HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA REPORTS ITS BEST-EVER APRIL
New products, lower fleet sales and declining incentives prove to be a winning combination
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 05/03/2010
Hyundai Motor America today announced an all-time sales record for the month of April as early consumer response to the company's all-new Sonata and Tucson models shattered all expectations. Total sales through the first four months of 2010 also represent an all-time record for Hyundai.
In April, the company sold 44,023 vehicles, up 30 percent versus one year ago, marking the sixteenth consecutive month of year-over-year retail market share gains for Hyundai.
"Despite an overall industry increase in the level of sales to fleet accounts, we remain extremely focused on reducing our fleet mix, improving the quality of our market share, and driving more retail volume through Hyundai dealerships," said Dave Zuchowski, Hyundai Motor America's vice present of national sales. "Widespread acceptance of our new products and growing recognition of our brand's inherent value has also allowed us to significantly reduce incentive spending at a time when some of our top competitors were taking a different approach," Zuchowski added.
"For the second straight month, our all-new Sonata is the third-best selling mid-size car in the country in retail sales, well ahead of strong rivals such as Nissan Altima, Chevy Malibu and Ford Fusion. We're glad to see Sonata's unique combination of great design and segment-leading 35 mpg fuel economy is resonating with America's car buyers."
On a year-over-year basis, Sonata and Tucson sales increased 57 and 271 percent, respectively. Santa Fe was up 59 percent, and Genesis was up nine percent, marking the 10th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gain for Genesis.
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HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA REPORTS ITS BEST-EVER FIRST QUARTER AND BEST-EVER MARCH
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 04/01/2010
Hyundai Motor America today announced an all-time sales record for both the first quarter of the year and for the month of March as the company's all-new Sonata and Tucson clearly connected with new-car buyers across the country.
The announcement was made from the floor of the New York Auto Show where on Wednesday the company introduced its second and third iterations of the 2011 Sonata. The Sonata Hybrid, the company's first U.S. hybrid, gets up to 39 mpg on the highway, using breakthrough lithium-polymer battery technology. The Sonata 2.0T delivers 274 horsepower from its turbocharged four-cylinder engine, while attaining an estimated 34 mpg.
In March, the company sold 47,002 vehicles, up 15.4 percent versus one year ago, marking the fifteenth consecutive month of year-over-year retail market share gains for Hyundai. And for the quarter, Hyundai Motor America sold 111,509 vehicles, outpacing the previous record first quarter of 2006. Retail-only sales data indicates that March marks Sonata's emergence as America's third best-selling mid-size sedan, trailing only Camry and Accord, and outselling vehicles like the Altima, Fusion, and Malibu in showrooms across the country. "It's gratifying to announce these strong results in New York as we introduce three new models, including our new flagship luxury sedan, Equus, to the freshest lineup in the industry," said Dave Zuchowski, Hyundai Motor America's vice present of national sales. "We're confident improving availability of our new products will allow us to sustain this strong sales momentum."
On a year-over-year basis, Sonata was up 52.6 percent, Tucson was up 129.1 percent, Santa Fe was up 62.8 percent, and Genesis was up 31.9 percent, marking the 9th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gain for Genesis.
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HYUNDAI BRAND LOYALTY REPLACES TOYOTA FOR THE NUMBER ONE SPOT, ACCORDING TO KELLEY BLUE BOOK'S KBB.COM
All-new Sonata Emerges on the Top 10 Most Researched New Vehicle List
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 03/15/2010
Brand loyalty for Hyundai recently surpassed that of Honda and replaced Toyota, allowing Hyundai to take the No. 1 spot among car shoppers, according to the latest Kelley Blue Book's www.kbb.com Market Intelligence data. Up from third place in Q4 2009, Hyundai saw the greatest increase in loyalty in February 2010, with Hyundai owners looking at new models within the brand increasing by 10.4 percentage points to 56.3 percent.
Furthermore, according to Kelley Blue Book Values data, throughout the month of February 2010 Hyundai outperformed the overall car segment average by a healthy margin. Hyundai values increased 2 percent month-over-month, relative to a 0.3 percent increase for the entire car segment.
"A large part of Hyundai's momentum is a result of introducing passionate new products like the 2011 Sonata and 2010 Tucson," said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "To sustain this momentum, Hyundai should continue to promote its attractive new-vehicle lineup, solid warranty offer and strong price-points to new-car shoppers."
