Hyundai and Kia Bank On A Return To Relevance Based On Crossover Sales

Better late than never. And better early than late.

Those are the mantras guiding South Korea's big auto brands as they scurry to align their product lineups and production capacity with surging demand for utility vehicles and try to get a head start on what could be the next truck frontier.

After years in the wilderness, Hyundai and Kia have reached a crossover crossroads. By the end of next year, both brands will be fielding full crossover lineups — from subcompacts to full-size family movers — and executives see them leading to upswings in volume.

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dumpsty - 10/29/2018 2:56:06 PM

+3 Boost

....ya know....b/c most of these articles are worth reading, unless they mention some kind of connection or some unbalanced comparison to Tesla, Toyota, Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Musk, iOS....

dumpsty - 10/29/2018 3:05:37 PM

+1 Boost

But seriously....

Hyundai is slowly increasing CUV offerings as they still try to increase the relevance for Genesis in the luxury segments. They need to further differentiate Genesis exterior designs from Hyundai/Kia models - otherwise, it's a losing battle that'll start strong but quickly fizzle.

They also need to somehow keep selling smaller, less expensive compact & small cars. Stay in those segments. Genesis just needs a lot of product to keep consumer interest engaged.

MDarringer - 10/29/2018 6:39:49 PM

0 Boost

Hyundai-Kia's indecision is the greatest reason they are having sales issues.

jtz7 - 10/29/2018 10:36:12 PM

+1 Boost

That's what happens when slow to respond to demand. They should had thought about this at least 4 years ago that crossovers were in high demand. That's why Genesis lacks a utility vehicle now. How exactly are they going to pull off selling new crossovers with fires going around? Each day they fail to recall those vehicles the thinner the customer loyalty is going to be.

jtz7 - 10/29/2018 10:40:24 PM

+1 Boost

Also ax out the Azera and Cadenza and why put money to redesign a sedan called the k900 with crappy sells. Then underneath it all bring out a Stinger? So you have a Cadenza, Stinger and K900? Why does Kia feel they need the Cadenza and K900? The Sportage greenhouse should had been redesigned that way it would look more like a redesign instead of a facelift. The

xjug1987a - 10/30/2018 2:52:45 PM

+1 Boost

Here a big reason they're stumbled, they replaced Dave Zuchowski w/a home grown and now that CEO is out.. https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/hyundai-motor-america-ceo-departs. I predict another American will replace this Korean...

TomM - 10/30/2018 3:37:25 PM

+1 Boost

Hyundai/Kia Stumbled because they tried to move Upmarket - long before they had a reasonable reputation for quality that Toyota had when they went with Lexus.

AS a result - the people who originally bought Hyundai because of the prices - were put off - but the people who actually bought cars like the Azera and Cadenza would not be caught dead in "Cheap Korean Car". ANd the dealers only compounded the problem by selling these things for real cheap to begin with - diminishing the value of the upmarket move.

The "Genesis" is dead in the USA - it was too soon - too highly priced - and were sort of nice cars in a segment that won't settle for that. THAT segment will pay for the Prestige of a "brand" - but do not want to be considered as having gone for the cheap. Somewhere along the way - Kia and Hyundai largely started selling the same cars - and competed with each other rather than the rest of the market. Either they clearly define the positions of each make (I believe Kia is supposed to be a step up from Hyundai) - or they are wasting money trying to establish two brands in the same space.