Gary Rome Hyundai

The International Car of the Year Awards (ICOTY) announced the all-new Hyundai Veloster as the 2012 International Sporty Coupe of the Year – Most Personality. Selected by the ICOTY jury, a group of nationally-renowned automotive journalists, the 2012 Hyundai Veloster was deemed the most emotionally compelling new sporty coupe for the year.

“The Veloster is one of the most exciting and fun vehicles we’ve seen pass through the sporty coupe category in a long time,” said Courtney Caldwell, ICOTY founder and executive producer. “The ICOTY jury agreed that the new Veloster had the most personality and will bond effortlessly with consumer lifestyles in both mind and spirit.”

The 16th annual ICOTY presenters included Courtney Caldwell, editor-in-chief, Road & Travel Magazine; Denise McCluggage, famed auto journalist and author; and Ken Gross, auto writer for Playboy and Hemisphere’s magazine.

“Conceived to attract new, youthful drivers to the Hyundai brand, Veloster stands out from the crowd with a stylish yet functional design that combines the best characteristics of both a coupe and hatchback,” said Scott Margason, director, Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “The unique personality of the car is attracting many different types of shoppers and we’re honored that the ICOTY jury agrees.”

The Veloster is an innovative compact coupe that features ground-breaking design, with a unique third door for easy rear-seat access, Hyundai’s Blue Link® telematics system, Pandora® internet radio with seven-inch touch-screen display and a new 1.6-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine that can be mated to either Hyundai’s first EcoShift™ dual-clutch transmission or a six-speed manual transmission. The Veloster is also one of four Hyundai vehicles that achieve 40 mpg on the highway, along with the Accent, Elantra and Sonata Hybrid.

ICOTY

The ICOTY Awards were founded in 1996 by Courtney Caldwell, editor-in-chief of Road & Travel Magazine. Its unique and pioneering theme was created by Caldwell to recognize automakers that successfully designed their vehicles to consumer lifestyles eliciting an emotional connection to, and passion for, the cars they own and drive, which translates into consumer loyalty. Today, many automakers use the ‘emotional connection’ theme in their national marketing and advertising campaigns to connect with consumers.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

Autobytel named the all-new 2012 Hyundai Veloster its Car of the Year for 2012. Autobytel’s Car of the Year Award is selected annually by the editorial staff at Autobytel.com, a website dedicated to helping dealers and car-buyers connect online. The Veloster also won the award in the Compact Car category.

“Bringing progressive style and substance to the sport compact category, the 3-door hatchback Hyundai Veloster coupe is a win, appealing to fans from the college-bound to the empty nester. The design is a masterfully aggressive representation of Hyundai’s design language,” said Michelle Naranjo, managing editor, Autobytel.com. “Starting at $17,300 Autobytel editors believe that the 2012 Hyundai Veloster will be leading the pack for the coming year.”

Every year Autobytel.com editors ranging in age, driving habits and geography test out a number of cars. This year’s winner, the Veloster, was chosen based on its game changing potential, advances in design and overall efficiency.

“From the name to its long list of attributes, the Veloster is truly one of a kind - it offers the latest in-vehicle technology, delivers 40 mpg on the highway and combines the sporty driving dynamics of a coupe and utility of a hatchback,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “This award serves as a testament to the true innovation of our company and we’re tremendously honored to receive this accolade from the automotive experts at Autobytel.”

The all-new 2012 Veloster is the sixth vehicle in Hyundai’s 24/7 version 2.0 product initiative. Delivering innovation to the compact coupe segment with standard features such as a unique third door for easy rear-seat access, Hyundai’s Blue Link™ telematics system, Pandora® internet radio, seven-inch touch-screen display, and a new 1.6-liter Gasoline-Direct-Injected (GDI) four-cylinder engine and six-speed transmission. GDI technology helps deliver highway fuel economy of 40 mpg, lower emissions and higher reliability. With a starting price of $17,300 (plus freight), Veloster adds great value to its compelling list attributes.

