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Hyundai, Genesis, Subaru warn their dealers about markups

Six weeks ago, word got out that Ford's VP of sales for the U.S. and Canada wrote one of those "It has come to our attention..." e-mails to the automaker's dealer body. The VP's problem was dealers trying to get reservation deposits for the Ford F-150 Lightning well above the official $100 fee. The tomfoolery resulted in interactions "with customers in a manner that is negatively impacting customer satisfaction and damaging to the Ford Motor Company brand and Dealer Body reputation." Two weeks later, GM told its dealers to cut out the reservation gaming and the markups on the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, banditry that's been going on for two years. Two weeks ago, Ford was back at it, this time about markups on the Bronco. Last week, Asian automakers swept into the melee, with Hyundai and Genesis, Subaru, and Infiniti writing letters to their dealers to deliver some variant of, "Stop pissing off the customers." Automotive News reported an SVP at Hyundai Motor America and the COO at Genesis Motor North America sent letters to their dealers expressing disappointment at "certain pricing practices which, if left unchecked, will have a negative impact on the health of our brand." One of the practices mentioned was dealer markups, another was the bait-and-switch, with dealers advertising one price then charging a higher price once the customer showed up at the lot. The letters acknowledged that dealers are separate companies to the automakers and have the right to set their own prices. The automakers cannot interfere with that; their leverage is distributing allocations and perks such as advertising support and financial incentives. So, like a movie boss letting the protagonist go on a technicality, the brands wrote, "we cannot stand idly by watching the actions of the aforementioned dealers undo all the efforts we collectively have put into making these brands what they are today." Jalopnik got tipped to a letter Subaru of America CEO Thomas Doll sent to that brand's dealers. Doll's polite yet insistent tone was the result of a letter a loyal Subaru owner sent to the automaker's VP of Customer Advocacy. In the market for a third brand-new Forester, the owner said they encountered a "tax" labeled a "Low Inventory Surcharge" of as much as $6,000, putting the Forester out of reach.

2023 Infiniti QX55 starts at $50,175, an increase of $2,650

Infiniti has added "more standard luxury amenities, driver-convenience features, and Infiniti Premium Care" to all grades of the 2023 QX55. The plusher digs come at a price, though. The entry-level Luxe and mid-level Essential trims have each gone up by $2,650, the 2023 Luxe costing $50,175 after the $1,025 destination charge, the 2023 Essential costing $55,275. The top Sensory trim has only been increased by $750, rising to $58,825. The dosh buys perforated leather upholstery, 4-way power lumbar adjustment for the driver's seat, a USB-C port for the back passengers, rear door handles with integrated LED welcome lighting, auto-folding heated outside mirrors with blind spot detection, and ProPILOT Assist across the board. Three-year standard maintenance program Infinity Premium Care is thrown in, too, providing routine inspections, oil changes and tire rotations for purchasers and lessees. Every variant also comes with wireless Apple CarPlay, but Android Auto still requires a cord. Moving to the Essential upgrades to adaptive LED headlights in a cube design with auto leveling, adds Traffic Sign Recognition to the ADAS suite, and extends feature content with items like climate controlled front seats, around-view monitor, and 3D building graphics for the navigation system. The QX55 Sensory picks up even nicer leather seating, four-way power lumbar adjustment for the front passenger, heated outboard seats in the second row, a heads-up display, and a motion-activated rear hatch. The powertrain holds steady with the 2.0-liter variable-compression four-cylinder making 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, "shifting" through a continuously variable transmission and sending power to both axles. The 2023 QX55 can be configured at the Infiniti site now, arriving at dealerships sometime this summer.

NHTSA Probes Nearly 400,000 Infiniti, Honda Vehicles Over Steering Faults

As many as 391,000 vehicles from Honda and Infiniti may eventually need to be recalled as a result of two, separately announced Preliminary Evaluations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to ascertain the scope of the potential safety hazards. In one of the queries, NHTSA is looking into 24 reports from drivers of the 2013 Honda Accord who say they had total loss of their power steering or experienced a sudden increase in the necessary effort to turn the wheel. In four cases, the problem may be linked to crashes. According to the claims, 13 people reported seeing a warning message during the failure. Turning off the car and restarting it would fix the issue in some cases. If a recall is necessary, it could affect an estimated 374,000 Accords. The second investigation is much smaller in scope. The safety agency is investigating the 2008 Infiniti EX35 after two complaints of the steering wheel shaft separating and the vehicle losing the ability to steer. Both reports say the steering became loose when driving and then completely failed once the vehicle was stopped. A recall for the problem would affect an estimated 17,000 vehicles. Recalls Honda Infiniti Safety NHTSA steering