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- rotten777, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21I honestly think the marketing will be the hard part.
Getting it through Johnny B Public's head that Hyundai is now a luxury brand will be quite a long, slow, and painful journey.
I just wish they would release the Tiburon with a RWD setup. - Jwoey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13I see. They're worthless unless they make vehicles designed for folks who need to be able to move mobile homes so they can live closer to the nearest nascar track, or if they make the cars that will actually be in the races.
- magstheaxe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13JD Power & Associates "rankings" are a big scam. They find a way to make sure every car out there gets some kind of good ranking, so that when the auto company wants to use the JD Power info in their advertising, JD Power can charge them a hefty licensing fee:
http://www.radaronline.com/features/2006/09/jd_power_associates.php
It's a brilliant scam, wish I'd thought of it. - Jwoey, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16whycome?
Hyundai builds great cars with great warranties for great prices... and now they're striving to do even better?
Dugg as awesome. - flashboy131, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12They need a Lexus, like Toyota has. I still remember them for the Excel back when it sold for like 7K.
I've ridden in Hyundais and they are nice but the brand building/changing would take longer than a new luxury line would. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+15god speed hyndai. god speed.
I was very impressed when i read that you were now bigger than honda and nissan.
it was incredible to read that you are 3rd on the overall quality ranking IN THE WORLD.
great job indeed.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13I think you are 100% wrong. Great gas mileage? My Accent gets between 30 and 40 MPG depending on driving conditions. My girlfriend's parents drove Hyundai's for a very long time and never had one problem with them. The only problem Hyundai has is their image and how people perceive the company.
- emfb, on 10/12/2007, -4/+13@ jazzmine: Sure, right after someone tells GM to stop also
HHR < PT Cruiser (The most blatant example) - diulei, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10Impressions die hard.
Hyundai is going to have to pull a Samsung with its marketing. A decade ago no one really purchased Samsung products, and now, they are a well respected electronics brand.
Except that with Samsung, it was relatively easy to get someone to invest a few hundred dollars in a phone (or a free one with contract) or a little bit more for a TV. With a car, people are spending $15K+, so they'll have to work a lot harder to convince the naysayers. - kodek, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10I've a 2002 Elantra and it hasn't exploded yet, so I'm pretty happy with it.
- joltjake, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9yeah dude, ***** Saturn and its 4 rings.
- asaturn, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9I drive a Hyundai Elantra "GT" - the GT basically means "lots of standard features" - it came standard with leather, alloy wheels, a/c, CD player, fog lights, cruise, power everything, 5 speed trans., and a sunroof. It isn't the best car in the world, but for $8,900, it sure beats any other new car out there.
Though I can't see Hyundai making a very serious luxury car unless they make a new brand (like Honda and Toyota did for their luxury brands.)
PS: Saturn has 6 rings (A thru F) and numerous other "faint" rings that NASA has recently discovered. Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rings_of_Saturn for more info. - sysoprock, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I have a 2001 Elantra and the thing is a beast (not in terms of performance, but in terms of survival). I am really rough on my cars so I didn't want to get something nice to ruin. I got something cheap with a warranty that would last well until I was out of college.
I paid it off a few years ago and so far I have over 90k miles on it with zero problems. I even used it to tow a big U-Haul trailer from California to Washington when I moved up here. It's been surviving Seattle traffic for the past year or so.
Many people talk ***** on Hyundai (myself included, I like to make jokes) but in reality they are very solid cars at an unbeatable price. - asaturn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Hyundai designs, manufactures and assembles their American cars in America. So by buying a Hyundai you're buying a South Korean car designed in California (Irvine), manufactured in Michigan (Ann Arbor) and assembled in Alabama. They have proving grounds in the Mojave Desert.
Also, Hyundai made the first ever "Deaf-friendly" dealership in Georgia. All of the dealers know ASL (American Sign Language) and customers are provided with video conference telephones. - codyman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Hyundai really has come a long ways. It started off as a complete joke here stateside, but now they are actually making vehicles that are nice, fully loaded, inexpensive, plus backed by a 10 year warranty? thats unbelievable
I test drove the new accent se hatchback and I was quite impressed... for like 15k fully loaded, that thing had everything on it, drove great (5 speed), great mileage, and that warranty which assures you not to worry... - MixMastaKooz, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8I had a great experience leasing a Hyundai Elantra from 97 to 00' It was dirt cheap (payments were about $100) and I walked away from the lease with no hassles. I had one problem covered by warranty: other than that, it ran great. I wonder what their new luxury brand's name is (didn't see it the article...).
