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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.

Europe to get next Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai is preparing to make a rather bold move with its Genesis, as reports are now stating that the next-generation rear-drive sedan, which we showed you earlier this week, will be sold in Europe. The first-generation of the Genesis sedan never crossed the pond.
The 2015 Genesis will enter the traditional stomping grounds of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi armed with the same 3.8-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8 found in the current model. All-wheel drive, a first for the model, will also be available in Europe. "We have to overcome the challenge of competing with established European brands. We expect the Genesis to play a crucial role in improving our brand recognition," Hyundai said in a statement.
Hyundai has done a fair job of changing its image in the US from a budget-minded brand into a legitimate, mainstream competitor that covers a broad swath of the American market, offering cars from the $14,545 Accent to the $61,000 Equus. That movement started in earnest with the Genesis, and it looks like Hyundai is determined to repeat that models success in Europe.

2015 Hyundai Genesis to offer Google Glass integration

We suppose it was simply a matter of when (rather than 'if') wearable technology would infiltrated automobiles, and apparently that time has come. Hyundai has just announced that its new-for-2015 Genesis Sedan will be compatible with Google Glass thanks to its Blue Link infotainment system.
"As a leader in connected car technology, we're always exploring new ways to use technology to enhance the ownership experience for our customers. Wearables are a great way to extend the experience outside of the vehicle by leveraging these small screens to quickly access remote features and deliver timely vehicle information," said Barry Ratzlaff, the executive director of Customer Connect and Service Business Development for Hyundai.
Customers will need to download a Blue Link Glassware app to manage their new Genesis, but once that's sorted, owners will be treated to little "cards" that pop up on the Google Glass interface. Push notifications will show when maintenance is due and customers will even be able to schedule service via Glass. Features like remote start, remote locking and a vehicle finder will also be available, while points of interest will be selectable and loadable into the navigation system via Google Send-to-Car.