Fuel Efficient Autos

The 1980s were a great era for Pontiac cars. One of the best Pontiac cars to come out of that decade is the 1988 Firebird. This particular model year was the third generation Firebird and it presented a new look and feel for car enthusiasts. For its day, it was also one of the best-performing Pontiac cars as well.

Terry Blanton was a fan of the 1988 Pontiac Firebird. He bought one at a time when the second generation Firebird was one of the most popular Pontiac cars on the road and the fourth generation Firebird was still in the planning stages. To keep up with the times, however, Blanton made modifications through the years to earn the respect of other performance car owners.

With more than 120,000 miles on his Firebird, the paint was starting to look faded. The body, however, was still in great shape. So Blanton had the old paint sanded off and replaced with several coats of premium auto paint to make it shine. He also installed better seats with custom stitching and a rollbar for extra safety.

In addition to all of this, he also modified many things under the hood to make it perform better and put newer, more powerful cars to shame. Stories like this just go to show that Pontiac cars can stand the test of time and still be a favorite for all types of car enthusiasts.

In a recent article in Automotive News, a reporter interviewed Brandon Yea, the senior vice president of Hyundai-Kia marketing and Jang Seok-san, the senior vice president of the automaker’s export coordination. We found out some great information as Hyundai reviews some of the plans it has for the future of the company and the industry. Here are some of the highlights from that interview.

• Hyundai expects to sell about 55,000 units of its newest luxury vehicle – the Genesis – in 2009. About 20,000 of those sales will be in the United States.
• Hyundai plans to release its first hybrid in Korea next year. The nameplate of this new hybrid is Elantra. In 2010, Hyundai plans to expand hybrid launches by releasing the Sonata hybrid in the United States.
• By 2018, the automaker wants to produce about 500,000 hybrid Hyundai cars near Somerville and for a worldwide market. Officials plan to do this slowly by releasing new hybrids one by one through the years.
• Hyundai reviews its customer base periodically to ensure they are using their efforts to target the demographics that enjoy Hyundai cars. In the interview, the officials describe their customers as a “little more mature and more conservative than Kia, but modern.”

Why not visit a local dealer today and do some of your own Hyundai reviews of the cars on the lot? You might just want to drive one home!

What do you have in your iPod? Whatever your favorite playlist is, you’ll be able to listen to it in some of the newest Hyundai cars in Springfield on the market for the next model year.

The company that helped make iPod integration possible for Hyundai cars is iSimple, a company that specializes in making the latest pieces of technology available in today’s automobiles. iSimple has made great strides in making HD Radio, iPod integration and MP3 players possible so drivers can listen to their favorite music as they drive.

Since you can use your iPod in your Hyundai cars in East Brunswick now, it begs the following question: What do you have on your iPod? Are you more of a fan of a certain type of music? Or does your playlists show how eclectic you are in your choices? Do you have anything embarrassing on your iPod?

My iPod has dozens of songs on it from Hootie and the Blowfish, Darius Rucker and Mark Bryan. I also have a lot of Johnny Cash, Cyndi Lauper and Toby Keith. But that’s not all. I also have a large number of gospel songs, comedy bits and even some sermons on my iPod.

Let us know what you have on your iPod. We’re interested to know!

You may not have heard much about the Hyundai Azera, but that doesn’t mean these Hyundai cars near Springfield are forgettable or not worth mentioning.

The Hyundai Azera was launched in 2006. Although the automaker is touting the Genesis as one the most prominent of Hyundai cars in the luxury market, the Azera was actually the first model officials planned on entering into the prestigious segment.

The person that wrote this Hyundai review said the automaker made a “very smart move launching its upscale attack with this vehicle” because it is a perfect combination of both luxury and affordability. That means that people who couldn’t afford a BMW or Lexus could still experience supreme luxury with a decent sticker price.

The reviewer was also “truly impressed” with the interior. He even went so far as to say that calling it “loaded wouldn’t do it justice.” It has “more bells and whistles than some other vehicles twice its price.” The dashboard caught the reviewer’s attention as it was a soft-touch dashboard instead of the hard plastics that other companies are still using.

You can expect to hear more Hyundai reviews about the Azera in the days and weeks to come. It’s truly one of the Hyundai cars you should notice.

A new MBA course at the prestigious Stanford University is going to teach students about the success that Hyundai cars have enjoyed in recent years.

The maker of Hyundai cars has been sort of a phenomenon since its inception in the auto industry. That’s why its story was selected as a lecture topic for one of Stanford’s compulsory global management courses. The course is part of the university’s Graduate School of Business and it’s the first time a Korean company has been chosen for such an honor.

Some of the issues discussed in the course regarding the success of Hyundai cars include the ways that the automaker has become a “leader in the global auto market” and its “complete quality management.” In addition, the lecture course will discuss “Hyundai’s key strategies for successfully targeting the global market…since it first entered into the U.S. market in 1986.”

Just as Hyundai cars near Somerville have been successful, Stanford is successful in its own right. Its Graduate School of Business has been ranked in the top four in the entire world and third in the nation by more than one prominent publication.

