Niche Cars a Success Despite Lower Volumes

When developing cars that are never intended to appeal to a mass audience, automakers must be careful not to introduce a car so eccentric that it has no audience whatsoever. Even when deemed successful, these niche automobiles remain low-volume, bit players. They form the supporting cast of an automaker's lineup. Think of them as Wallace Shawns (read to the end) of the automotive world and not the Tom Cruises.

One such vehicle that dangerously toed the line when introduced was the Nissan Juke. Thought by many to be too crazy looking on the outside and too cramped inside, Nissan cast the Juke as an alternative crossover that it hoped would pull in buyers bored with the traditional Rogue crossover and Sentra compact sedan.

In 2011, 35,886 Jukes were sold. That's a miserable-sounding total when you consider Nissan sold 124,543 Rogues last year, but it was an unexpectedly fine performance from a car that is so peculiar. The Juke outsold the Mini Countryman and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport combined in 2011.

2012 Hyundai Azera Priced at $32,000

When the 2012 Hyundai Azera goes on sale later this year, it will have an easy-to-remember starting price of $32,000, excluding an $875 destination fee. There's only one option package, and it adds $4,000 of tech and luxury features for a range-topping price of $36,000.

The Azera sits in an odd place in Hyundai's lineup. The 2012 Hyundai Genesis starts at $34,200, and it packs more power but has fewer luxury features — there's no standard touch-screen or navigation system, for instance.

Among its competitors — such as the Ford Taurus ($25,555) and Chrysler 300 ($27,470) – the Azera is more expensive, yet it's more affordable than the Toyota Avalon, which starts at $33,195. Still, that's an unusual position for a Hyundai. Keep in mind that once you option the contenders with the same features, they all cost more than the Azera.

The Azera comes well-equipped with the following features: 

Hyundai Prices 2013 Genesis Coupe at $24,250

Hyundai's refreshed-for-2013 Genesis Coupe will start at $24,250 when it goes on sale next month. The base price is for the 2.0T model; the 3.8-liter R-Spec starts at $28,750. This a steep increase over the 2012 model's pricing of $22,250 for the 2.0T and $26,750 for the 3.8 R-Spec.

For 2013, the Genesis Coupe gets more aggressive styling, including a revised front end and new designs for the headlights, hood, grille and fog lights. The engines also get more punch for the new model year: The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder now makes 274 horsepower (on premium gas), up from 210 hp. The 3.8-liter V-6 gets direct injection this year and makes 348 hp (with premium gas), up from 306 hp.

Both engines get a new eight-speed automatic transmission option for 2013. With it, the V-6 now achieves 18/28 mpg city/highway, and the four-cylinder gets 20/31 mpg.

Kia Reveals Flagship Plans

Kia has big plans for a new car; actually, a new large flagship sedan is apparently in the works. The South Korean automaker revealed the first sketches of the KH, the code name of what will become Kia’s first rear-wheel-drive sedan. Corporate cousin, Hyundai, has been in the near-luxury rear-wheel-drive market for a few years now with its Genesis and Equus sedans, so it makes sense for Kia to follow.

Details are slim, but from the sketch we can see that it's got an aggressive, wide-mouth grille, sweeping angular headlights and a sloping rear roofline. Could this be Kia's stab at a four-door coupe, a la the Mercedes-Benz CLS?

We'll have to wait awhile to find out. The automaker plans to launch the sedan in South Korea in the first half of 2012. No word yet on when it’ll hit other markets, but Kia did have this to say in a press release: "Although launch timings for overseas markets are yet to be confirmed, this all-new rear-wheel-drive large sedan will definitely become the leading model of our lineup around the world, showcasing the best of the best of Kia."

2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe and GT Video

The Elantra's popularity is skyrocketing. Strong sales, rave reviews and big awards are keeping us talking about Hyundai's compact sedan. New coupe and hatchback versions only add to its buzz factor. Building off the sedan's new-for-2011 fluid design language, the coupe offers a sportier take on Elantra, and the GT's hatchback adds a measure of functionality. Cars.com editor Mike Hanley applauds Hyundai for widening the Elantra’s appeal with two new body styles. 

2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe: Photo Gallery

By summer's end, there will be three versions of the Hyundai Elantra compact on the market. The recently introduced coupe and hatchback models will join the popular sedan later this year.

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The coupe retains the Elantra sedan's styling, but gains sportier cues like additional side sculpting, dual chrome-tipped exhaust pipes and five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels with dark spoke inserts.

2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe: Up Close

The Hyundai Elantra coupe is a big small coupe. What does that mean? Well, even though there are two fewer doors than the sedan, not much interior room is lost and it feels that way when sitting in the new model.

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Up front, the seats have more pronounced side bolstering than the sedan. It ain't no Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with optional Recaro-brand seats, but these seats also aren't intrusive and give the coupe's interior a sportier look than the sedan. Underneath, the coupe has a new suspension tuned toward the sporty side, so the bolsters that hold the driver in place during cornering aren’t superfluous compared to the comfort-tuned sedan.

2013 Hyundai Elantra GT: Up Close

Hyundai's Elantra GT hatchback is a needed replacement for the Elantra Touring that suffered in the mileage and styling departments compared to the sleek, 40 mpg Elantra sedan, which was redesigned for 2011. The GT's short nose and tail, along with its swooping body lines, give the four-door hatchback a trim, athletic look.

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While the GT's interior dimensions are on par with the segment's roomiest hatches, after my first look at the Chicago Auto Show, the rear hatch and folding seats – two important hatchback parts -- have room for improvement.

2013 Hyundai Elantra GT at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show

• Competes with: Mazda3, Ford Focus and Subaru Impreza hatchbacks
• Looks like: A real hatchback instead of the wagon-like Elantra Touring
• Drivetrain: 148-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder and six-speed manual or automatic transmission 
• Hits dealerships: Early this summer

The Hyundai Elantra gains another body style for 2013: the four-door hatchback Elantra GT. It joins the hot-selling sedan and the new 2013 Elantra coupe. It replaces the Elantra Touring, which was skipped over for a redesign in 2011 when the sedan was all new.

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The GT looks much more like a hatchback compared with the outgoing Touring, and it gains some European hatchback flair, which is no coincidence as the GT is based on a European-market hatchback called the i30. One trim level is offered, though the number of features can vary with the Style and Technology packages.

2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show

• Competes with: Honda Civic coupe and corporate cousin Kia Forte Koup
• Looks like: It expands on the Elantra sedan’s new-for-2011 fluid design
• Drivetrain: 148-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder and six-speed manual or automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2012

This year's North American Car of the Year gets a sibling for 2013. Hyundai's Elantra coupe will join the sedan and Touring hatchback when it goes on sale this spring.

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The sole powertrain across the three body styles remains the 148-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder. Six-speed manual or automatic transmissions are available. Hyundai estimates the Elantra coupe should get 29/40 mpg city/highway with the manual and 28/40 mpg with the automatic.