Category Archive:
Posted by George Peterson on August 27, 2018 at 7:28 am
The Hyundai Santa Fe (@hyundaisantafe) was the first Korean brand vehicle to win AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Award. That was in 2001. There have been four generations of the Hyundai Santa Fe selling 1.6 million units in the USA. All have been successively better than its predecessor. The 5th Generation Hyundai Santa Fe, the 2019 model, has just been released and all Hyundai dealers should have them in their showrooms by the end of August 2018.
2019 Santa Fe – a REAL SUV
Hyundai Motor America product planners rightly concluded that the previous generation had gotten too soft and sporty. The stylists of that fourth generation sacrificed utility for style making the windshield faster and making the side glass narrower. This gave the impression of a smaller vehicle.
The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe moves away from the swoopy, sporty look of the 4th generation. It evolves to a style that is stronger and more confident looking. Clearly, the fact that a vehicle is a crossover – meaning unit body construction instead of the traditional SUV body-on-frame construction – does not detract from its SUV-ness.
The windshield is stiffer which improves ease of getting in and out. The side windows are larger due to a lower belt line. This provides better all-around visibility. The vehicle is a bit larger and the final result is a crossover SUV that is within a half-inch here and a half-inch there of its facing completion. There are no deficiencies in its package.
Loaded With Technology Still Reasonably Priced
As is customary with Hyundai products, the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe is loaded with the latest technology and especially new safety technology. The 5th generation has Hyundai’s SafetySense suite of features as standard equipment. This adds to the vehicle’s cost and subsequently its price, but HMA management says its dealers find customers are accepting slightly higher prices for the improved safety features.
When you check all the boxes and get the highest model and all the features, prices can move a bit above $35,000. This still seems like a value. At this price point the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe feature set includes Hyundai SafetySense, head up display, memory heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation system, premium sound and others.
Interior Design Top Notch
The interior design shows attention to detail found in more expensive XSUVs. The instrument panel is a double cockpit design with a sweeping concave area holding the instrument cluster in front of the driver. There is a spacious shape mimicking the driver’s area in front of the front seat passenger. This is a design that is very difficult to get right in production because the fit and finish on each side can be very difficult to line up. The Santa Fe examples I saw were all very well aligned.
Enough Oomph for Most Driving Conditions
The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe is powered by either a 185-horsepower 2.4L DOHC Naturally Aspirated 4-cylinder or a 2.0L Turbo 4-cylinder. The examples we drove were the 2.0L Turbo four mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. With 235-horsepower and 260 lb-ft torque the Santa Fe performed better than expected at the high altitudes where we drove the vehicle.
Hyundai was not shy about taking the Santa Fe on rough roads. Dirt, washboards, the Santa Fe handled it all with no problem. The final proof that the Santa Fe is a very capable XSUV off-road was a steep hill climb over dirt, mud and rocks. No problem. While almost no owner of a Hyundai Santa Fe will ever take their vehicle on a climb like this one, the vehicle is capable of relatively aggressive off-roading and more.
All-in-all, the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe is an outstanding replacement for the outgoing 4th generation Santa Fe and should help Hyundai improve its truck mix from 43.5% July 2018 calendar year to date to 50% in pretty short order.
Future Hyundai XSUVs Will Push Truck Mix over 50%
Santa Fe cannot achieve that mix increase alone. There will be several additional XSUVs added to the Hyundai truck line-up. There will be a very small XSUV positioned below the small, and very successful, Hyundai Kona. There will be the Hyundai Nexo fuel cell XSUV. There will be a larger three row seven/eight passenger XSUV above the Hyundai Santa Fe. Finally, Hyundai is very serious about competing in the
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on June 22, 2018 at 11:21 am
AutoPacific Announces 2018 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards: Genesis Most Satisfying Premium Brand; Nissan Earns Most Wins, Top Score Goes to Chevrolet Traverse
The results of AutoPacific’s 22nd annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSAs) identify the most satisfying vehicles in the market. An industry benchmark for measuring how satisfied an owner is with his/her new vehicle, VSAs are based on survey responses from over 58,000 owners of new 2017 and 2018 cars and light trucks.
“VSAs provide consumers with insight into which vehicles are giving owners a satisfying ownership experience,” says AutoPacific president George Peterson. AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards objectively measure owner satisfaction with 40 separate attributes ranging from seating comfort and interior quality to driving performance.“AutoPacific VSAs are unique in their inclusion of importance in the calculations,” explains Peterson. “Not only do we measure owner satisfaction, but we also measure how important each attribute was to owners in their shopping process, resulting in a satisfaction score representative of demanding owners.”
