Capitol Hyundai Columbia

Genesis, Accent and Tucson Earn High Marks for Affordability, Safety and Fuel Efficiency in the NADAguides.com Annual List of “Best Car Buys”

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 13, 2009 – Three Hyundai models were named “Best Car Buys” for 2009 by NADAguides.com in four respective categories – Hyundai Genesis, Top Luxury Cars (under $35,000); Hyundai Accent, Top Sub-Compacts (under $15,000); and Hyundai Tucson, Top Crossovers (under $21,000). The NADAguides.com “Best Buys” list is one of the most highly respected awards provided to automakers.
“With the struggling economy, car buyers are facing tougher decisions when considering their next vehicle purchase. The NADAguides.com annual ‘Best Buys’ list provides consumers with unbiased and research-driven information,” said Michael Caudill, spokesperson, NADAguides.com. “Hyundai is making the car buying process easier than ever by offering the biggest bang for the buck in a variety of segments, whether it be the fuel efficient Accent, Genesis luxury sedan or functional Tucson crossover.”
NADAguides.com is the leading provider of pricing information and market research for cars, classics, RVs, motorcycles and boats.
The “Best Car Buys” list is based on criteria identified by NADAguides.com Market Data Analysts (MDAs) as most important to consumers – affordability, fuel efficiency, warranty coverage, safety and depreciation.
“We are honored to be recognized as the auto industry’s most affordably priced, fuel efficient and highest safety rated vehicles in
the business,” said Dave Zuchowski, vice president, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. “This award is a true testament of
Hyundai’s commitment to provide consumers with high-quality vehicles that suit their needs and budget, especially in today’s
turbulent economy.”

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Awards Announced Today at Washington DC Auto Show

Chicago—February 2, 2009—The cars have been driven, votes have been tallied and the Cars.com editors have spoken: The Hyundai Genesis outshines all other new and redesigned models in 2009 and has been named the Cars.com New Car of the Year.

To choose the Cars.com New Car of the Year, the site's expert reviewers drove and tested all the newly introduced and redesigned models for 2009. From that pool of about 60 cars, they chose their favorites based on features, driving quality, mileage and overall value.

"The 2009 Hyundai Genesis rivals the feeling of extravagance found in many full-size luxury vehicles," said Patrick Olsen, editor in chief at Cars.com. "Our editors chose the Genesis for Cars.com's 2009 New Car of the Year because we drove it--pondered the window sticker again--and our collective reaction was, 'Wow.'"

In addition to great features, Hyundai's generous warranties, numerous standard features, good reliability and reasonable price made the Genesis a clear winner for Cars.com's editors. Other notable features include a quiet and luxurious cabin, V-6 and V-8 engines that are more powerful and efficient than many in competing models, and a smooth, responsive six-speed automatic transmission.

Nominees for the 2009 Cars.com New Car of the Year included:

2009 Audi A4: The cabin and trunk boast unbelievably roomy dimensions, and the dashboard materials are of Audi's typical high quality. The optional Bang & Olufsen stereo cranks out nothing short of aural nirvana, while conveniences like a height-adjustable center armrest and one of the best folding-backseat executions in any sedan will have owners smiling for years.

2009 Honda Fit: The comfortable seats and high-rent gauges are a far cry from the interiors offered in other $15,000 cars. Direct steering and a well-mannered suspension make the car a hoot to drive, even if it's just on a grocery run.

2009 Mazda6: Its sporty exterior styling is a refreshing break from the ho-hum designs that rule this segment. The bar is set high in the family sedan segment, but the new Mazda6 matches its competition on many fronts, and in some cases exceeds it. Maybe it's time to look at that bar again.

2009 Nissan Murano: Nissan's redesigned Murano is both fun to drive and completely utilitarian. While it may sound like a no-brainer for an SUV -- even a car-based crossover like the Murano -- to offer a lot of the "U" in SUV, there are fewer and fewer this size that we'd recommend so heartily. If we had to buy one vehicle in this segment, this would be it. Most importantly, the Murano still holds the promise that the once-popular SUV segment offered as a true sedan alternative.

