Topic: Feature: Hyundai - From Pony to plaudits in 25 years

[Autos_Editor]

From relatively humble beginnings, the Hyundai Motor Corporation has risen to be one of the world's top automakers.

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[JohnM]

I was in Korea for 3 weeks in the late '70s and we drove out  to various factories in a Hyundai Pony which I thought was really a Vauxhall Firenza whose tooling Hyundai had bought. 

Whenever we pulled into a station to re-fill the propane tanks, the Koreans would get out of the car and walk away from the car.   After about the fourth fillup, I asked why they didn't stay in the car with me.

They replied that the Pony had a habit of exploding when the propane tank was being refilled.

In the last 35 years, both the quality of their cars and the openness of their communication have improved immensely.

Cheers,
John M.

[D70]

And then there is the sister company, Kia

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/6346167782/

[redman]

Sure many of us remember the Pony and it's many issues, but how many of us recall some early Japanese cars that eventually became benchmarks in there category. I had a 79 Honda Civic, that a friend and I use to share going to college and recall how it was less than stellar in it's quality, my dad use to remark "check the gas and filler up the oil" upon seeing us with the car. That car did seem like it burnt more oil then gas.
My point being that all companies start some where, and it usually ain't at the top.
The next generation of drivers will be to young to remember the pony. Hyundai will have the status of 80's\90's Honda's & Toyota's to them as it once did to us. History has proven that all empires fall. The challenge will be how long can they stay on top. I for one am glad to see the Koreans getting closer to the apex, because there taking the consumer along for the ride. I was tired of seeing the status quo of high prices, poor packaging, decreased quality all at the same time being forced to pay higher prices for less each subsequent year.

Bring on the competition 

[Danno001]

I have a 2009 Venza and 2010 Corolla in the home car fleet. I am researching my next purchase and have narrowed down the search to the Camry XLE and Sonata Limited. Given the 0% interest rates on the Hyundai, I would have no issues pulling the trigger on the Sonata. In other words, pricing will determine the final decision.

[chrischasescars]

oh yah,  way to go flanders!!!  you had to put the i40 a car we can't get in canada right at the top of the article!!   

That wasn't by accident. 

[E!Power]

Good insight on this company. Looks like they have been working hard. Good Job.

[aaronk]

The company deserves respect for the change in attitude they have achieved through innovative, competitive and indeed class-leading new vehicles. One of the hardest things to do is change the perception of a market (for the positive), and it seems like they are well on their way to achieving this. While a new Hyundai isn't everything to everyone, they have taken a balanced approach to offering what most people want in a new car and their sales reflect that.

[northsparrow]

I have checked twice yet I cannot find any reference to the debacle of the short-lived
Canadian Hyundai factory in this article. Perhaps in the end, Hyundai is just more comfortable locating
factories in th southern US where desperate workers have far fewer rights to potentially disturb profitability levels.

One thing the article does mention is that Hyundai placed in 10th position in the latest J.D. Power reliability study which means there are 9 more reliable brands to choose from. I believe Consumer Reports has a similar ranking for Hyundai.


In summation, Canadians get the short end of the stick on employment opportunities and Canadian consumers get far less warranty coverage on a vehicle which is bettered by many competitors.

What exactly is all the fuss about? 

[Patrick_D1]

I have checked twice yet I cannot find any reference to the debacle of the short-lived
Canadian Hyundai factory in this article. Perhaps in the end, Hyundai is just more comfortable locating
factories in th southern US where desperate workers have far fewer rights to potentially disturb profitability levels.

One thing the article does mention is that Hyundai placed in 10th position in the latest J.D. Power reliability study which means there are 9 more reliable brands to choose from. I believe Consumer Reports has a similar ranking for Hyundai.


In summation, Canadians get the short end of the stick on employment opportunities and Canadian consumers get far less warranty coverage on a vehicle which is bettered by many competitors.

What exactly is all the fuss about? 

