According to Automotive News, the redesigned, fourth-generation Hyundai Sonata is a dramatic departure for the brand. The 2011 Sonata's conservative styling, on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show, has been replaced with a sleek, fluid look that derives elements from the upscale Hyundai Genesis sedan. The sedan's base sticker price is expected to be less than $20,000. Click here for a photo. The redesigned Sonata is nearly the same size as the 2010 Ford Fusion. Its width is identical to the Fusion's, 72.2 inches, and the Sonata's length is 0.9 inches shorter. Hyundai says the new Sonata has more passenger volume than the Fusion -- 103.8 cubic feet vs. 100.3. Production begins this month in Alabama, and sales begin in January. The 2011 Sonata will be powered by Hyundai's new 2.4-liter, direct-injection engine, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic is optional. Horsepower ranges from 190 to 200, depending on trim. A six-cylinder engine will not be offered. A turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder will be introduced in late 2010. For more on Hyundai's redesigned Sonata, click here.For Automotive News' full coverage of the L.A. Auto Show, click here.
Toyota unveiled new versions of its Sienna minivan at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday, with an eye toward capturing a bigger slice of the minivan market. Click here for a photo. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Sienna is lagging behind the top-selling Honda Odyssey, Dodge Caravan, and Chrysler Town and Country. Toyota sold 75,509 Siennas in the first 11 months of this year. Even if the Sienna grabs a larger piece of the pie, that pie has been shrinking. Minivan sales, already on a downward trend as families have gravitated to crossovers and SUVs, fell 32 percent through November. Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. have pulled out of the minivan market altogether. Click here for a chart demonstrating lagging sales in the minivan market. The 2011 Sienna is the third generation of the model, and Toyota packed the new design with features that it hopes will set the Sienna apart from other vehicles in its class. Among the fancier options available are dual power sliding doors, a panoramic rearview camera monitor, and a 16.4-inch flat-screen television that flips open from the ceiling. The Sienna boasts wider doors than previous models and can accommodate up to eight passengers. Click here for official photos and information on the 2011 Toyota Sienna, courtesy of Car and Driver. Click here for more on the redesigned Toyota Sienna on display at the L.A. Auto Show.
Forbes has unveiled its list of the best cars in a crash. Japanese automaker Subaru earned four out of 10 spots on its list of the best cars in a crash. It also reported sales last month more than 24 percent higher than November 2008, and up almost 14 percent for the year to date. The company says that 2009 will likely be Subaru's highest-selling year ever. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that auto crashes cost taxpayers more than $100 billion every year, and according to AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair, more than 24,056 people were killed in auto crashes last year. Forbes' list of the safest vehicles in a crash of 2010 comes from tests run for the Top Safety Pick Awards at the IIHS. Forbes further selected only vehicles that had been tested for the 2010 model year and eliminated those in each segment that did not earn perfect or near-perfect scores of "good" in all sections. Head, neck, chest, feet, torso, pelvis, and leg protection (for drivers and front or rear passengers, depending on the test) were evaluated during the tests, as was the structure of each car's safety cage. Click here to view the list in photos. Click here for full analysis on Forbes' picks for the safest cars on the road.
According to Fox News, the House is expected to vote Thursday on a bill to make permanent the current rates. The Senate is looking at a different package, under which the first $5 million would be exempted and everything over that would be taxed at 35 percent, or in the range of individual income tax rates. That is a bipartisan proposal and has majority support in the Senate. Some groups say the tax is a job killer. The American Family Business Foundation and National Black Chamber of Commerce plan to hold a press conference next week to draw attention to estimates showing the tax hurts job growth. Click here to read AIADA Chairman Russ Darrow's take on how the Death Tax impacts auto dealers. The argument is that farmers and small business owners will have less incentive to invest in the economy and grow their businesses. Click here for the latest on congressional efforts to amend the Death Tax. AIADA will continue to monitor the situation and keep dealers informed of progress on pending Death Tax legislation.
NADAguides.com, the leading provider of vehicle pricing and information, today announced the 2010 Kia Forte compact sedan and its two-door brethren have been awarded the NADAguides.com Car of the Year. During a standing-room-only press conference at the 2009 Los Angeles International Auto Show, where Kia announced its all-new 2011 Sorento CUV, NADAguides.com shared in Kia Motors' excitement naming the 2010 Kia Forte/Forte Koup its Car of the Year for 2009. Though the competition in this segment is strong, the Forte was the stand-alone top contender with a long list of "Best in Class" features and stylish design both inside and out, making it NADAguides.com's Car of the Year. Click here for a picture of the Kia Forte. Click here for a picture of the Forte Koup. Click here for full coverage of the Kia Forte's award from NADAguides.com. Also on Wednesday, the Volvo XC60 also received top billing during the International Car and Truck of the Year Awards. Click here for a photo. According to Edmunds Inside Line, the criteria for the award include "personality and passion" and "the emotional connection between car and consumer." Click here for more on Volvo's award.
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