More images of 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe released

More images of the refreshed 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe "The Style" have been released through the brand's home page today.

The exterior of the 2010 Santa Fe gains a myriad of updates including the revised three-bar Hyundai signature grille (also found on the "YF" Sonata), redesigned front bumper, side mirrors with turn signals, new wheels, new taillights, and a revised rear bumper with integrated rear fog lamps.

Inside, the facelifted Santa Fe benefits from higher quality materials, new seat upholstery and new interior color choices. The revised Santa Fe will also feature a slightly updated center stack and a redesigned leather-wrapped steering wheel. The model will also see equipment upgrades such as voice-activated Bluetooth, smart access with push-button ignition, active headrests, and a rear-view mirror with back-up camera.

Read more for the full article and more images.

For 2010, the Santa Fe receives a list of radical technical changes including the incorporation of an all-new six-speed automatic transmission and the availability of Hyundai-Kia's state-of-the-art 2.0L and 2.2L e-VGT R diesel engines. Also found in the Kia Sorento R, the 2.2L R diesel engine has an impressive output of 200 horsepower and achieves 14.1 km/L in fuel economy. The 2.0L engine boasts a segment-leading fuel consumption of 15 km/L. For lower fuel consumption, all models run on low rolling resistance tires.

The 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe The Style will commence sales in Korea on July 1st. Expect to see the revision cross over the Pacific by December. Hyundai has announced its hopes to reach the 2 million unit sales milestone for the Santa Fe by the end of this year.

[Source: Hyundai]

Read More

Video: Kia Forte Koup Commercial

Kia Motors has released the first official TV commercial for the Forte Koup which made its sales debut in Korea last week. Filmed in the cityscapes of Chicago, the rather eccentric CF carries the theme of "Two is Enough" to emphasize the Koup's coupe nature. The urban setting of this commercial successfully highlights the attractive design of the Forte Koup, and we cannot help but chuckle at Kia's attempt of humor at 4 seconds into the video (0:04).

[Source: The Motor Report]

Read more for a longer (1:40) version of the promotional video.

Read More

Hyundai releases first images of refreshed Santa Fe

Hyundai Motor has released the first official images of the refreshed 2010 Santa Fe today. To be called "Santa Fe The Style" in the Korean market, the facelifted crossover receives an array of improvements including exterior and interior updates, along with new powertrain technologies.

The exterior of the 2010 Santa Fe gains a myriad of updates including the revised three-bar Hyundai signature grille (also found on the "YF" Sonata), redesigned front bumper, side mirrors with turn signals, new wheels, new taillights, and a revised rear bumper with integrated rear fog lamps.

[Source: edaily.co.kr]

Read more for the full article and one more image.

Inside, the facelifted Santa Fe benefits from higher quality materials, new seat upholstery and new interior color choices. The revised Santa Fe will also feature a slightly updated center stack and a redesigned leather-wrapped steering wheel. The model will also see equipment upgrades such as voice-activated Bluetooth, smart access with push-button ignition, active headrests, and a rear-view mirror with back-up camera.

For 2010, the Santa Fe receives a list of radical technical changes including the incorporation of an all-new six-speed automatic transmission and the availability of Hyundai-Kia's state-of-the-art 2.0L and 2.2L e-VGT R diesel engines. Also found in the Kia Sorento R, the 2.2L R diesel engine has an impressive output of 200 horsepower and achieves 14.1 km/L in fuel economy. The 2.0L engine boasts a segment-leading fuel consumption of 15 km/L. For lower fuel consumption, all models run on low rolling resistance tires.



The 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe The Style will commence sales in Korea on July 1st. Expect to see the revision cross over the Pacific by December. Hyundai has announced its hopes to reach the 2 million unit sales milestone for the Santa Fe by the end of this year.

Read More

Kia releases another Morning/Picanto facelift for 2010

Kia Motors unveiled the 2010 Morning for the South Korean market today. The best-selling subcompact car in the country gains a host of changes and upgrades outside, inside, and under the hood for the new model year. The Morning is sold as the Picanto in international markets.

On the outside, the new Morning receives a new high-gloss black rear garnish, redesigned 15-inch "Black Luxury" wheels, larger side mirrors with turn signals, and high-gloss black side sills. A new Lime color is added for 2010. The interior benefits from a new steering wheel, Stepgate-type automatic transmission, redesigned metallic gauges, available leather-wrapped steering wheel, and revised door trim. New options include rear view mirror with backup camera and folding-type remote key.

