonata, the upcoming Accent and now Hyundai has unveiled the new Elantra at the Busan Motor Show in Korea.

The new Elantra aka Avante gets Hyundai's 'fluidic sculpture' design philosophy that has also been applied to the new Accent and Sonata. It's powered by a 1.6L direct injected engine with 138 horsepower and 123 lb-ft. of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Expect to see the new Elantra in the US in early 2011.

The all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata has only been on the market for a few months and Hyundai recently revealed turbocharged and hybrid versions of the sedan that will go on sale this fall. Now Inside Line believes that the next Sonata model will be a coupe.

The Sonata coupe would share the same 2.4L and possible 2.0L turbo engines as the sedan. The coupe would be aimed squarely at the Nissan Altima and Honda Accord coupes.

Two photos of the next-generation 2011 Hyundai Accent (aka Verna) have surfaced on the internet. As you can tell from these photos, the small Hyundai sedan is going to borrow styling cues from its larger brother, the Sonata.

Does the Hyundai Genesis leave you wanting more? Well Hyundai has just unveiled their newest flagship, the 2011 Equus. We've seen the Equus before at last year's New York Auto show, when Hyundai sent over a non-US spec model to gauge customer interest. Well it must have gone well since Hyundai has decided to introduce the large sedan here for the 2011 model year.

"Equus takes Hyundai's formula for intelligent luxury to a new level," said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "We've applied the lessons in engineering excellence we've learned with Genesis to the Equus, while adding a new level of customer experience that will further differentiate our take on luxury from the traditional premium brands."

The 2011 Equus is powered by the 4.6L Tau V8 with 385 horsepower using premium fuel and 378 horsepower using regular fuel. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual control. The combination accelerates the Equus from 0-60 mph in less than 6.4 seconds.

According to CEO John Krafcik, the base price of the Equus will come in somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000.

In addition to the Sonata hybrid, Hyundai has also unveiled the new Sonata 2.0T in New York.

The 2011 Sonata 2.0T is powered by a 2.0-liter Theta II turbocharged gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engine that puts out 274 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. The turbocharged engine is only available with a six-speed automatic transmission. The good news is that the engine does not require premium fuel and the Sonata 2.0T gets an estimated 34 mpg on the highway.

"The Sonata 2.0T is a great example of what our Blue Drive product strategy is doing for consumers," said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO. "Think about it - more horsepower than any of our V6 competitors, with better gas mileage than any competitive 4-cylinder model. We're not fans of compromising at Hyundai, and the Sonata really demonstrates this aspect of our business approach."

As promised, Hyundai has unveiled the hybrid version of the 2011 Sonata at the New York Auto Show.

"The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is the new kid on the block, but it's not a follower," says John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "Its full parallel hybrid configuration and breakthough lithium polymer batteries offer a new take on traditional hybrid design, while its unique design sets it apart from the mid-size hybrid pack."

The 2011 Sonata hybrid, features unique styling to set it apart from the non-hybrid models and to improve its fuel economy numbers. It features an all-new front fascia, more aerodynamic bumpers and rocker panels, and new alloy wheels. The taillights are also new with a more sci-fi feel than the regular Sonata. The changes helped lower the drag coefficient from .0.28 to 0.25.

Now for what's underneath the hood. First Hyundai is not using a CVT like its competitors and instead uses a six-speed automatic transmission. The electric motor generates 40.2 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque, which is less than the Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry hybrids. Hyundai claims that the Sonata hybrid can travel up to 62 mph in EV mode. The electric motor is mated to a 169-hp 2.4L engine, which leads to a combined 209-hp, which is more than the Camry and Fusion hybrids. The Sonata hybrid is also the first hybrid in the US to use a lithium polymer battery pack.

Hyundai predicts that the Sonata hybrid will get 37 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway, which tops the Camry at 33/34, but is a little short of the Fusion's 41 mpg highway number.

Hyundai hasn't announced the pricing for the Sonata hybrid.

Kelley Blue Book has released the latest Market Intelligence Data, in which Hyundai has taken the top spot, passing both Toyota and Honda in brand loyalty among shoppers on kbb.com.

Comparing February 2010 data to Q4 2009, Hyundai had the greatest increase in loyalty with current Hyundai owners looking at new models within the brand increasing by 10.4 percent to 56.3 percent. This puts Hyundai in the top spot, up from third in Q4 2009. Honda continues to hold the second spot with 55.8 percent, while Toyota has fallen to the number three spot at 53.3 percent.

"Hyundai is clearly benefiting from 'a perfect storm' - a result of introducing passionate new products like the 2011 Sonata and 2010 Tucson, while Honda's mainstream vehicles like the CR-V and Accord are a bit stale in the marketplace and Toyota is experiencing a huge consumer perception crisis," said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "To sustain this momentum, Hyundai should continue to promote its attractive new-vehicle lineup, solid warranty offer and strong price-points to new-car shoppers. Hyundai's main challenge in the near future will likely come from domestic automakers like Ford and GM as they gear up for battle over buyers starting to look for a change from 'Camry-land.'"

