Smooth Rides

By Bill Saporito

"We're not sneaking up on anybody anymore," says Hyundai Motor America CEO Robert Cosmai. Sales have more than quadrupled since 1998 as the company's quality improved, but Cosmai wants the Hyundai name to be top of mind when Americans talk new cars. So the company is aiming for a greater swath of the market with seven new or redesigned vehicles, including the Accent ($9,999) and the refreshed 2006 Sonata (some made in Alabama), the firm's standard-bearer sedan. Hyundai is also going upmarket with the 265-h.p. Azera, which will target the Maxima/Avalon crowd in November.

Still, Hyundai's sweet spot is value for money. The Tucson, its newest sport ute, is about $4,000 less than the Santa Fe SUV. It doesn't surrender comfort or interior space for the sake of feeling sporty. The Tucson doesn't overimpress with styling; few cars in this category do. But the slightly pricier GLS version has a V-6, 2.7-liter engine that doesn't whine when the car is filled with four adults and luggage. It's practical almost to a fault.--By Bill Saporito