Hyundai to Donate $200 Per Car to Fight Childhood Cancer

Hyundai and its dealers plan to contribute $6.8 million this month to Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels, a childhood cancer charity backed by Hyundai U.S. CEO John Krafcik. Every time someone buys a Hyundai this month, the charity will get $200. You can learn more and contribute here. Krafcik became passionate about what he sees as the overlooked problem of kids with cancer after his son had a condition that could have been, but turned out not to be, cancer. His research showed that 40 children are diagnosed with cancer daily, one or two classrooms worth of kids. And cancer is the leading cause of death by disease of childred age 1 to 4.
The Hope on Wheels program began in 1998 to raise money for Boston’s Jimmy Fund. More than a decade later, Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels will have donated more than $23 million to children’s hospitals nationwide to help kids fight cancer. And the philanthropy doesn’t end with September – every time a new Hyundai vehicle is sold in the U.S., regardless of the time of year, $5 is donated to the cause.
Hope on Wheels also sponsors a nationwide tour, during which a white Hyundai Santa Fe vehicle stops at the 42 children’s hospitals receiving donations. Children are invited to to participate in a Handprint Ceremony, which celebrates the courage of childhood cancer patients by capturing their colorful handprints on the white Santa Fe. Children attending the ceremony are asked to place their own handprints on the car to commemorate their personal battle with cancer and inspire others to be brave in the face of the illness.
Hyundai’s commitment to the Hope on Wheels program continues to receive strong support from the automaker, even as portions of other companies’ charities are being shut down in the face of budgetary restrictions. Charity giving at Toyota has dropped from $48 million annually before the recession to just $39 million this year, and Volvo’s Volvo for Life award program has been suspended – though the company continues to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a pediatric cancer charity.

Posted by hyundai on Aug 27 2010 in Uncategorized

2011 Hyundai Sonata First Look

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is offered in three trims: base GLS, sporty SE and luxurious Limited, and all come with front-wheel drive and 4-cylinder power. Standard features on the GLS include power windows, power locks, power heated mirrors, remote keyless entry, trip computer, AM/FM/CD stereo, XM satellite radio, Bluetooth cell phone connectivity and 16-inch steel wheels with hubcaps.
The SE adds firmer sport suspension, sport seats with leather bolstering and cloth inserts, keyless access and starting, fog lights and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Limited gets leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, 360-watt Dimension audio system, HD radio, sunroof, standard suspension settings and 17-inch alloy wheels. Options include the Limited equipment, plus a Navigation Package with a touch-screen navigation system, Bluetooth streaming audio, a rear backup camera and a 400-watt Infinity sound system.
2011 Sonata Ride
The new Sonata rides on an all-new platform that is considerably stiffer than the last one, the optimized suspension reduces body lean, and the new electric power steering has greater feel. These design enhancements result in a much more composed, stable car that still retains a smooth ride. With a body far less prone to flex over bumps or lean in turns, the Sonata doesn’t wallow or float at highway speeds, the steering offers greater feedback, and the car will dive into turns and track predictably through them. However, the base and Limited iterations still lean a little too much during aggressive cornering.
The Sonata also features a new 6-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai is one of only three automakers to build their own 6-speed auto tranny, and this one works quite well. In the name of fuel economy, it wants to shift up as soon as possible. That can mean a deep stab of the throttle is required to get the downshift needed for passing. On the whole, though, the new engine and transmission are well matched to this car, and most buyers won’t want any more power.
The 2011 Hyundai Sonata continues to offer value in the midsize class, but now it’s better-looking, more fuel-efficient and more fun to drive than ever before. With its roomy interior, the 2011 Sonata is worth a look for anyone who wants to carry up to five people in comfort and style.

Posted by hyundai on Aug 20 2010 in Uncategorized

Fall Car Maintenance Tips

For those of us wanting to get out of that brutal summer heat it appears that summer is almost over. With the end of the summer comes fall and whether the first cold snap is weeks or months away it is a great time to take advantage of the milder fall weather by popping the hood and winterizing your car. A task that is critical to fall car care is cooling system maintenance.

