Hyundai has had a great year so far—in Chicago, Hyundai Elantra and Sonata vehicles are everywhere you look—and if the Korean automaker is going to stay competitive with the big boys in the auto industry (the Toyotas and Hondas of the world), it’s probably going to have to put on its thinking cap every once in a while.  Because why go toe-to-toe and trade blows with the heavyweights when you can out think them?  Even considering how far Hyundai has come, Toyota and Honda are, in all likelihood, in a better position to absorb the roundhouses typical of a grueling fight.

Hyundai could very well be using this creative strategy with the Hyundai Veloster that is rumored to be appearing in production form at the Paris Motor Show this September.  The Veloster is a small sports coupe that is designed to compete with the Honda CR-Z.  But now while the CR-Z is a hybrid that gets a very good 36 city/39 highway equipped with a CVT, the Veloster runs on a conventional four-cylinder engine (a 1.6-liter direct injected inline that gets 140 hp, to be specific), and, according to John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president, it will eclipse the 40 mpg mark and outperform the CR-Z in fuel economy all around.  He went on to say that the Veloster, by not using a hybrid powertrain, will be lighter, simpler, and, most importantly, cheaper than a hybrid.

It would seem Hyundai is using its smarts to stay in step with the overall attitude of our culture right now.  Sure, most people want to be greener, and a hybrid is good way to go about achieving this, but with the way the economy is performing, people don’t have the extra income for these types of purchases if these purchases are going to hit them harder in the wallet.  This is especially true in Midwest cities like Detroit and Chicago.  Hyundai Tucsons are a solid car and good for their stated purpose, but it’s hard to imagine SUVs are flying off the lots right now from Chicago Hyundai Tucson dealers like they were five and six years ago.  But again, in Detroit and Chicago, Hyundai Elantras and Sonatas, cars with good MPG, are appearing everywhere for a reason.  It’s definitely a major trend right now.  And with the coming of the Veloster, Hyundai seems to have wisely taken notice.

When you are looking for a new car, there’s no doubt that cost is one of the top factors for buying or not buying it.  But, there are some things to consider.  Just because the auto’s sticker price is low, doesn’t mean the cost to own it is low.  I’ll explain more, but lucky for your Chicago Elantra and Accent dealer, two Hyundai models were recently chosen among the 10 least expensive cars to own!

Car and Driver, a top auto information source, recently published a study they compiled of ten automobiles that are not expensive to own.  This study took into account the sticker price, insurance rates, and fuel prices to get the list they feel is most accurate.  They assumed three-year ownership and based insurance costs on a 28 year old male, living in the Ann Arbor, MI area, single, and ticket free.  In addition, the fuel costs were figured for driving a Chicago Hyundai Elantra about 12K miles/year with an average gas cost of $2.57/gallon.

The 2010 Elantra was the first auto that they discussed.  There are several features on this exciting car that make it affordable for its owner.  The base model price is around $14K and over the 3-year period, it will cost you around $3200 in fuel and $3500 for insurance.  The gas mileage combined is a nice 28 mpg.  Taking this into account, you’ll spend around $21K to own and operate your Chicago Hyundai Elantra over this assumed three-year ownership.  That is certainly an amount I can live with – pretty stress free!

Another nice Hyundai model that made this list is the Chicago Accent Three-Door Hatchback.   A girl in my neighborhood, who recently graduated from college, was looking for a new reliable, inexpensive car, and this was the model she decided on!  Based on Car and Driver’s stats, she spent around $11K on the purchase price for a base model, with the combined fuel economy of 31 mpg- Awesome!  The insurance rates for Korean cars do tend to be higher, I didn’t realize that, but if she keeps it for 3 years, she’ll spend around $4300 on insurance and $3k on gas, for a total three year expense of about $18K.  Very nice rates for a recent college grad just starting out in the “real world”.

It’s nice to see these Hyundai models on the radar for being affordable. There’s certainly many more great attributes to driving them.  Head to your local dealer today and take one for a spin!

