Hyundai Motor America Receives Top Honors at the 16th Annual Urban Wheel Awards for Its 2012 Veloster and Hope on Wheels CSR Program

DETROIT, Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America was presented with the Urban Car of the Year award for its 2012 Veloster and the Corporate Social Responsibility Project of the Year award for its principle CSR program, Hyundai Hope on Wheels at the 16th Annual Urban Wheel Awards. The esteemed automotive event was held this week at the Motor City Casino Hotel in Detroit, in conjunction with the opening of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Hyundai dealer and president of Goshen Buick GMC Hyundai, Dzung Nguyen, was also recognized and presented with the Asian Dealer of the Year award.

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The Urban Wheel Awards, hosted by the Emerging Diversity Education Fund and Decisive Media, is the nation's only award show bringing together celebrities, automotive executives, international media, government representatives, and the multicultural community to celebrate inclusion in the automotive industry. The 2012 NAIAS Executive Committee named the Urban Wheel Awards the Official Multicultural Event of the North American International Auto Show.

With its first CSR Project of the Year award, the Urban Wheel Awards honored Hyundai for its national nonprofit Hyundai Hope on Wheels. Hope on Wheels is the united effort of Hyundai and its more than 800 dealers to raise awareness for pediatric cancer. Last year, Hope on Wheels launched its most comprehensive effort yet in the fight against pediatric cancer and donated $20 million to pediatric cancer hospitals and research institutions nationwide.

"We are delighted to recognize Hyundai and its dealers for helping bring the issue of childhood cancer to the nation's attention," said Randi Payton, president & CEO, Decisive Media. "For 14 years now, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has made a significant difference in the fight against childhood cancer."

Hyundai Hope on Wheels has donated $43 million to fight pediatric cancer since its inception in 1998 and will launch its 2012 program at the New York Auto Show in April.

"We are honored and humbled by the awards Hyundai received and we commend the Urban Wheel Awards for their efforts for inclusion and corporate social responsibility in the automotive industry," said Zafar Brooks, Director, Government Relations and Diversity Outreach, Hyundai Motor America. "At Hyundai, we work to provide vehicles that appeal to today's diverse consumers as well as strive to be a positive corporate citizen. One of our top CSR priorities is the fight against pediatric cancer, as too many of our country's children are being lost to this disease every day."

The Urban Vehicles of the Year selections are made by an esteemed panel of independent automotive journalists and this year named the 2012 Hyundai Veloster as the Urban Car of the Year. The Urban Wheel Awards judging panel spent several months selecting the most stylish, practical and attainable vehicles by driving dozens of cars and trucks in a variety of North American urban settings before selecting the winners for each category.

"The Hyundai Veloster is a combination of a hip and edgy image, along with exceptional value to price and outstanding fuel economy that is perfectly suited for urban drivers," said Lyndon Conrad Bell, Decisive Magazine, editor-in-chief. "Hyundai's choice to make its halo car an entry-level model excites us even more. With the Veloster, Hyundai definitely proves that high style and reasonable pricing absolutely can go together."

For more information about Hyundai Hope on Wheels, please visit www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.com and follow us at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels or twitter.com/HopeOnWheels.

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 more than 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 power train warranty, 5-years of complimentary Roadside Assistance and the Hyundai Trade-in Value Guarantee.

THE URBAN WHEEL AWARDS

The 16th Annual Urban Wheel Awards is a world-class awards show, held during the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). The only Official Multicultural Event held in conjunction with the NAIAS, the awards promote diversity inclusion in the nation's largest auto show and brings together celebrities, automotive executives, international media, government representatives and the multicultural community to celebrate diversity accomplishment in the automotive industry. For more information, please contact Marjorie Staten at [email protected] or (248) 866-8837 or visit www.urbanwheelawards.com

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America