I can't help but think that what Honda and Toyota took 50 years to achieve, Hyundai is trying to accomplish in a short amount of time, alot of this seems rushed, only time will tell. Their cars are sure looking nicer, I'll give them that, and only time will really tell if they are on the right track. Competition's healthy though.
Hyundai’s upcoming small sports coupe will pierce the 40 miles-per-gallon barrier, according to Hyundai Motor America president John Krafcik.
In an interview at Los Angeles, Krafcik told reporters that with this figure, its coupe will be able to beat the new 2011 Honda CR-Z, which, which despite having a hybrid powertrain, achieves only 36/39 city/highway when equipped with a CVT and 31/37 with a manual gearbox. The Hyundai coupe, which could be named either Veloster or Tiburon, will be able to achieve those figures with a conventional four-cylinder engine, avoiding the additional cost, complexity and weight of a gas-electric system. Krafcik gave assurances that this model will beat the Honda in fuel economy and will also perform better as well as provide added utility, including rear seats and better access. Krafcik explained that since its coupe isn’t powered by a highly expensive hybrid drivetrain, it’s likely to be priced lower. Krafcik told Autoblog that the coupe will appeal to the world’s younger generation and increasingly auto-ambivalent consumers with additional technology. All Velosters are fitted with a large screen on the dashboard as standard equipment to manage connectivity features aside from the more conventional vehicle functions.
Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/2012-hyundai-veloster-expected-to-breach-the-40-mpg-barrier/