Hyundai Re:Generation Music Project

Five DJs turn the tables on the history of music. Follow DJ Premier, Mark Ronson, Skrillex, Pretty Lights and The Crystal Method as they remix, recreate and re-imagine five traditional styles of music. From the classical perfection of the Berklee Symphony Orchestra to the bayou jams of New Orleans jazz, our five distinctive DJs collaborate with some of today’s biggest musicians to discover how our musical past is influencing the future.

We've Moved!!

Exciting stuff!! Come check out Hyundai's new location -3600 Zero Street in Fort Smith!! It still has that new car smell!

AMC's "The Walking Dead" featuring the Hyundai Tucson

When we first heard that the 2012 Hyundai Tucson was going to be featured in The Walking Dead, our curiosity was piqued to say the least. It's very hard to pull off product placement in a show, and often times if comes off being cheesy and off putting rather than interesting.

Luckily, the people at Hyundai shared the same concerns, and quite a bit of thought actually went into the vehicle's placement. Rather than having the show's characters spout off lines about how reliable Hyundai is or how they command some of the strongest brand loyalty in the industry today (both of which are true, but wouldn't fit in the show's context), the Tucson was featured alongside a long-abandoned Georgia Highway amongst countless other vacant vehicles.

Now we know what you're thinking... This isn't the most flattering way to showcase the Tucson. But we assure you, Hyundai Chief Marketing Officer, Steve Shannon and the show's producers found a way to make it so!

In the scene that features the Hyundai crossover, the group of survivors are searching for supplies in various cars, when one survivor, Shane finds the Tucson. Upon searching the vehicle, Shane finds that the vehicle's keys still in the ignition. He takes a shot at starting the vehicle up, and low and behold, it works perfectly. The radio even starts transmitting a signal from the Emergency Broadcast System; a clue, perhaps, to a future plot point.

Of course, there's one aspect that Shannon was still uncomfortable with, which is the fact that the Tucson was featured with a thick coat of dust, dirt, and grime on it. But, the vehicle was required to be in such condition to maintain a sense of realism within the show's universe. After all, it had been abandoned on the side of the road for months, so it would make no sense for it to be clean, polished and in pristine condition.

Car of the Year: 2012 Hyundai Elantra

In a contest where any of the three finalists could seemingly have won, the Hyundai Elantra has officially been crowned the 2012 North American Car of the Year. The Elantra beat-out the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Passat for the honor, which was announced today in Detroit at the start of the North American International Auto Show.

The Elantra has been praised for its impressive design, high-grade interior and, perhaps most importantly, the fact that it gets 40-mpg standard – regardless of the transmission choice and without having to purchase an expensive high fuel-efficiency model.

The North American Car of the Year selection process is decided by a panel comprising 50 accredited automotive journalists from the US and Canada.

From the Owner

"Thanks for making 'The Greatest Used Car Sale on Earth' a huge success!!"

Rules of the Road

On May 26th, 2011 the GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test results were released to the public, and showed that 1 in 5 drivers on the road today cannot pass the written exam to receive a driver’s license.

The test is available for anyone to take at www.nationaldrivertest.com, and after taking the test I found a few inconsistencies based upon state differences. Truth be told I only scored a 75%. When I first started driving I took the written exam in Missouri, and some of the answers I provided on the test were correct for that state. For example a question was asked about “what does it mean when there is a solid yellow line on your side of the vehicle?” The answer according to GMAC is no passing allowed or do not pass. The problem I have is that most areas in Missouri use white lines instead of yellow. Therefore, I was penalized for a regional difference. I encourage you to take the test for yourself, but remember that the results may be a little skewed because of regional differences

GMAC Insurance has also provided 5 of the top driving mistakes that cause crashes.
1. Multi-tasking While Driving
a. I will admit fault on this one because I am guilty of talking on the phone while driving. However, we should all do what we can to limit distractions and focus on the road.
2. Following Too Closely
a. A good rule of thumb is one car length for every ten miles per hour, therefore sixty mph should put you six car lengths behind a vehicle. GMAC advises to give at least a two second cushion between the vehicles.
3. Failure to Yield on a Left-Hand Turn
a. Look at where you are turning to make sure you aren’t turning into another vehicle or pedestrian. Also on a personal note ALWAYS use your blinker when turning or merging.
4. Incorrect Merging
a. Yellow is for yield, and drivers who interpret yield as stop can cause accidents. Use ramps for merging into traffic correctly.
5. Backing Up
a. Take the time to look before you back up. We have mirrors on all of our vehicles, let’s actually use them.


What do you think of their survey? Can you come up with some driving mistakes that cause crashes? Tell us what you think by responding on our blog.

Give us a break!

Why is it that hard working Americans are being asked to pay over $4.00 a gallon for gasoline? Fortune magazine recently released its 2011 list of Fortune 500 companies, and, unsurprisingly, three of the top four companies are from the oil industry: Exxon Mobile, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips. In the first quarter of 2011, Exxon Mobil reported nearly $11 billion of profits, and their competitors also saw a huge increase in earnings. With no end in sight of lower gas prices, wouldn’t you want to lower how much gas you use?

Hyundai is doing everything it can to help ease the pain of customers when going to the pump. Customer pleas for improved fuel economy have been heard, and many if not all of the vehicles in the 2011 Hyundai lineup have received an increase of Miles Per Gallon (MPG). Some of the best examples are the Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, and the upcoming 2012 Accent. As hybrid technology has advanced over the years, it has finally reached a level to meet the standards in place at Hyundai. Hybrid efficiency and ground breaking performance come together in the 2011 Sonata Hybrid to provide 35 MPG in the city and 40 MPG on the highway.

Considered to be a safe and stylish compact car, the 2011 Elantra is a force to be reckoned with among automotive sales. Starting well under $16,000, the 1.8L 4 cylinder engine puts out a solid 29 MPG city and 40 MPG highway. The Elantra has become one of the most popular cars in the compact segment with its stylish design and fuel efficiency, making it a sensible investment.

The 2012 Accent features an economically resourceful 4-cylinder engine that puts out a best-in-class standard fuel efficiency and horsepower. As an added value, the engineers included the Active Eco System, which according to Hyundai, “All Accent 4-door models with automatic transmission have an Active Eco System that modifies engine and transmission control for improved fuel economy. In fact, based on internal tests this system provides a 7% improvement in real-world fuel economy over vehicles without this feature.”

How do you feel about the price of gasoline, and the response from Auto Manufacturers? Tell us your thoughts in our comments section.