Hyundai is taking the fight to General Motors‘ OnStar System by offering its Blue Link system as standard equipment. The Blue Link system is capable of providing direct connection to emergency services but also delivers traffic and weather updates as well as allowing owners easy access to roadside assistance. The system also lets users pair their smartphones to locate the vehicle in crowded parkinglots. The system will also keep track of the vehicle position and how fast it’s being driven.

Hyundai also improved the fuel efficiency of the Sonata. The base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine now gets 24 mpg, gaining 2 mpg in the city and 35 mpg highway. The Sonata equipped with the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder will now get 22 mpg and 34 mpg highway, an increase from 33 mpg highway in last years model.

Hyundai states that the Sonata leads all mid-sized sedans in fuel economy, excluding hybrids.

Hyundai‘s RIDES Magazine Sonata Turbo is apparently inspired by the Mercedes-Benz CLS, but we almost think it looks better than the current generation car (CLS63 AMG notwithstanding).

Maybe it’s the fact that the matte white paintjob looks absolutely wild in person, or that we didn’t expect RIDES Magazine to come up with such a tasteful build for this car, but we’re sold.

Along with a custom bodykit comes 20″ Rennen Modular M9 wheels with a very low offset, Falken FK452 tires, a painted and debadged grille and smoked tail lights. Apparently, MB wasn’t the only German company that was used as inspiration, as RIDES managed to integrate Audi foglamps into the front bumper as well. Inside, the black leather (looking much better than the standard Sonata upholstery) is offset with red stitching and carbon fiber trim, while a pair of JBL subwoofers and amps help the tunes bump. Finally, a custom exhaust and a front mounted intercooler help keep up the “go” quotient.

Gallery: Hyundai RIDES Magazine Sonata Turbo

Hit the jump to see the official press release

[Source: Hyundai]

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Hyundai is planning to introduce a “supercar-inspired” Sonata Turbo, taking cues from the Brabus Rocket super sedan. The concept is being produced in collaboration with 0-60 Magazine and Rides Magazine and will feature matte white paint, 20″ wheels and carbon fiber exterior bits.

Hyundai hasn’t announced any performance improvements beyond bolt-on intake, exhaust and turbo enhancements, but the “Ferrari F430 inspired” interior should make it obvious that function follows form with this concept.

Hit the jump to see the official press release

[Source: Hyundai]

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Speaking at a press event in Korea, Hyundai CEO John Krafcik let it slip that the Hyundai Sonata Turbo will start at just under $25,000, undercutting its V6 segment rivals by about $3,000.

The Sonata Turbo puts out 274-horsepower and a combined 32 mpg from its 2.0L four-cylinder engine. Hyundai intends for the vehicle to be a faster and more efficient alternative to V6 powered competitors like the Chevrolet Malibu, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

Krafcik also announced that the Hyundai Veloster, Hyundai’s long awaited sports coupe based on the Elantra compact, will use a 1.6L direct injection four-banger to put out 140 horsepower while getting 40 mpg on the highway. With the Veloster taking straight aim at the Honda CR-Z, the Hyundai offers a significant power advantage, and better estimated fuel economy on the highway.

[Source: Automotive News]

Hyundai‘s Sonata has won high praise from many automotive journalists, Autoguide included, for its distinctive styling, refined manners and great value.

But enthusiasts are still waiting on the hottest Sonata (who ever thought we’d see those words together?), the 274 horsepower Sonata turbo, set to debut later this fall. Since its debut at the New York Auto Show, Hyundai has been somewhat tight-lipped about their fastest family sedan, but a press briefing in Korea this past week, Hyundai released a couple interesting details.

The Sonata turbo will be able to match the performance of a manual transmission BMW 328i, getting to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, and obtain fuel economy numbers of 22 mpg in the city and 34 mpg highway. While the Sonata turbo will only have an automatic transmission, and likely weigh close to what a 328i weighs, we can’t help but feel that Hyundai’s acceleration times are a tad conservative. Of course, the Sonata is also going to be at least $5,000 cheaper.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Autoguide previously reported that the Buick Regal GS was a sure bet to return to Buick showrooms, and now Autoblog has confirmed that the Regal GS will be back, posting the contents of an email from GM employee Dayna Hart that states “At wave 1 of our drive program for Regal we just confirmed that the Regal GS will be added to the Buick portfolio. We are not providing any additional details at this point.”

