Most Read Reviews.

Sometimes we cannot help but boast.

This past week at Cars.com 2011 Hyundai Elantra and 2011 Hyundai Sonata were the top 2 car reviews read at kickingtires.com. Congratulations, I guess while we see sales in other countries succeed, we watch the market in the US rise as well. Sales are up for February 2011 109.5%

In seeing the most read reviews of the week, I thought it only polite to let you know the most read blogs on our site. Our Archives are growing to be rather extensive and instead of making you fish through all of them to find your biggest interest, I have thought it only fair to post them here.

1. Big Words: Simplified. A review of the Sonata from Car and Driver Magazine making 2011 Hyundai Sonata one of the 10 best cars for 2011. Congratulations!

2. Asterisk abuse. Not your momma's commuter car. Reveal of the 2011 Elantra promising 40 MPG on the highway. And lots and lots of leg room, so says your 6 foot tall blogger.

3. Super Bowl Ad Recap. No need to explain this one. Watch all of the ads (even the ones they didn't post here!), pick your favorite and vote!

Hyundai Global Reviews.

Sadly in Europe, probably there is no Super Bowl for us to sponsor, Hyundai isn't known half as much as other carmakers. Until recently. It's sales in Europe have grown faster than any other market. According to Colleen Barry of ABC News, "Volkswagen's Chairman, whose goal is to make the German Automaker the biggest in the world, says Hyundai is the one company that could foil his ambitions."

Hyundai is unconcerned with size and growth and being the biggest (although, eventually we will arrive) but currently they are focused on broadening appeal, growing in recognition and selling bigger cars at improved margins.

The picture above is from Motortrend.com's Angus Mackenzie and Ron Kiino's trip in a Hyundai Genesis Across Europe. They take this luxury sedan, with a photographer, from Paris to Istanbul stopping in Champagne caves, the Led Zepplin Museum, you know, normal places you'd want to stop. The article is interesting and I can say, I would definitely sign up for that project. Happy reading.

Hyundai building a new home in Brazil.

In new and recent news Hyundai is building factories in Brazil! Let's all go down for Carnivale and marvel at the Hyundai's tooling around town. For you environmentalists out there, don't worry, they are not planning to tear down any of the rainforest to build the new plant. The picture is just for show. Their ultimate goal is squeezing out Ford which currently has 10 % of the Brazilian Market. Hyundai has 3.

According to Jesse Toprak, VP at Truecar.com, "Eighty percent of all growth in global new vehicle sales in the next five years will occur outside of the North American Market." Wow, looks like we better "plant" ourselves abroad.

Now, for the first few years Hyundai will most likely spend lots of money building up the Brazilian market and lose lots. But in the end they will prevail...I mean, look what they did in the U.S.! "Hyundai has a track record of stealthy giant killing," says Matthew DeBord author at CBS Business Network, BNET.

"So, memo to Ford: you don’t want to be number four in a market where that makes you the most obvious target, and one gunning for your spot is the Korean carmaker that could."

From "Blue Link" to "Green Routing." My, we are colorful.

Who doesn't want to be green? We get organic fruits & veggies, we buy Hybrid cars, we try to lower our carbon footprint, we ride bicycles, open our windows instead of using the A/C. We're trying!

Well, here's a cool way to go green. Hyundai is partnering with NAVTEQ (personal interest because my brother works for Navteq) to create "Green Routing." Hyundai itself, developed a new software working with NAVTEQ's digital map data. NAVTEQ has gotten so good they can predict unusual traffic jams. This analytical data will pick a route for you resulting in the greatest fuel efficiency.

Hyundai says, "we are looking to exploit any opportunity which encourages responsible driving and lowers CO2 emissions." Well, aren't we all?

NAVTEQ's tests of "fastest" and "greenest" routes showed an average 6 % fuel savings in urban cities such as Paris, Frankfurt, Chicago (where my family lives) and New York City. Often people are saving more than this average 6%. Not only do they offer fast and green routes but your NAVTEQ Green Routing will show you the suggested speed and gear for your terrain to save on fuel consumption.

What will you do with all of your extra money?? Buy more organic food.

Here are some other websites I found on this new effort to be green...

