Hyundai IX35 2015 News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of safety recalls, with models from Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota and Ford affected.

This weekend is shaping as a good one to buy a new car, as three of the four top-selling brands hold sales events.

With some well-known models in run-out and others protecting their turf against new arrivals, there are some good factory deals to be had this week.

The latest sales figures show we are now buying almost as many SUVs as we are buying regular cars.In the first three months of this year, SUVs of all shapes and sizes represented a staggering 42 per cent of all passenger cars sold (95,000 of 224,000), according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.Sales of SUVs have almost doubled in the past 10 years, from 173,000 in 2004 to 352,000 last year.The industry believes the SUV boom will continue until at least 2020, where they may even overtake passenger cars.It costs little more to get into an SUV these days than it does to buy a hatchbackThe new generation of city-sized SUVs, or "faux-wheel-drives", are essentially a high-riding hatchback — and most lack a proper all-wheel-drive system or sufficient ground clearance to climb a street gutter."Buyers love the tall driving position, and the flexibility of a wagon without looking like they're driving a wagon," says Richard Johns of Australian Automotive Intelligence.Mr Johns said price was also a factor in the popularity of SUVs."It costs little more to get into an SUV these days than it does to buy a hatchback," he said."The most popular SUV models also cost less than the typical $35,000 starting for the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon."Love them or hate them, sales of SUVs are driving the record growth in the new-car market.Last month, an Australian record for car sales in March, SUV deliveries were up by 15 per cent in a market that was up by 8 per cent.Honda sold more HR-Vs than Civic hatchbacks, Hyundai sold more ix35s than it did of its Accent small car, the Mitsubishi ASX outsold the Lancer, Toyota sold more RAV4s than it did Toyota Yaris hatchbacks and Nissan sold twice as many X-Trails as it did Pulsar sedans and hatches.And the pint-sized Mazda CX-3 outsold the Ford Falcon in March, even though the just-released Mazda had only been on sale for the last eight days of the month.The SUV specialist brands are cashing in. Jeep sales were up 15 per cent and Land Rover up 19 per cent last month.The SUV phenomenon has also hit the top end of town.SUVs now account for more than half of the sales for Toyota's luxury division Lexus, and its oddly-styled NX SUV was the brand's biggest selling model in March.The Porsche Cayenne and Macan SUVs each outsell the 911 sports car by more than four to one.BMW this week released a $200,000 high performance version of its 2.2 tonne BMW X5 that can outrun a Porsche 911.Even Rolls-Royce has joined the fray, planning to release an SUV within the next three years, although it refuses to use the term "SUV", preferring instead to call it a "high riding vehicle".Clearly some people still look down on SUVs.

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

The ix35 gets a complete overhaul for the first time since its introduction in 2010, but the basic layout looks much the same on the 2015 version.It will also become the new Sportage when Kia drops its own body on the package.This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover 

Hyundai has recalled its popular ix35 for a production defect on the tensioning cable in the seatbelt pretensioner, with insecure crimping meaning the cable could be unleashed and injure occupants or fail to offer full seatbelt restraint in an accident.The recall affects 6552 of the top-selling small Hyundai SUV, which last year led its segment with 19,098 sales -- overtaking the 2012 leader Nissan Dualis with a resounding distance to its 12,434.  The build dates affected by the recall from August 23, 2011 to 24 February, 2012, and the VIN number range is  KMHJT81BLCU373966 to KMHJU81VSCU485865. The VIN number can be found on the build plate in the engine bay.Hyundai says the defect has not been responsible for any injuries in Australia, and that the seatbelts will still continue to operate and protect occupants in the meantime. "There have been no incidents here yet," Hyundai spokesman Guido Schenken told Carsguide. "The defect only affects the pretensioner, so the rest of the seatbelt mechanism works fine. The fix will take about 30 minutes at the most."Hyundai is notifying affected owners by letter, instructing them to return their ix35 to the nearest dealership, where the seatbelt pretensioner will be replaced.  