The Bromont plant was a fairly simple story - construction on the plant began when the company was still riding its initial success in Canada and came fully online just as the wheels were falling off the proverbial cart. There just wasn't the market to sustain the facility, so it closed.

[dirtyjeffer]

I have checked twice yet I cannot find any reference to the debacle of the short-lived
Canadian Hyundai factory in this article. Perhaps in the end, Hyundai is just more comfortable locating
factories in th southern US where desperate workers have far fewer rights to potentially disturb profitability levels.

they aren't desperate workers with "far fewer rights"...what they don't have is rampant union interference, where they can hold the company hostage at a whims notice every few years when their contract comes due for renewal...as well, their workers are paid a realistic fair wage, without the unsustainable amounts the CAW would certainly demand they get...it is why so many CAW workers no longer have their jobs, because many of the plants have since closed shop and moved elsewhere...it is also why CAW can't get into Toyota...because like the Hyundai plant (and the plethora of other auto plants located in the SE USA), the workers realize they have a decent job with decent benefits, and that is much better than what has happened to the hundreds of thousands of "Big 3" workers caught up in its collapse.

[Oldsguy]

I have checked twice yet I cannot find any reference to the debacle of the short-lived
Canadian Hyundai factory in this article. Perhaps in the end, Hyundai is just more comfortable locating
factories in th southern US where desperate workers have far fewer rights to potentially disturb profitability levels.

they aren't desperate workers with "far fewer rights"...what they don't have is rampant union interference, where they can hold the company hostage at a whims notice every few years when their contract comes due for renewal...as well, their workers are paid a realistic fair wage, without the unsustainable amounts the CAW would certainly demand they get...it is why so many CAW workers no longer have their jobs, because many of the plants have since closed shop and moved elsewhere...it is also why CAW can't get into Toyota...because like the Hyundai plant (and the plethora of other auto plants located in the SE USA), the workers realize they have a decent job with decent benefits, and that is much better than what has happened to the hundreds of thousands of "Big 3" workers caught up in its collapse.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_business/424786.html

[dirtyjeffer]

i'm not talking about their plants in China or India, i am talking about the plants in the SE USA, which is specifically what you mentioned...in Canada and US, we have very strong LEGAL workers rights (Goverment Regulations)...if you think GM, Ford or any of the other plants located in China and India are any better, let's see it.

[Threader]

My first car was used 2 year old 1985 Pony 5speed GL that I paid $2000 to get me to university classes. Let's see carburetor with manual choke, Mechanical iginition points and RWD. All door handles would freeze in the winter and only the hatchback trunk always worked so I always left the rear seats down so I could get in. I didn't hate it but I swore never again.

My sister bought a 1998 Elantra she and my brother-in-law swore that it was bullet proof and it was a 4 speed automatic at that. They racked up more than 160000 Kms with no problems so in 2001 I gave the then new model Elantra a shot. 5 speed Manual gls and put over 145,000 kms on it over 7 years with only normal maintenance. Compared to the pony this one always started, never got stuck and in snow, didn't rust, and everything still worked on it when I traded it in for a new STI. Honestly if Hyundai had something better than a STI and less expensive I would of bought it. Unfortunately they still have nothing that compares.

Nice article and props to Hyundai for product improvement

[dirtyjeffer]

My first car was used 2 year old 1985 Pony 5speed GL that I paid $2000 to get me to university classes. Let's see carburetor with manual choke, Mechanical iginition points and RWD. All door handles would freeze in the winter and only the hatchback trunk always worked so I always left the rear seats down so I could get in. I didn't hate it but I swore never again.

My sister bought a 1998 Elantra she and my brother-in-law swore that it was bullet proof and it was a 4 speed automatic at that. They racked up more than 160000 Kms with no problems so in 2001 I gave the then new model Elantra a shot. 5 speed Manual gls and put over 145,000 kms on it over 7 years with only normal maintenance. Compared to the pony this one always started, never got stuck and in snow, didn't rust, and everything still worked on it when I traded it in for a new STI. Honestly if Hyundai had something better than a STI and less expensive I would of bought it. Unfortunately they still have nothing that compares.

