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Happy birthday, Hyundai USA!

Happy birthday, Hyundai USA!

Posted Feb 26th 2006 8:00AM

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Amidst all of the Winter Olympics hoopla, we missed an important milestone-- on February 17th, Hyundai Motor Company celebrated its 20th year in the U.S.

The automaker has obviously matured greatly in such a short time. Starting with one vehicle (the Excel, which the article fails to mention), Hyundai’s lineup now includes the Accent, Elantra, Santa Fe, Sonata, Tiburon, and the Tucson. The XG350, the company’s former flagship, has been retired in favor of the Azera (pictured).

But more important is how the company’s reputation has changed. According to J.D. Power & Associates, it ranks as the fourth-largest foreign automaker in the U.S.-- third among non-luxury brands. Said Owen Koh, president and CEO of the company: "We are extremely proud of the progress Hyundai has made in the United States over the past twenty years.”

Congratulations, Hyundai. Can't wait to see what you do in the next twenty years.

[Source: TheAutoChannel.com]

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LTron

Thanks for proving my point Lithous!

February 27 2006 at 9:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brian Sy

Agree with the critics. Is there some reason that the quality of both the comments and the linked articles went down so severely after the format switch a few months ago? And what happened to that sometimes-ignorant-but-always-interesting Joseph Willemsen hack?

February 27 2006 at 1:24 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Lithous

"The comments on this blog are a joke. A bunch of people who either a) don't know what their talking about b) are extremely biased c) people who have the debate and grammar skills of 4th graders"

Did you mean, "they're talking about"? As in "they are"?

Is it nice to call people, in essence, 4th graders? No. But did you do it because you were compelled to write after seeing statements that you really didn't like? Yes. How are you any different or better?

I mean, you are so compelled to write when you see something that upsets you and if someone else does the same thing (like me) you don't understand why. Then you are further compelled to mention grammar (for what ever off topic reason - hey, I don't complain about off-topic, you do, you are violating YOUR standards, TWICE. One, you mentioned grammar (who cares about grammar, this is about cars, right?) and two, you made a grammatical error.

People are so high on themsleves (like your grammar and your ability to not name call - i.e. calling people "4th graders"). Sorry a pion like me has upset your day, I'll work on my grammar and my debate skills if that is any consolation.

You had Jeff convinced that what you were stating was so much better than anything a guy like me ever stated. You were just bringing up grammar to make us 4th graders look more inferior and you know it. There, you've stooped. Now you see how you can get caught up in some of this crap and just want to say some not very nice things. Simple.

But wait. Let me make this post acceptable for LTron... Happy birthday Hyundai!!!!!!!!!

February 27 2006 at 11:45 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jeff Gilleran

I agree with you Ltron.
Seems like people just love to bicker.
Its fine to have disagreements, but some people here love to take it way past friendly.
I dont really think Autoblog itself is going to moderate your very decently written post.
You stated great points, and although I wish Autoblog would moderate a bit more on the people that flame the crap out of each other with serious, and unneeded, racist or derogatory statements, by and large most people here are very open, and fair minded.
Looks like you owe me 10 bucks dude.
:)

February 27 2006 at 12:18 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

LTron

The comments on this blog are a joke. A bunch of people who either a) don't know what their talking about b) are extremely biased c) people who have the debate and grammar skills of 4th graders d) some real "awesome" people who obviously have nothing better to do than continually reply to the responses people gave to their previous idiotic and inflammatory posts or e) all of the above.

Combine that with ridiculous/inconsistent/zero moderation by Autoblog itself, you have a real "winner." Allowing those completely off-topic posts that are full of profanity really makes me want to keep coming back.

I can think of five other places I'd rather get this exact same information that don't include all the useless junk. Keep catering to your "high-brow" readers Autoblog...it will really pay off in the long-run when you fold. ($10 says that this post gets yanked while dozens of other useless, f-bomb filled posts stay around).

Just to make this more on-topic than 90% of posts on Autoblog: Happy Birthday Hyundai!

February 27 2006 at 12:07 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Lithous

"I don't know, dude, but you're about the only one on this website who trows tantrums, starts making comparisons to I-Pods and other foolish comparisons, you slam Demming, etc., etc., etc...on down the line."

Translation: I think for myself, look for precedence and similarities in the auto industry and outside when thinking about things in the auto industry. And have ideas that are different than mainstream. Oh, know, I slammed the Demmingod I mean demigod. I'm going to have to gnash my teeth in a Yugo factory for eternity.