Hyundai has released the first image of the new i-flow concept, Hyundai's first diesel-electric hybrid that is going to be unveiled next week at the Geneva Motor Show.

Hyundai claims that the i-flow previews a future D-segment contender from Hyundai. The hybrid system is made up of a 1.7L turbocharged diesel mated to an electric motor that is powered by Hyundai's Lithium Ion-Polymer battery. The whole system is mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

How come there are so many recalls right now? Hyundai has just announced that it has halted sales of the new 2011 Sonata after an issue with the front door-lock modules was discovered. Some of the units can stick under certain circumstances. The 2011 Sonata just went on sale a two weeks ago, so luckily there are only 5,000 units in US inventory and only 1,300 have been sold.

According to Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson the malfunction occurs only in situations where the front-seat passengers try to open their doors from the inside while simultaneously holding down the lock button (who does that?). If that happens the interior door handle will not return to its normal position and passengers will not be able to exit the car. If the lock button is pressed again the situation will correct itself.

Hyundai is going to replace the front-door lock mechanism on affected vehicles.

The all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata has just earned the Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. According to the IIHS a Top Safety Pick must get the highest rating of "good" in all three crash tests (front, side and rear) and be equipped with electronic stability control. 2011 marks the first year that the Sonata has received the IIHS honor.

Expect more Sonata news at the New York Auto Show in April when Hyundai unveils the turbo and hybrid variants.

The recently introduced 2011 Hyundai Sonata is going to get two additional variants that will be unveiled at the New York Auto Show in April. According to Head of Product Planning, Scott Margason, "Look out for the Sonata Turbo and Hybrid at the 2010 New York Auto Show."

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is already on sale and is powered by a 198 horsepower 2.4L direct-injected 4-cylinder. The SE model puts out 200 horsepower. Hyundai has no plans to offer a V6 in the Sonata.

Hyundai has announced changes to the mid-2010 Elantra, which includes an available navigation system. An all-new Elantra is expected soon, but to keep the current model competitive, Hyundai has added a touchscreen nav system that also features Bluetooth connectivity. The navigation is available on the GLS and SE models, which list for $17,995 and $19,845, respectively when equipped with the nav.

In addition to the newly available navigation system, the Elantra gets a new waterfall grille, rear chrome trim, a high mileage, low price "Blue" edition, and improved fuel economy estimates.

Hyundai is on a roll with refreshing their entire lineup. After the recently introduced Tucson and Sonata comes a refreshed 2011 Azera. The new Azera, which is having its debut at the Chicago Auto Show benefits from a slight facelift and revised engines.

The 2011 Azera is available with either a 3.3L or 3.8L V6 engine. The 3.3L puts out 260 horsepower and 233 lb-ft. of torque, while also getting 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. The more powerful 3.8L V6 puts out an estimated 283 horsepower and 263 lb-ft. of torque, while getting 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. Both engines are mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission. With more focus on fuel economy, Hyundai has added a fuel economy indicator in the 2011 model. The "Eco Indicator" displays a green light to indicate when driving habits are contributing to good fuel economy.

The exterior of the 2011 Azera gets new headlights, taillights and foglights in addition to new bumpers, wheels and a revised trunk lid. The 2011 Azera will be available this spring.

We're only a few days away from the Super Bowl this weekend and Hyundai has released an announcement about what commercials it plans to show during the broadcast. This year marks the third year in a row that Hyundai has featured commercials for the event. This year one of the commercials will feature Vikings quarterback Brett Favre getting an MVP award ten years from now.

"The Super Bowl is not only a showcase for great football, but also for the most significant advertising, reaching an estimated 95 million viewers in the U.S.," said Joel Ewanick, vice president of marketing, Hyundai Motor America. "Following in the footsteps of our 2008 and 2009 Super Bowl focused on the new Genesis and Genesis Coupe, we are focusing this year's Super Bowl campaign on the all-new 2011 Sonata, the most significant new model introduction in our history."

Check out the commercial after the jump.

Hyundai has announced the pricing for the all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata.

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata starts at $19,195 and will hit dealers in the next few weeks. The all-new Sonata ditches the old model's boring three-box design for a much "sexier" silhouette. Besides the new styling, the other big news is that the Sonata is no longer going to have an available V6 engine. Slow sales of the V6 model prompted Hyundai to not offer it on the new generation. Instead at launch the Sonata's only engine offering is Hyundai's new direct injected 2.4-liter inline-four that puts out 198 horsepower (SE puts out 200-hp). The 2.4L can be mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai has unveiled the changes to the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe. The 2011 Santa Fe benefits from a refreshed exterior and two new engines.

The styling of the new Santa Fe gets tweaks that bring it more in line with the styling of the new Tucson and Sonata models. Under the hood last year's engines have been replaced by a 175-hp 2.4L four-cylinder, that is also in the Tucson and a 3.5L V6 with 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to six-speed transmissions with the four-cylinder being available with a manual.

