Kia Motors, 2011 da favola. Picanto e nuova Sportage per sfondare in Europa

Mutuando il gergo in uso nel pianeta dell'Nba, è tra le "most improved" caseautomobilistiche del 2011. Tradotto, per KiaMotors, l'azienda delle quattroruote coreanache fra un anno, anzi tra poche settimane, compirà mezzo secolo, gliaffari vanno a gonfie vele.
Vendite praticamente raddoppiate dal 2006 ad oggi,grazie a modelli agili ed economici come Picanto e Rio. Ma anche la casa coreana,controllata del gruppo Hyundai, hala sua crossover: e risponde al nomedi Kia Sportage, presentata al Motor Show di Bologna 2011, su cui è dapoco calato il sipario. Nella sua versione 2.0 CRDi a 184 CV, questo Suv congli occhi a mandorla rappresenta l'artiglieria pesante di casa Kia, realizzatoesclusivamente con la trazione integrale.
Una vettura senza troppe novità degnedi nota, propulsore a parte, ma che vanta in ogni caso un rendimento brillante. un conSfiora i 200 km/h di velocità massima, a fronte però di undispendio di carburante abbastanza contenuto: più di 16 km con un litro sono un consumo niente male per una vettura di questa stazza.

Decisamente migliorata anche la gradevolezza estetica, conun corpo auto più slanciato rispetto alla precedente generazione. Insomma, laKia Sportage che al padiglione di Bologna presentava anche un esemplare a diesel automatico, sembradefinitivamente maturata e pronta a dare il suo contributo per puntare drittoal traguardo che Kia Motors si è prefissata da qui al 2015: arrivare a 500 mila unità vendute in Europa.
Ora è circa a metà dell’opera(siamo a poco più di 240 mila), ma se la crescita sarà come quella di quest’anno– più 35%  nel vecchio Continente rispetto al 2010 – i presuppostici sono tutti.

2012 Hyundai Accent

2012 Hyundai Accent

2012 Hyundai Accent

We're living the plot of five different movies as we drive the Vegas Strip, but not a soul steals a glance at our Electrolyte Green 2012 Hyundai Accent SE Hatchback. Probably couldn't get anyone to notice a Gatorade-hued Phantom, either, as all eyes are fixed on the fountains at the Bellagio.
Outside of this overwrought utopia, though, the redesigned 2012 Accent commands a second look. It's the latest humdrum Hyundai commuter car to be recast as the hero car of its segment. Its class-leading horsepower (138) and fuel economy (30 city/40 highway mpg) have grabbed the headlines, but the transformation runs deeper than the numbers.
The 2012 Hyundai Accent has become a real car. It's not a cheerless subcompact for the worker bee who can't afford anything better. Rather, this five-door hatchback, along with its sedan companion, is the kind of car that inspires said bee to get out and see the country when he's not working.

2012 Hyundai Accent

2012 Hyundai Accent

2012 Hyundai Accent

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2012 Hyundai Elantra

Today’s auto market is much different from markets of the past.  Current car buyers are very demanding when it comes to what they’re looking for in a car.  Customers want a vehicle that looks great and comes with top of the line styling.  They also want a car that has plenty of room both for passengers and cargo.  Most importantly, however, they want a car that is powerful, safe and fuel efficient.  Previous Hyundai models have managed to fill most of these requests in a sleek and affordable package.  The new 2012 Hyundai Elantra promises to bring a stylish new ride that manages to be very fuel efficient without sacrificing power.

Hyundai Elentra 2012 models bring a unique and contemporary design.  Many people have been quite happy with the sleek design of Hyundai’s slightly larger car, the Sonata, and it seems that the Elantra is copying a few of its design elements.  One of the most noticeable improvements to the 2012 Elantra is the redesigned grill.  The grill has been crafted in more of an open mouth design.  This design ensures that the 2012 Elantra will suck up all the air it needs to keep its engine cool.

2012 Hyundai Elantra

The overall design of the Hyundai Elantra 2012 model is very sleek and modern.  Hyundai has proven that they are keeping a close eye on current automotive design trends with its new Elantra.  One of the most striking differences from previous builds is the windshield which has been raked back quite dramatically to improve over all air flow over the vehicle.  The 2012 Elantra has also been outfitted with improved rear lights that are reminiscent of earlier Hyundai sedans.  While these design additions have done a lot to improve its aesthetic value they also promise to increase the fuel efficiency of the 2012 Elantra.

Hyundai is also offering customers a good number of options when it comes to different models and trim packages.  While the standard 2012 Hyundai Elantra comes with a number of great features, customers can choose from trim packages such as the GLS and Limited models.  Some of the different packages include some very nice features.  Navigation systems are becoming a standard element in modern vehicles and so Hyundai has included this in one of their optional packages.  Other features that Hyundai is including in the Elantra 2012 models is a rearview camera to aid in backing up and a much improved high power audio system to play all your favorite driving tunes.

