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2011 HYUNDAI SONATA NAMED “BEST CAR TO BUY”
TheCarConnection Ranks Hyundai Sonata as Number One Vehicle Under $50,000
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 16, 2010 – TheCarConnection, the easy-to-use car shopping site that reviews cars and the best of the Web, today named the 2011 Hyundai Sonata its “Best Car to Buy 2011”. Announced at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2011 Sonata topped TheCarConnection’s numeric ratings among all vehicles with a base price of less than $50,000, including destination. In earning this distinction, the Sonata beat out luxury competitors including the Acura TSX, the Infiniti M37 and the BMW 5-Series, among others.
TheCarConnection’s “Best Car to Buy Award” was chosen from a field of 40 nominees. The winner came from reviews written by the site’s editors, who road-test nearly every new vehicle introduced each year. Editors rated each new vehicle for performance, styling, utility, features, safety, and assigned a green score, then incorporated opinions from the around the Web in each review. The result is a unique, one-stop car rating and review that makes car shopping easier for consumers.
“The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is a stellar value in all its forms - standard, turbocharged, and hybrid,” said Marty Padgett, editorial director of High Gear Media. “The Sonata changes the midsize sedan game. Exceptional safety, fuel economy and standard features make it a must-drive for any new-car shopper.”
The all-new 2011 Sonata represents a modern approach to the traditional midsize sedan segment by using only advanced four-cylinder engines, emotional design and luxury features offered with Hyundai’s strong value proposition. The Sonata features a new Theta II 2.4-liter Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine and an in-house six-speed automatic transmission, delivering class-leading fuel economy of 22 mpg city/35 mpg highway and 198 horsepower standard. The all-new Sonata raises the bar when it comes to features and technology offered within the midsize car segment. In addition to standard XM Satellite® radio, the Sonata boasts segment-first standard Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, available HD Radio Technology™ with multicasting (allowing the broadcast of alternative side-band content on HD stations) and heated front and rear seats. The Sonata is also the first vehicle in its segment with advanced touchscreen navigation available on all trim levels.
Hyundai also offers consumers turbo and hybrid versions of Sonata. The turbocharged 2011 Sonata 2.0T produces an unprecedented combination of segment-leading fuel efficiency and power – with an estimated 33 mpg highway rating and 274 horsepower. The Sonata Hybrid features Hyundai’s breakthrough Direct Hybrid Blue Drive architecture using lithium-ion battery technology and is projected to deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of 40 mpg, while also offering outstanding city fuel economy of 36 mpg.
HIGH GEAR MEDIA
High Gear Media is a vertical publishing company, publishing more premium automotive content than anyone in the world through websites targeting key buyers and vehicle segments. High Gear Media’s owned and operated network of premium automotive destinations have over three million visitors monthly and include its anchor site, TheCarConnection.com, its luxury site, MotorAuthority.com, green and electric car sites, GreenCarReports.com and AllCarsElectric.com, its family site FamilyCarGuide.com and its social media site SocialCarNews.com. High Gear Media’s editorial staff and over 250 contributors have written at publications such as Car and Driver, AOL Autos, AutoWeek, Automobile Magazine, and Wired. The company’s content is syndicated to partners including Yahoo! Autos, Huffington Post, NASCAR.com, Discovery News, SpeedTV and The San Francisco Chronicle. Independent automotive writers and people who are passionate about cars are invited to contribute content by visiting HighGearMedia.com. High Gear Media is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. and received its funding from Accel Partners, Greylock Partners and DAG Ventures.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through about 800 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.
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