In North America we have a close cousin to Hyundai’s “i” series (i10 & i30) in the Accent & Elantra. Accent has become a big seller with both the cost conscious and lovers of compact cars. Its size (bot Accent’s and i’s) hearkens back to the much loved (yet short lived) Toyota Echo. i20 will come with Hyundai’s i-blue concept - an all new state of the art 1.4 diesel engine, producing 220Nm of torque and CO2 output of just 99g per km, with a fuel consumption averaging 68mpg. i20 will be ready for sale in Europe in the end of 2008, with no release date scheduled in The Land Down Under.

More is coming up from Hyundai Europe and the “i” market. Engineers are working on a new hybrid petrol-electric drive, combining the current 2.4 liter engine and a 30kW electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries - that will (hopefully) give drivers upwards of 44mpg. Also coming up, a hybrid sport utility vehicle - the ix55. Stay tuned!

In May Hyundai has reported a huge global sales increase of 8.5%. Domestic Hyundai car sales rose 3% while overseas sales increased by 10.1%. These increases have been attributed to new Hyundai products including the luxury Genesis, Sonata and i30. “The situation in global markets is deteriorating, with the economic slowdown in the U.S. and surging oil and commodity prices, but we are confident that we can reach global sales of 3 million units this year through our additional operations in China and India, as well as through our efforts in emerging markets such as Russia and the Middle East,” a Hyundai official said.

“When we first showed the production Genesis earlier this year, we committed to deliver the interior package of flagship European luxury sedans, world-class driving dynamics, and pricing comparable to entry-level premium brand vehicles […] Today, we’re delivering on a key part of that commitment, with a very well-equipped Genesis sedan priced below the most basic Infiniti G35 or BMW 3-Series.”

The Genesis sits on a high performance rear wheel drive architecture. The V-6 Genesis 3.8 is loaded with high performance equipment including 6 speed automatic transmission, electric stability control, 17inch alloy wheels and ABS braking. Inside the 290 hp model drivers will find leather heated front seats, a push button start, dual front automatic HVAC and an iPod/USB/Aux jack. The vehicle’s EPA fuel economy estimate is 18 city / 27 highway, better than many other vehicles in the same class.