the new sonata doesn't look that bad either~

 

I can't understand why they don't make a luxury division.

 

they are planning on it..within couple of years....

but hyundai has to get ppl to trust them first...

 

Yep. Their stock is rising.

 

and they'll blow right past Honda... WTF Honda!?!

 

It's like the transition from Legend to RL all over again...

 

Hyundai's future luxury division will have me as one of its first buyers. These guys don't fuck around. They know exactly how to build a cheap, reliable car that can take abuse. The only reason it took em a couple of years to get their shit together in the US (they're already biggest in Asia) is poor management.

Their new executives have balls, as you can clearly see. A few years ago, we saw $9999 Hyundais and now they're putting navigation systems in their cars. They're growing faster than Toyota did, in its infancy. What's on their side is, they have case studies of what every car manufacturer has done right and wrong in history. German, Jap, whatever. Being the youngest has its advantages for Hyundai.

 

they're putting navi?

 

Damn Right. I keep telling people this company and the Hyundai of 10 years ago are knight and day. The next Santa Fe's gonna be a Pilot knock orr, with three rows of seats and nicer styling. Their management is focused... it's like they have tunnel vision or something.

 

Cos they are still busy trying to fix the...non-luxury division

Too fast of a growth rate is hurtful.

 

I had this discussion with my VW friends...

You know whose really REALLY shaking due to Hyundai's rise in the sedan market? Not Toyota... not Honda...

The US makers... think about this. Ford considers this the year of the sedan, yet their sedans are not up to par with the Honda's and Toyota's in terms of fit, finish, and quality. They would then figure "heck, we have rebates, it'll work"... but then Hyundai comes out of left field with a quality mid sized sedans (Sonota, XG) that beats their sedans (500, Fusion) in terms of price and now in quality (we'll wait on this a bit ). Chevy's in the same line... all the Buick sedans could be trumped by this one new player in the market.

So, when it all adds up, Ford might be the biggest loser in the year of the sedan... DC has it's 300 and Magnum, with the Charger coming. Chevy, at least, has Buick, which still tends to draw the older folks... Honda has it's loyal following... Toyota has it's name to fall back on... VW is euro cool... Hey, guess who's sedan looks boring, shares too many components with others in it's line, has cheap plastic all over it, is underpowered in the mid size catagory, and thinks it's a good car?

Ford is teh ...

Junkster, who thinks Ford better go back to the drawing board

 

This upcoming XG will have a Nav optional.

 

Ford has great quality sedans...


















...that are only avaliable overseas. Like the Mondeo's, Focus C-max/Focus II, and Turbo Ford Falcons. They just need to bring those over here.

 

hehehehhehe....I have been talking abou this for years. Now its coming true. The only thing is that I see boatloads of Korean cars all over the road. But they have such a small dealership network. How the hell are they selling so many cars with so little dealers?

 

Here's good FORBES article:

http://www.forbes.com/columnists/200...0506flint.html

 

Buick makes very high quality sedans. They're not exciting, but you won't complain about they're fit/finish.

 

and i doubt that hyundai will reach that level of quality/fit-finish any time soon, but they are getting there.

 

True that. I have the upmost respect for them. They're a real competitor in my eyes for most of the other's offerings.

 

Here' some more pics...man this thing will be huge! These photos are everywhere, as if this will be a turning stone for the Korean car companies. Its so long awaited too.

 

hehe... you know what car has the least number of problems in the first year of ownership? The Regal... it's frightening.

Their fit and finish in the newer models don't look as good as the previous models. The shared components with other badges is now expanding to their dash, which can't help.

Buick will sell for a bit longer, but they need to find new buyers... their buyers are dying out.

Junkster, who thinks Caddie did the smart thing by appealling to a younger market

 

From what my cousin tells me from Korea, the new Sonota's fit and finish is pretty good.

I think the jump to meet the competitor's level is only one more model change away.

Junkster, who thinks US fit and finish isn't that hard to live up to

 

I'm with you 100% And they're target customer's definitely on the way out. I like the new Lucerne, except for the engines. I think the Lacrosse is a mistake, and that if they were serious about being a Lexus competitor they wouldn't be in the sub $30K market. The Lucerne could be seen as a viable alternative to the ES330 and Avalon, but both have more power; especially the Avalon. Appealing to the younger buyer (and in this relative case for Buick, I mean 40-50 yr olds), they need real lux product. Not that horrible Terraza minivan with SUV styling...

 

Yea, what's up with that joke of a van?

Junkster, who thinks the rebadging really hurts GM

 

These pics showed up in page 1 of this thread already.

 

I found this of the new Sonata....

 

Right on cue...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6953362/

There's no way people are buying those Fords without an incentive.

Junkster, who think Ford has bombed on this sedan thing

 

Your correct Purple Hillbilly. And Korens cars are owning the sub-compact car segmant and soon with these new full-size sedans will compete with the mainastream sedans.

 

Why, thank you angry kitten...

hehe.. I like how the tuners took off the Hyundai badges...

Junkster, who can't wait to test drive the new Sonata

 

Why is is so hard for teh US makers to stick with one car and improve it?
This car looks slick.

 

it look a lot batter then the old one!!!

 

Their newly designed cars are seriusly worth a second look.

 

The look from the front reminds me of the 9-3 in those pics. It's definitely a great looking car. Hyundai's on a mission.

 

Even though the rear end of the new Sonata reminds me of the Accord, Hyundai made it look better.

 

looks like a Saab, Honda, Lexus, Volkswagen combo....looks great in my opinion!!
The korean revolution begins now!!

 

to your avator.

 

damn, that new sonata looks so good. i'm so impressed.

 

This is a definite step in the right direction. The previous XG did offer a lot for the $ but failed to deliver in the looks department. This car seems to have taken the bang for the buck quotient to a higher level and improved the looks too. Build it and price it right and this thing will sell. Now if I can only get past the fact that it is a Hyundai - I never got over the whole "pony" thing. AHHHH!! I just had another daymare of it!!!!.

 

bump...

pic of the engine bay...



Is it just me, or does that look weirdly out of center?

Junksta, who wonders how that works for balance

 

Why is it 3.3L? I thought the current XG uses a 3.5L...doesn't seem right to go lower for the new model...

 

I think it's transversely mounted (or is it horizontally?) ...

Anyway, that could be why. A normal longitudinally mounted engine would be able to be centered for balance.

This is weird though I think older Porsches and VW Beetles were like this.

</asstalk>