Expect the Regal GS to make more than the show car’s 255 horsepower now that the Hyundai Sonata Turbo is putting out 276 horsepower. Those nice Recaro seats also on the show car? They might not make the cut. Even though the Regal GS is Buick’s “hot rod”, the average age of a Buick buyer is 65, and even if the Regal GS buyer is 15-20 years younger on average, they’re still likely to be at the point in their lives where getting in and out of high-bolstered bucket seats is an annoyance rather than a novelty.

Get more info on the new Buick Regal at RegalForums.com

[Source: Autoblog]

A new report by J.D. Power and Associates claims that 49% of American car buyers opted for four-cylinder powertrains in cars and light-trucks purchased during the month of April. Concerns over fuel economy and gas prices helped spark a trend in consumers picking the smaller engines in the first quarter of 2010, with 46.5% choosing them, versus 41.9% last year.

Manufacturers are also hoping on the four-banged only bandwagon. Hyundai‘s Sonata and Buick‘s all-new Regal are both available exclusively with four-cylinder engines, and offer turbocharged variants for those who want six-cylinder power. The Regal has historically offered six or eight cylinder powerplants, but GM and Hyundai feel that technologies like direct-injection, six-speed gearboxes and turbocharging will give consumers the perfect blend of power and fuel economy.

With most four-cylinders developing the same power as the V6 engines did a decade ago, the reasons for buying a V6 sedan look increasingly redundant, and consumers are beginning to take notice. After all, who needs a 300 horsepower V6 family car when the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Turbo puts out 274 horses and 34 miles per gallon on the highway?

[Source: USA Today]

Hyundai announced the 2011 Sonata 2.0T at a private press event on the eve of media day at the New York Auto Show and now we have the first live photos of the new turbo-charged direct-injected Sonata.

As we reported, the Sonata 2.0T boasts a class-leading 274 hp with fuel efficiency of 34 mpg on the highway and 22 in the city. Torque is an equally impressive 269 ft-lb. at just 4,500 rpm.

The Sonata 2.0T will be available before the holiday season but pricing has not yet been announced.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T

When Hyundai debuted the new 2011 Sonata in 4-cylinder trim, the company announced that it would not introduce a V6 model. The Korean automaker was still planning to go head-to-head with its V6-powered competitors, however, and today we found out exactly what with.

Just unveiled at the New York Auto Show, the new 2011 Sonata 2.0T is the first Hyundai to get turbocharging and direct-injection. As the name suggests, the engine is a small 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and when combined with a twin-scroll turbocharger and Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) technology it makes a class-leading 274-hp and gets 34-mpg on the highway. City fuel economy is set at 22-mpg. As for the turbocharged engine’s torque number, it is equally impressive, rated at 269 ft-lbs from just 1800 rpm to 4500 rpm. Better yet, it does all this on regular fuel.

Helping to deliver both impressive fuel economy and performance is Hyundai’s new six-speed automatic transmission, with Hyundai’s Shiftronic manual shifting. Plus, all 2.0T models come with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Added advantages to this setup include a lighter overall chassis. Not only does the turbocharged 4-cylinder weigh less than a V6 engine, but because Hyundai never had to design the car’s frame to carry a heavier V6 motor, the basic platform weighs less. And a lighter overall curb weight results in improved fuel economy and acceleration, not to mention handling and braking. Hyundai lists the new Sonata 2.0T at 3,338 lbs, making it the lightest of its competitors. In fact, with a weight to power ratio of 12.2 lbs per hp, the Sonata 2.0T has a better setup than the new Camaro V6.

Pricing for the 2.0T model has yet to be released but we expect it to be competitive with, if not undercut, current V6 offerings from the main competitors.

2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T vs. the Competition

GALLERY: 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T

See more on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T after the jump:

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With the all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata 4-cylinder now on sale with its best-in-class power and fuel economy, the Korean automaker will launch turbocharged and hybrid versions of its mid-size sedan at the New York Auto Show in late March. The Hybrid Blue Drive model is expected to use the new 2.4-liter GDI Theta II engine and a lithium polymer battery pack. As for the Turbo, it will be a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with direct-injection and make at least 250-hp according to Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik.

AutoGuide will bring you live coverage of the 2010 New York Auto Show starting March 31st. In the mean time, read our glowing review of the 2011 Sonata here:

2011 Hyundai Sonata First Drive