2006 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited on 2040-cars

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Goes Both Ways: Free-trade pact sees South Korean brands losing share at home

France has been vocal, but not alone, in noting the rise of the South Korean automakers in Europe. The signing of a free-trade pact in 2011 between South Korea and the EU, along with the especially value-conscious buyers in a crisis-stricken Europe, has seen market share increases measuring in the double digits for Hyundai and Kia - analysts expect 14-percent growth for the two in 2012.
A report in Bloomberg has found that there's pain at the other end, too: The pact more than halved import tariffs on European cars headed to South Korea to 3.2 percent, and prices are now close enough to domestic offerings for more South Koreans to pay the premium for foreign luxury nameplates and the cachet they confer. Products sold by the five domestic automakers hogged 92 percent of the market last year, and sales have dropped 5.2 percent this year whereas import sales have risen by 24 percent. This will mark the first year that imports claimed ten percent of the market; compare that to 2002, when domestic market share in the world's 11th largest auto market was 99 percent.
The Germans are at the head of the arrow, counting for 65 percent of imported car sales, but every foreign maker has seen double-digit gains. Analysts think foreign makes could ultimately grab 15 percent of the market.

Hyundai Super Bowl ads use humor, Ryan Reynolds to sell 2017 Elantra

If you watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, expect to see a lot of Hyundai advertising. The South Korean automaker has two spots set to air during the game and two others that will premier before kick-off. The in-game commercials are now online, and they both use humor to market the 2017 Elantra. Ryanville (above) is an odd commercial about a town full of Ryan Reynolds clones, and two smitten women drive through the village to gawk at the actor. It's a forgettable ad unless you really like Reynolds, but Hyundai gets plenty of opportunities to show off the Elantra, including features like the available pre-collision braking. If you want something with a little more action, watch The Chase (below). Angry bears run after a frightened couple, and the Elantra's voice-activated start feature allows the people to get out of trouble in the nick of time. The ad finishes with a little humor to lighten the mood. This commercial still isn't memorable, but it's the better one of this pair. Hyundai hasn't released either ad for before the Super Bowl yet. First Date will star comedian Kevin Hart in a spot for the Genesis sedan, and Better will highlight the automaker's desire to improve its vehicles and customer experience. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Kevin Hart and Ryan Reynolds Serve Up Humor While Showcasing Latest Hyundai Vehicle Technologies FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 28, 2016 – In its first year as an official NFL sponsor, Hyundai will delight Super Bowl 50 fans with four entertaining ads set to run on Super Bowl Sunday. Hyundai will run a 60-second ad in the coveted pre-kick time slot, two 30-second ads during the game and a 60-second ad during the pre-game show. With help from A-list celebrities Kevin Hart and Ryan Reynolds, Hyundai will highlight the safety, technology and convenience features of its all-new 2017 Elantra and premium 2016 Genesis sedan. Hyundai will build on the creative digitally with heavy social media activity that will drive additional anticipation and awareness of the Super Bowl spots. Creative was developed by Hyundai's agency of record, INNOCEAN Worldwide. "Super Bowl Sunday is our opportunity to participate in the most-watched TV and live event in the U.S.

Hyundai Motor shares slide following U.S. probe of airbag failures

SEOUL — Shares in Hyundai Motor tumbled on Monday on a U.S. probe into why airbags failed to deploy in some of its Sonata sedans, with investors fretting about potential recall costs for the once popular cars. The probe, which follows crashes that reportedly killed four people and left six injured, will review the 2011 Sonata sedan as well as the 2012-2013 Forte made by affiliate Kia Motors, encompassing some 425,000 vehicles. It marks the second investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into the South Korean duo in less than one year, exacerbating headaches for Hyundai which reported in January its worst annual earnings in seven years. Hyundai has issued a recall for more than 150,000 U.S. Sonatas after incidents of non-deployment were linked to electrical overstress in the airbag control unit, but said it did not have a final fix. "What I am concerned about is that the recall will be expanded to other markets," said Ko Tae-bong, an analyst at Hi Investment & Securities. The Sonata and Forte sedans were responsible for driving sales for Hyundai and Kia in key markets in recent years, although they are no longer as popular as they once were. Ko estimated the U.S. recall could cost as much as $575 million if airbags were replaced in 425,000 vehicles under review and the automakers were found responsible for the problem. Hyundai Motor shares tumbled 4.8 percent while Kia Motors lost 3.7 percent. Parts supplier Hyundai Mobis fell 5.4 percent while the broader market was down 0.7 percent. Hyundai declined to comment on whether the recall would be expanded. Kia said it has not confirmed problems with the airbags but added it would "act promptly to conduct a safety recall, if it determines that a recall would be appropriate." The automakers told the South Korean regulator that the Sonata and Forte models sold in the domestic market were not affected, an official at South Korea's transport ministry told Reuters. The U.S. regulator said the airbag control units were built by ZF Friedrichshafen-TRW, a German auto supplier that acquired TRW Automotive in 2015, adding that it would determine if any other manufacturers used similar airbag control units and if they posed a safety risk. The NHTSA also said that electrical overstress appeared to be the root cause in the 2016 recall by Fiat Chrysler America of 1.4 million U.S. vehicles for airbag non-deployments in significant frontal crashes.