Hyundai pushing dealers upmarket abroad
Hyundai is shaking its money makers, spending €60 million to upgrade its dealer network in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Each of 2,500 dealers will spend at least €24,000 on improving their facilities, with matching funds coming from both distributors and the parent company.The plan is called Mission Q, and it has several objectives: upgrade the dealer experience, increase customer loyalty, and move the brand away from being considered solely for value or low cost. Hyundai wants "people to think of Hyundai as a market leader in quality, SUVs, family cars and because of our sports sponsorships, and then later come to the price discussion."
In addition to the new furniture and paint, Hyundai has created a brand academy at its European headquarters to train distributors and dealer staff. As it moves up the brand ladder, cars from China and India will be arriving to take Hyundai's place in price-first considerations. And that means that Honda, Nissan, and Toyota should probably start getting ready for another guest at the table.
[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg "2011 Audi A8: Live from Miami")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
icu812ru469 10:50AM (7/22/2008)
Sorry, I hear Hyundai and I still think "inexpensive, good cars..." not upmarket. Just like I still don't consider Toyota to be upmarket and when I see their prices just rise every year... it's ugh...
Reply
XJ 11:39AM (7/22/2008)
They're "value leader" cars, ranging from the inexpensive subcompacts (Accent) to the performance luxury (Genesis sedan) market. They're no longer the "inexpensive" brand as a +$40 sedan is hardly inexpensive. Demographic audience is not targeted toward just one income range. They can be someone fresh out of highschool to someone making six figures. The only thing we can generalize is that they're probably frugal. The U.S. has A LOT of those people. Nothing wrong with that.
Dude 10:55AM (7/22/2008)
They grow up so fast.
Seems like only yesterday that they were selling Excels out of a parking lot. Now look at them. Way to go Hyundai.
Reply
Avinash machado 11:17AM (7/22/2008)
The Genesis seems to have garnered them a lot of respect.
Reply
Wobbly_ears 11:49AM (7/22/2008)
You know, for people like me who knew the value & quality of Hyundai cars, this isn't a good news. We could negotiate lower prices with their desperate dealers, not anymore.
Their dealers were incompetent but not arrogant. Now if Hyundai gains some street cred, then Hyundai dealers would be Incompetent AND Arrogant (just like Honda/Toyota dealers)
Reply
Dave 11:49AM (7/22/2008)
Now if they would put their dealerships in a better part of town here in the U.S. Nothing like taking your Genesis to the ghetto dealership to get serviced.
Reply
iSpec 12:00PM (7/22/2008)
It's being reported that the Genesis 3.8 is expected to beat out the Infiniti G35, Lexus ES350 and the Caddy CTS in retained value after 36 mos (52%) (V8 50%), I'd say Hyundai has undoubtedly made huge strides to move upmarket.
With sales UP at Hyundai/Kia a combined 17% last month (Hyundai 14%, Kia 21%) in a depressed market, disputing this companies ability to pull the Genesis or any other project might be premature. We'll just have to see in the long-term but with Hyundai just overtaking Honda for 5th inthe world, you might want to bet on Hyundai.
Reply
ASEVENSEE4 12:47PM (7/22/2008)
The Hyundai dealer in my area is quite classy, but huge and crawling with salesmen.
Reply
ummm 2:01PM (7/22/2008)
Is the Genesis available yet? Why havent I seen one?
Reply
Nick 8:54AM (7/23/2008)
Our local dealer has two of them. They look sweet.
brian 2:13PM (7/23/2008)
i sat in one last weekend, i was thinking about trading in my 02 audi a4 for one. its pretty lavish!
Reply