Trucks Most Satisfying
Reflecting the booming sales of trucks in the USA, trucks – pickups, sport utility vehicles and minivans – are much more satisfying than cars. SUVs, both traditional and crossovers, are the most satisfying truck categories.
Genesis Reaches Top
Luxury brand Genesis, in its second year in the market, wins top luxury brand, edging out second place Lexus and achieving the highest brand satisfaction score to date. “In just two years, Genesis has reached a level of owner satisfaction unattained by more established luxury brands,” says Peterson. In addition to the most satisfying luxury brand, Genesis G90 wins the Vehicle Satisfaction Award for Luxury Car for the second year in a row.
Nissan Claims Most Brand Wins
Five Nissan vehicles win Vehicle Satisfaction Awards for their respective segments: the Nissan Titan, Murano, Maxima, LEAF and 370Z. “Not only does Nissan have the most brand wins for the second year in a row, the Maxima and Murano have been unbeatable since their redesigns were introduced to the market,” says Peterson. The Murano crossover has its 4thwin since its 2015 redesign and the Maxima has its 3rdwin since its 2016 redesign. New for 2018, this is the first win for the LEAF, winning in the growing Mainstream EV segment, the second win for the Titan and the first win for the 370Z. Two Infiniti crossovers, the QX80 and QX60, are also 2018 VSA winners.
Five All-New or Redesigned Vehicles Top Their Segment
Of the twenty-six winning vehicles, five were redesigned for the 2018 model year, including the top-scoring Chevrolet Traverse, which greatly exceeds the score of its nearest competitor, Toyota C-HR, a new entry in a highly competitive and growing segment, and Nissan LEAF, a clear winner over competing mainstream EVs. Also winning with their new designs are the all-new Honda Odyssey and Hyundai Accent. “The success of redesigned vehicles speaks to the efforts of product planners and designers who spend years researching and designing in the hopes of hitting the mark with consumers,” says Peterson.
American and Korean Brands Share Most Satisfying Popular Brand Title
GMC is the most satisfying popular brand for the second year in a row, but this year it shares its title with Hyundai and Ram. “Having two strong American truck brands and a Korean brand known for its cars is pretty incredible,” says Peterson. Although GMC has won several times, it is the first brand win for Ram and Hyundai.
2018 VEHICLE SATISFACTION AWARD WINNERS
Most Satisfying Vehicle Overall: Chevrolet Traverse
Highest Satisfaction Premium Brand: Genesis
Highest Satisfaction Popular Brand: 3-way tie: GMC, Hyundai, Ram
Passenger Cars
- Luxury Car: Genesis G90 (2ndyear)
- Aspirational Luxury Car: Lexus IS
- Luxury Mid-Size Car: Nissan Maxima (3rdyear)
- Large Car: Dodge Charger
- Mid-Size Car: Hyundai Sonata
- Premium Compact Car: Audi A3
- Compact Car: Hyundai Elantra
- Mainstream EV Car: Nissan LEAF
- Economy Car: Hyundai Accent
- Sports Car: Nissan 370Z
- Sporty Car: Dodge Challenger (2ndyear)
Light Trucks
- Light Duty Pickup: Nissan Titan (2ndyear)
- Heavy Duty Pickup: GMC Sierra HD
- Mid-Size Pickup: Honda Ridgeline (2ndyear)
- Luxury SUV: Infiniti QX80
- Large SUV: Toyota Sequoia
- Mid-Size SUV:Toyota 4Runner (tie)
- Mid-Size SUV: Jeep Grand Cherokee (tie; 2ndyear)
- Premium Luxury XSUV: Mercedes-Benz GLS
- Luxury XSUV:Infiniti QX60
- Large XSUV: Chevrolet Traverse
- Premium Mid-Size XSUV: Nissan Murano (4thyear)
- Mid-Size XSUV: Honda CR-V
- Compact XSUV: Toyota C-HR
- Minivan: Honda Odyssey (tie)
- Minivan: Toyota Sienna (tie)
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on March 22, 2018 at 5:43 pm
The all new 2018 Hyundai Kona small crossover SUV (XSUV) has just been shown to the press in an event held, wait for it, on the Kona Coast of The Big Island of Hawaii. There were 23 or 24 Konas on hand for the journalists to drive around the island. So, this was a pretty big event for Hyundai Motor America (HMA).
In AutoPacific’s 2017 Small XSUV Consultancy, 38 XSUVs with a wheelbase of 110-inches or less are included. There were enough data to do complete analyses on that many individual vehicles. There are an additional seven all new small XSUVs on sale now but too new to have been included in the AutoPacific database. That makes 45 entries in the small XSUV category. Now comes the 2018 Hyundai Kona wading into the fray.