A recent survey by the National Car Care Council showed that more than 70 percent of motorists do not winterize their cars in preparation for the colder months ahead. These Fall Car Care tips should help for a healthy and happy car going in to our northeast winters.

  1. Flush and fill your cooling system.

Performing a routine flush and fill is quick and easy, and it’s cheap insurance against engine failure. The National Car Care Council recommends doing this every two years or 24,000 miles for most vehicles.

  1. Replace your radiator hoses and hose clamps.

Replace any hoses that have brittle, spongy, or bulging areas. If the hoses are more than four years old, replace them regardless of their condition. As the corrosion inhibitors in your antifreeze break down, the radiator hoses begin to deteriorate from the inside out.

  1. Replace your thermostat.

The thermostat controls coolant flow through the engine. If it fails, the engine will overheat. In most cars, the thermostat is in line with the upper radiator hose or at the inlet to the water pump. Play it safe and replace the thermostat when you change the radiator hoses.

  1. Replace your radiator cap.

A radiator cap does more than merely prevent antifreeze from sloshing out of your radiator. A properly functioning radiator cap also raises the cooling system pressure and increases the boiling point of the antifreeze/water mixture by about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This gives your engine added protection against boil overs. Like the other cooling system components, radiator caps don’t last forever. Replace yours every time you flush and fill your cooling system. Pressure recommendations vary, so be sure to get the right cap for your vehicle.

For more information, stop by your local AutoFair Hyundai, or visit www.AutoFair Hyundai.com. At AutoFair Hyundai.com you can check your car’s cooling system capacity and required coolant, learn more about seasonal maintenance recommendations, and even look up parts and place them on hold at your local AutoFair Hyundai store.

Posted by hyundai on Aug 13 2010 in Uncategorized

New Technology for Better Driving Vision

Limited visibility, from weather, darkness, and obstructed views has always been one of the biggest challenges for drivers … and automakers. Car companies have addressed this issue in various ways over the years — with brighter headlights, reduced blind spots and a variety of other technologies to enhance visibility. Some of their current offerings might seem like science fiction, but many automotive manufacturers are selling or developing systems to make driving a safer process.

Nighttime driving has always presented unique challenges for motorists. While headlights have evolved over the past century to increase their brightness and range, the basic halogen bulb has some limitations. In one technology in development the system boosts light output as vehicle speed increases. It can also adjust the left-to-right lighting balance to compensate for weather conditions, and even allows certain elements to swivel, keeping a uniform pattern and visibility range.

Other car companies are exploring alternatives to traditional bulbs. Several years ago, manufacturers turned to high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights to increase the brightness and range of our headlights. HIDs use heated Xenon to create a light that is two or three times as bright as traditional Tungsten or Halogen sealed-beam headlamps. Because they give off a whiter light, they can illuminate road signs and other objects better than traditional bulbs, but there are trade-offs. Their high cost has limited their use to high-end vehicles for the most part, their pattern is typically very sharp, giving little illumination outside that pattern, and they create more glare for oncoming drivers.

Another avenue being explored by automotive companies comes in the form of the camera. By using external cameras and other sensors positioned around the vehicle, automakers have made it possible to see what is behind you, in your blind spots or out in front of you. Back-up cams have become fairly commonplace, allowing motorists to spot obstacles or people directly behind their vehicle that might otherwise be hard to see behind blindspots or below the rear windows.

Side-view cameras are a fairly new feature available on some upscale vehicles. They are usually mounted on the sideview mirrors and allow easier parking, but can also be used for advanced systems that help spot vehicles in your blindspots. These side sensors have also been used for lane departure warning systems that can monitor lane lines and alert a driver when he or she inadvertently crosses those lines.

Another use for external cameras and sensors is forward vision enhancement. While some bumper mounted systems currently in use are limited to parking assistance, front prism cameras have also been used to detect cross-traffic at blind intersections.

Posted by hyundai on Aug 6 2010 in Driving Tips