2012 Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai is showing that they don’t sell their cars based on looks alone as the 2012 Elantra looks pretty great under the hood as well.  A peak inside the Elantra 2012 reveals a 1.8 liter engine with four cylinders that combine to produce 148 horsepower and a competitive 131 foot pounds of torque.  These specs promise to make the 2012 Hyundai Elantra a car that will perform when you need it to even if they aren’t exactly blowing anyone’s socks off.  The engine should be more than capable when it comes to taking care of common tasks.

Hyundai is offering the Elantra 2012 in two different forms.  While both models will have the same engine in the sedans, customers will have the choice between automatic and manual transmissions.  The manual transmission shifts quite nicely and has no problem locking into a particular gear.  There will always be some debate between people who like automatic transmissions and those who believe that manual transmissions are the only way to drive.  Luckily, the 2012 Hyundai Elantra is a good solution for both sides of the debate.

The 2012 Elantra boasts an independent suspension which is a great improvement over other vehicles that are currently available.  While most car buyers won’t be interested in the minutia of specifications, the improved suspension is a noticeable difference.   The new 2012 Elantra may not be going off road but the ride is quite smooth even on tough roads and potholes.  The steering on the Elantra 2012 is hydraulic assisted which adds to the over all responsiveness of the vehicle.  When you’re powering down the road you want to make sure that your vehicle is stable and responds to your commands.

Hyundai has become a respected name in the auto industry.  Its customers have come to enjoy the stylish designs, nice mechanics and quality performance that Hyundai brings with cars such as the 2012 Elantra.  The reworked design of the Hyundai Elantra 2012 model has brought a sense of luxury elegance even in the base packages.  The engine delivers some respectable specifications and maintains the reliable performance that people have come to expect from the Hyundai brand.  One of the most noticeable improvements to the Elantra 2012 is the independent suspension and very responsive steering.  Anyone who is looking for an elegant sedan that can get them where they need to go in a smooth and comfortable manner should definitely look into the 2012 Hyundai Elantra.

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2011 Hyundai i10

2011 Hyundai i10

 2011 Hyundai i10

2011 Hyundai i10 today showed off the new i10 city car - one of the most popular small cars in the UK during last year's scrappage incentive scheme.

As well as a cosmetic pick-me-up, the new 2011 Hyundai i10 gains a pair of new engines with stop-start tech for emissions nudging just under the magic 100g/km CO2 mark. 

The Hyundai i10 Blue emits 99g/km of carbon dioxide, and the Koreans claim it's the cheapest five-seat car on the market to hit sub 100g/km. Five seats? In a city car? Who are they trying to kid!

Still, it means the cleanest i10 will be road tax and Congestion Charge exempt over here in the UK.

New 2011 Hyundai i10: the tech lowdown

The facelifted i10 comes with a brace of new or revised engines: a new 1.0 three-cylinder Kappa engine replaces the 1.1 Epsilon unit, while the 1.2 is upgraded with 13% more power and 9% less CO2.

The 1.0 now averages 67.3mpg on the combined cycle.

When can I buy an i10?

The revised i10 city car range is priced from £8195. UK sales start in time for the new reg plate on 1 March 2011.

All i10s come with air-conditioning, MP3 player plug-in ability, four airbags, a six-speaker stereo, electric windows and central locking.

 2011 Hyundai i10

 2011 Hyundai i10

 2011 Hyundai i10

2011 Hyundai i10

2011 Hyundai i10

2012 Hyundai i30

2012 Hyundai i30

2012 Hyundai i30

There's been a lot of confusion lately about the spy pictures of the next 2012 Hyundai i30. To elaborate, many readers on various websites and forums supported that the scoops may be showing a Kia. Thanks to some additional work from our spy photographers, we can now put the brand speculations to rest. What you see here is indeed a Hyundai, with this being proved by the brand's logo on the alloy wheels as well as the typical Hyundai styling of the interior.  

 

2012 Hyundai i30

Okay, so we've established it's a Hyundai, but could it be the new five-door Accent? Well, we doubt it because we saw the new Accent hatch at last month's Montreal Auto Show in Canada and it looks quite different inside and out. So that leaves us with the 2012 Hyundai i30 (and yes, our spy photographer assured us it was larger than the...i20).

With that out of the way, let's see what we can find out from these spy photos. Although the prototype is carefully bagged up, it's pretty clear that the new i30 will be a sleeker proposal to look at with an edgier exterior design than the current model.
As mentioned previously, our scoopers also managed to snap the first photos of the i30's interior and as you can see, the styling is very close to the Veloster coupe. The dashboard has swoopy lines darting to and fro, a pronounced center console and a pair of deeply set instrument gauges. However, instead of the Veloster's three-spoke steering wheel, the five-door hatchback gets a more conventional four-spoke version.
What lies under the hood remains a mystery for now, but buyers should expect a choice of four-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines including the new 1.6-liter petrol with direct-injection and around 140-ponies.

2012 Hyundai i30

2012 Hyundai i30

2012 Hyundai i30