In addition to topping brand loyalty, the all-new 2011 Sonata was named to kbb.com's Top 10 Most-Researched New Vehicles list for the first time. In February, the Sonata was the fifth most-researched new car on kbb.com alongside 'Top 10 Most-Researched' mainstays such as Accord, Civic, Camry and CR-V.
"2009 marked an unprecedented year for the Hyundai brand and we are well poised to keep the momentum going in 2010," said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "With impressive new vehicles like the all-new Sonata and our dedication to deliver stylish, fuel efficient and affordable vehicles, more customers are adding Hyundai models to their shopping lists."
This Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence data analysis examined site traffic to used-car trade-in pages and new-car pricing report pages on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, and compared loyalty data from Q4 2009 to February 1 - 28, 2010. The Kelley Blue Book Values data within this release represents month-over-month used-vehicle depreciation percentages.
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With 2011 Sonata, Hyundai proves
it's worth another look
(Click here for prices and specifications on this car.)
March 11, 2010
By Scott Burgess / The Detroit News
I've gotten tired of writing about the next good
Hyundai.
And according to the late night profanity-laced
messages left on my voice mail, so have
Detroit readers.
So let's just stop acting surprised every time Hyundai rolls out an
impressive car or crossover. This is a quality operation and its
lineup is going to continue to improve. (For those keeping score,
I also say the same thing about Ford Motor Co. and General
Motors Co.)
The next piece of evidence: the 2011 Hyundai Sonata.
In the past, Hyundai was seen as the lower-priced
alternative. Many consumers never considered it
because they would drone methodically, "must buy
another Camry" with the same appreciation for their car as their
washing machine. (The top-selling Camry proves how little
400,000 people annually appreciate dramatic styling, wellappointed
interiors and taut performance -- as it has none, none
and none.)
But here's the scoop: The new Sonata blows the doors off of the
Toyota and Honda midsize entries with a more stylish exterior,
better gas mileage, comfortable interior and more four-cylinder
power than just about any midsize sedan around.
The 198 horsepower 2.4-liter with gas-direct injection engine
outmuscles all of the mainstream four-cylinders available
including the Accord (161 horses); Nissan Altima (180 horses);
Camry (169 horses); Ford Fusion (175 horses) and Chevrolet
Malibu (169 horsepower).
Add to that best-in-class fuel economy at 35 miles per gallon on
the highway and you've got a serious contender that customers
should not overlook. If you're looking for a family sedan that will
serve all of the roles of daily life, pass over the Sonata at your
own peril. This car just looks sharp.
By the end of this year, Hyundai plans to add a 2-liter turbo
model that could improve the gas mileage and a gas-electric
hybrid to soothe those eco-minded customers. Hyundai calls the
exterior design "fluidic" and you can almost see the ripples of
water flowing it. If you look at this sedan's front end, you can see
the waves of water moving out from the neatly creased hood and
grille.
There's a motion to this car, even when it's standing still, that
makes you want to look a little closer. Along the side, there's a
piece of chrome trim that moves through the bejeweled headlight
all the way past the second door. The cutting line along the
doors may be a little over the top, providing more lines on the
front fender than a cat's cradle, but it still looks good
Lightweight and quick
The ride on the Sonata is excellent. In the past, midsized sedans
with small engines seemed to want for power, so much so that
you almost had to buy the V-6 model just to feel like you could
merge with highway traffic.
2011 Hyundai Sonata
Type:
Five- passenger, front-wheel drivesedan
Price:
$19,195Engine:
2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinderTransmission:
Six-speed manual orautomatic transmission
Power:
198 horsepower; 184 pound-feettorque EPA gas mileage:
Manual: 23 mpg city / 34 mpg highway
Auto: 23 mpg city / 35 mpg highway
Report Card Overall: ****
Exterior:
Excellent. Strong linesto give it a well-planted look.
Demonstrated attention to
details, which stand out.
Interior:
Excellent. Spacious andquiet with lots of features to
please driver and passengers.
Performance:
Good. Lots ofpower and transmission is
extremely smooth. Can handle
tight and twisty roads easily.
Pros:
Light weight and pricedright. Excellent value.
Cons:
Some road noise; no V-6option available.