2009 Subaru Forester: The Forester has long succeeded by straddling the divide between wagon and SUV, and by providing good reliability and crash-test ratings. Devotees might bemoan the changes, but there's no denying the overall quality of the larger, redesigned 2009 model. Most notable, though, is that noise levels, refinement and quality are on par with the class leaders.
About Cars.com

Cars.com is the leading destination for online car shoppers, offering credible, easy-to-understand information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. With comprehensive pricing information, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and a large selection of new- and used-car inventory, Cars.com puts millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make confident buying decisions.

Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo (NYSE: BLC), Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).



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2008 Hyundai Veracruz Recognized by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com for Being Safe, Roomy and Affordable

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – February 5, 2008 – Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com), the leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information, named the 2008 Hyundai Veracruz to its first list of "Best New Family Vehicles."

From a long list of vehicles, the expert editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com selected this year’s 10 Best New Family Vehicles by evaluating each on factors such as safety, interior space, price, resale value, fuel efficiency, capability and, importantly, kid-friendliness.

"If you're intrigued by the idea of treating your family to premium accommodations at mass-market prices, you'll want to check out the seven-passenger Veracruz mid-size crossover," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst, Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.  "The quiet, comfortable, well-appointed Veracruz starts just under $28,000, offers a long list of desirable options and is backed by a reassuringly comprehensive warranty that includes 100,000-mile powertrain coverage and five-year, 24-hour roadside assistance."

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Kelley Blue Book’s www.kbb.com recognized the 2008 Hyundai Tucson as a "Top 10 New Back-to-School Car" and the 2006 Hyundai Elantra as a "Top 10 Used Back-to-School Car.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., September 3, 2008 – Kelley Blue Book’s www.kbb.com recognized the 2008 Hyundai Tucson as a "Top 10 New Back-to-School Car" and the 2006 Hyundai Elantra as a "Top 10 Used Back-to-School Car." The "Top 10" lists are designed to help students and parents decide which vehicles are best to consider for their next automotive purchase by offering expert advice from www.kbb.com editors and top recommendations for getting to and from class in an economical and reliable new or used car.

"There are so many options these days, in both the new- and used-car realm, for safe, fun and affordable back-to-school rides," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst, Kelley Blue Book and www.kbb.com. "Hyundai offers vehicles that are better built and better equipped than ever before, and more importantly, they include potentially life-saving standard safety features at prices that parents and students will find difficult to beat."

The 2008 Tucson boasts safety and convenience with standard safety features like active front head restraints, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and six airbags. It also offers new entertainment upgrades to better fit a student’s lifestyle, such as standard XM Satellite Radio® and an auxiliary audio input allowing drivers to listen to music from their iPod® or mp3 player.

The affordable 2006 Elantra earns high marks with a comprehensive list of standard and available safety features, earning five stars in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Good" score in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) crash testing. With more interior volume than key competitors Civic and Corolla, the Elantra provides comfortable and versatile seating for all.

All of the new cars on this year's Back-to-School lists from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com feature starting New Car Blue Book Values of less than $18,000, while all used cars have a Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Value of less than $12,000.

"We’re very honored to have our vehicles recognized by kbb.com as a smart option parents should consider for their children," said Tim Benner, national manager, Product Development, Hyundai Motor America. "The Tucson and Elantra come equipped with robust standard safety packages, expansive interiors and fuel-efficient engines – all at an affordable price.  The Elantra and Tucson exemplify the quality and value that parents are looking for when they are shopping for the household fleet."

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded five-star crash test ratings, the highest government rankings under the agency’s New Car Assessment Program, to the all-new 2009 Hyundai Genesis for both frontal and side-impact crash tests...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Aug. 27, 2008 – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded five-star crash test ratings, the highest government rankings under the agency’s New Car Assessment Program, to the all-new 2009 Hyundai Genesis for both frontal and side-impact crash tests.

