Energy Litigation

Consumer Advocates Urge Court to Reject Proposed Hyundai/Kia MPG Class Action Settlement

June 3, 2014  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

A class action settlement negotiated by Hyundai and Kia following the companies’ 2012 admission that they lowballed fuel economy numbers for over a dozen 2011–2013 vehicles is structured to prevent consumers from collecting the money they are owed and should be rejected, consumer advocates told a federal court.

Kia, Hyundai Customers Object To Fuel-Economy Settlement

June 3, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Law360, New York (June 02, 2014, 2:11 PM ET) -- Dissident class members on Friday attacked a settlement resolving accusations that Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America overstated the fuel efficiency of more than 900,000 vehicles, saying the deal’s claims-made structure will unjustly curtail customer payouts.</p>

Attorneys Object To Proposed Settlement in Hyundai, Kia MPG Claims

June 2, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Several law firms are objecting to the proposed settlement of a class-action suit seeking damages for the inflated fuel economy claims of South Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia.</p> <p>The attorneys said the settlement is designed to discourage owners of the vehicles from filing claims and then allows the automakers to keep any uncollected money.</p>

Proposed Settlement of the Hyundai/Kia Fuel Economy Class Action Requires Improvements

March 6, 2014  ·  Laura Antonini

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2743" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/images_hyundailogo.png" style="width: 211px; height: 142px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="273" height="184" />Attorneys at Consumer Watchdog and a group of law firms representing owners of Hyundai and Kia vehicles whose fuel economy (miles per gallon) was misrepresented by Hyundai and Kia say the terms of a proposed settlement between the vehicle manufacturers and two other plaintiffs’ law firms should be improved, according to a lengthy analysis prepared by the Consumer Watchdog team.</p>

Hyundai-Kia Settlement Draws Objections Among Plaintiffs’ Lawyers

February 4, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>38 plaintiffs' firms take issue with $400 million offer over claims</strong><br /> <br /> LOS ANGELES - A proposed $400 million settlement in a class action lawsuit involving allegations that automakers Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America inflated the fuel economy of their vehicles is running into opposition from some plaintiffs' attorneys unhappy with the terms of the offer.<br /> <br />

Consumer Advocates Will Closely Scrutinize Hyundai/Kia Settlement

December 24, 2013  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<p><em><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20490" alt="" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/images_hyundailogo_3.png" style="width: 211px; height: 142px; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px; float: right;" width="273" height="184" />Santa Monica, CA </em>-- Consumer Watchdog will closely scrutinize the formal settlement, filed on December 23, between Hyundai, Kia and two law firms that would resolve dozens of lawsuits brought on behalf of 900,000 consumers whose gas mileage did not meet the miles per gallon advertised by the South Korean car companies, the California-based non-profit organization said today.<br /> <br />

Questions Swirl About Settlement In Hyundai Fuel Economy Litigation

August 21, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>Settlement over MPG claims seen as 'sweetheart deal' by some plaintiffs</strong></p>

First Court Hearing On National Class Actions Against Hyundai/Kia

February 20, 2013  ·  Laura Antonini

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2599" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/hyundai-emblem.jpg" style="width: 275px; height: 169px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="646" height="396" />Last Thursday, February 14, Federal District Court Judge George H. Wu held an initial hearing on class action lawsuits filed against Hyundai and Kia across the country for falsifying gas mileage estimates.

Hyundai and Kia False Mileage Cases Go To Court In LA Thursday

February 13, 2013  ·  Laura Antonini

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2597" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/hyundailogo.png" style="width: 253px; height: 170px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="273" height="184" /><span style="font-size:14px;">Federal District Court Judge George H. Wu will hold his first hearing Thursday in the litigation over the MPG fraud by Hyundai and Kia.

Hyundai MPG Scandal Lawsuits Move Forward

January 31, 2013  ·  Laura Antonini

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2743" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/images_hyundailogo.png" style="width: 273px; height: 184px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="273" height="184" />Orlando, FL -- Consumer lawsuits related to Hyundai’s misrepresentation of vehicle mileage moved a step closer to court today when a special panel of federal court judges meeting in Orlando, Florida held a hearing on a request by Consumer Watchdog lawyers to centralize all such lawsuits in a Southern California federal court.<br /> <br />

Senator Rockefeller Asks Hyundai America CEO For Answers About MPG Sticker Scandal

December 3, 2012  ·  Carmen Balber

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20268" alt="" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/images_senator-jay-rockefeller-west-virginia.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 188px; float: right;" width="400" height="300" /><em>Washington, DC</em> – United States Senator and Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller has written the president and chief executive of Hyundai Motors America to answer questions about the company’s false “Mile Per Gallon” window sticker claims that were exposed by an Environmental Protection Agency audit.<br /> <br />

Auto Outlook: Hyundai, Kia Revise Mileage

November 11, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Unleash the lawyers.<br /> <br /> A class-action lawsuit was filed within 48 hours after South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors Corp. apologized for overstating the fuel economy of their vehicles.<br /> <br /> Hyundai and Kia have admitted the estimated mileage of more than 900,000 cars, trucks and sport-utes sold in the United States and 120,000 sold in Canada since 2010 was exaggerated and said it would compensate current and former owners with debit cards for the additional amount they spent on gasoline.<br /> <br />