Read more for the full article and more images.

Kia has also added a new "Special" trim for 2010 equipped with unique features such as a chrome-surround tiger-tooth front grille, redesigned front bumper with larger air intakes, 15-inch Black Luxury wheels, body-color side sill molding, chrome fuel-door, black-bezel taillights, and a sportier rear bumper.

Major changes also come under the hood for 2010 with horsepower and fuel-economy improvements across the line-up. The Morning is available in two powertrain configurations: a 72 horsepower (8 horsepower increase) 1.0L 4-cylinder gasoline engine and a 67 horsepower 1.0L LPI 4-cylinder engine. All models are equipped with ECO-Assist which aids drivers in driving efficiently and achieving optimum fuel economy.

The revised Morning goes on sale today across South Korean dealerships. Gasoline-powered models are priced from 7.06 million Won to 9.77 million Won, and LPI models are priced from 8.85 million Won to 10.3 million Won. There are no reports on whether the revision will occur for international markets.

Read More

Kia releases Forte Koup for S. Korea

Kia Motors held the official Korean launching event for the Forte Koup at COEX Mall in Seoul on the 11th. The Koup already made its world debut at this year's New York International Autoshow, and the automaker spent over 95 billion Won in developing its first 2-door coupe. Kia hopes the 4-seater coupe will be one of its many new cars that will help transform the brand into a design iconic one.

The Forte Koup features an aesthetically pleasing and sleek design penned by Kia's Peter Schreyer. The sportier Koup has minute similarities to its four-door counterpart and features such as frameless windows and a lower roofline set the Koup apart from the sedan. Inside, the Koup also carries a myriad of sporty items including LED mood speakers (also found in Soul), sport bucket seats, two-tone interior, power sunroof, and aluminum pedals. Available options include smart access with push-button ignition, voice-activated DMB navigation system, and rear parking assist. Kia also emphasizes safety with standard Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), four-wheel disc brakes, six airbags, and active headrests.

The Forte Koup will be available in two four-cylinder petrol configurations: a 158 hp 2.0L Theta II with 20.2 kg-m of torque and a 124 hp 1.6L Gamma with 15.9 kg-m of torque.''

Kia will market the Forte Koup in several markets including North America and the Middle East. The two-door will reach American showrooms this August. Kia plans to produce 35,000 units of the Koup annually with 25,000 being allocated for export. In Korea, the Forte Koup will be priced from 15.41 million Won for a base 1.6L model and top out at 19.66 million Won for a fully-loaded 2.0L model.

[Source: Kia]

Continue reading to view more images.

Read More

Hyundai, Kia offering more fuel-efficient Accent, Elantra, and Forte models

Hyundai and Kia have announced plans to build more fuel-efficient versions of the Accent, Elantra and Forte compact sedans in North America. The Hyundai models will bear the "Blue" nomenclature that is used by the automaker for its greener vehicles overseas. In the competition, GM currently offers a group of more fuel-efficient cars and trucks under the "XFE" (Xtra Fuel Efficiency) branding.

Better fuel economy will be achieved through many engineering tweaks such as the use of a five-speed automatic transmission, rather than the standard four-speed. Other additions include low-rolling resistance tires, electric power steering, Smart Alternator (for lower drag), and aerodynamic exterior enhancements.

Kia says the Forte EX with the Fuel Economy Package will get a city/highway rating of 27/36 mpg (30 mpg combined) as compared to 25/34 mpg achieved without it. Meanwhile, Hyundai has not released expected fuel-economy numbers for the Accent or Elantra "Blue".

The cost to consumers for these fuel-efficient models will vary. Kia will offer the Fuel-Economy Package as a $600 extra on the EX trim of the Forte, while Hyundai will offer its “Blue” models as stripped down versions costing less than the other trim levels. All three models will reach showrooms late this summer as 2010 models.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Read More

An In-Depth Look at New Car Releases for 2009/2010

The outlook of the Korean auto industry is certainly bright as it prepares to be bombarded with a wave of new car launches in the coming months. It is indicative that while American automakers are facing the nadir of their times, the devastating slump has not affected the ambitious Korean companies that are enjoying sales successes both in their home market and abroad. Continue reading for the EXCLUSIVE in-depth look at new car releases in Korea for 2009 and 2010.