Grading Scale
**** Excellent *** Good ** Fair *
Poor
The new six-speed automatic
transmission (a manual six-speed is
also offered though maybe one in 10
buyers will select it) is extremely
smooth.
But this is changing for every midsize. Hyundai doesn't even
offer a V-6 version of the new Sonata (instead it will continue to
offer a V-6 version of the Azera sedan for people suffering from
cylinder envy). But by keeping the V-6 out of the Sonata family,
Hyundai has managed to keep the weight off of the Sonata. It
weighs in at just 3,200 pounds -- only the Nissan Altima is
lighter. But the Sonata launches quickly and offers plenty of
power.
The new six-speed automatic transmission (a manual six-speed
is also offered though maybe one in 10 buyers will select it) is
extremely smooth. It also does an excellent job of staying in the
right gear when you need it.
It's a confidence-instilling tranny that makes driving that much
more enjoyable. The ride is also extremely quiet. Even when
you're hitting 80 mph on the highway, the Sonata slices through
the wind. There is some noticeable road noise but, still, it was
never overwhelming.
Like some other automakers, Hyundai uses electric power
steering to help achieve the best gas mileage. But the steering
feel is solid and nicely balanced. The car leans into tight corners
and pulls out of them with aplomb. It's nearly fun to drive -- which
is high praise for any midsize sedan.
Lots of room, safety inside
Inside, the Sonata is just as enjoyable.
The interior is well laid out and full of high tech surprises.
Nowadays customers expect satellite radio, Bluetooth
connectivity for hands-free phone operation and touch-screen
navigation screens -- and Hyundai delivers all of that.
On a side note, Bluetooth connectivity is something that has
become more important because more states are passing laws
banning drivers from talking directly into their phones -- instead requiring drivers to jam a silly ear piece into
their head that leaves your ear sore. The Bluetooth system also controls a car's stereo, turning it down
when the phone rings; it simply works better than any hands-free device people stick in their ear. Trust me,
if you had a Bluetooth connection in your car, you wouldn't look so stupid walking down the street talking to
your self.
The optional 400-watt stereo system (which comes with the navigation system) blasts music and can make
even the worst traffic fade away to the soothing rhythms of Steely Dan. There's a slew of standard safety
features as well, starting with electronic stability control and six airbags, including front, front seat-mounted
side-impact and front and rear side curtain airbags. Safety should never be an option and any carmaker
who charges more for some safety features is just wrong.
There's also lots of room inside the Sonata, a key feature for a midsize sedan.
The wheelbase stretches 110 inches and lets Hyundai create a lot of livable space in the cabin. There's
more than 45 inches of legroom in the front and 34.6 inches of legroom in the second row.
For its competitive price, the 2011
Hyundai Sonata is comfortable and
roomy, and has all the gadgets
customers expect, from Bluetooth to
touch-screen navigation.
By the end of the year, Hyundai plans
to beef up the Sonata's available fourcylinder
with a 2-liter turbo and gaselectric
hybrid options.
With 103.8 cubic feet of passenger space inside the cabin, the Sonata is technically a large sedan, just like
the Honda Accord; but both compete in the midsize segment. Even the trunk is spacious and deep,
providing more than 16 cubic feet of space.
Surprise wearing off
But the real value of the Sonata begins with its price.
The base GLS model starts at $19,195 and a fully loaded Limited model hits $27,395. This is a lot of car to
get for under $28,000, especially considering the number of features and the car's performance. It will make
buyers feel like they've pulled one over on the dealer when they drive away from the lot -- and who doesn't
like that?
So get used to hearing good things about Hyundai in 2010.
The company has taken nearly two decades to transform itself and all of that work has paid off for
consumers.
Walter Becker and Donald Fagen couldn't have said it better: With the Sonata, you're feeling the change of
the guard.
And next time Hyundai rolls out a sharp, hot car, no one should act so surprised.
sburgess@detnews.
Feb. 28, 2010
HYUNDAI: DRIVEN TO SUCCESS
(CBS) On President's Day, Atlantic Hyundai in West Islip, Long Island was crawling with car buyers.
"We've heard good things, we've come to see for ourselves," she said.
The new 2011 Sonata was selling so well, Dawn Webster had to put herself on a waiting list for one.
"Ahh, baby, it's a beauty," she said.
And then there's the price. Hyundai's strategy . . . sell more car for less . . . than the competition.