The all-new 2010 Hyundai Tucson is about to start appearing in dealer showrooms and Hyundai has now officially announced its pricing. The 2010 Tucson has a starting price of $18,995.

For $18,995 you will get the base GLS model with a manual transmission and front wheel drive. There are only two trims available, GLS and Limited. The Limited model starts at $24,435. The top of the line Tucson Limited with Premium Package and all-wheel-drive lists for $28,695.

The 2010 Tucson will initially only be available with a 2.4L four-cylinder, a smaller 2.0L will join the lineup later. The 2.4L can be mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

"The 2010 Tucson truly delivers unprecedented value by raising the bar on performance, fuel economy and design while maintaining a very affordable price," said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "For 2010, the most popular Tucson offers 26 percent more horsepower, about 20 percent better combined fuel economy, standard six-speed transmission and the list goes on - all at the same price point as the previous generation Tucson."

In addition to the striking new 2011 Hyundai Sonata, Hyundai has unveiled the next-generation 2010 Tucson.

The 2010 Hyundai Tucson is a welcome departure from the current generation. The new Tucson, which was designed by Hyundai's Frankfurt-based European design studio is a much better looking crossover than the one it replaces. The 2010 Tucson is only marginally bigger than the last-generation. Its 3.3 inches longer and one inch wider but manages to weight 61 pounds less. It is now the lightest crossover in its class.

The Tucson is powered by Hyundai's Theta II 2.4-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder engine. It puts out 176-hp and 168 lb-ft. of torque and is mated to a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. The Tucson has a 23 mpg city/31 mpg highway fuel economy rating when mated to the six-speed automatic.

The 2010 Tucson will be arriving in dealer showrooms in the next few weeks.

We've already seen photos of the new Hyundai Sonata mainly in Korean-spec. Hyundai has officially unveiled the 2011 Sonata at the LA Auto Show.

Right off its clear that the new Sonata is a huge departure from the last generation. The new Sonata features a new, much sexier exterior that draws inspiration from the Volkswagen CC and Mercedes CLS. The three-box design of the fifth-generation Sonata has been replaced by a car with a more coupe-like roofline.

Under the hood the big change is that a V6 engine will not be offered. At launch the only engine that will be offered is the recently announced 2.4-liter direct injected four-cylinder. 90% of the previous Sonatas were sold with four-cylinder engines, so it makes some sense that Hyundai has decided to fore go the V6 with this generation. In GLS and Limited trims the four-cylinder puts out 198 hp and 184 lb-ft. or torque. The SE model gets dual tailpipes and an extra two horsepower and 2 lb-ft. of torque. Hyundai estimates that the 2011 Sonata will get 23 mpg city and 35 mpg compared to 22/32 mpg for the 2010 model.

Hyundai has officially unveiled its new direct-injected four-cylinder, which Hyundai claims delivers more power and a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy.

The 2.4L Theta II GDI four-cylinder took four years to develop and will debut in the 2011 Sonata. The engine officially puts out 198 horsepower and 184 lb-ft. of torque. The Theta II engine delivers 7-12 percent more torque across its rev range compared to a conventional engine. The engine is expected to see a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy, although final numbers have not been released. In addition to the direct-injection technology, the engine also gets variable valve timing on both camshafts.

When the 2011 Sonata debuts next year a V6 will not be offered.

Honda's CEO Takanobu Ito recently stated that he sees Hyundai as a major threat to the Japanese automakers.

"Hyundai is awesome," said Takanobu. "They are undoubtedly a threat because their products are cheap, and the quality is improving."

Hyundai's sales have been improving, while many of its other competitors have seen its sales decline in the last year. Obviously new products like the Genesis are changing the perception of the brand and it's no longer seen as the throw away car brand of the 80's.

Hyundai has developed a stretched version of its flagship Equus sedan. The Equus Limousine is 300 mm longer than the regular version and is longer than most of its competitors in Korea. To differentiate it from the Equus sedan, the stretched version features a new horizontal cross-bar grille. The Equus Limousine can be powered by either the Lambda 3.8L V6 or the Tau 5.0L V8 that puts out 400 horspower.

When Hyundai unveiled the all-new Sonata in Korea, a V6 engine was not mentioned in the press release. Only 2.0L and 2.4L 4-cylinders were mentioned for the Korean market. Well it looks like when the US-spec Sonata is unveiled it will also not receive a V6. According to Hyundai only 15 percent of the Sonatas currently sold are equipped with the V6.

The 2.4L that will be offered will feature direct injection, which is expected to have more power and better fuel economy numbers than the current 2.4L (it's currently rated at 175hp and 22/32 mpg).

Hyundai is also deleting the V6 option from the new Tucson. Expect the 2011 Sonata to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

Hyundai has officially unveiled the KDM-spec 2010 Sonata in Korea.

We've seen spy photos of the new Sonata for a while now, so everything shown here is what was expected. The new Sonata ditches the bland styling of the current generation for a sedan with more coupe-like styling. The base engine in Korea will be a 165-hp 2.0L 4-cylinder. Once the car is released in the US next year as a 2011 model, the base Sonata will be powered by a direct-injected 2.4L instead of the 2.0L in Korea.