AUTOBYTEL INC. (www.autobytel.com)

Autobytel Inc., an online leader offering consumer purchase requests and marketing resources to car dealers and manufacturers and providing consumers with the information they need to purchase new and used cars, pioneered the automotive Internet when it launched autobytel.com in 1995. Autobytel continues to offer innovative products and services to help consumers buy, and auto dealers and manufacturers sell, more used and new cars. Autobytel has helped tens of millions of automotive consumers research vehicles; connected thousands of dealers nationwide with motivated car buyers; and helped every major automaker market its brand online. Through its flagship website Autobytel.com®, its network of automotive sites, including Autoweb.com®, AutoSite.com®, Car.com^sm, CarSmart.com®, DealershipJobs.com^sm, MyGarage.com® and MyRide.com® and its respected online partners, Autobytel continues its dedication to innovating the industry’s highest quality Internet programs to provide consumers with a comprehensive and positive automotive research and purchasing experience, and auto dealers, dealer groups and auto manufacturers with some of the industry’s most productive and cost-effective customer referral and marketing programs.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, Genesis, Equus, Tucson and Santa Fe Achieve Highest Safety Ratings

Six Hyundai models, the all-new Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, Genesis, Equus, Tucson and Santa Fe, achieved the 2012 Top Safety Pick honor from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Top Safety Pick recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on “good” ratings in Institute tests. Winners must also have available Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a crash avoidance feature that significantly reduces crash risk.

“Safety has always been a top priority at Hyundai, so we are thrilled to see six of our models on this important and prestigious list,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Having led the industry in standardizing Electronic Stability Control for the midsize sedan segment back in 2005, Hyundai is committed to developing and providing the best in both passive and active safety technologies.”

The IIHS Top Safety Pick ratings help consumers pick vehicles that offer a higher level of protection than federal safety standards require. In 2010, the Institute toughened the criteria for Top Safety Pick by adding a requirement that all qualifiers must earn a “good” rating for performance in a roof strength test to assess protection in a rollover crash.

“For the second year running a record number of models qualify,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “It’s tough to win, and we commend auto manufacturers for making safety a top priority.”

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance and the Hyundai Trade-in Value Guarantee. Hyundai is a registered trademark of Hyundai Motor Company. All rights reserved. ©2011 Hyundai Motor America.

13th Annual ALG Awards Honor Elantra in Compact Car Segment

Hyundai today announced that the 2012 Elantra has received a Residual Value Award from ALG in the Compact Car segment. ALG, the industry benchmark for residual values and depreciation data, annually recognizes automakers’ outstanding achievements in producing new vehicles that are predicted to retain the highest percentage of their original price after a conventional three-year period. Awards are given in 19 vehicle categories. This year’s awards are based on 2012 model year vehicles.

“The Elantra’s eye-catching sporty profile and upscale interior, combined with Hyundai’s increasing image of quality, earn the model its second consecutive win in the Compact Car segment,” said Raj Sundaram, ALG. “High demand and minimal incentives also help it nab the top spot.”

Award winners are determined through careful study of the competition in each segment, historical vehicle performance and industry trends. Vehicle quality, production levels relative to demand, and pricing and marketing strategies remain the key factors that affect ALG’s residual value forecasts.

“Hyundai’s Elantra stands out in the competitive compact segment, offering innovation, content, style, and 40 mpg highway standard fuel economy,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Strong residual value is an important element in Hyundai’s overall value equation, reducing the overall cost of ownership and allowing us to offer customers the Hyundai Assurance Trade-In Value Guarantee.”

The Trade-In Value Guarantee is the newest addition to the Hyundai Assurance suite of programs. It eliminates concern about depreciation by giving Hyundai owners a guaranteed value for their vehicle in months 24 through 48 of ownership.

The 2012 Elantra sets the bar in the compact sedan category offering a “class-above” midsize car interior volume, modern design, outstanding fuel economy, and loads of comfort and convenience features, all at an attractive starting price. Elantra also delivers standard advanced safety technologies including a new Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system to optimally manage Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the Motor-Driven electric Power Steering (MDPS).