• Greendrivingusa.com


• Top Ten Green Driving Tips


• Greenercars.com


• Even the EPA chipped in!


• Greendrivingtips.com

Ever Heard of Blue Link?

This might get wordy. See for yourself what the Blue Link is all about, it is definitely worth saving your pennies for. Please notice in honor of Hyundai's Blue link, I made a blue link to click on. I couldn't help myself.

What is it?

You've heard of OnStar, right? the system that will call if you get into an accident or start your car if you lost your keys, etc. etc. Well, this is OnStar on Steroids. Eat your heart out, GM.

Not only does Blue Link know where you are, where you are going, every shortcut and points of interest in the area but it can also tell you

• gas stations in the area and their prices


• restaurants and reviews from past customers


• mechanical problems with your car AND make an appointment to fix them


• call for help if you are in an accident

We are taking "smart cars" to a whole new level and with more seating. This system is amazing.

What else does it do?

• Automated Crash Notification


• SOS Emergency Assistance - not only dispatching appropriate assistance but also notifying friends and family.


• Stolen Vehicle Recovery - finds your stolen vehicle fast using a GPS and may even lower your insurance premiums


• Remote Lock, Unlock and Vehicle Start via mobile app, phone call or website


• Voice to Text


• Monthly Vehicle Reports - issues, mileage, upcoming maintenance all to your email once a month - HANDY!


• Point-of-Interest Web Search - upload from internet to owner website and it'll be waiting in your car when you buckle up.


• Turn-by-Turn Navigation System - fastest, shortest, least traffic, best mileage, avoid highways or toll roads.


• Eco Coach - tracks miles and CO2 emissions and give advice on efficient driving.

All of these systems are linked to an "owner website" where you are log in to upload anything right to your car's Blue Link System. You can log on anytime from work and upload directions to dinner for tonight, lock your car, and even get safe driving advice. This is the car of the future.

When will it come out?

Expect Blue Link's System to be in 2012 Hyundai Sonatas and 2012 Hyundai Velosters. The Hyundai Veloster has an expected release this summer. So maybe over spring break you can do a quick lemonade stand for some extra cash to get this amazing system!

Last but not least..

Choose from 3 Packages

1. Assurance - basic OnStar-esque system, but amplified. Crash notification, SOS, monthly email vehicle reports, and enhanced roadside assistance.


2. Essentials - this package is more than the essentials it even goes as far to provide a curfew alert for your "I promise I'll be home by 11" teenager, car lock and unlock, and stolen vehicle recovery.


3. Guidance - this takes essentials to the next level - this package even goes as far as giving you restaurant reviews and advice. Traffic reports and an Eco Coach. Your car becomes your friend.

High-End Hyundai Notes. New articles to read.

Read this de-lightful review of the Hyundai Elantra from USA Today.

If you watched the Oscars, you know that Hyundai worked their commercials. As one of the major contributors they showed a total of 9 commercials. Watch their newest here.



Also, if you're like me, you typed in "newthinking.hyundai.com" right away - no worries, here is your link! Happy hunting, I suggest choosing English to get into the site. Quite possibly the coolest website I've seen in a while.

Hyundai Genesis and the Hyundai Sonata are named "Best Bet" of 2011. “BEST BETS” vehicles are rated in nine key Car Book categories: crash tests, safety features, rollover, preventative maintenance, repair costs, warranty, fuel economy, complaints, and insurance, with the heaviest emphasis on safety. Having 2 cars in this category is a huge vote of confidence for Hyundai Drivers out there!

And Hyundai Wins the Popular Vote.

In this article from the Wall Street Journal, author Dan Neil takes a close look at the new Hyundai Elantra and compares it to the Ford Focus and comments, "the Hyundai Elantra is a bullet, and that bullet just whistled past Ford's head. Or maybe grazed its skull. Hyundai's freshly redesigned compact sedan—handsome, roomy, richly detailed and stacked to the rafters with standard and optional amenities." hmmm, we can't say no to reading this article.

"One superlative the Elantra owns outright: It's the better-looking car. Styled at Hyundai's Southern California design studio, the car manages to wear Hyundai's so-called fluidic styling without looking like it's retaining water." We know, we can't help it, we just create more attractive cars. Somehow the Elantra steals the show everytime.