- diulei, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7@stev31h
I've always thought of "entry-level/near-luxury" luxury cars like that too.
A base 3 series is a BMW for people who can't afford BMW. Same goes for C-Class MB, ES Lexus, etc.
There really are better options at the $30,000 mark for the money - I'm convinced most those people just want the name. - andysc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5People laughed at Lexus at its introduction so this is quite possible down the road.
- smallestmills, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I live in Detroit (of all places) and I see Hyundais all over the place. From new ones to ten-year-old ones. (I myself drive a 2003 Elantra.) I bought because I could get a good quality NEW car for under 12G. They just need to work on the interiors and little warranty ***** going wrong (like my cigarette lighter not working after repeated fixes.)
- stev31h, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5C'mon... 3 series BMW being vulnerable?
Anyone who wants a BMW for the sake of having a BMW is going to buy a 3 series. - diulei, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@drifter
From a technical/power/handling perspective, the 3 series is indeed a force to be reckoned for its class. BMW basically sets the benchmark for luxury sports coupes/sedans in that class - people who appreciate this aren't who I'm talking about.
Ask most people why they bought a 3 series or C class - and I'll bet most of them won't want to admit it was for the name. They probably wouldn't even be able to tell you what type of engine or drivetrain the car has. Now, to people who bought a 3 series because it's easily the sportiest and best handling for its class, great. Unfortunately, that's the minority.
For example - there are plenty of people out there who would pay an extra $5-6000 for a Lexus ES, when all you have to do is buy a Camry, and add the leather option and you've arguably got the same car. Those are the people I'm talking about. - kidc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I have a 2002 Hyundai Elantra... don't laugh it's paid for ;-) The reason I bought it at the time I wasn't making a lot of money and I could get everything in a Hyundai that I could get in a Honda without paying $3K more for it. Now after 85K miles I can say that I've had zero problems with this car, it's been a great commuter and I don't mind driving it anywhere because I'm not afraid if it will get dinged up or scratched. The only thing that my car doesn't have is *cool* styling but that's okay because I can use that money that I saved and buy a nice motorcycle :-D
- orxor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I drive a Saturn and i will agree with you completely ***** Saturn. Most unreliable POS on the road.
- MrNastyOne, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5My wife and I bought an '07 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited in February. It's absolutely fantastic in terms of quality, materials, drivability and price.
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/santafe/santafe.aspx
We looked at the Acura's, Toyota's, and Mazda's and they simply could not compare as the best overall value.
I too was at first skeptical of a Hyundai, but when I actually sat in it and took it for a ride, I knew it was the car I wanted - with a price and warranty that no other manufacturer could touch. Plus it is made in Alabama so it supports American jobs, and it is made with approximately 35% of North American parts (versus the Toyota Highlander which is about 95% Japanese parts). - zweben, on 10/12/2007, -5/+9I don't even know why, but when I hear "Hyundai", I immediately associate it with low quality. I guess because they started off so bad.
They're going to need to do a lot with their brand image to get me to think of Hyundai on the same level as Lexus and Infinity. - intheory, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I own an '01 Elantra GT. Although the "GT" tag is misleading and results only in higher insurance, the car has been great to own. A few problems that were fixed under warranty; great mileage, looks sharp (mistaken for a SAAB on occasion) and just the right size. I've got 82k on it now and it's going strong. My wife and I did a lot of research before we bought it and the resounding feedback was "this is not your father's Hyundai." The reliability and craftsmanship is significantly better and continues to get better. I'd definitely look into buying another one--plus with the Azera they give room for someone to move upmarket inside their own brand.
- joltjake, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4yea man, Elantra's are where it's at.
- noamchomskeet, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I believe Hyundai has what it takes to be a luxury leader. They are getting some impressive designers from god knows where, but they are damn good. They just came out with the Hyundai Genesis, which looks much better than a Lexus ever could. I'm curious to see the new Tiburon, and their new luxury line.
Kudos for you Hyundai, now american cars should follow their example. - neuropsychguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3If we don't think of it as a luxury brand maybe their prices will stay lower and people like me will be able to afford nice cars (once I get out of school and get a real job). :)
- joltjake, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Hell yea, I have a Hyundai Elantra and I love it, the thing is a 5 speed stick, has got 180k miles on it, gets 35miles per gallon, and the thing will still whip anything in its devision. Hyundai really knows how to engineer their cars.
- lanzemurdok, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I bought a hyundai elantra 99 2 years ago with 57 thousand miles. It's now got 76 thousand milles and it hasn't given me one single problem. I bought it for 2500 dollars. A ***** steal.