First-time buyer Daniel Baez chose a slightly used 2007 model.
"You can't explain what that feeling is, to have your first car and say 'This belongs to me,' you know?"
"And how does it look to you?" asked Teichner.
"Oh, it's gorgeous. I love it."
To say that Hyundai is on a roll and in a hurry is an understatement. While the rest of the auto industry was in freefall, off more than 20% last year, Hyundai's U.S. sales were up 8 percent. Hyundai blew past Ford and became the world's number 4 car maker.
"I would say, right now, Hyundai has the hot hand," said Michael Brown, vice president of Atlantic Hyundai's parent company, a dealership network that includes most of the major brands.
"Hyundai really, really raised their game," he said. "They decided that they were going to be in this marketplace and they did not just want to compete; they wanted to try and dominate."
John Krafcik is president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America.
"Around the year 2000, our chairman challenged the company to go ahead and achieve the top level of quality in the industry and to do it in five years," he told Teichner as he took her for a spin.
Hyundai has made a quantum leap in quality. Its new models are well-equipped, fuel efficient and, now, stylish.
Oh, how times have changed since the $5000 car Hyundai launched here in 1986, the Excel . . . except that it didn't.
"Well, it was a piece of junk in a competitive market like the U.S.," said James Bell.
Bell analyzes the auto industry for the car buyer's directory, Kelley Blue Book. He watched Hyundai recover from all the bad jokes.
"They basically retrenched, and then came back stronger, addressed their reliability and durability concerns with their ten-year, 100,000-mile warranty, which was a good, bold move," he said.
That got the public's attention. Hyundai set out to do it again in 2009. It saw opportunity in the recession. In commercials voiced by actor Jeff Bridges, Hyundai told its customers they could return their cars if their lost their job.
Not even 100 cars have been returned, but the offer raised Hyundai's profile. A blitz of ads (count 'em, nine) during this year's Super Bowl Sunday programming showed the transformed Hyundai to more than 100 million Americans . . . just when Toyota's woes were reaching critical mass.
Good for Hyundai, according to Dave Zuchowski, vice president of national sales for Hyundai Motor America. But he sees a cautionary tale here, too. On Wednesday Hyundai announced a voluntary recall of 1300 new Sonatas in the U.S. because of a possible door latch problem.
"Toyota grew very quickly and expanded very quickly, and Hyundai is busy doing exactly the same thing with the Toyota production model as its benchmark," Teichner said. "Do you ever worry that this could ever happen to Hyundai?"
"Absolutely," said Zuchowski. "We are all about speed. We are a very, very ambitious company, and we have huge growth plans and have for the last several years. So it has been a wakeup call for us, and I think for the rest of the industry."
But for Hyundai, no reason to dial back . . .
Krafcik gave Teichner a sneak peek at the Equus. "This is our new flagship," he said.
The super-luxurious Equus, due out sometime this fall, is intended to be the next chapter in Hyundai's success story.
"This will go against BMW, Lexus, cars that typically cost $60,000-100,000."
"Yours will not cost that much?
"We stand for something different," Krafcik said.
Should all those prestige names be worried, based on the Korean company's track record? Yes. But here's the irony . . .
"We worry about vehicles from India, vehicles from Vietnam, vehicles from China that will be coming into this market," said Zuchowski.
Another generation of upstarts . . . something Hyundai knows about.
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2011 HYUNDAI SONATA NAMED "TOP SAFETY PICK" BY IIHS
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif, 02/18/2010
Today, the all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata joins an elite group of motor vehicles as a "Top Safety Pick" of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This award is only given to those vehicles that do a superior job protecting people in front, side, rear and rollover crashes. A car's ability to handle itself in these crashes is determined by how many "GOOD" ratings it receives in each of the IIHS tests. Additionally, the vehicle must have electronic stability control readily available as an option.
Sonata is built from the ground up with safety in mind, with a hot stamped ultra-high-strength steel body structure, advanced airbag technology and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), delivering on Hyundai's commitment to both active and passive safety technology leadership. In 2005, the Sonata was the first popular midsize sedan to standardize ESC-- once again every 2011 Sonata has lifesaving ESC as standard equipment. This is important because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that ESC results in 35 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes and 30 percent fewer single-vehicle fatalities in passenger cars.
