March 14, 2008 © HMMA 2007 i n s i g h t s CONSUMER REPORTS NAMES HYUNDAI SANTA FE AND ELANTRA TOP PICKS FOR 2008 First time a South Korean automaker represented in Top Picks onsumer Reports has named four new gories and must meet stringent road test, Cmodels to its Top Picks list for 2008, reliability, and safety requirements . Each including the Hyundai Elantra SE and Top Pick scores at or near the top of its Hyundai Santa Fe as top choices for small category among more than 260 vehicles sedans and midsized SUVs, respectively . CR recently tested at its Auto Test Center; Hyundai’s inclusion in the Top Picks has average or better predicted reliabil- list marks the first time that a South Kore- ity (based on the problems subscribers an automaker is represented . Historically, reported on in CR’s Annual Car Reliability Consumer Reports Top Picks have been Survey of almost .3 million vehicles), and a blend of Japanese, European, and do- performed adequately in overall safety if mestic models, but for the last two years tested by the government or insurance the Top Picks have all been from Japanese industry . manufacturers . Starting this year, they also must pro- Consumer Reports’ Top Picks are the vide a critical safety feature, electronic most well-rounded models in their cate- stability control (ESC), either as stan- dard equipment or as a readily available option . “All the vehicles in Consumer Reports’ Top Picks list are standouts for perfor- mance, versatility, reliability, and safety,” said David Champion, senior director of The 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe is Consumer automotive testing, Consumer Reports . Reports’ midsized SUV Top Pick. “CR’s Top Picks list is a great place for con- sumers to start when they’re looking for Inside Insights a new car .” Consumer Reports’ testing proce- Hyundais Named Top Picks . -2 dures are the most comprehensive of any U .S . publication or Web site . More Sonata a “Green Choice” . 2 than 50 individual tests are performed Blood Drive Reminder . 2 on every vehicle, including evaluations of braking, handling, comfort, convenience, Congratulations, Stamping! . 2 safety, and fuel economy . Around 6,000 First Theta Engine . 3 miles of general driving and evaluations are racked up on each test car during the Read Across America . 3 testing process . The 2008 Hyundai Elantra is Consumer Hyundai Spirit in Action . 4 Reports’ small sedan Top Pick. CONSUMER REPORTS Page 2 SONATA EARNS “GREENER CHOICES Don’t FORGET: OF 2008” HONORS GIVE BLOOD! March 20th he American Council for an Energy-Ef- The “Greener Choices 2008” list is 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tficient Economy (ACEEE) recognized based on automakers’ test results for fuel the 2008 Hyundai Sonata on its “Greener economy and emissions as reported to Choices 2008” list that features widely the U .S .Environmental Protection Agency, available gasoline-powered cars and light California Air Resources Board, and other CONGRATS, trucks with automatic transmissions . The specifications reported by automakers . Sonata will be listed in the ACEEE’s Green The 2008 Hyundai Sonata four cylin- Book® Online, an annual consumers’ guide der model achieved a green score of 39 STAMPING! to environmentally-friendly vehicles . out of 00 and is certified as an Ultra Low he stamping shop has done it again! “The award for our clean, fuel-efficient Emission Vehicle (ULEV), delivering up to TThrough lots of hard work and team Sonata recognizes Hyundai’s commit- 30 mpg (automatic transmission/high- work, these Team Members set a new re- ment to the environment,” said John Kraf- way) . The fuel-efficient 2 .4-liter DOHC cord of 504 Strokes Per Hour during the cik, vice president of Strategic Planning inline-four cylinder engine features four month of January! and Product Development, Hyundai Mo- valves per cylinder with Continuously Stamping celebrated the achieve- tor America . “Like industry leading qual- Variable Valve Timing (CVVT), giving the ment with a barbecue . ity and safety, environmental sensitivity engine a very broad powerband, cou- is another element of the value equation pled with high fuel efficiency and low that makes Hyundai such a smart choice emissions . for consumers .” Joe Hardison barbecues some pork for his The 2008 Hyundai Sonata Received Environmental Honors from the American Council for fellow stamping Team Members to cele- an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). brate reaching 504 SPH! CONSUMER REPORTS from Page Following are Consumer Report’s re- to drive, but lack ESC on more affordable Consumer Reports is one of the most views of the Elantra and Santa Fe as the versions .