See why so many people are turning to Hyundai cars lately by visiting a local dealer today!

In this week’s section of Hyundai reviews, we’re going to look at the 2009 Accent. As a way to celebrate its 25th year of success in Canada, the fifth largest automaker in the world “souped up” its Accent model to make it better than ever.

The Hyundai Accent 25th Anniversary Edition comes standard with a sunroof, fog lights and even seat warmers for those cold winter mornings. But that’s not all.

The people that actually drove these cars to write the Hyundai reviews enjoyed the way it handled. One person said it was a “fun car to drive.” She also said the styling was “quite cute” and “fun to throw this little subcompact into tight turns.”

Underneath the hood, these new Hyundai cars near East Brunswick have a 4-cylinder engine that delivers 110 horsepower. It’s not going to win any drag races against muscle cars, but it’s an ideal car for getting around town without bleeding your bank account dry from constantly needing gas money.

Other features that come standard with the 25th Anniversary Edition 2009 Hyundai include a four-speed automatic transmission, a stereo that includes a CD/MP3 player, great speakers and much, much more.

Visit a Hyundai dealer today and check one of the special edition models out today!

Do you remember the days when Hyundai cars were struggling to compete in the most basic car segments in the industry? Those days are long gone.

Today, one of the newest Hyundai cars created by the Korean automaker – the 2009 Genesis – is poised to give luxury brands like Lexus and BMW a run for their money. Although Hyundai is only the fifth largest automaker in the world, it could rise up in the rankings with this new luxury car. The important part of this story is this: Hyundai has a definite chance to dominate.

Officials with the automaker have compared these new Hyundai cars to the Lexus ES350, the BMW 5-Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. These comparisons aren’t taken lightly, either, because of the features and amenities included with the Genesis.

Another exciting part of the story is that these Hyundai cars are going to be much less expensive than other cars in the luxury segment. Hyundai began selling these vehicles just a few months ago at a price of about $33,000. That’s only about $200 more than the average price of a new car in the United States. To put that into perspective, you could get one of these luxury Hyundai cars for merely pennies more than the average normal car at your local dealer.

Check out these Hyundai cars near Somerville today. You’ll be surprised at what you find.

In efforts to create better gas mileage for its Hyundai cars in the United States market, the automaker is working on a variety of technologies. One main change involves making the vehicles lighter to increase their fuel economy. However, the most fuel-efficient technologies are going to occur under the hood. “The biggest improvements will come from power train, engine and transmissions,” said Lee Hyun-soon, the R&D chief for Hyundai cars.

Hyundai cars already have some of the best fuel economy in the industry, trailing only to Toyota and Honda. Hyundai cars get an average of 30 mpg while the larger Hyundai trucks and SUVs average about 25 mpg. By 2015, however, Hyundai cars will be getting an average of at least 37 mpg due to the new U.S. CAFÉ standards.

One plan to accomplish this goal is to use more plastic in the vehicles. These lighter materials will be used in doors, roofs, hoods and underbodies. Plastics won’t save the automaker any money, but it will make the Hyundai cars more fuel-efficient and lighter. And since Hyundai has no plans to build an electric car any time soon, this will be a great way to increase the miles per gallon for many models.

Hyundai reviews of the 2008 Entourage minivan have been complimentary. This review from Automotive.com begins by talking about how the minivan has fallen out of fashion, but it’s still one of the most practical vehicles on the road today.

The 2008 Hyundai Entourage is a “common-sense kind of minivan.” The name itself suggests that it can carry a large group of people wherever you need to go in comfort. In French, the word means, “all the people and things that seem to follow me around.”

But the roomy interior is just the beginning for these Hyundai cars. The researchers conducting these Hyundai reviews mentioned the five-speed automatic transmission and fuel-efficient V6 engine underneath the hood. They also talk about its great handling when it comes to steering and acceleration.

Some of the standard safety features mentioned in these Hyundai reviews include stability control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution and also brake assist for preventing possible collisions. Of course, nothing can make a driver avoid every accident, but these standard features help drivers keep total control of the car in emergency situations. The 2008 Entourage has also received the highest ratings possible from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Come back often to read more Hyundai reviews for the latest releases from this powerhouse of an automaker.

The 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe is one of the most popular Hyundai cars for people who enjoy comfort in a mid-sized SUV. If you’ve never taken a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe for a test drive or if you’ve never really considered driving one of these award-winning vehicles, here are some things to expect from it.

• The 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe starts out at a price less than $26,000.
• The Santa Fe is ideal for bumpy terrains and it offers a “smooth ride” in many places where you wouldn’t expect it.
• This particular Hyundai brand is described as handling “like a luxury sedan, but with the power of a utility vehicle.”
• The “entry level model” has a V6 2.7 liter engine under the hood with 185 horsepower. Or, if you prefer, you can upgrade to a V6 3.3 liter engine with 242 horsepower.
• Are you looking for a ride that will fit you and many of your friends? The 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe has enough room for seven people with legroom and cargo capacity as well.

With all of this and more, why not visit a local Hyundai dealer today and see what the Santa Fe is all about?