Hyundai has an all-new generation of interiors, introduced first on the Grandeur in Korea and since carried over to the Ioniq 3, Avante/Elantra, and Tucson. Every one of them is built around Pleos Connect, a large central infotainment screen that borrows its layout and its logic from Tesla, and there is no shortage of processing power behind the glass. On the cheaper trims, though, one piece of hardware got left off the list.

It has now emerged that the new 2027 Avante/Elantra, which just launched in Korea, and the global-market Ioniq 3 go without a digital instrument cluster in front of the driver in base trims, an item which has been standard-fit on most of Hyundai’s current-generation cars.

A Cluster You Have To Pay For

According to Motor1, Korean buyers can add a slim 9.9-inch cluster to the Avante, though it costs 350,000 won (US$255). No such option box appears to exist for base Ioniq 3 models, leaving owners to read everything off the central touchscreen. The Ioniq 3 also goes without a head-up display, exactly like a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y. In the UK, the entry-level £22,245 (about $30,000) Ioniq 3 Advanced arrives without the cluster, while the £25,595 (roughly $34,500) Premium trim and above include it.

Read: Hyundai’s Radical New Tucson Makes The RAV4 Look Half-Asleep

It’s hardly a secret that screens are the cheaper option for manufacturers. A panel of glass and the software behind it costs less than the gauges, bezels, wiring, and physical switchgear it replaces, which explains why the industry has moved this way with so little resistance. Cost is not the whole story, though. Buyers have been asking for this kind of interface, the tablet-style layout with app menus and over-the-air updates, and Hyundai’s new setup answers that request.

Hyundai Should Know Better

Even so, it’s pretty poor form from Hyundai to make such a small screen an optional extra, rather than fitting it as standard equipment. The display includes important functions like speed, speed-limit signs, range figures, and efficiency details. We’ve yet to try out the new Pleos system, but having to glance over to the infotainment display to check your speed is a bit of a nuisance.  

The new Elantra and Tucson will be the first Hyundai models sold in the US with the Pleos Connect system next year. Here’s hoping we get slightly more well-equipped versions that include the cluster screen as standard equipment.

Curious to see what we’re missing after Polestar’s controversial American exit? Here’s the answer, and it arrived early. Polestar is about to widen its lineup with a 4 SUV that works some practicality into a range that has been short on it. The September 2 premiere was supposed to be our first look, but someone along the transport chain had other plans, or at least forgot to bring a cover, and the car’s design is now public property.

The single spy photo posted on Autospy was reportedly taken in South Korea, where the Polestar 4 SUV is built, so the leak happened more or less at the source. Three examples sit exposed on the deck of an open car transporter, and the angle gives an unobstructed view of the reworked tail that the brand had been rationing out in official teasers until now.

Review: We Drove The Polestar 4 And It Wants To Change Your Mind On EVs

Autospy

The Polestar 4 SUV cleans up the most argued-over trait of the existing fastback coupe, namely the complete absence of rear glass window. The sloped hatch gives way to a more conventional roofline and a squarer tailgate, with more rear headroom and cargo room promised as a result.

The SUV appears to retain the full-width LED taillights and rear bumper of the coupe, as with the pop-up door handles and the entire front end up to the B-pillars. Besides the different silhouette, the profile changes come down to reshaped rear side windows and a new wheel design.

Underneath the revised sheet metal, the Polestar 4 SUV shares its Geely-sourced Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) with its coupe sibling, although the company has confirmed it will adopt retuned chassis components.

Power And Range

Autospy

On the spec sheet, the entry-level RWD version makes 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS), while the dual-motor AWD powertrain is rated at 536 hp (400 kW / 544 PS). The 94 kWh battery is good for up to 630 km (392 miles) on the WLTP cycle, or 10 km (6 miles) more than the coupe manages.

More: America Won’t Get This Practical New Version Of The Polestar 4

Unlike the Polestar 4 Coupe that is also manufactured in China, the SUV will be exclusively produced in South Korea. The new model will be sold across most global markets with the exception of the United States after the forced exit of the Geely-owned brand once the 2027 model year opens. The rest of the details on this latest Tesla Model Y rival land September 2.

Polestar

The all-electric Genesis GV90 is nearly here, and ahead of its launch, a batch of key technical details has surfaced online courtesy of South Korea’s Ministry of Environment. The filings show the GV90 gets a larger battery pack than the related Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9, along with more power.

Read: Genesis Is Really Putting Rolls-Royce Coach Doors On Its New Flagship

Found under the skin of the GV90 will be a sizeable 123.52 kWh gross battery pack with a usable 115 kWh capacity. By comparison, the biggest pack offered for the Kia EV9 is 99.8 kWh gross or 96 kWh usable, while the largest pack available for the Hyundai Ioniq 9 is 110.3 kWh gross, which works out to be roughly 106 kWh usable.

SHproshots

The emissions certification document published in Korea and shared online by The Korean Car Blog then notes the GV90 will have a 322 hp front-mounted electric motor, while at the rear there will be a 335-hp unit. Combined, it works out to be 657 hp. Given the GV90 will tip the scales at 6,680 lbs (3,030 kg), it needs all the power it can get.

The paperwork also lists the GV90 as having a combined driving range of 481 km (299 miles), as well as a city range of 503 km (312 miles) and a highway range of 453 km (281 miles). While this may not sound very impressive given the size of the battery, Korea’s testing procedure is stricter than the WLTP cycle in Europe, so the European range is expected to be around 580 km (360 miles), while in the US, the range will probably end up close to 300 miles.

SHproshots

It’s unclear if the GV90 will be offered with other battery pack and electric motor options, or if this powerful model will be the only version. Both six- and seven-seat versions are mentioned in the data.

Design-wise, the GV90 will follow in the footsteps of the Neolun Concept from 2024. No doubt the highlight will be the rear-facing suicide doors and black B-pillars, something largely unheard of for a vehicle expected to play in this price bracket.

Genesis Neolun Concept

Factorial Energy, one of the most promising battery companies in the United States, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korean battery leader SK On to explore large-scale production of advanced new solid-state batteries. As the EV industry pushes forward, deals like this have the potential to change the market.

Through the MoU, the companies will explore the technical feasibility and manufacturing considerations for Factorial’s FEST solid-state batteries. Although the company may not be as well-known as some other battery firms, like CATL, it’s the firm behind the solid-state batteries being tested by Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Karma, and others.

Read: New Solid-State Batteries From Mercedes And Factorial Could Boost EV Range By 80%

While solid-state battery technology has come a long way in recent years, it has yet to be commercialized at scale. SK On already operates a massive manufacturing footprint for lithium-ion batteries and could be the perfect partner for Factorial, helping its cells reach the mass market.

“A battery breakthrough only matters if it can be manufactured at scale,” Factorial chief executive Siyu Huang said. “That is what makes this partnership with SK On so significant. Their manufacturing footprint spans some of the world’s most advanced battery facilities, and their expertise will be critical in shaping how solid-state battery technology integrates into global production ecosystems.”

The Solid-State Future

Factorial notes that it has never been focused on manufacturing its solid-state batteries alone, or at dedicated facilities. Instead, it’s all about developing new battery technologies that can leverage existing manufacturing infrastructure. In addition to working on solid-state batteries for cars, it’s also looking to work with SK On to use these batteries in the mobility and high-performance markets, as well as energy storage.

Many view solid-state batteries as the next frontier in automotive technologies. Several car manufacturers in China are getting close to producing solid-state cells at scale, as are Japanese firms, including Toyota.