ALG (www.alg.com)

Based in Santa Barbara, California, ALG is a leading provider of data and consulting services to the automotive industry. ALG publishes the “Automotive Lease Guide” – the standard for Residual Value projections in North America, and has been forecasting automotive residual values for over 45 years in both the U.S. and Canadian markets. ALG is a subsidiary of TrueCar, Inc.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance and the Hyundai Trade-in Value Guarantee.

CarsDirect.com’s editors named the 2011 Hyundai Elantra one of the “Top Ten Cars to Look Forward to in 2011” on their new Pricing Insider Blog. The all-new Elantra encompasses all of Hyundai’s latest ambitions including modern design, advanced safety technologies and best-in-class 40 mpg highway fuel economy. In the very competitive compact car segment, the Elantra stands out with “class-above” mid-size car interior volume, a new 1.8-liter “Nu” engine and a low starting price point of $14,830.

“Compact-car buying used to be a compromise with consumers settling for affordable, fuel-efficient cars without style, space, or luxury amenities,” said Scott Margason, director of product planning, Hyundai Motor America. “The 2011 Elantra challenges the current compact sedan segment, offering a sleek, sophisticated look and affordable price tag, while still returning 40 mpg of fuel economy.”

CarsDirect.com is the leading multi-brand online car buying service, providing new and pre-owned automobiles and related products and services. Their “Top Ten Cars to Look Forward to in 2011” list highlights the very best cars that they believe 2011 has to offer.

“Hyundai [has] pulled it off and delivered a car that not only challenges the compact status quo, but seemingly has the competition totally outgunned,” said CarsDirect.com editors. “With a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine producing a respectable 148 horsepower, the Elantra has plenty of power for a compact—especially when you take into account that it has more power than the industry benchmarks, the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

“But what really sets the Elantra apart is its incredible fuel economy. Rated at 29 City/40 Highway mpg, the Elantra is nearly untouchable in its class. Moreover, with its thoroughly modern body style, the Elantra looks and feels more advanced than its Japanese rivals. Even with a new Civic due next year and a new Corolla planned for 2013, we believe this generation of Elantra will enjoy its spot at the top of the compact car hierarchy.”

Joining the Elantra on the CarsDirect.com list are the Nissan Leaf, Kia Optima, Chevrolet Volt, Audi A8, BMW 1-Series M Coupe, Ford Explorer, Buick Regal GS, Fiat 500, and Ford Focus. For more information about the “Top Ten Cars to Look Forward to in 2011” from CarsDirect.com visit: http://pricinginsider.carsdirect.com/tag/top-10-cars-to-look-forward-to-in-2011/.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through about 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

The all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata has been named to Automobile Magazine’s annual “All Stars” list as one of the most outstanding cars of the year.

“The critical acclaim and recognition from experts like the editors of Automobile Magazine is gratifying,” said John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “Sonata is a game-changing car that has surpassed everyone’s expectations. The All Star award is recognition that the record number of customers who chose Sonata this year made a great choice.”

Each fall, Automobile Magazine tests new model cars and its reigning All Stars before selecting 10 vehicles that stand out among all others in the market.

“The Sonata has emerged as an unquestioned leader in a segment that’s bursting with excellent automobiles. Painstakingly conceptualized, designed and engineered by Hyundai, the Sonata meets and exceeds the varied needs and wishes of demanding American buyers,” writes Automobile Magazine. The editors conclude, “The Sonata is a car that sells purely on its merits rather than on its warranty, and increasing numbers of savvy Americans are beating a path to Hyundai’s door.”

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata was introduced earlier this year. Sonata brings to the market a number of breakthroughs previously unheard of in the mid-size family sedan segment including standout design, a standard gasoline direct injected engine that delivers 35 miles per gallon on the highway, an optional 274-horsepower 4-cylinder turbo and a hybrid model that will go on sale in the U.S. in January.

Through the first 11 months of the year, Sonata sales are up 65 percent over last year on the strength of the new model, which, is manufactured at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Sonata’s breakthrough 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine, 2.0-liter turbo GDI and 6-speed automatic transmission also are manufactured in the United States. Hyundai Motor America sold 500,000 new vehicles in the U.S. for the first time ever, this year. Sonata has been the most “shopped” midsize car in the market for six of the past seven months as measured by Compete, an automotive market analysis firm.