(Last year’s Top Pick for Small Se- trusted sources for information and ad- issue’s best performers in the small sedan dan was the Honda Civic .) vice on consumer products and services . and midsized SUV categories . It conducts the most comprehensive MIDSIZED SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe . Re- auto-test program of any U .S . publication SMALL SEDAN: Hyundai Elantra SE . The designed for 2007, the much-improved or Web site; the magazine’s auto experts Hyundai Elantra SE ($8,000) is a well- Santa Fe ($22,000 to $3,000) edged out have decades of experience in driving, rounded small car that provides good the Honda Pilot in CR’s tests . It provides a testing, and reporting on cars . fuel economy, a comfortable ride, and quiet and roomy interior, excellent fit and Consumer Reports’ Annual April Auto an interior that’s quiet, roomy, and well- finish, a refined powertrain, a relatively Issue is on sale from March 4 through June equipped . The SE also has standard elec- good ride, and an optional third-row seat . 4 and is available wherever magazines tronic stability control, a proven safety Standard ESC helps provide secure han- are sold . Information and articles from feature that’s absent on many other small dling . (Last year’s Top Pick for Midsized the magazine can be accessed online at cars . The Honda Civic EX and Mazda3 SUV was the Toyota Highlander Hybrid .) http://www .ConsumerReports .org . scored almost as well and are more fun 2 FIRST THETA ENGINE ROLLS OFF THE LINE n February, machining and assem- Ibly Team Members at the new Theta engine shop built and tested their first four-cylinder engine . The process took approximately two days to complete from machining the blocks to assem- bling the engine to dyno testing . The layout of the Theta shop is sim- ilar to the existing six-cylinder Lambda engine shop except the Theta shop will not have a decking line to attach transmissions . Four-cylinder engines will travel - in sequence - via conveyor to the Lambda shop’s decking line to connect transmissions and then move to General Assembly . The Theta shop is more auto- mated than the Lambda shop which should contribute to greater efficiency in the engine build process . Overall equipment installation, testing and evaluation of other critical systems will Theta engine assembly Team Members pause for a photo with the very first Theta engine continue over the next few months . off the line. From left to right: Darrell Chaney, David Gates, Mark Striemer (kneeling), The engine shop will start up later this Michael Hartwell, Tim Todd (sitting), Raymond Batson, Rodney Powe, Damien Barnes, summer . Michael Blair, and Joe Smith. HMMA HELPS STUDENTS CELEBRATE READING he week of March 3rd, members of THMMA’s Diversity Action Team partici- pated in the National Education Associa- tion’s Read Across America program . This year was HMMA’s third year par- ticipating in the program which aims to get children excited about reading . To celebrate Dr . Seuss’ birthday (March 2nd, 904), Team Members read The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham to over 200 students . The students came to HMMA from Dunbar-Ramer School, W . R . Harrison Elementary School, Carver Elementary School and Hayneville Road Elementary School .To the children’s delight, after the stories were read, a few Team Members led games like Simon says and redlight-greenlight . Even The Cat in the Hat himself made an appearance . Across the country, more than 45 mil- lion children participated in the th an- nual Read Across America Day, which was celebrated nationally on March 3rd . For more information on Read Across America, visit www .nea .org/readacross . 3 HYUNDAI SPIRIT IN ACTION Visitors to HMMA are always amazed outside units and make sure the coils at the cool temperature of the shops .Even don’t bust,” Jeff explains .“During the during the summer months, and despite summer months, we make sure our many very hot processes like engine Freon units are in good order and machining and body welding, the climate we clean and perform preventative inside the plant is kept at a comfortable maintenance on the chillers .” temperature year-round . Weather conditions can also call The buildings don’t just cool for plant engineering’s expertise . Jeff themselves, though . Plant engineering says, “If a hurricane comes in, we cover Team Members are hard at work every all the top-floor equipment in case the day ensuring that the rest of us have a roof comes off . All the outside signs comfortable work environment . have to be taken in to keep them Jeff Griffin is a utility maintenance from flying around . If there’s a threat Team Member in plant engineering and is of a tornado, there’s not much we can one of the people responsible for keeping do since they come up so quickly, the rest of us cool . but we monitor the power and air “We make sure the air handlers are pressure and try to keep everything cooling like they’re supposed to,” Jeff says .