Gas for $1.49 a Gallon, Guaranteed

Hyundai has a promotion starting today: If you buy or lease a new Hyundai between now and August 31, you'll receive a special gas card that guarantees you'll pay $1.49 a gallon for one year. The promo would have been an even more enticing a year ago, during the days of $4 a gallon, but still, it's a pretty decent deal if you're in the market for a new car.

Consumer Reports and hyundaiusa.com have the details. Hyundai and another Kia, also a Korean manufacturer, are among the few recent success stories in the automotive industry. There's no mystery to why buyers have responded to Hyundai and Kia: It's all about good quality, competitive prices, and attractive incentives. See a recent Times article for the lowdown.