The sales numbers for August 2009 are in and thanks to the Cash for Clunkers program sales were up for a few of the automakers. Toyota, Honda and Ford saw sales increase by 10.5%, 14.2% and 17%, respectively. Although GM was down 20.2% and Chrysler by 15%.

The Toyota Camry surpassed the Ford F-Series to become the best selling vehicle in the US last month, although the F-Series also had a good month. New to the list for August was the Hyundai Elantra, likely due to increased sales from the Cash for Clunkers program. The Honda CR-V also made a return this month, surpassing the Ford Escape, which is missing this time.

* Toyota Camry: 54,396
* Ford F-Series: 45,590
* Honda Civic: 43,294
* Toyota Corolla: 43,061
* Honda Accord: 39,726
* Chevy Silverado: 32,421
* Honda CR-V: 30,284
* Nissan Altima: 26,833
* Ford Focus: 25,547
* Hyundai Elantra: 21,673

More shots of the 2010 Hyundai Sonata have hit the internet before its official launch in South Korea.

The all-new Sonata ditches its conservative styling for a more curvaceous body with a longer nose and coupe-like roofline. Hyundai claims that the all-new Sonata expresses Hyundai's "fluidic sculpture" design language.

Stay tuned for the official launch in Korea on Sept 10th. The US should receive the new Sonata sometime next year as a 2011 model.

Hyundai's newest flagship, the 2009 Genesis sedan has brought a lot of attention to the Hyundai since its launch. Much of the attention has been in the form of awards, which started with the 2009 North American Car of the Year. That was the first time a Korean brand ever received that award. After receiving the car of the year award, the Genesis has gone on to receive more than 20 top honors from publications and automotive organizations.

According to Hyundai the Genesis is "the most decorated new car launch of the 2009 model year."

"Genesis was developed to rival the world's best luxury sedans so we knew it would be a great car, but we didn't know how it would be received by the automotive community," said Scott Margason, director of Product & Strategic Planning for Hyundai. "As the awards accumulated, we realized not only how well designed the Genesis was, but how far the Hyundai brand had come. Consumers and automotive industry influencers really embraced the idea of Hyundai producing a luxury product."

Check out the full list of awards after the jump.

Hyundai has taken the wraps off the 2010 Hyundai Tucson ix for the Korean market.

The new Tucson, which although it is dubbed the Tucson ix in Korea (ix35 in Europe), will still be named simply Tucson in the US, features all new, more upscale styling than the last gen. The Korean market has the choice of 2.0L gasoline and diesel engines that are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The diesel engine puts out 184-hp, while the gasoline powered engine only puts out 166-hp. All-wheel-drive is only available with the diesel engine. It's not yet known what will power the US-spec Tucson.

The new more upscale styling also includes more upscale features like a panoramic sunroof, rear backup camera, Hill-Start assist.

Expect more details when the Tucson aka ix35 is unveiled in Frankfurt. The new Tucson is expected in the US sometime next year as a 2011 model.

These spy shots may be our first look at the undisguised 2011 Hyundai Sonata. These photos were obviously taken from a photo shoot (note the cutaway).

The 2011 Sonata is definitely going after more market share in the midsize sedan segment with its new more expressive style and coupe-like roofline.

Stay tuned for the first official photos..soon.

Hyundai is set to unveil the ix35 aka Tucson and a revised Santa Fe at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. We've seen spy photos of the new Tucson, but now Hyundai has officially released two renderings of it before its official unveiling.

The new Tucson was designed at Hyundai's design center in Frankfurt and embodies Hyundai's new design language "fluidic sculpture." Although the Tucson is officially being dubbed the ix35 in Europe, the Tucson name will continue in the US when the next-gen launches early next year.

Hyundai has announced plans to sell its flagship sedan, the Equus in the US next year.

"We showed the car at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, and the response was fantastic," says John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO. "Since then, we've had a fleet travelling around the country, capturing input from our dealers and consumers. Here, too, the response was extraordinarily positive, and similar to the market reaction to the award-winning Genesis, so we've decided to bring it to the U.S."

The Equus shares its platform with the Genesis and will be powered by the same 4.6L V8 when it comes to the US in late 2010.

It has been previously announced that Hyundai is working on a replacement for the Tiburon that will be sold alongside the rear-wheel-drive Genesis. In a recent interview with Inside Line, Hyundai's President and CEO John Krafcik gave more details about the upcoming coupe.

According to Krafcik the final version will look 70-80 percent like the Veloster concept and will feature a "surprise body style."

"It might be doors or a unique roof or something with the hatch. But it won't be like anything out there before in the small car segment."

Krafcik also stated that the coupe is about the same size as the Accent. "Think of it like a four-passenger Honda CRX," he said. "It'll be a little car you can take out and wring its neck and still get good mileage. Fun and economical, with a great power-to-weight ratio."

The coupe is also expected to be powered by a direct-injection 1.6L with 140 horsepower that also returns over 40 mpg.