"Genesis was engineered with a lightweight but strong body shell, featuring ultra-high tensile steel, laser welding, and advanced adhesive bonding," said John Krafcik, vice president of Strategic Planning and Product Development, Hyundai Motor America. "Add eight airbags and electronic active head restraints and you can see the focus we placed on designing Genesis for occupant safety. These five-star results are just one indication of the dedication Hyundai engineers place on safety."

Maintaining Hyundai's emphasis on delivering leading safety technology, Genesis boasts world-class active and passive safety features that both prevent accidents and maximize the well-being of its occupants in the event of a collision. The Genesis continues the Hyundai tradition of standardizing key life-saving safety technology, with features such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC), eight airbags and electronic active head restraints.

ESC compares the driver’s intended course with the vehicle’s actual response. It then brakes individual front or rear wheels and/or reduces engine power as needed in certain driving circumstances to help correct understeer or oversteer.

Genesis' eight airbags include advanced dual front airbags, front and rear seat-mounted side-impact airbags, and roof-mounted side curtain airbags for both front and rear outboard seat occupants.

Hyundai is the first popular brand to offer electronic active front head restraints, a standard feature on the 2009 Genesis, which are an improvement over mechanically-based active head restraint systems. Until now, electronic active head restraints could only be found on select Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus models. Active front head restraints have been proven by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to help prevent whiplash.

Genesis is brought to a halt by large four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD). The V6 models feature 12.6-inch front rotors with single-piston floating calipers, while the V8 models feature 13-inch front rotors with four-piston calipers. All models are equipped with 12.4-inch rear rotors.

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The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recognized the 2008 Hyundai Sonata on its “Greener Choices 2008” list...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – February 22, 2008 – The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recognized the 2008 Hyundai Sonata on its “Greener Choices 2008” list that features widely available gasoline-powered cars and light trucks with automatic transmissions.  The Sonata will be listed in the ACEEE’s Green Book® Online, an annual consumers’ guide to environmentally-friendly cars and trucks.

“The award for our clean, fuel-efficient Sonata recognizes Hyundai’s commitment to the environment,” said John Krafcik, vice president of Strategic Planning and Product Development, Hyundai Motor America.  “Like industry leading quality and safety, environmental sensitivity is another element of the value equation that makes Hyundai such a smart choice for consumers.”

The “Greener Choices 2008” list is based on automakers' test results for fuel economy and emissions as reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board, and other specifications reported by automakers.

The 2008 Hyundai Sonata four cylinder model achieved a green score of 39 out of 100 and is certified as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV), delivering up to 30 mpg (automatic transmission/highway).  The fuel-efficient 2.4-liter DOHC inline-four cylinder engine features four valves per cylinder with Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT), giving the engine a very broad powerband, coupled with high fuel efficiency and low emissions.

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The Veracruz was awarded the "Top 3-Row SUV or Crossover" vehicle in a special presentation...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – February 13, 2008 – Motherproof.com, a site dedicated to providing women and mothers with useful and entertaining new car reviews, recognized the 2008 Hyundai Veracruz as a top new vehicle choice for families at the 2008 Mother Proof Awards.

The annual Mother Proof Awards selects the year’s best new vehicles for families across a broad range of categories. The Veracruz was awarded the "Top 3-Row SUV or Crossover" vehicle in a special presentation by Kristen Varela, Mother Proof’s editor and "chief mother," during Women’s Day at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show.

"The Hyundai Veracruz has proven itself as a great family vehicle," said Scott Margason, national manager of product planning, Hyundai Motor America. "It combines everything families are looking for in a Crossover Utility Vehicle – safety, quality, luxury and affordability -- in a sophisticated, stylish package."

The Veracruz was selected by Motherproof.com’s team of mom-reviewers based upon criteria recognized in Mother Proof reviews – ease of entrance and exit for all passengers,

LATCH connector usability, ease of seatbelt use for kids in boosters, as well as other relevant family friendly features.

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