Hyundai is really establishing itself as a leading car company.  They have accomplished a major feat by surpassing Toyota and Honda in the Brand Loyalty Category.   Based on information received by a Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence study, around 56% of Hyundai owners are looking at new cars within the brand.  Honda is still at the number 2 spot, while Toyota slipped to 3rd place, due to all the recent brand recalls for that automaker.  This is great news for your used Hyundai Chicago dealer, this news should help keep loyal customers coming and hopefully gaining some new ones!

Hyundai’s recent success can be attributed to several things. They’ve released the 2010 Tucson and the 2011 Sonata that are great autos.  I also like the 2010 Chicago Hyundai Elantra Touring.  Hyundai has a great warranty program for buyers to take advantage of as well as their outstanding Assurance Program.  Let’s take a look at what some Hyundai models have to offer.

The 2010 Tucson went on sale early this year and is an awesome compact SUV.  It has quite a bit of cargo room, more than some of it’s same class competitors.  Great news if you have kids to tote around, or like to take weekend road trips!  It also has a beautiful new exterior, that Hyundai is referring to as “fluidic sculpture”, with sloping lines and a modern looking front grille and headlights!

The 2011 Sonata is also at your local dealerships and has much to offer.  Pricing wise, it starts out around $20K, a little higher than the 2010 Chicago Hyundai Elantra, which starts out at $17K for a base model.  The newest Sonata features Hyundai’s in-house developed Gasoline Direct Injection Engine, which helps the 2.4 Liter engine reach it’s maximum potential.  This Sonata can comfortably seat 5 and has wireless capabilities, MP3 connectivity, and a nice stereo system.

There certainly is a lot to be said about Hyundai’s line-up of great cars and SUV’s.  Even if a used Hyundai Chicago is more your style, your local dealer is happy to hook you up with one.  See for yourself why this brand’s loyalty is on the rise!

The Hyundai Elantra Touring offers a smooth ride, and a surprisingly spacious interior

Growing up, my siblings  favorite argument was about the back of the car. Neither of them ever had enough room, and heaven forbid either of them ever sit in the middle seat, or behind the driver and survive with a little less leg room. Now they’re older and wiser, but their arguments haven’t really progressed. Put the two of them in a car together and you only need to wait to see who will throw the first punch. With that thought in mind, I decided it would be a good idea to bring both of them with me to a Chicago Hyundai dealer for a test drive of a2009 Chicago Hyundai Elantra Touring.

Having heard rumors about the insanely large interior, I figured I had brought along a fool-proof way to test how spacious it really was – with back-seat-warring siblings.

We took it out for a spin, and the 138-horsepower engine was more powerful than I had expected it to be. More importantly, it’s efficient and economical. This wagon gets 25 mpg overall,  better fuel economy than most other vehicles in its class. It offered a smooth and easy ride that was very pleasant to steer. A salesperson from the Chicago Hyundai dealer explained as we drove how safe it is. The Elantra Touring received five stars for its overall crash rating.

The Touring also boasts a multitude of features that are now offered standard. Air-conditioning, keyless remote entry, heated outside mirrors, a six-speaker sound system and even XM satellite radio are all now offered standard in this sporty little wagon.

However the most remarkable aspect of the test drive was the back-seat silence. Neither sibling was yelling about the other occupying the other’s legroom, and neither threw a punch over who had to sit behind the driver’s seat. The copious cabin space saved the day! Everyone had enough leg room and head room, and they were far enough away from one another that they could carry on a pleasant conversation without accusing anyone of halitosis. And there was room to spare. The rear cargo space , which the Chicago Hyundai dealer salesperson informed me is 24.3 cubic feet, is large enough to fit cargo for almost any outing.

So, I am pleased to say that there is something out there that can supress my siblings’ loathe of riding together in the back seat. Its safety ratings, great fuel-efficiency, and smooth ride are all added bonuses to the amount of room it boasts for its sportiness and affordability.