Hyundai Late to the Small XSUV Game Hyundai is a bit late to the game with its B-Segment small XSUV. Hyundai mostly thinks “CARS” and was forced kicking and screaming to develop another small SUV. Before the Kona was developed, Hyundai Motor Corporation (HMC) offered Hyundai Motor America a small XSUV developed mainly for India. Luckily for HMA, their parent company did not push that down their throats and the result is the Kona – a bit late, but a whole lot better. Next year, an even smaller A-segment XSUV will be introduced along with a larger range topping three row seven passenger XSUV (like the old Veracruz). So, it appears HMC got religion and is providing HMA with what it needs to compete.
Trucks to Reign as Cars are De-emphasized As carmakers begin providing what consumers are really asking for – crossover SUVs – the shift from traditional three-box (hood, cabin, trunk) cars will accelerate and the two-box bodystyle will predominate. Truck sales (pickups, SUVs and minivans) outpaced cars in 2010 and now account for about 64% of the market. Crossover SUVs first outsold traditional (body-on-frame) SUVs in 2004 and never looked back. As the small XSUV segment matures, it should command between 17% and 20% of the market of light cars and trucks in the USA.
Hugely Competitive Segment Hyundai’s planners identify eight primary competitors for the 2018 Hyundai Kona – Chevy Trax, Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Toyota C-HR, Subaru Crosstrek, Mazda CX-3, Ford EcoSport and Nissan Kicks. With 45-plus entries in its size category sold by popular brands and premium brands alike, Kona goes up against some solid heavyweights.
Kona Styling The proportions of the 2018 Hyundai Kona are different. It has a long hood with long front overhang and a very short rear overhang. Stylists have achieved a aggressiveness and muscularity in a small package. The front end is has the Hyundai shield grille flanked by large headlights buried in a charcoal surround. LED running lights top the front fascia just at the leading edge of the hood. The bodyside has bold character lines flowing towards the rear. The wheel arches are swathed in charcoal cladding. The cladding may be overdone, but Kona appears to pull it off pretty well. Once you study the Kona for awhile, it grows on you.
Kona Size – Smaller, But Does Not Feel Small Among Kona’s competitive set, it has the shortest overall length (164.0-inches). Its wheelbase (102.4-inches) is pretty much in line with competition. The cockpit feels spacious and its dimensions are in line with its competition. The rear seat is a skosh small with only the Toyota C-HR having less rear seat legroom. While you might think Kona skimped on cargo area it has not. Its 19.2 cubic foot cargo area is mid pack. Only the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek larger.
Powertrains – About What You’d Expect in this Class of XSUV There are two engine/transmission combinations. The base engine is a Nu 2.0L Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder with 147-horsepower and 132-lb.ft of torque. The 2.0L is teamed with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The base engine powers the lower two of the four Kona models. The top engine is the Gamma 1.6L GDI 4-cylinder Turbo mated to a 7-speed EcoShift DCT. It has 175-horsepower and 195-lb.ft. of torque. Both powertrains are rated at 30mpg combined city/highway fuel economy. All wheel drive is available on both powertrains and all models.
Hyundai SmartSense Kona is available with an array of driver assistance technologies in the Hyundai SmartSense Suite. SmartSense includes forward collision-avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision warning, lane keeping assist, high beam assist, blind spot warning and driver attention warning. In AutoPacific research, a blind spot warning system is a feature with very high demand. Hyundai has made it standard on the Sonata mid-size car, but in the Kona it is standard one-step up from the base SE model in the SEL model. Still, this is good compared with competitive installations.
Attractive Pricing The base SE model starts at $19,500 (without destination). The highest volume model likely will be the SEL with a starting price of $21,150. It is available with a $1,500 technology package. The next step is the Limited at $24,700. Check all the boxes until there are no more and you come to the Unlimited model at $27,400. The Unlimited is where you get an 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, head-up display and the full Hyundai SmartSense suite of safety features.
No Vehicle is Perfect As vehicles and technology evolve buyers are expecting more. For instance, the 2018 Hyundai Kona has an 8-way power driver seat available, but only manual adjustment (without a height adjustment) is available on the passenger side. Cruise control is standard, but adaptive cruise control that most buyers expect today is not yet available. Hyundai’s planners hint that adaptive cruise is only a short time away.
In Summary The 2018 Hyundai Kona promises to be a very competitive entry in the small XSUV category. A buyer won’t miss much, if anything at all, if they select a Kona. This is a vehicle that Hyundai Motor America has needed and has been waiting for. Now it is up the dealers and marketing/advertising folks to get Kona into the consideration sets of prospective buyers. It should do very well.