The official name of the coupe is still being decided.

Just like Chrysler did when gas prices were out of control, Hyundai has announced a new incentive called Assurance Gas Lock, which locks in gas prices for buyers of new Hyundai vehicles at $1.49 per gallon for up to a year. With gas prices expected to be over $3 a gallon this summer, Hyundai is hoping this new incentive will bring in more buyers.

"Our research shows that nearly 40 percent of potential new car buyers are staying out of the market specifically due to uncertainty around future gas prices," said John Krafcik, CEO and president of Hyundai Motor America. "With Assurance Gas Lock, we're empowering consumers with gas price stability so they can make a confident vehicle choice. And for those buyers out there driving older gas-guzzlers that qualify for the new government CARS program, we think our fuel-efficient lineup of award-winning vehicles, combined with Assurance Gas Lock, makes Hyundai an unbeatable combination."

The program compliments Hyundai Assurance and its 10-year warranty. In addition it is available with special rebate and financing options on individual models.

Assurance Gas Lock is available on Accent (excluding base model), Tiburon, Elantra, Elantra Touring, Entourage, Sonata, Azera, Santa Fe, Tucson and Veracruz models purchased or leased between July 1 and August 31, 2009 . The program reduces any available rebates by $1,000.

Hyundai is determined to move up market with the introduction of the Genesis and now the automaker is currently evaluating its Equus luxury sedan that is expected to be introduced here next summer.

The rear-wheel-drive Equus is based on the Genesis platform, but is 7.2 inches longer at 203.1 inches. In Korea it is powered by the same 3.8L and 4.6L engines as the Genesis, but according to sources the US will only get receive the V8 powered Equus.

Hyundai is aiming the Equus squarely at the Lexus LS 460, which starts at 64,700.

"We plan to keep the price under $60,000," said the Hyundai insider.

Over the weekend some of the best spy photos to date of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata surfaced and now today we have our first shot of the interior.

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is going to feature a coupe-like roofline and more curvaceous styling than the current generation. The interior has a dual cockpit design that is similar to the Genesis Coupe. Obviously this photo of the interior is of a pre-production model. The production Sonata will have higher quality materials.

Although the new Sonata will officially be a 2011 model, you can expect an unveiling soon.

Hyundai is remaining very tight lipped on the Nuvis concept that is going to be shown at the New York Auto Show next week. Besides showcasing the brand's cutting-edge capabilities it also hints at a possible design direction of a future crossover...

The Nuvis concept is the 11th concept car designed at the Hyundai's California Design Center in Irvine, California.

Hyundai has unveiled the "Genesis Prada" ahead of its debut in Seoul.

The partnership with Hyundai and Prada has yielded three Genesis sedans painted in matte metallic midnight blue, combined with metal parts in titanium, and the dark matte plated gold replaces the existing shining chrome for the radiator grill, the emblem, and the outer handles. The 20-inch alloy wheels are new and were designed by Prada.

Inside the seats are covered in "saffiano" leather.

Out of the three produced, one will be kept by Hyundai as a milestone of the Genesis history and the other two will be auctioned off for charity.

Hyundai's CEO John Krafcik recently revealed some of Hyundai's future product plans at a press conference.

Hyundai is going to fully focus on building fuel efficient cars and crossovers. But unfortunately the plans also revealed that the slow-selling Entourage minivan will be dead by the end of the year.

"We weren't a big player to begin with, and the segment continues to shrink," said Hyundai spokesman Chris Hosford to Automotive News.

Hyundai is going to unveil the BLUE-WILL concept car at the Seoul Motor Show next week.

Hyundai's new plug-in hybrid concept car features a 1.6L direct-injection engine, which is mated to a CVT and a 100kw electric motor. The concept also features lithium-ion batteries that are located under the rear seat.

The concept also features dye-sensitive solar cells, which can generate power for the batteries without impeding visibility.

The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe has been one of highly anticipated cars for this year. With a choice of a turbocharged 2.0L 4-cylinder or a 300+ hp 3.8L V6 and standard RWD the Genesis Coupe has a lot of enthusiast appeal. According to Hyundai USA CEO John Krafcik early sales are "simply smoking."

According to Krafcik early sales of the Genesis Coupe have been better than the luxurious Genesis sedan, with significantly less marketing. The 2.0T have just begun to hit dealerships, so its too early to see what the product split will be like. But among the 3.8L models, over 50% leaving the lots are the Grand Touring models. The Grand Touring model starts at $28,250 with a manual transmission and $29,750 with an automatic gearbox (including a $750 destination fee).

It will be interesting to see what happens when the $24,000 performance-tuned 2.0T R-Spec model starts arriving. The entry-level 2.0T starts at $22,000.

Hyundai has announced that its popular Assurance Program now includes 90 days of payment relief if a buyer is laid off within the first year of vehicle ownership.

The Hyundai Assurance program that runs from Feb 23rd to April 30, 2009 allows buyers to return their vehicles if they lose their jobs within the first year that they own them. The Assurance Plus program takes the step one step further by providing a one-time 90-day payment relief benefit.

The Assurance Program is credited with Hyundai's sales increasing 14.3 percent while almost every other automaker was down last month.

Hyundai is going to unveil the HED-6 Concept early next month, but we've got the first official photos of the concept.

The concept stays true to the sketch that was released last week. The concept is powered by a turbocharged 175 hp 1.6-liter GDi four-cylinder. The engine is expected to eventually be offered in Hyundai's lineup. The HED-6 is expected to make it into production alongside the Kia Sportage, which means it could eventually become the next Hyundai Tucson in the U.S.

Expect more details soon.

The first two official images of the 2010 Hyundai Equus have been released ahead of the vehicle's official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

The Equus is 7 inches longer, 1.5 inches wider and has a 4.5 inch longer wheelbase than the Genesis. The Equus is powered by the same 3.8L and 4.6L engines as the Genesis. A more powerful 5.0L V8 with over 420 horsepower is expected after the Equus is launched.

It's not known if Hyundai plans on selling the Equus in the U.S.

Hyundai has announced the pricing for its much anticipated 2010 Genesis Coupe.

The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe starts at $22,000 for the base model with the 210 horsepower turbocharged 2.0L engine. The model with the 306 horsepower 3.8L V6 starts at $25,000. The base model comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, Bluetooth, AM/FM/XM/MP3/CD audio system with six speakers, A/C, cruise control, power windows, mirrors and locks and Electronic Stability Control with Traction control, ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist.

A 2.0T R-Spec model has just been unveiled with a starting price of $23,750 and comes with Brembo brakes, a stiffened suspension, a Torsen limited-slip differential and 19-inch alloy wheels with summer tires.

Hyundai has released an official sketch of the HED-6 Concept that will be officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

The HED-6 was designed at Hyundai's European Design headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany and provides a new look for Hyundai's SUVs. The concept features a muscular design with its hexagonal grille, angular style lines and piercing back-swept front headlamps, with the bold look completed by 21-inch, mirror-polished alloy wheels.

The HED-6 is powered by a 175 horsepower 1.6-liter GDi turbocharged engine.

The sales numbers from last month have been released and they are not good. Nearly every major automaker was down in January compared to January 08'.

Chrysler lead the pact with a 55 percent drop last month. GM's sales were off by 49 percent and Ford declined 40 percent.

Japan's major automakers didn't escape the dismal auto sales with Toyota being down 32 percent, Nissan's sales were down 30 and Honda's were off by 28 percent.

The news wasn't bad for everyone though with Subaru posting an 8 percent increase, its second month in the row of sales increases. Hyundai also posted a 14 percent sales increase. Hyundai attributed its sales improvement to its new program which will take a owner's car back if they lose their job in the first 12 months of ownership.

"This program gets to the root cause of today's economic concerns — fear of job loss," Hyundai regional general manager Peter DiPersia said in a statement.

Consumer Reports has announced that the 2009 Hyundai Genesis has managed to take the top score in its list of upscale sedans.

The Genesis managed to beat out 4 other new sedans this year, the Pontiac G8, Acura TL, Nissan Maxima and Lincoln MKS in addition to just outscoring the Lexus ES350.

Consumer Reports had this to say about the V6-powered Genesis:

"Spacious and well appointed, the rear-wheel-drive Genesis offers good value and is a compelling alternative to luxury vehicles costing thousands more. "

More good news for Hyundai!

Hyundai has killed any speculation or rumors that a convertible version of the upcoming Genesis Coupe is in the works. Hyundai officially unveiled the Genesis Coupe last March and sales are expected to start this spring.

According to Miles Johnson, manager of product public relations, a Genesis Convertible was never in the works.

“It’s never been in the plan,” Johnson told Inside Line. “There was some internal discussion early on, but since we unveiled the coupe in New York, there’s been no talk.”

Johnson stated that the Genesis Coupe was never designed with a convertible in mind. Instead it was designed as a global car. In addition Koreans are not really into "the wind in your hair" and Hyundai doesn't have enough traction in the U.S. for a convertible.

He also stated that there are no plans for Hyundai convertibles in the future, although sources are saying otherwise. There are rumors that the use of retractable hardtops are in the works.

Hyundai has released two official sketches of its 2010 Equus sedan. The Equus is a large luxury sedan that is sold in South Korea, Europe, China and the Middle East.

The 2010 Equus is expected to be powered by either a 420 horsepower 5.0L Tau V8 or a 4.6L Tau V8. Both engines will put the power to the ground via the rear wheels. Hyundai's new eight-speed automatic transmission is also expected to be offered.

The next-generation Equus is expected to also feature a Lane Departure Warning System, Pre-Safety Seatbelt System, and LED-equipped headlights and taillights.

The 2010 Hyundai Equus is expected in South Korean dealerships next month. Don't expect it to hit U.S. shores anytime soon, since it could cannibalize Genesis sales.

Hyundai has announced that it is going to debut its the 2010 Genesis Coupe in two Super Bowl ads during the Super Bowl on February 1, 2009.