The Sonata also features a state-of-the-art Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) including Brake Assist and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). Sonata features six airbags-including dual front, front seat-mounted side-impact, and front and rear side curtain airbags-along with active front-seat head restraints.
While past Hyundai models, such as the Genesis, have been named IIHS "Top Safety Picks," the standards are higher than ever for 2010, with a roof strength test added to the qualifications. According to the new guidelines, roofs must be more than double the strength of current federal requirements in order to better maintain vehicle integrity in the event of a rollover accident.
Because this roof strength test is so demanding, many of the vehicles that had previously been named "Top Safety Picks" were dropped from the list in 2010. From the 2011 Sonata's inception, Hyundai engineers carefully considered the importance of roof strength and designed the newest edition to pass this high hurdle set by the IIHS.
The other IIHS "Top Safety Pick" standards are stringent as well - the institute's frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures recorded on a dummy representing a 50th percentile male in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.
Side evaluations are based on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on two instrumented dummies representing an average-sized woman, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle's structural performance during the impact.
Rear crash protection is rated according to a two-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry - the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man. Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph.
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HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA REPORTS FEBRUARY 2010 SALES
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 03/02/2010
Hyundai Motor America today announced February sales of 34,004 units, up 11 percent versus February 2009 and the same amount over January of this year. This marks the fourteenth consecutive month of year-over-year retail market share gains for Hyundai and our best retail share performance since the government's "Cash-for-Clunkers" program in August 2009.
"Even though February is the shortest month of the year, the list of highlights for Hyundai is long," said Dave Zuchowski, Hyundai Motor America's vice president of national sales. "Our sales gains in February were driven by strong consumer response to new products like the Tucson, which was up 102 percent, and the all-new U.S.-built Sonata, which was just launched this month and has already driven a 58 percent sales increase. For the Hyundai brand as a whole, consumer retail sales were up 21 percent while incentive spending was down more than 30 percent. We're excited about the momentum we're carrying into March."
Zuchowski explained that February was a strong month for both Hyundai and the industry especially taking into account the adverse weather conditions in much of the country.
"While all of our sales regions showed year-over-year retail increases, bad weather definitely limited car shopping in our Eastern and Central regions, which accounts for about half our overall volume," he added." "In our Southern, South Central and Western regions, we saw retail sales increases of 39, 50 and 28 percent, respectively, which bodes well for a strong spring selling season for Hyundai and the entire industry."
In addition to the early success of Sonata and Tucson, the freshened Santa Fe with a 52 percent increase, Genesis with a 39 percent increase, and Accent with a 22 percent rise, all registered significant growth over the same period one year ago.
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ELANTRA TOURING NAMED A TOP FAMILY CAR BY ABOUT.COM CARS
ABOUT.COM RECOGNIZED THE ELANTRA TOURING ON ITS LIST OF TOP TEN FAMILY CARS UNDER $20,000
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 01/29/2010
About.com Cars recognized the Hyundai Elantra Touring on its list of Top Ten Family Cars under $20,000 for its big cargo bay, list of standard features and affordable price tag. Other cars that made the list include the Mazda5, Volkswagen Jetta, Subaru Impreza, Kia Rondo, Dodge Caliber, Scion xB, Honda Fit and Nissan Cube.
"Finding a budget-friendly car is tough enough; when you have kids, it becomes more difficult," said Aaron Gold, About.com Cars. "The innovative Elantra Touring is bigger than a hatchback, smaller than a wagon, and perfectly sized for new and growing families. The big cargo bay makes for a great vacationmobile."
When introduced in 2009, the all-new more functional variant of Hyundai's popular Elantra sedan, Elantra Touring was looked at as one of best bargains in the industry. Now the Elantra Touring is even better for 2010 with an all-new entry-level GLS model offering loads of standard equipment including air conditioning, AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers and iPod®/USB and MP3 auxiliary input jacks, power windows, heated mirrors, power door locks, remote keyless entry with alarm, and plenty of storage compartments including a cooled glove compartment. The Elantra Touring also offers standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC), in addition to a host of other class-leading safety technologies.
"Elantra Touring is a perfect, affordable choice for families in the market for a new vehicle," said Brandon Ramirez, Elantra Touring product manager, Hyundai Motor America. "And with the new GLS model, families can get more for their dollar with a long list of standard convenience features along with Hyundai's commitment to class-leading safety features."
766 State Route 725
Dayton, OH 45459