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Hyundai refining dealer strategy for premium models

Automotive News reports Hyundai is set to give its sales strategy for premium vehicles a once-over. Moving forward, each of the automaker's five North American regions will have a premium product operations manager. Those managers will all report directly to a senior group manager based at the Hyundai headquarters in California. To begin with, the group will start by identifying what dealers are currently doing right to sell the automaker's luxury hardware. From there, the group will then help spread those practices to the 320 dealerships currently authorized to sell the Equus. All told, Hyundai has some 800 dealers in the US.
The move comes ahead of the launch of the second-generation Genesis and Equus. Both sedans are slated to hit showrooms by early next year. The Genesis debuted in 2008 with the Genesis Coupe following along in 2009, while the Equus first landed on US shores in 2011.

Why Kia doesn't need a premium brand

Hyundai's creation of the Genesis luxury brand means it and fellow Korean brand Kia have finally hit the mainstream in the U.S. – as far as products are concerned – after nearly three decades of trying. Which is about as long as it took Toyota and Nissan to roll out Lexus and Infiniti, respectively. It's history repeating itself. Genesis is supposed to be the way Hyundai's premium models get the respect they deserve, without carrying the baggage of a name associated with frugality. Hyundai has, in fact, built up a reputation over the last decade or so for cars that compete head-on with class leaders, rather than aim to be 90 percent as good for 75 percent of the price. And because Kia shares a number of components with Hyundai, its vehicles have also steadily become not only better mainstream vehicles, but have continued to aim higher than their price points. Does Kia need to follow now in its parent's steps with a prestige brand to market its most expensive models? I'm aware of the Kia K900, the company's deepest foray into luxury territory notably occupied by Lexus. Kia, however, has consistently been pushing this $60,000 full-size luxury sedan along with $0 down, low monthly payment lease deals. Turns out there really aren't many people looking for a full-size Kia luxury sedan. Or maybe they're just waiting to get it for $20,000 in a couple of years. Consider the K900 and Genesis when I convince you Kia already makes upscale cars to rival those with premium badges. They just don't happen to be its most expensive model. Shortly after Hyundai's announcement it would spin its luxury models off into the Genesis brand, I spent a few days with a 2016 Kia Sorento SXL. And I'm willing to call it a more convincing attempt to get people out of luxury cars than the K900. Driving the Sorento is not an emotional experience. You feel parental driving it, thinking you might've forgotten to pick your kids up until you remember you don't actually have kids. But after settling into the nicely stitched and perforated leather seats, you respect its comfort, quiet and amenities. The headliner is soft, the stitching on the dash top is convincingly real and everyone is impressed by the sharp graphics on the touchscreen and the slick powered shade that reveals an expansive glass roof. A Kia Sorento costing more than $46,000 sounds absurd until you wonder how much better an Acura MDX or Lexus RX350 is when those cost as much as $10,000 more.

2020 Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade will see price increases

New year, new MSRP. CarsDirect got hold of a "recent pricing guide" and discovered Hyundai and Kia chanted that mantra over the Palisade and the Telluride, respectively. The Palisade has been on sale since June of last year, and already received a $50 price increase before the turn of the year. As of this month, Hyundai has goosed the MSRP by another $225 to $31,775, and the destination charge by $25 to $1,120. The $250 bump takes the starting price for a front-wheel drive Palisade SE to $31,775. The premium is applied throughout the range, making the top-tier Limited AWD model $47,745. The Telluride was first priced at $32,735 after destination. It, too, received a visit from the surcharge fairy last year to the tune of $50, boosting the cost to $32,785. This month, Kia tweaked the MSRP by $250 to $31,890, and the destination charge by $25 to $1,170. That comes to a $275 increase, meaning a front-wheel drive Telluride LX is now starting at $33,060. Whereas the Telluride had been $140 more expensive than the Palisade, the three-row Kia now stands $165 beyond the three-row Hyundai.  None of this should affect sales, both models already having won numerous awards, the Palisade receiving a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Telluride capping its excellent reviews with victory in the North American 2020 Utility of the Year competition. Kia is moving more than 6,000 Tellurides per month in the U.S., and a carmaker rep said the vehicle "is still on deep backorder." The Palisade looks on track to join it, and both sell for more than MSRP in many parts of the country, according to TrueCar. Based on recent reports, things might get even more varied on the Kia side, in fact. One rumor said there could be flagship luxury and off-road trims on the way. This week, Motor1 heard from "an anonymous Kia employee" with details on a potential X-Line appearance package. The possible cosmetic suite would install a satin black grille, body-colored door handles, bright bumper and lower door garnish, front and rear skid plates, and a unique 20-inch wheel for $1,695. And it's said that Kia is investigating consumer interest in a long-wheelbase Telluride.