Both commercials share a common theme, "The Epic Lap." The first commercial will feature the Genesis Coupe being driven by Rhys Millen with background music provided by cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The second commercial will feature different driving footage and music.

The 2010 Genesis Coupe is powered by either a 210 horsepower turbocharged 2.0L engine or a 306 horsepower 3.8L V6. Both engines put the power to the ground via the rear wheels.

Ward’s Automotive Group has announced its 2009 10 Best Engines list.

The list is compiled by Ward's editors and 2009 is officially the 15th year of the Ward’s 10 Best Engines program.

This year the list of winners is very broad with hybrid engines as well as high output turbocharged engines receiving the award.

“A decade ago, few consumers in the U.S. paid serious attention to hybrids or diesels. This year, they have to, if they don’t want to be pinched the next time fuel hits $4 a gallon,” says Tom Murphy, executive editor of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine.”The diesels from VW and BMW and the Ford Escape Hybrid all got better than 30 mpg (7.8 L/100 km) during our testing, and often they topped 40 mpg (5.8 L/100 km),” he says. “And the diesels meet the strictest emissions regulations in the world. If Americans want to find a vehicle that consumes less fuel and is fun to drive, our list is a great place to start.”

Last week it was reported that GM had suspended all talks with Chrysler about an apparent merger after the U.S. treasury denied GM's request for aid to buy Chrysler. Now it're being reported that Hyundai may be interested.

According to Reuters, Hyundai and Chrysler's owners, Cerberus Capital Management, have been in talks about Hyundai acquiring the Jeep brand. Both automakers have not released an official statement about the discussions.

Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) has unveiled an RMR-designed "Art of Speed" Hyundai Genesis Coupe at the SEMA show.

To create the coupe Hyundai delivered its first prototype Genesis Coupe 2.0T 12 weeks ago. RMR employees stripped the car to bare metal and then began creating new aftermarket parts and accessories for the new Genesis Coupe.

Inside all comfort and convenience items were removed to make way for a custom-fabricated eight-point safety cage and firewall. In addition a single Sparco racing seat was added for the driver.

On the outside Millen replaced hood, deck lid, roof, doors, fenders, front fascia and side skirts with lighter carbon fiber pieces. Under the hood the 2.0L turbocharged engine was enhanced with a Turbonetics turbocharger, waistgate and blow-off valve to provide more horsepower and torque.

Hyundai has partnered with Street Concepts to create a modified Genesis Coupe for the 2008 SEMA show in Las Vegas.

The Street Concepts Genesis Coupe will debut at the SEMA show on November 4, 2008 alongside other coupes designed by Rhys Millen and HKS.

Hyundai has been slightly behind its major competitors with no hybrids in its lineup, but that is soon going to change with a new Sonata hybrid. Hyundai is also going to unveil the Santa Fe Hybrid concept this month at the Paris Motor Show.

Hyundai is going to unveil the 2009 Hyundai i20 five-door hatchback at the Paris Motor Show this month.

Hyundai is recalling about 65,000 2008 Elantras to fix a problem with the fuel pump.

Hyundai's first rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan, the Genesis has just received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s five-star crash test rating, the highest possible.

Hyundai's first entry in the rear-wheel-drive luxury segment, the Genesis is just hitting dealerships. Next year Hyundai is also going to launch the Genesis coupe and together Hyundai is hoping to sell 50,000 units combined in the US.

Hyundai has officially announced the pricing for its all-new 2009 Genesis sedan.

Hyundai unveiled the all-new rear-wheel-drive Genesis coupe at the New York Auto Show last month. It was rumored that the new coupe would eventually replace the Tiburon in the lineup, although Hyundai execs eventually said it would not. Well John Krafcik, Vice President of product development for Hyundai recently told the Automotive News that the this is going to be the last year for the Tiburon.

Hyundai has issued a recall of 394,000 Sonatas model years 2006-2008 to check the front seat sensors.

Hyundai is going to unveil a revised 2009 Hyundai Elantra at the Beijing Auto Show later this month.

Hyundai took the wraps off of its Genesis luxury sedan this January at the Detroit Auto Show, but now Hyundai execs are stating that Europe will not get the new sedan.

Who knew that they were actually working on a fourth version of the Fast and Furious movie series, but it looks like they are and the all-new 2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe will have a starring role.

Today Hyundai finally took the wraps of its all-new 2010 Genesis Coupe. There have been so many photo leaks of the car, but now we finally got to see the final car in person and we have all the specs.

The restyled 2009 Hyundai Sonata was officially unveiled this week at the Chicago Auto Show. Hyundai has announced that it will start at $18,795 when it reaches dealerships later this month.

Hyundai has unveiled the refreshed 2009 Sonata that will be officially unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in a few days.

Hyundai has officially unveiled the 2009 Elantra Touring, which is also known as the Hyundai i30 in Europe.

Hyundai is going to officially unveil its new Genesis sedan next week at the Detroit Auto Show.

Well this was already rumored last month when the first photos of the unmasked RWD Genesis coupe surfaced, but now Hyundai has confirmed that the Genesis will be offered with a turbocharged 4-cylinder .