The complete story on the “Automobile All Stars” is available in the February 2011 issue of Automobile Magazine and at www.automobilemag.com. The February issue will be available on iPad on December 20 and on newsstands on January 4, 2011.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through about 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

Consumers Digest Magazine named both the 2011 Hyundai Sonata and 2011 Hyundai Genesis sedan a “Best Buy.” The ratings are based on behind-the-wheel assessment, safety ratings, ownership costs, warranty, price, comfort, ergonomics, styling and amenities. The Sonata is a Best Buy in the Family Car category and the Genesis sedan is a Best Buy in the Luxury Car segment.

“Value, as we see it, is based on purchase price and ownership costs relative to quality, performance and subjective factors like comfort and design,” said Randy Weber, publisher, Consumers Digest. “Few purchases are more important, or require more research, than buying a new vehicle. Our analyses ensure that consumers are as satisfied with their auto purchase years after making it as they were on the day they drove off the lot.”

The Automotive Best Buy Awards reflect Consumers Digest’s view of which 2011 vehicles offer exceptional value for the money. A panel of six automotive experts evaluates the vehicles from behind-the-wheel on an ongoing basis, both under real-world conditions in their own test-drives and at manufacturers’ new-model introductions. They assess design factors including styling, accessories and amenities, cargo space, and fit and finish, as well as performance characteristics including starting and acceleration, steering and handling, ride quality and fuel economy.

“The Genesis has provided ground-breaking value among its luxury competition with lavish appointments and impressive driving performance,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “The all-new Sonata also upholds Hyundai’s legacy of value with exciting design, best-in-class fuel economy and outstanding residual value. Both cars continue to exceed expectations for consumers in their respective segments.”

For more information and a complete list of award winners, visit http://www.consumersdigest.com/award_page.html.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through about 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

ALG, the industry benchmark for residual values and depreciation data, today announced its 12th annual Residual Value Awards, honoring vehicles across 19 different segments and two brands that are predicted to retain the highest percentage of their MSRP after a three-year period. The 2011 Hyundai Elantra topped the competitive compact segment, winning ALG’s award for the highest residual value in its class.

The 2011 Residual Value Awards are based on the entire model year forecast of 2011 products. Award winners are determined through careful study of the competition in each segment, historical vehicle performance and industry trends. Vehicle quality, production levels relative to demand and pricing and marketing strategies are among the key factors that affect ALG’s residual value forecasts.

“Hyundai’s win of the mid-compact segment highlights the growing reputation of the brand, as well as its impressive new product push,” said Raj Sundaram, Senior Vice President, Solutions Group and ALG. “The all-new 2011 Elantra shines with standard luxurious features and a modest price tag, and it’s expected to be a favorite of young drivers like the VW Jetta and Mazda3 before it.”

The all-new 2011 Elantra encompasses Hyundai’s latest ambitions including “Fluidic Sculpture” design, advanced safety technologies and best-in-class 40 mpg highway fuel economy. It took 33 months to develop the all-new Elantra and four years to bring it to market. The 2011 Elantra launches with new 1.8-liter “Nu” engine and in-house six-speed automatic transmission.

“Achieving such tremendous value retention speaks to the overall quality and merit of the Elantra,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “Vehicles that retain their value in the long-term offer a lower overall cost of ownership to the customer, allowing Hyundai to offer strong lease options to consumers and better resale value at trade-in time for our customers who purchase their vehicles.”

For more information and a complete list of winners, visit: www.alg.com.

ALG

Based in Santa Barbara, California, ALG (www.alg.com) is a leading provider of data and consulting services to the automotive industry. ALG publishes the “Automotive Lease Guide” - the standard for Residual Value projections in North America, and has been forecasting automotive residual values for over 45 years in both the U.S. and Canadian markets. ALG is a company of DealerTrack Holdings, Inc. HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through about 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.