To kick off the summer car bonanza in Korea, Kia is readying the domestic launch of the automaker's first 2-door coupe, Forte Koup. To be unveiled next week on the 11th, the Forte Koup will feature the same 1.6L and 2.0L powertrains as its four-door sibling and will be priced nearly on par with it. Intriguingly, the "koup" will have equivalent insurance premiums to its sedan counterpart. The Forte Koup will go on sale next month.

Renault Samsung is preparing for the launch of its redesigned SM3 compact sedan. The current model, based on the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy, will be replaced by a larger model based on the new Renault Megane. Despite the significant increase in size, the New SM3 will receive major fuel economy improvements that will put the car at the top of its class. The SM3 will be available with either a 1.6L or 2.0L engine, mated to a CVT (continuously variable) transmission. Production has already begun last month, so look for the New SM3 to reach showrooms next month.

Hyundai will roll out updated versions of the i30 hatchback and Avante (Elantra) sedan for the 2010 model year. The i30 will receive minor equipment upgrades such as redesigned wheels, but the main highlight is the addition of a more powerful 2.0L Theta II 4-cylinder engine alike the 2010 Kia Forte. The Avante is slated to undergo its first facelift for the 2010 model year. Revisions and upgrades include a new front and rear fascia, black-bezel headlamps, intelligent DMB navigation, push-start button, and a blue Supervision dashboard cluster. The 2010 i30 will go on sale in July, while the revised Avante is slated for a late August release.

Hyundai will unveil the production model of the long-anticipated Avante (Elantra) LPI Hybrid on July 15th. The prototype already made its formal debut at the past Seoul International Motor Show. The automaker's first production hybrid car will run on LPG (liquified petroleum gas) and achieve an estimated fuel economy of 17.2km/L. Hyundai emphasizes affordability for the new hybrid technology, and will price the Avante LPI Hybrid around 20 million Won. Hyundai originally planned to begin sales of the hybrid this September, but has pulled the release date earlier to July 22nd.

Hyundai will continue its series of new debuts with the unveiling of the all-new Tucson (LM) this August. The compact crossover will bear the styling of the ix-onic Concept revealed earlier this year, a much needed departure from the aging design of the current model. In an effort to further distinguish the Tucson and the larger Santa Fe, the redesigned Tucson will only be available with four-cylinder engines. The state-of-the-art 2.2L R diesel engine, co-developed between Hyundai and Kia, will also make its way into the Tucson.

This coming September will be hotly anticipated as Hyundai will formally unveil the sleeker, redesigned Sonata (YF). The new Sonata features a more rakish, 4-door coupe design, and will pack a standard 6-speed automatic transmission. The new Sonata will reach American shores in February 2010.

In the same month, GM Daewoo will release the local market version of the Chevrolet Spark, badged as the Matiz (M300). The prototype was already unveiled at the last Seoul International Motor Show and changes are only going to be a few. The new Matiz will be a radical departure from the current model, which is essentially a reskined version of the original model that debuted in 1998.

Kia Motors will officially unveil its new premium sport sedan, code-named "VG", in late November this year. The "VG" made its concept debut as the KND-5 Concept at the last Seoul International Motor Show. Penned by Kia's design guru Peter Schreyer, the "VG" will slot below the Opirus/Amanti and be available in three powertrain options (est. 2.4L, 2.7L, and 3.5L V6). The "VG" will also be sold in North American markets early next year.

Kia Motors also plans to take the wraps off its "YN" compact MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) this coming December. Launched in concept guise as the No3 Concept at the last Geneva Motor Show, the MPV received garnered spectacular press and public praise for its stunning design and slick practicality. Unfortunately, Kia will market the "YN" exclusively within the European market.

Other Launches & Beyond 2009

Hyundai Equus Limousine: October/November 2009
Renault Samsung SM5 (Laguna-based): December 2009
Kia Lotze/Optima (TF): April 2010
Hyundai Grandeur (HG): May 2010
Ssangyong C200: 1st half of 2010 (Delayed from initial release date of September 2009)
Hyundai Sonata (YF) Hybrid/Kia Lotze (TF) Hybrid: 2nd half of 2010
Hyundai Santa Fe (DM): June 2010
Kia Opirus/Amanti (CH): September 2010
Kia Pride/Rio (UB): November 2010
Kia Morning/Picanto (JA): December 2010

Read More