- uselessexpert, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I own a Hyundai Elantra, and I am the assistant service manager at a Hyundai dealer.
I've been in this business for approximately 15 years, and the Hyundai product line gets better year after year!
The new Veracruz looks awesome! Compare to the Lexus RX, there is nothing to envy on it!
The Veracruz is a lot bigger, offers alto more amenities for a lot less money! - libertao, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3It's gotta be the name "JD POWER AND ASSOCIATES". I don't know what they do, but they sound authoritative.
- Crusty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3When my dad told me he was going to buy a Hyundai Sonata a while back, I laughed. How could he move from a Honda Accord to a junkie car like a Hyundai? Well that mindset changed the second I saw it. It is a NICE car. It came loaded with more features than his Accord and was still a few thousand cheaper.
The really cool thing about it is the service and support and the dealership they bought it at. The dealership is extremely helpful, friendly and are never pushy. My dad said that's what sold him on the car.
Who knows? My next car might be a Hyundai. - cazoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3wow i'm surprised they are no. 3 on that list. i remember when the hyundai excel's were first introduced into north america and the reception was pretty awful is not downright embarassing. they were considered the new "yugo's". its great to see hyundai come so far.
- FreezerBurn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Many seem to forget that when Honda entered the US market they were some of the worst cars ever. Now everyone seems to scramble to get a Honda. Just a thought.
- slapded, on 10/12/2007, -17/+20hyundai rules
- Jhorra, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Prior to 99 they were the crappiest vehicles on the road, but since then they have improved a lot. I have a 2002 Hyundai Accent with about 80,000 miles on it, and I have yet to have a single problem with it. All the money I've put into have been routine maintenance like hoses and belts.
- DreKor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Really, according to the lawsuits, they look like Jags. But, to be fair, they also look like Hondas and Toyotas.
- joltjake, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I'm going to have to disagree, I have a 98 Hyundai Elantra with 180k, and I haven't had any problems with it.
- DreKor, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4useless, I don't mean for you to take this personally, but it's hard to believe that you have an unbiased opinion.
- redfan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Really would be smarter for Hyundai to market their luxury cars under a different brand. Look at the mistake Volkswagen made in trying to sell the Phaeton here under the VW name, even after the late 90s successes of the Passat and Jetta. And yet if they'd sold it as the new Audi A8, they could have attracted a completely different demographic. Whether or not people like it, the importance of branding is crucial.
- thx607, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I have a 2001 Hyundai Elantra GLS, and I can say I am a horrible owner. I don't get oil changes regularly, don't do recommend maintenance on time, and have trashed the interior. So, how has the car help up well:
I have had the relay for the A/C blow after 3yrs, the exhaust head became detached from the block(Later this became a recall i think), number 2 spark plug unwound, the thermostat went up, one of the speaker grills cracked and a piece of the center console cracked also(mixing board fell on it). Since, this was a new year for this model I think it has held up pretty well and the fact that I'm a bad car owner it's done great. - hacz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Doesn't change the fact that they handle like crap. Understeer and body roll will keep them from being a serious competitor to the better luxury brands.
- kizio, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Nice indeed. Host is down. http://catszone.blogspot.com
- ZeroFresh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Go Hyundai.
I've been saying it ever since I owned a 2000 Elantra, This company need more recognition for the quality of product they provide. I hope to see them gaining more respect in the years to come. - 8bitclassics, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Excellent, got my Santa Fe 4 years ago last month, and actually just picked up my wife a Sonata today. The 07's are great and look a lot like the Camry (not a bad thing) with some great features at a greatly reduced price. Can't wait until I can get a new Santa Fe!
- sh860, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1
Seriously, the Japanese car makers (Acura, Infiniti, Lexus) have been trying to take over the Germans in the luxury market for years now. And granted, for the most part the reviews of the Japanese competitors are excellent with reliability almost always beating out the Germans. But, at the end of the day when you look at a Lexus, Acura, Infiniti you can tell that it was a souped up Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. Yes, Audi's have this problem to some degree, but then again Audi is not "The One" to beat. To get to BMW and Mercedes they'll have design from the ground up, and if they use even the smallest amount of generic Hyundai equipment, it will ruin the image for good. Luxury means exclusivity, and sharing the components with a car that is known as the least common denominator in the market makes the badge nothing more than a piece of plastic as opposed to an expected level of standards. - Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You possess quite a droll wit, sirrah.
- joltjake, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1yeah, point well taken.
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