Autoblog

First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid looks to split the uprights

Chris Paukert — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Hyundai, First Drives

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid hails from a nation where Buddhism is one of the dominant religions. After all, this slippery sedan's design is the gas-electric's equivalent of The Middle Path - a road that the company hopes is truly the way to automotive enlightenment.

Say what?

In the still-young history of the modern hybrid automobile, there have been two prevailing schools of thought on design: As the less costly path, The Low Road to hybridization is already a crowded one - it's a design route that basically calls for the electrification hardware to be buried beneath a familiar bodyshell that's shared with a conventional internal combustion-only model (see: Lexus LS 600h, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Chevrolet Silverado, etc.). The driving philosophy here is to keep production costs in check while also appealing to audiences that might be otherwise reluctant to embrace "new" technology.

Despite being on the checklist of every politician, environmentalist and Hollywood glitterati, hybrids don't sell in America

By contrast, The High Road calls for swoopier model-specific bodywork - if not an entire dedicated platform - enabling a "greener than thou" halo for its owners and parent company. Unfortunately, this high-visibility strategy also costs a boatload of cash, and the only such model that has managed to make a solid business case for itself is the Toyota Prius, a vehicle that's become the de-facto postercar for the green movement.

But here's the conundrum that Hyundai has keenly recognized: Despite being on the checklist of every politician, environmentalist and Hollywood glitterati, hybrids don't sell in America - they account for less than two percent of new vehicles purchased in the U.S. every year, and their high technology bandwidth means that they require a disproportionate amount of money to develop. Basically, Hyundai knows that the Sonata Hybrid is a necessity for improving its technological capabilities, as well as for burnishing its industry-leading CAFE scores, but it also seems to understand that it is almost certain to lose money on each one it builds. Which is why they've taken The Middle Path.

In this case, the Sonata Hybrid tries to integrate the best of the other two hybrid strategies - create a distinctive new model with a unique look that says "I care more about the earth than you do" without incurring the cost of a whole new platform and all-new sheetmetal. Have they been successful? We flew all the way to South Korea to find out...

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid looks to split the uprights

First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid looks to split the uprights originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Jay Leno's new show to put stars in green cars

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Celebrities, Humor

Unlike many, we haven't been losing sleep over Leno leaving The Tonight Show. Partly because we're in bed by that time. Mostly though, despite Jay's well-known obsession with automobiles, the Tonight Show was essentially car-free, instead choosing to focus on Miley Cirus, American Idol and politics. Yawn. Leno's new show - called the Jay Leno Show - looks to address that serious oversight.

According to new reports, Leno's show will feature celebrities racing against each other in "advertiser friendly" challenges involving green cars. In fact, NBC has already built a racetrack next to Leno's studio. Says Jay, "You can see who is faster, Shaquille O'Neal or Cameron Diaz." We've always wondered.

As to what cars will be used in the segment, or what the races will look like, your wild speculation is as good as ours. And yes, Leno's green car challenge does seem kinda close to Top Gear's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. But in the grand scheme of things, who cares, as car racing on network TV ought to be a good thing over the long term. That said, we'll admit that the very term "advertiser friendly" makes our skin crawl a bit. Thanks to Dali for the tip!

[Source: Car Design Fetish via The Live Feed]

REPORT: Jay Leno's new show to put stars in green cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NADA picks America's top five cleanest conventional gas autos

Dan Roth — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Trends, Green

With Earth Day coming up on April 22nd, it's inevitable that automotive conversations will take on a green tinge. While hybrids are an obvious hot topic, it's not the only way to tread lightly on Mother Nature. NADAGuides.com have named what they think are the top five cleanest conventional vehicles, basing the scores on a combination of greenhouse gas emissions, pollution levels and fuel economy. Surprisingly or not, the list is primarily comprised of domestic vehicles. The press release is posted after the jump, and hit the gallery to see the results in order.

Continue reading NADA picks America's top five cleanest conventional gas autos

NADA picks America's top five cleanest conventional gas autos originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rush Limbaugh takes on the green car movement

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Green

In an attempt to stay politically neutral, we're going to stop short of offering opinions about Rush Limbaugh's recent statements regarding hybrid automobiles and the intent of automakers like Ford and Honda to "please politicians overseeing the industry's multibillion-dollar bailout." What we will say, though, is that Limbaugh's a little off when he suggests that hybrid vehicles are entirely unwanted. So sayeth Rush:

"Nobody's buying 'em. Nobody wants them! The manufacturers are making them in droves to satisfy Obama! Sorry for yelling. Nobody wants them!"

While it's true that hybrid vehicle sales tend to rise and fall with the ebb and flow of fuel prices, which are currently down from the record highs from a year ago, Edmunds' Green Car Advisor points out that 1.3 million hybrid vehicles have been sold in America since 1999, the first year the fuel-saving vehicles entered the market. Obviously, there are more than a few people out there who want to cut down on their fuel usage. Furthermore, these hybrid vehicle programs have been in development since well before President Obama was elected.

Limbaugh went on to argue that politicians killed the auto industry. There may be a measure of truth to that point, but there's certainly a number of other factors that have attributed a great deal to the current woes being felt by all automakers the world over.

As always, your mileage may vary. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section, but please keep it civil.

Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius

Gallery: Honda Insight LIVE

[Source: Rush Limbaugh via Green Car Advisor]

Rush Limbaugh takes on the green car movement originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red cars perceived louder than green or blue ones

Alex Nunez — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

How much does color factor into your perception of how loud a car actually is? If a recently-conducted experiment is any indication, it plays a significant part, indeed. Sixteen individuals were told to listen to the sound of a car's engine while being shown photographs of identical cars in red, blue, light green, or dark green. The sounds were played at four different volume levels throughout the testing. The findings showed that the red car was perceived to be louder than the green or blue cars, even if the corresponding sound the others were shown with was of an equal level. This dovetailed with the results of a similar, earlier experiment which demonstrated that people felt red trains were louder than green ones. This is both good news and bad news for car owners. On the plus side, those Borlas you just installed are going to sound even louder (read: better) to folks if your ride's red. Unfortunately, when Officer Friendly pulls you over for having mufflers that are too noisy, good luck convincing him that it's really just his perception and not reality. Thanks for the tip, Buzz!

[Source: Acoustics.org]

Red cars perceived louder than green or blue ones originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota and GM to end fuel-cell joint venture

Chris Paukert — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Hybrid

Toyota and General Motors will end their joint-research effort on fuel-cell development at the end of next month out of futility-- a 'lack of progress.' All is not bad news, however... the two automakers will extend their alliance in other disciplines (advanced safety, 'intelligent transportation systems,' etc.) for another year. The original Toyota-GM agreement stems back to 1999.

The split in this area of the joint venture may find Toyota seeking another partner to develop the technology... a move that would likely shake up alliances in the entire industry.

[Source: Asahi Shimbun]

Toyota and GM to end fuel-cell joint venture originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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