Comments on: Hyundai Australia posts record January sales

By: GoHyundai

GoHyundai — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:27:01 +0000

Sydney here saw a few, very surprised and impressed,
seeing more and more delivery vans changing to iloads too,

By: Indianapolis used hyundai dealerships

Indianapolis used hyundai dealerships — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:02:32 +0000

Hyundai products have always been very satisfactory with negligible negatives. The stupendous growth of the brand in the global market is the clear indicator of their worth.

By: HyundaiSmoke

HyundaiSmoke — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:50:59 +0000

The Forte/Cerrato:

1. Its a great car it nukes Corolla and Civic, the problem is people are broke right now. Hence, sales are poor in some markets like the US. For that segment you need at least 7500-8000 sales a month to be relevant, here it only sells 4K a month.

2. KIA needs to do like a marketing campaign to get people to try it, like the Fiesta Movement campaign from Ford. If they like C-segs once they try it they likely will buy it.

3. The car was renamed in some markets, and once you rename a car in markets like the US you have to start straight from scratch again with your buyers etc…

That was GMs biggest problem before the crisis. They had a car and changed the name of it every 5 years and didnt develop it more and started from scratch. A lot of Americans are tired of that, and this is why its a very bad time for KIA to change the name on the car, even though I know it was for the better. I like the name Forte, I just think it was a bad time to change the name on a product you sold 9000 a (which was KIAs top selling US Product) month normally on in a bad economy.

By: HyundaiSmoke

HyundaiSmoke — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:36:09 +0000

They should do that everywhere, now that would be sweet!!!!

By: Mark G

Mark G — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:03:21 +0000

My point is that the Cerato is nothing special, and certainly not world class. A world class car in 2010 does not still use a 4 speed auto. As for the examples you mentioned, the SX4 now has CVT, and the Nissan Tiida is in a different class – really one (or perhaps one half) class below (it really is more of a Yaris/Barina sedan competitor). FYI, Mazda3 & Civic both have 5 speeds, Lancer has CVT, and Cruze even has a 6 speed.

By: RD

RD — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:03:38 +0000

Ew…but the Ford Focus, Nissan Tiida, Suzuki SX4 (and Swift) and Subaru Impreza still have ‘ancient 4 speed autos’ as well. Your point?

By: Mark G

Mark G — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:38:44 +0000

Ew… but the Cerato still has an ancient 4 speed auto. Most Japs (except Corolla) have moved to 5 speeds or CVTs.

By: Robin Graves

Robin Graves — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:23:09 +0000

Problem is right hand drive. Once they start making right hand drive Genesis then they will sell them here. They really need a V8 Genesis coupe, maybe not a mid engine one like Rhys Millen’s but a standard Tau V8 in the front of the Genesis coupe would be an instant hero car for the brand, something they really need to boost image. Look at what the R32 Skyline GT-R did for Nissan back in 1989.

By: Robin Graves

Robin Graves — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:20:05 +0000

For once I agree with every single word you said.

By: Callous Aussie

Callous Aussie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:28:52 +0000

You don’t live in Cairns do you? There’s one here.