Hyundai Motor’s exports to the U.S. and Europe surged. Not so to Japan: instead, Japanese cars are making a dent in the sales of domestic carmakers here. Why is that Hyundai can’t get a foothold in the island country seven years after setting up shop there? Pundits say the Korean giant’s unsophisticated brand image is partly to blame, as is its marketing strategy.
Hyundai Motor Japan started selling the 2.4 liter Sonata in September 2005. Car Graphic and other specialist magazines gave the model the thumbs up, and Hyundai’s big advertising campaigns in newspapers and on TV until last summer featured Bae Yong-joon, Japan’s favorite Korean actor thanks to his part in the fortuitously named soap “Winter Sonata.” Hyundai Japan’s then-president Toshiro Sugawara had no doubt: "The Sonata is our hidden chip in conquering the Japanese market,” he said. But the model is selling a disastrous 20 cars a month there, compared to 10,000 a month here.
More photos of this and other cars in our galleries...
2006 Beijing Auto China Show Photo Gallery
And be sure to stay tuned for our coverage of the upcoming LA Auto Show starting on November 29th.
AutoSpies.com Photo Galleries
Read Article