Hyundai has released Trophy versions of the i30, ix35 and Elantra with a package of additional features worth around $2000, plus special driveaway deals, with prices rising between $400 and $1800 over the non-driveaway list figures for the Active spec versions the upgraded vehicles are based on. The i30 Trophy gets leather-trimmed seats, five-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels and electric folding side mirrors, with the prices rising from $400 to $1500 over the equivalent Active variant. The Elantra sedan Trophy scores the wheels and leather trim plus a premium steering wheel and gear-knob, with prices up $900 to $1200 on the Active versions. The 2WD ix35 Trophy with manual transmission misses out on the goodies package, but the automatic version gets the folding mirrors, leather trim, premium steering wheel and gear knob, but larger  triple-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, front foglamps, automatic dusk-sensing headlights, chilled glove box and an electrochromatic rearview mirror with integrated reversing camera for an extra $1800 over the Active.   PRICING     This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

Hyundai's ix35 tops the small SUV sales charts, and the Korean carmaker is keen to keep it ahead of the pack. To that end, it's just been given a mid-life update with revised petrol engines, steering and suspension, and some extra features and cosmetic touches. The 135kW/392Nm 2.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engine continues in the all-wheel drive mid-spec Elite and top-spec Highlander levels with 7.2l/100km fuel economy. But the line-up gets new direct-injected petrol four-cylinders: the 122kW/205Nm 2.0-litre adapted from the i40; and a 136kW/240Nm 2.4-litre. Powering the two-wheel drive versions of the ix35, claimed fuel economy for the 2.0-litre is 8.2L/100km with the six-speed manual (base Active spec only) and 8.4L/100km for the six-speed auto, an improvement of 0.3 and 0.1L. However the all-wheel drive auto-only 2.4-litre has a fuel figure of 9.8L/100km -- a rise of 0.6L. Hyundai says the ix35 has undergone comprehensive local tuning of the suspension and steering to better match them to Australian conditions. Main exterior changes are the revamped headlight clusters, metal-finish roof rails and new 17-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels, while the cabin gets a reclining rear seatback, new cloth upholstery for Active and soft-touch trim for other grades. The drive launch is next week -- check back for our verdict -- however the ix35 Series II is already on sale, with the entry level manual Active two-wheel drive carrying over its $26,990 price tag but increases of $200 to $400 for other spec levels. Hyundai ix35 Series II range Hyundai ix35 Series II 2WD Active 2.0 (man) $26,990 Hyundai ix35 Series II 2WD Active 2.0(auto) $29,190 Hyundai ix35 Series II 2WD Elite 2.0(auto) $33,090 Hyundai ix35 Series II AWD Elite 2.4 (auto) $35,490 Hyundai ix35 Series II AWD Elite CRDi (auto) $38,090 Hyundai ix35 Series II AWD Highlander 2.4 (auto) $38,090 Hyundai ix35 Series II AWD Highlander CRDi (auto) $40,490 Hyundai ix35 Special Edition 2.0 (auto) $30,990 Hyundai ix35 Special Edition CRDi (auto) $35,990 This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

They were handed over during the opening ceremony of Denmark's first hydrogen refuelling station and are the first hydrogen-powered vehicles manufactured on a production line to be introduced in Europe. Hyundai has been a world leader in the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology ever since research into its first fuel cell began in 1998. The ix35 Fuel Cell produces no harmful tailpipe emissions, only water vapour, and so its use will help the city of Copenhagen achieve its aim of becoming carbon-neutral by 2025. “We are potentially looking at getting the fuel cell Hyundai ix35 in Australia, however we have no time frame yet because the vehicle is only produced in left hand drive," Hyundai’s Australia spokesman Guido Schenken says. "The ix35 is the first step in fuel cell vehicles for Hyundai, so production is limited.”  The ix35 Fuel Cell is equipped with a 100kW electric motor, and can reach a maximum speed of 160km/h. Two hydrogen storage tanks, located between the vehicle's rear axle, with a total capacity of 5.64kg, enable the vehicle to travel a total of 594km on a single fuelling. Filling the storage hydrogen tanks to maximum capacity takes just a few minutes. Since 2011, Hyundai has deployed prototypes of its third-generation ix35 Fuel Cell in a wide range of initiatives to raise awareness of hydrogen's benefits as an automotive fuel; to support the drive for establishing a pan-European refuelling infrastructure; and to demonstrate the cars' real-world practicality to public and private organisations.