Hyundai has unveiled the Genesis emblem that will only be on the model that is sold in Korea and China. The US spec. Genesis will have the same Hyundai emblem as the rest of the lineup.

Hyundai's upcoming Genesis RWD sedan has been caught driving in Korea without any camouflage.

Hyundai unveiled the Concept Genesis Coupe at the LA Auto Show today.

The revised Hyundai Sonata has just gone on sale in Korea. For the new model year Hyundai has made very subtle changes to its Camry fighter.

Yesterday photos surfaced all over the internet of Hyundai's upcoming RWD coupe.

Hyundai's much anticipated RWD coupe has been caught at a recent market research event.

Hyundai has released the first official photo renderings of the automaker's upcoming rear-wheel-drive coupe.

Spy photos of Hyundai's new 380 horsepower flagship sedan, the Genesis have been circulating for months. Now we have the first photos of the interior of the RWD car that Hyundai hopes will move the automaker up market.

Hyundai has unveiled a new hydrogen powered crossover, the i-Blue that will be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month.

According to the guys over at HyundaiExchange.com, the new flagship Genesis sedan is going to be powered by a 380HP V8. Hyundai's R&D boss, Hyun-Soon Lee provided the stats on the 4.6L V8 to a group of Korean executives.

Or Maybe not... According to BusinessWeek Volkswagen takes the award for having the most recalled 2007 models. VW recalled just over 1 million New Beetles because of faulty brake light switches.

We've seen several spy photos of Hyundai's new RWD Tiburon coupe in the past few months. Now we have an "official" photo rendering of the new coupe. The rendering looks very close to test mules that have been spotted, but it gives us a glimpse of what the front end may look like.

Hyundai is planning on bringing a production version of the 5-door in this sketch next year as a 2009 model. The new model will be named the Elantra Touring and will use the same 2.0L 4-cyl that is currently in the Elantra sedan.

Hyundai and Hyundai's sister company Kia have been setting their goals incredibly high by going after BMW, Lexus and Mercedes. Hyundai is going to go head to head with them with the new Genesis sedan and upcoming RWD coupe. Now Kia is looking at Audi with its new coupe concept.

Hyundai's upcoming rear-wheel-drive coupe has been caught testing in Korea. Hyundai has many new vehicles in the works including the new rear-wheel-drive Genesis sedan and this upcoming coupe. These two vehicles alone will move Hyundai into new segments that the automaker has never been in before.

Spy photographers have caught a refreshed Hyundai Sonata during hot weather testing. The main changes to the car are the front and rear fascias. The restyled Hyundai Sonata is going to adopt many of the same design cues from the new Santa Fe, Veracruz SUV and the upcoming Genesis sedan.

Lately it seems that hybrids get all the attention for being fuel-efficient, but there are a handful of non-hybrid cars that get close to the same levels as the hybrids. In the US this list is dominated by Honda, Toyota and Nissan. Only one European model made the list, the MINI. The big question is: Why aren't there any models from Ford, GM or Chrysler on this list?

Hyundai has plans to become one of the top 5 automakers by the end of the decade. The automaker is planning on releasing a whole new line of V8 rear wheel drive vehicles and a new budget minded vehicle for emerging markets.

Spy Photographers have caught what appears to be Hyundai's new 2009 RWD Coupe in South Korea. It has been reported that the automaker plans on releasing numerous vehicles that will be built on the BH platform. That includes the new Genesis sedan, this coupe and a possible truck.

Edmunds.com has posted a list of the most wanted cars in 2007 based on reader feedback. Out of the 32 categories you may be surprised which automaker took home the most awards....

April's auto sales numbers have just been posted and almost every major automaker had a sales decrease last month. Even the Asian automakers that have been making headlines for their sales gains, took a hit.

Hyundai has announced plans to sell its new i30 wagon in the U.S. sometime in early 2008. The 2008 Hyundai Elantra Wagon will be positioned as a "sporty handling vehicle" according to Wayne Killen, director of product planning at Hyundai Motor America.

Kelly Blue Book has compiled their list of the top 10 coolest cars under $18,000. Today as the average car price is well into the $20,000's it is good to know that there are cheaper alternatives that are still cool to own.

Toyota's sales increased 9% last month compared to March 2006. This was largely driven by sales of the new Camry, the RAV4 and the Prius.

Recently Hyundai released photos of their upcoming rwd sedan, the Genesis concept car. This car is the automaker's first attempt at trying to sell a "premium" vehicle.

Only a few days before the actual unveiling, Hyundai's Genesis Concept pictures have been released. The concept will be officially unveiled at the New York Auto Show next month.

Hyundai has just announced that it intends on building a new engine plant in the U.S. at its sole production facility in Montgomery, Alabama. The addition will cost Hyundai $270 million and add 520 new jobs to the facility.

Hyundai is going to show reveal the Concept Genesis at the New York Auto Show in April. The sedan is bigger than anything in their current lineup and is rumored to offer V8 power and RWD.