Hyundai Owners Are Most Loyal, J.D. Power Study Says

Hyundai is on a roll. After reporting strong sales in 2011 and winning the North American Car of the Year Award for its Elantra sedan, the Korean automaker got more good news from J.D. Power and Associates. In the results of J.D. Power's Customer Retention Study, Hyundai came out on top in terms of brand loyalty.

The study, which J.D. Power skipped in 2011, charts customer-loyalty rates by vehicle brand, looking at who remains loyal and to which automaker. For 2012, the industry brand loyalty average is 49%, with Hyundai riding the top of the list at 64%, according to the study.

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo: Photo Gallery

Hyundai's new-for-2012 hot hatch gets some attitude for 2013 with a new turbo engine and more aggressive styling cues.

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Though it was pretty fun to drive with the regular 1.6-liter four-cylinder, the new 201-horsepower, turbocharged 1.6-liter four should really up Veloster's fun factor.

2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe: Up Close

As face-lifts go, the 2013 Hyundai Genesis coupe's is more substantial than most. The result is a fresh look for Hyundai's rear-wheel-drive sports car that works well with the rest of the design, which is largely unchanged.

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The Genesis coupe's grille has always looked a little diminutive, but for 2013, it's gigantic, mimicking the shape of the Sonata Hybrid's grille. The gaping hexagon, combined with new headlights and fog lights, make the car look more menacing. That'll likely appeal to sports car enthusiasts, though they'll probably despise the faux vents on the restyled hood.

Hyundai Elantra Electric Concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show

• Looks like: The gas-only Elantra, with a big helping of EV stickers
• Defining characteristics: All-electric drivetrain, 124-mile range, 27-kilowatt-hour lithium-polymer battery pack, 90 mph top speed
• Ridiculous features: In the past, maybe the electric drivetrain, but no more
• Chance of being mass-produced: Hyundai says this is just a concept for now

Not to be left out of the electric-vehicle frenzy, Hyundai showed an all-electric version of its Elantra compact sedan at the 2012 Detroit auto show. It's purely a concept car at the moment, but it's yet more evidence of the weight automakers are giving to electric cars.

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If it weren't for the elaborate graphics the Elantra Electric wouldn't have trouble blending in with its gas-only counterpart. The concept also gets a few extra badges, slightly different wheels and a unique Hyundai badge on the grille.

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo: First Look

• Competes with: Honda Civic Si, Mini Cooper S, Volkswagen GTI
• Looks like: A Veloster with an attitude: new matte gray exterior paint; larger grille; dual exhaust pipes; 18-inch alloy and chrome wheels; and unique fog lights, ground effects, rear fascia and LED taillights
• Drivetrain: 201-horsepower, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder and six-speed manual transmission
• Hits dealerships: Summer 2012

The Hyundai Veloster is getting what many enthusiasts have been looking for in the hot hatch. Just a year after Hyundai’s compact three-door hatchback debuted, a turbocharged version will join the lineup. The new 201-horsepower, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder joins a 138-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. Transmission choices continue to be a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automated manual. The turbo is only available with the manual.

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Hyundai estimates that the Veloster Turbo should get 27/38 mpg city/highway. The non-turbo model is rated at 28/40 mpg for the manual and 29/38 mpg for the automatic. Both have a combined rating of 32 mpg.

2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show

• Competes with: Scion FR-S, Subaru BRZ, Ford Mustang  
• Looks like: In-your-face styling complemented by more aggressive performance tuning 
• Drivetrain: 274-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder or 348-hp, 3.8-liter V-6; eight-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual transmission  
• Hits dealerships: Early spring 2012

The Hyundai Genesis coupe hasn't been on sale for long, but the Korean automaker has decided to give the sports coupe a fairly robust mid-cycle refresh that includes a new interior, new exterior appearance and more powerful, fuel-efficient powertrain options for the 2013 model year.

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Starting with the exterior appearance, Hyundai has added a little more flare by revising the front end with new headlight, hood, grille and fog light designs. Out back, there are new LED taillamps. In the cabin, the Genesis coupe gets new instruments, a padded, stitched dash, and a brake lever that's now leather-wrapped (when equipped with leather upholstery). Front seats now have a seat belt assist guide to make buckling up easier, and the driver's side seat gets a walk-in assist function to make it easier for rear passengers to hop in.

2012 Hyundai Elantra, Accent Earn Four-Star NHTSA Ratings

The 2012 Hyundai Elantra and Accent received an overall rating of four out of five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's crash-test rating system.

The Elantra's composite score is composed of a three-star frontal, four-star rollover and a five-star rating for the combined side pole and barrier tests. The side barrier test is an area where other vehicles have shown weakness with the safety agency's testing format. The side pole test simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver's side.

The Accent received four stars in frontal, rollover and combined side-impact tests, though NHTSA highlighted a particular safety concern with the Accent. During the side-impact barrier test, the left rear door intruded. The intrusion wasn't factored into the side-impact rating, however.

In crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2012 Elantra received a Top Safety Pick award, meaning the vehicle received a Good rating (the agency's highest rating) in front, side, rear and roof-strength crash tests. The 2012 Accent had a Good rating in the roof-strength and the frontal crash tests, but an Acceptable rating in the side-impact test.

2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Priced at $25,850

For the 2012 model year, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid edges up only $55 from 2011 pricing and now comes standard with Hyundai's Blue Link telematics system, for a starting price of $25,850. That price excludes a $760 destination fee, which is $10 more than last year's fee.

The only new addition to the Sonata Hybrid is Blue Link, which is Hyundai's OnStar competitor. Blue Link is now standard across the entire 2012 Sonata lineup. The Sonata Hybrid gets a complementary six months of service of the Assurance Package and three months of the Essentials & Guidance Package — the same as the regular Sonata.

A new Leather Package is available for $1,500. Previously, leather upholstery was available only in the all-encompassing Ultimate Package. The $5,000 package included a panoramic sunroof, navigation system and an upgraded stereo. The Ultimate Package is still available, but it now costs $5,500 for 2012.

Hyundai hasn't yet announced an on-sale date for the 2012 Sonata Hybrid.

Most Popular Car Seat Checks

Parents, grandparents and caretakers know what a pain it can be to install child-safety seats into a car. Imagine doing it over and over and over again. That's what our Car Seat Check team does nearly every week as it tests new cars to find out how easy it is to use the Latch system.

Car Seat Checks are performed by Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays, Cars.com photographer Ian Merritt and Cars.com editor and certified car-seat technician Jennifer Newman.

Naughty or Nice: Multimedia Systems

Automakers have the challenge of integrating the latest multimedia devices and their massive capabilities into new cars. It’s no easy feat when advanced functions like streaming Bluetooth audio, voice recognition and Pandora internet radio are part of the package. Of the systems that aim to do it all, some have succeeded while others are still a work in progress.

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