#hyundai

We’ve been hearing about the ease with which even the most amateur thief can steal older Hyundai and Kia models for a while now. Fixes for the lack of an electronic immobilizer are slow to come, but a group of owners took matters into their own hands with a class-action lawsuit. The issue was recently settled, netting a significant payment from the automakers.

Hyundai Motor Group might quite literally end up paying for having failed to equip engine immobilizers to some of its older models. You’ll undoubtedly recall the TikTok Kia Boyz Challenge, where “at-risk youths” utilized USB connectors on torn open ignition slots to hotwire Hyundai and Kia models. Originating in the summer of 2021, the trend was in the mainstream media the following year and caused serious publicity issues for the manufacturer.

Numerous U.S. insurance agencies have reportedly joined forces to sue the automaker for damages they claim could reach up to $600 million.

We’ve been hearing about the TikTok-inspired thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles for a while, including that some insurers have declined to issue new policies on some models. Now, several states are calling on the feds to issue a recall for the cars and fix the problem.

If you liked those styling tweaks given to the upcoming Elantra (née Avante), you’ll surely enjoy Hyundai’s treatment of its upcoming N variant. Shown this week at the Shanghai Auto Show, the N sallies forth with styling improvements found on the standard car – turned up to 11, of course.

Hyundai took the covers off three variants of its new Kona today, unveiling the standard and N-Line trims plus a continuation of the all-electric model – the latter of which Hyundai will now offer with two battery sizes.

We’ve known it was coming for a while, and now Hyundai has started the teasers. Though its recent video starts with gas engine noises and footage of the i20 rally car, Hyundai’s new teaser film is meant to showcase a silent electric vehicle, the upcoming Ioniq 5 N. It looks like the standard EV, but the N will bring performance and styling upgrades, making it a completely different animal.

Beyond infecting the minds of young people and potentially opening dangerous back-door data access to Americans’ phones, TikTok has also gifted the world with the knowledge of how to steal older Hyundai and Kia models easily. The problem has gotten so bad that some insurers won’t cover the cars, and owners have been left scrambling for a fix. The Korean automakers have a few ideas, including issuing free steering wheel locks and upgrading the anti-theft software on millions of vehicles.

Ok, so the musically inclined will be quick to point out there isn’t really a key of H sharp, but who are we to stand in the way of a decent headline pun? Hyundai has hauled the covers off its latest Sonata, and the sedan is certainly a looker.

The design studios at Hyundai are firing on all cylinders these days, ironic since some of the eye-popping vehicles they’re churning out don’t have any cylinders at all. The upcoming IONIQ 6 is one of ‘em, set to be offered in a number of trims and powertrain options.

Certified used cars can be a fantastic value and offer manufacturer-backed warranties that make the ownership experience much less stressful. That’s when things are working normally, but some automakers are expanding the certified preowned (CPO) criteria to include older vehicles. 

Hyundai is recalling 26,169 decade-old Velosters over parking sensors that could short circuit and pose a fire risk. Insufficient sealing of the printer circuit board for the Reverse Park Aid Sensor (RPAS) could allow water to infiltrate the unit, according to the relevant documentation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In certain instances, this could cause an electrical short that may throw off sparks.

There’s a growing divide in the automotive community over whether buttons or screens are the better approach to interior design. Automakers seem hellbent on replacing every physical control with a less tactile touch-sensitive button, but at least one has put a stake in the ground for buttons. Hyundai’s head of design recently told journalists that the automaker would continue to use physical buttons for some controls, noting that it’s essential that the driver be able to feel controls for safety and other vital vehicle settings.

Changes in the EV tax credit rules have been confusing and made it hard to determine which cars are eligible for credits. Some automakers argued that the rules would unfairly harm their business and ability to compete, and we’re now starting to see how some of the changes are shaking out. Automotive News reported that the top eight EVs in the U.S. in January were built in North America, while Hyundai and Kia fell back.

The brand from Korea is no stranger to applying massive styling changes during next-gen redesigns and even some mid-cycle refreshes. This tradition continues with its latest Kona, an entrant in the B-segment crossover class which retains some of the old car’s overall shape but puts on an entirely new (and slightly alarming) front and rear fascias.

While the Hyundai Ioniq 6 has retained quite a bit from its conceptual precursor, some of the most interesting aspects of the Prophecy EV failed to carry over. The production Ioniq 6 looks less like the Phantom Corsair the concept had been channeling and more like a remastered Citroën DS – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Gone are the pixel tail lights, the flowing, seamless bodywork, and abundant minimalism that made the concept feel like a modern interpretation of the futuristic notions swirling prior to World War II. Also absent are the twin joysticks Hyundai envisioned the model using as its primary controls. However, the manufacturer may not be through with those just yet, since there’s apparently a U.S. patent filing for them.