Nice article and props to Hyundai for product improvement

good post.

Hyundai is capable of making something like an STi, however, i think they also realize that a car like that is very niche, so the development costs would be quite substantial for very limited sales.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ_QBZs14cQ&feature=related

[Jaeger]

If I were in the market for a family car (not SUV or CUV), the Hyundai Sonata and its sister the Kia Optima would be at the top of my list for a test drive. I probably wouldn't have said that ten years ago.

I probably wouldn't have said it five years ago. 

Jaeger

[robsaw]

I have checked twice yet I cannot find any reference to the debacle of the short-lived
Canadian Hyundai factory in this article. Perhaps in the end, Hyundai is just more comfortable locating
factories in th southern US where desperate workers have far fewer rights to potentially disturb profitability levels.

One thing the article does mention is that Hyundai placed in 10th position in the latest J.D. Power reliability study which means there are 9 more reliable brands to choose from. I believe Consumer Reports has a similar ranking for Hyundai.


In summation, Canadians get the short end of the stick on employment opportunities and Canadian consumers get far less warranty coverage on a vehicle which is bettered by many competitors.

What exactly is all the fuss about? 

The fuss is about an automaker that is continuously improving its product, moving from market trailer to market leader; a strong contrast to the US auto industry that has gone from global domination to near implosion.

On the other stuff, that is all political bias neglecting similarities with other automakers that sell plenty of cars here but have no plants here.  And non-union shops of the Japanese car makers that do build cars in Canada.  Remember, there is NO (none, zero, nada, zip) domestic auto maker in Canada - all profits go elsewhere, so please hold the nationalist rhetoric.

Nice playing with statistics too.  Hyundai still offers a better warranty than almost anyone else, and finishing 10th is darn good - beating Honda, Ford, Infiniti, Volvo, Audi, Nissan, and a host of other supposed reliability leaders.  You also need to realize the "dependability" result is based upon 3 year old vehicles, which has Hyundai progressively moving up the chart.

[sacrat]

One thing the article does mention is that Hyundai placed in 10th position in the latest J.D. Power reliability study which means there are 9 more reliable brands to choose from. I believe Consumer Reports has a similar ranking for Hyundai.

In summation, Canadians get the short end of the stick on employment opportunities and Canadian consumers get far less warranty coverage on a vehicle which is bettered by many competitors.

What exactly is all the fuss about? 

Rather misleading when most of the top ten are premium brands that should fare better given their premium price. When one compares Hyundai to other mainstream competitors the picture changes considerably. Here's what a more representative list looks like

1. Toyota
2. Buick
3. Hyundai
4. Honda!!
5. Ford
6. Chevrolet (below industry average from here)
7. Subaru
8. Kia
9. Mazda
10. Nissan

So, Hyundai is "bettered by few DIRECT competitors" would be more accurate

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/17/jd-powers-2011-vehicle-dependability-study-names-lincoln-best-b/

[safristi]

.....I still can't get a real PONY!!??...why you @#*@  %#$@*&..... ....

[dirtyjeffer]

Rather misleading when most of the top ten are premium brands that should fare better given their premium price. When one compares Hyundai to other mainstream competitors the picture changes considerably. Here's what a more representative list looks like

1. Toyota
2. Buick
3. Hyundai
4. Honda!!
5. Ford
6. Chevrolet (below industry average from here)
7. Subaru
8. Kia
9. Mazda
10. Nissan

So, Hyundai is "bettered by few DIRECT competitors" would be more accurate

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/17/jd-powers-2011-vehicle-dependability-study-names-lincoln-best-b/

i raised a similar point in the AJAC thread...while most would agree that Hyundai/Kia winning 5 of the 11 categories in the recent AJAC test fest is certainly good, keep in mind they only entered vehicles in 6 categories...so, they won 5 out of a possible 6 awards...that is very impressive.