"Why? Why is it so hard to recognize a good product and a fine company when it is staring Down at you?"

Yes, that is the problem. GM is much much better than import fanboys give credit. The difference is that GM made very good cars for years and was the best for years and a company like Hyundai literally has been doing well for about 3 or so years and I am supposed to get excited? I know you will go into the "was" part of my statement about GM but the undeniable truth is that if we (America) waited around to buy automobiles until the Japanese and especially the Koreans came over here to be our saviors, we'd have an economy of a third world nation (because getting where ever we needed to go for nearly 100 years). I know that isn't important to you Rastus, but it means something to me. If GM was trying to sell us wooden wagons and horses and everyone else automobiles then I'd say, you guys are right, it is nuts, get them out of here but they aren't.

"then I'll sell it to a Mexican "landscape architect" for $1000."

Dude, you leave me speechless with statements like "angry white boy" and now this. Why couldn't you just tell us you are going to sell it for $1000 and leave it at that?

BTW, what GM vehicle do you own, out of curiousity? Year and all. My brother-in-law has a 1996 GMC Sierra with the 4.3L Vortec and has 283K miles and still going with original transmission and engine. I only mention that because it sounds like a landscapers truck, I'm curious why he is doing so well with his and whatever you have isn't doing well. Please give me details.

February 26 2006 at 10:41 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Lithous

Thanks, max. Exactly. I never said anything bad about Hyundai I was pointing out the double standard. Mainly, I was surprised that JD Powers was used to show how well a company is doing since I see so much dislike for it (at least as stated, when it is positive about the American companies). Too bad that my statement was too much for Tom Design to handle. The cool thing about it is that our names are at the bottom of every post so you can see my username and skip it.

I have an idea. Maybe autoblog should have our names at the top for lazy ass people like Tom Design so that he knows right away to skip without scrolling. Though, by then it would have been too late. According to Tom, he would have already thrown up (as soon as seeing our names).

As much as I dislike some things which have been stated on here, because it is contrary to truth and/or my beliefs, I don't think I've ever wished for removal.

Tom, ask your friend (or maybe you remember) which blog post for which he was censored. I'd just be curious to know. Complaining about plastic seems a little crazy that he'd be censored for that.

BTW, guys, can you sensor Tom's rant about me? TIA

:)

February 26 2006 at 9:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brian

Its true Korean business culture is rigid, but does not mean that it isn't a very effective system of management. Big corporations such as samsung, LG and Hyundai have been incredibly successful using this type of management style. Just because it is different dosen't mean it is a "bad" style of management, it might very well be the opposite.

Actually, now that Hyundai has "made it" I think we should no longer be looking at their past achievements but instead look at what Hyundai holds for the future.
I'm sure they will continue to improve and make the best cars in the business.

February 26 2006 at 8:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jason

Wow. Has it really been 20 years? Damn Hyundai has come a long way. I was at the Hyundai dealership last week and I saw the new Azera, and in one word it was amazing. All of that car for $25,000? That is truly the deal of the year.

As for GM, they've come a long way, too. But, I think they get so much trash because they once were at the top in almost every category and now they are near the bottom. Hyundai has never been in that position. And for Hyundai to come from crap to top-quality in just 20 years is simply amazing.

February 26 2006 at 7:03 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tom in Boston

I agree with max....Rastus and Lithous are both pathetic and make reading this blog a painful chore rather than funny, insightful and fresh. Same old ignorant biased crap. Makes me throw up a little when i see their names, along with that "Harvardlawstudent (sic)" ignorant ranter. Can autoblog help at all? Only in 2005, a friend wrote to criticize an autoblog contributor because the writer was commenting on the Cobalt's vent outlets. My friend's comments were subsequently banned, his email address blocked so he could not post here, for only asking the car enthusiast writer to forget plastic grill critiques. Yet, autoblog has us read this ... (what is the phrase 'd%#@ f$#' doing on here? is there no edit standard?) ... by the same half dozen toads, all vitreous guys. It's tired, and the site is suffering. Ban profanity and vulgar genital references at least, and clean up this blog. If a guy can't complain about the non-issue of an air vent, why do you allow this adolescent vulgarity. Get out the blog soap please and wash out a few contributors mouths for the sake of the rest of us who love cars.
Anyway....yeah, Hyundai's new Azeria is an awesome car, and yes, the Japanese, on top, have to watch for competition always. Nice posting, but terrible that 2/3rds of the words are filled with hateful rant. Do something about it autoblog.

February 26 2006 at 2:58 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply