The £50K Hyundai - A tough sell?

[mat205125]

Ari said:

MysteryLemon said:

Stick an Audi badge on it and a diesel lump under the bonnet and it would sell bucket loads.

You don't think it might need Audi levels of quality, detailing and finish too..?

Audi don't even have that IMO. They trade on the perception, and a reputation for having had that many years ago

[Ari]

mat205125 said:

Audi don't even have that IMO. They trade on the perception, and a reputation for having had that many years ago

Well actually they don't, but hey...

[VolvoT5]

Does it come in recession white with 22" alloys and a 2.0 derv engine?

[TheFinners]

The slightly smaller Grandeur was sold in the UK as 'special order only' for a few years in the late noughties. Was fwd and had a 232bhp 3.3 V6. Honest John actually give it quite a good write up.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/hyundai/hyu...

A lot of car for £5k http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

[technodup]

There's a limit to how long Merc/Audi/BMW can persuade us that they are luxury/premium/exclusive/aspirational when they are the biggest selling cars on the market. It doesn't add up any more.

Perceptions of brands change over time, see Burberry, Nokia, Ratners, Skoda etc etc. In 20 or 30 years I don't think the same three brands will be at the top of the sales charts.

It might be the next generation who don't have the same prejudices as shown on this thread, it might be they don't want associated with the BMW/Merc/Audi their dad drove, it might be a poor range of Mercs or a recall or the fact they're loyal to a new brand as they move through life or a combination of all.

I suspect Hyundai will have realistic sales expectations and will view it as part of their ongoing progression from bargain basement to reliable white goods to executive barge and beyond. And won't lose any sleep over a few in this thread.

[fivepointnine]

emicen said:

But has anyone in the USA had a "proper" look at one compares to an A8...?

FWIW, V8 Genesis would be quite high up my list if I was moving to the USA. The twin turbo'd one on the Hyundai stand at SEMA last year was rather epic.

haha no, since in the US an A8 is about $30k more! In the US a Genesis is in the same price range as a optioned out A4 or base A6. (and the Genesis coupe competes with 370Z, Q50 coupe and to a lesser extent V6 performane pack Mustang's and Camaro's)

[Rincewind209]

Seems pretty good, does it have the same 7 year warranty?

[KTF]

Rincewind209 said:

Seems pretty good, does it have the same 7 year warranty?

Hyundai have 5 years manufacturer warranty.

[Northernchimp]

"Discover only the finest quality materials" - apart from the pleather referred to directly underneath.

It's a good basis for a six door funeral car and a hearse conversion, big, reliable, smooth and old people love to ride round in Hyundais.

[Rincewind209]

Northernchimp said:

"Discover only the finest quality materials" - apart from the pleather referred to directly underneath.

It's a good basis for a six door funeral car and a hearse conversion, big, reliable, smooth and old people love to ride round in Hyundais.

You need to get out more, check out the "Leather" on all those C Class Mercs, lot of those are good ol MB Tex.

[Northernchimp]

Thanks for the info on the quality of the leather in an irrelevant car.. I was referring to the contradiction which doesn't sit well in marketing blurb. "Check this out, all of its amazing. Apart from that bit which is total st." etc

[Rincewind209]

Northernchimp said:

Thanks for the info on the quality of the leather in an irrelevant car.. I was referring to the contradiction which doesn't sit well in marketing blurb. "Check this out, all of its amazing. Apart from that bit which is total st." etc

You missed the point, man made is quality, just ask Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

[fivepointnine]

Rincewind209 said:

Seems pretty good, does it have the same 7 year warranty?

10 year/100k powertrain, 5 year/60k bumper to bumper, 7 year/unlimited mileage corrosion warranty.

[SidewaysSi]

I genuinely could never buy a Hyundai until they build something that is not a white good. I actually love driving so they have zero appeal whatsoever.

[Rincewind209]

fivepointnine said:

Rincewind209 said:

Seems pretty good, does it have the same 7 year warranty?

10 year/100k powertrain, 5 year/60k bumper to bumper, 7 year/unlimited mileage corrosion warranty.

That's a lot of confidence in a big car. Starting to wonder what it drives like.

[fivepointnine]

SidewaysSi said:

I genuinely could never buy a Hyundai until they build something that is not a white good. I actually love driving so they have zero appeal whatsoever.

They do! Just not in the UK. In the US and South Korea the Genesis Coupe is a pretty popular track/drift car.

[TheFinners]

Rincewind209 said:

You need to get out more, check out the "Leather" on all those C Class Mercs, lot of those are good ol MB Tex.

Indeed, I remember the E250 CDI Sport my Dad had on a test drive a few years ago, lovely car and £40k+ with the options it had but it also had full fake leather seats (Artico in salesman speak)!

[ZX10R NIN]

Ari said:

I've obviously not made my point very well.

Yes of course the badge has appeal, but only if it is backed up by the product.

So yes, if Hyundai build all their cars to the same standards as Audi (finish, quality, engineering, longetivy etc etc) and then market it correctly they will end up as a premium product. Look at Skoda, who have made huge gains by upping the quality of their product.

The point is, despite what the Internet bores like to insist, you cannot just wake up one day and announce that your car range is a premium product with a prestige badge via a flash marketing campaign and expect people to buy that.

An Audi has cachet as a premium product, because, guess what, it's a premium product. Not because 'oh everyone just gets taken in by the badge'.

It only works that way on Internet forums by people who perpetually regurgitate nonsense (see also 'all manual Mercedes have awful gearboxes, all Bentleys are driven by footballers, the BMW 5 Series is a reps car' etc etc etc).

I have to say that on the build quality point I'd say it'll probably as good as the equivalent Audi as for long levity that 3.8 V6 does very well in the american market.

My brother was on the look out for a commuter car, he looked at the Mondeo Skoda Passat Insignia & the Kia Optima, he picked the Optima the Mondeo was the best handling of those listed the fit & finish in the Optima was on a par with the VW but the equipment level was in a different league.

So maybe Hyundai can match the fit & finish of an A6 time will tell

[RobinBanks]

Thanks to the poster who's trying to convince us that what we all REALLY want is a Hyundai Genesis. We just don't know it until we see his

I enjoyed this on the website:

"Interior

Discover only the finest quality materials, from the distinctive wood-effect grains to premium nappa leather*, butter-soft to the touch yet beautifully hardwearing. "

[200bhp]

Hyundai had a display in our local shopping centre this weekend.

This car is a really nice place to sit! Not sure how much is standard spec but there were buttons relating to all manner of gadgets such as heated and cooled seats, lane assist etc. The interior feels a hundred times better than other models in the range with a much more mature design (less "funky" than the Santa Fe for example).

The front looks OK but the back looks like a big Hyundai - I know that's obvious but its not going to get anyone in following traffic wondering what it is.

Not sure I like the Genesis badges either. They remind me of the Chrysler 300C wings badge.

IMHO the Kia Optima is a better looking car



Less gadgets and less upmarket feel to the dash though.