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Honda, Hyundai and Kia get best word-of-mouth recommendations in US

Forget advertising, incentives and, yes, even our excellently crafted vehicle reviews, sometimes the best way for automakers to sell cars is still good ol' fashioned word of mouth. In an attempt to measure this "word of mouth" power, The Boston Consulting Group, a management consulting firm, has created a new study called the Brand Advocacy Index (BAI). The index takes a look at how various industries perform from person to person. Those industries include automotive, smartphones, grocery, mobile telecommunications and banking.
The study polled more than 32,000 individuals across Europe and in the US to come up with the top 55 brands in these various industries. On the automotive side of things, the top brands in the US were Honda, Hyundai and Kia, all tied at 63 percent. On a global scale, Volkswagen and Toyota scored the highest with a 65-percent BAI rating (both in France). The average BAI for auto industry players tallied 50 percent.
As for companies in other industries, Apple's iPhone was the index's top-rated smartphone, Trader Joe's was the highest recommended grocery store, Virgin was sat atop the mobile telecom industry and USAA was the top retail bank. Scroll down for the full press release on the new study.

Best electric sedans of 2024

While the American automotive trends tend to lean toward SUVs and trucks, and sedans seem to be dying out, there are some great four-doors out there in the EV market. They may not have the bulk, the high vantage point, or the storage capacity of the utes, but some folks still want a car that’s, well, a car. A sedan might not always have as much room to cram in a big battery pack, either, but they also donÂ’t weigh as much. They tend to be more lithe, sexy and agile. And theyÂ’re generally cheaper than their bigger brethren, too, though some of the full-size luxury sedans can still get well into six-figure pricing. If thatÂ’s not your thing, you can check out the best electric SUVs, but if youÂ’ve read this far, you probably enjoy sedans as much as us. WeÂ’ve tested quite a few, and these are the best electric sedans of 2024.   Best electric sedans below $60,000 Tesla Model 3 — $40,380 The Tesla Model 3 is one of just two sedans (along with the Hyundai Ioniq 6) to make it onto our list of best EVs under $50,000. ItÂ’s quite the value, too, with a starting price of just $40,380. ItÂ’s also fun to drive. Yes, it has some quirks, including too many vehicle functions residing exclusively in infotainment menus, but the Model 3's idiosyncrasies are easy to forgive based on its price and range, and they're things you can quickly get used to or possibly even appreciate. No wonder this EV is so popular.   Hyundai Ioniq 6 — $43,565 Of the sedans on this list, the Ioniq 6 is one of the most affordable (starting at $43,565), and one of the best. ItÂ’s quite efficient, with long driving range — up to 361 miles. Its cabin is creative in its design while being practical and comfortable. Interestingly, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is the sportiest version of Hyundai and KiaÂ’s E-GMP cars, apart from the high-performance Kia EV6 GT. Its design, value, range, fast charging and other useful tech easily make it one of best electric sedans you can buy.   BMW i4 — $53,195 Though the BMW i4 is essentially an electric version of the 4 Series Gran Coupe, this EV sedan is something special. ItÂ’s packed with power and great driving dynamics in true BMW style. The rear-drive i4 eDrive40 is one quick car, but the i4 M50 is ridiculously fast. If you can get past the questionable nose and the iDrive 8 infotainment system, the i4 is an electric sleeper, and a performance bargain.

Hyundai's electric car strategy takes shape under the radar

Green car fans are frothing over the Tesla Model 3. The Chevy Bolt may turn out to be the better car, and it will be available sooner. But don't overlook another electric car that's also due next year: the Hyundai Ioniq. With far less attention, Hyundai is launching an EV that is expected to be competitively priced and will spearhead the Ioniq lineup, which also has hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. They share the same platform and look similar, but the Ioniq EV could prove to be a game-changer for Hyundai when it arrives at the end of the year, bringing new customers and casting the company as one with proficiency in the electric arena. Built in South Korea, the Ioniq line will be available at every Hyundai dealership that wants to sell the cars, already giving it a leg up on Teslas that often have long waiting periods for buyers. With a range of 124 miles on a single charge, it won't compete with the Model 3, which will travel at least 215 miles on a charge, or the Bolt, which has a range of 238 miles. Rather, it will face off against humbler products like the Nissan Leaf (107 miles) and the Volkswagen E-Golf (83 miles). Hyundai has not announced pricing, but is mindful the Ioniq trails Chevy and Tesla in range. An executive also indicated it could be working on an Ioniq with a longer distance capability, but declined to discuss specifics. Hyundai argues its found a sweet spot with the Ioniq EV, whose range is well within the distance most Americans drive in a day. It can recharge in about four hours and 25 minutes, which is faster than the six-hour charge time for the Leaf but slightly longer than the four-hour E-Golf. In quick charge mode, the Ioniq can juice up to 80 percent in 23 minutes. Critically, Hyundai is also offering a lifetime warranty on all of its hybrid and electric battery packs (it has since 2012), which could sway consumers still wary of the technology. It's a lot of numbers, and Hyundai will need considerable marketing muscle to make buyers consider Ioniqs in the face of a growing field of electrified competitors. But it's part of a broader play to reach an audience of younger consumers, who expect electrification to be baked into their cars. Millennials will account for 40 percent of new car purchases by 2020, and Hyundai says the generation is more likely to consider alternative powertrains than older ones.