Hyundai Loves Sedans!

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 07/09/2015 at 07:33 • Filed to: None

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So like most of you, Im just out of The Drift and now believe Hyundai is totally out of touch with the consumer market.

Remembering that the new Sonata is classified as a large car, we have a lineup that increases in luxury as follows: Azera-Cadenza-Aslan-Genesis-K900-Equus (basically Avalon-Avalon-ES-GS-GS/LS-LS). Why Hyundai-Kia didn’t make a “Platinum” trim instead of new models is a mystery.

So how about we make this Aslan into a premium crossover, do the same with the K900 (an XC90 Excellence competitor), and call it a day. I’m surprised they have zero offerings against luxury SUVs (not even a higher trim level) when even Lamborghini is entering that space.

Seriously though, how do you build 6 sedans and not think to create some type of body style variety? “Hmmm, that Lexus RX and Acura MDX sure do sell well, better put blind spot monitoring in the Azera.” Ugh.

kanadanmajava1 > Wobbles the Mind 07/09/2015 at 07:43

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For me the most exciting car that Hyundai has ever offered is the first generation Pony. And it wasn’t even sold in Finland (some parts of Europe did get it).

Wobbles the Mind > kanadanmajava1 07/09/2015 at 07:52

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You know, I’m not sure we got the Pony in the US (wouldn’t be surprised if Canada did though). Now Im curious about this Pony since the Excel was nothing exciting.

m2m, apex detective > Wobbles the Mind 07/09/2015 at 08:10

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Not sure what market we are talking here ... but don’t forget that Hyundai offers both a relatively fresh Tucson (ex- ix35 , ex-ex- Tucson ) and the somewhat modest but relatively large Santa Fé. Not big enough for you?

Judging from my experience with the Euroland markets, the Tucson should be a huge seller for Hyundai and make up a large percentage of their overall sales.

Hyundai will still not be perceived as luxury as of now, regardless of what they do. That time will come ... maybe. For now, they can play the role of affordable luxury or luxury bargain.

Wobbles the Mind > m2m, apex detective 07/09/2015 at 08:16

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The way you get things you have never had is by doing things you’re never done. They need premium crossovers, or at least a luxury-level trim like Ford is trying with Vignale. Hyundai-Kia can’t complain about losing market share when they aren’t even competing in the segments with the highest growth and profitability.

spanfucker retire bitch > Wobbles the Mind 07/09/2015 at 08:18

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I would personally love to own the new Hyundai Genesis. That thing would be a bitchin DD.

m2m, apex detective > Wobbles the Mind 07/09/2015 at 08:35

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I’m with you there, I just meant to point out how hard the transformation from budget carmaker to luxury manufacturer is (see: Audi). They should keep diversifying the lineup and aim to bring more interesting cars that aren’t just cheap alternatives to the establishment. They probably have the financial possibilities to just go and elbow their way in.

Kia/Hyundai have made tremendous progress in the last decade, and that is unlikely to stop now ... such is the nature of a learning curve. Hyundai will get there. And Kia. I never know which one of them is supposed to be above or below the other.

Cé hé sin > Wobbles the Mind 07/09/2015 at 08:38

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Depends on the market. So far as I know they only sell one four door car where I am, the i40, and it’s not a big seller. Otherwise it’s all hatchbacks and crossovery kind of things.

m2m, apex detective > m2m, apex detective 07/09/2015 at 08:40

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Crap. Started editing the post, got a coffee, could no longer edit. I’ll be cheap and just paste the changes below, or rather the stuff I couldn’t add anymore.

Image: US-Spec Santa-Fé 2015 ( C&D picture )

Cars like the Santa Fé might be more suited to the U.S. market, but my money is on the Tucson to up Hyundai’s role as a carmaker right now.

Tucson imagery below related and nicked from the web.

Hyundai will still not be perceived as luxury as of now, regardless of what cars they introduce. That time will come ... maybe. For now, they can play the role of affordable luxury or luxury bargain. I already have a small Hyundai in the family, we’ll see if it stands the test of time.

kanadanmajava1 > Wobbles the Mind 07/09/2015 at 09:27

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Yeah. I think Canada got the Pony II (which was just a facelift from the first model) but it never did reach the US markets. A friend of friend who lives in Netherlands is hoarding these first gen Ponys.

boxrocket > Wobbles the Mind 07/09/2015 at 09:51

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Hyundai makes a car called the Aslan?

...

...Does C.S. Lewis’ estate get royalties on the name?

So that I’m understanding your point, are you saying the Azera should be offered with an Ultimate trim level like the Equus (and Genesis too, IIRC) to bridge the gap between them?

I’d rather have an Azera/Cadenza than an ES or Avalon, but between the Genesis and GS and the Equus and LS, that’d be a harder choice, if money wasn’t a factor.

boxrocket > m2m, apex detective 07/09/2015 at 09:54

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Kia was supposed to be the cheaper but “sportier” of the two, and Hyundai the more luxurious, but then they failed to execute that properly by launching the Cadenza and K900 for Koa, and neglecting to make the Accent and Elantra significantly nicer than the Rio and Forte. The Veloster should have been a Kia. Up until the current (new) Sonata, I’d have picked the comparable Kia over the Hyundai until getting to the Genesis.

DrScientist > m2m, apex detective 07/09/2015 at 10:19

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audi was never really a “budget” manufacturer.

Wobbles the Mind > boxrocket 07/09/2015 at 10:24

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Pretty much. The Azera is actually more enjoyable to drive than most other Hyundais. I think making the Azera more in line with the Nissan Maxima in sporty dynamics would distinguish it from the Cadenza. An Ultimate trim with place it in line with the LaCrosse (which drives way more sporty than anyone thinks).

DrScientist > Wobbles the Mind 07/09/2015 at 10:27

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Seriously though, how do you build 6 sedans and not think to create some type of body style variety?

my somewhat educated guess here is that they are still experiencing solid growth out of their sedan sales. as much as us “enthusiasts” cringe and complain, these are all business decisions. they are driven by numbers, profit margins, sales forecasts, and stock price expectations.

if the sedans are still gaining market share over the comparable toyotas and hondas, and they can slide a “new” entrant into the lineup, by only changing a front bumper and headlight unit, then they will.

when sedan sales start to plateau, or their annual percentage increases in market share begin to wane, that’s when i’d expect them to start beefing up their suv/cuv lineup.

it wasn’t until audi became a real threat to bmw in the euro car market, and u.s. buyers were looking at range rovers, and japanese SUVs, that bmw introduced the x5. And, it wasn’t until audi’s sedans had gained a reasonable foothold in that german sedan segment that audi introduced the q7 (nearly 7 years after the x5 launch).

m2m, apex detective > DrScientist 07/10/2015 at 06:58

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Granted, budget might be a bit much, but they weren’t so special but a few decades ago, with their NSU-related reputation for building cars with little comfort and reliability issues. In my opinion, it’s Piech who turned them around ... think Audi quattro, 100 Series and 80 Series.

I wonder whether they were always supposed to end up as the premium brand in the VW conglomerate.

m2m, apex detective > boxrocket 07/10/2015 at 07:07

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Let’s see ... which one would I pick? Keep in mind that I’m in the German market only, which is strangely limited when it comes to Kia.

i10 > Picanto
i20 > Rio
i30 < cee’d
i30 SW < cee’d SW
i40 < Optima
Tucson > Sportage
Santa Fé > Sorento
Genesis Coupé > Veloster (albeit not really comparable)
Genesis > K900

The Forte strikes me as something of a Scion thing. Relatively fresh-looking, cheap and likely good fun. Why not have a Hyundai like that, too?

boxrocket > m2m, apex detective 07/10/2015 at 08:19

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The Forte is on the same platform as the Elantra/Cee’d/i30, but better-looking, IMHO. With Hyundai/Kia pushing Kuas as “sporty” and Hyundais as the more luxurious option, a sportier Elantra (aside from appearance packages) seems unlikely

Do you get the Kia Soul over there? It’s essentially a tall Rio hatch with drastically different styling.

m2m, apex detective > boxrocket 07/11/2015 at 11:17

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You might not be surprised to learn that “our” Rio looks like this. Do you think that still yield the Soul’s platform, I wonder? They don’t put big engines in ‘em, as far as I know.

Anyway, I’m curious to see how the Kia/Hyundai crowbar will work out long-term.

boxrocket > m2m, apex detective 07/11/2015 at 21:48

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Yep, that’s our Rio, though they call our hatchback version is the Rio5. The Soul is still based on it, but taller and boxier, so easier for ingress and egress, but I believe shorter overall