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on December 14, 2017 at 3:18 pm
2018 Hyundai Accent Substantially Upgraded
Once upon a time, way back in 1986, I drove a Hyundai Excel. Excel was Hyundai’s entry vehicle to the USA market. It was terrifying to drive. It wallowed, wheezed and it felt like parts were falling off as it rolled down the road. With the upcoming launch of the 2018 Hyundai Accent, the successor to the first Excel, Hyundai has a very respectable sub-compact car to sell.
Of course, car sales are down, and Hyundai Motor America would rather have the Kona small crossover SUV on dealer lots now instead of in the Spring. But Accent is needed as the low-priced anchor to Hyundai’s car presence.
2018 Hyundai Accent Models and Pricing Hyundai has raised the base MSRP by $250, but it feels like much more cost was added to the car than $250. Its $14,995 base price is for a base SE 4-door sedan with a 6-speed manual transmission. A 6-speed automatic on the SE adds $1,000. The top of the line Limited goes for $18,895 and an 8-speed automatic is standard. All models of the 2018 Hyundai Accent are powered by a 130-horsepower 1.6L DOHC GDI 4-cylinder engine.
Going up to the mid-range SEL model you get a 4-wheel disc brakes, a 7-inch center screen and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability, driver’s blind spot mittot. When you go all out and select the Limited, front LED accent lights, sunroof, LED taillamps, 17-inch wheels, BlueLink Connected Services, automatic temperature control and a 3.5-inch TFT screen in the instrument cluster are added. Heated seats are part of the Limited package.
2018 Hyundai Accent Presence But pricing and equipment isn’t all that is interesting about the Accent. It looks good and doesn’t look particularly downscale. Accent now has the signature Hyundai grille. Its profile is semi-fastback like the Sonata.
The ride is good. Handling is better than many small cars. Ergonomics are excellent. The beefy leather wrapped steering wheel in the Limited is worthy of a much more expensive car. The door closing sound is a reassuring thunk rather than a clang that characterized many small cars in the past. Easy to get into, with great visibility, the Excel will be an easy car to live with.
The only strong criticism is the interior. The black interior of the model AutoPacific drove swallowed light like a black hole. The seats, while pretty comfortable, had a muted check insert that confirmed its lower price positioning. The upper surface of the instrument panel glared under heavy sunlight – almost like it had a coat of Armor-all on it. Not good.
The customer looking for base transportation without too many bells and whistles should be very satisfied with the 2018 Hyundai Accent.
#2018HyundaiAccent #HyundaiAccent
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on July 17, 2017 at 2:50 pm
Up until 2016, the mid-size sedan was the top selling product segment in the USA light vehicle market. That has changed substantially as buyers are flocking to crossover SUVs that offer more utility at little expense over sedans. That does not mean carmakers are abandoning mid-size sedans. On the contrary, they have to keep their top selling mid-size sedan entries fresh and competitive.
Three high volume 2018 model year mid-size sedans are launching in Fall 2017. All three are from Asian brands. The Korean brand Hyundai Sonata is assembled in Montgomery, Alabama. The Japanese brand Toyota Camry is assembled in Georgetown, Kentucky. The Japanese brand Honda Accord is assembled in Marysville, Ohio. Some would say that these sedans are the most American cars on the road.
All three are excellent cars and all three are trying to vacate typical anodyne mid-size car styling. The Accord and Camry are all new cars. The Sonata is a major redesign to its front and rear styling. All three are much more expressive than before.
2018 Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry Toyota’s longtime sales champ, the Camry mid-size sedan, is all-new for the 2018 model year. As this iconic model line has consistently topped sales charts but is often derided for being dull and boring, the 2018 Camry wears much more expressive and in XSE trim, at least, genuinely sporty styling. Toyota undoubtedly hopes that the revitalized looks of the latest Camry will help it shed its stodgy image.
Toyota launches its new Toyota New Global Architecture platform with the 2018 Camry mid-size sedan. The TNGA platform will be used for the other Toyota cars built at Georgetown: Lexus ES aspirational luxury car and the Toyota Avalon large car. When Avalon moves to the platform in 2018 they are expected to move the RAV4 crossover into the plant. The next generation Toyota Highlander crossover SUV and Toyota Sienna minivan will likely move to the TNGA platform and continue to be built in Princeton, Indiana.
Part of the new Camry’s more appealing looks come from its lower proportions. In recent years, sedans have typically gotten taller with higher seating positions to emulate what makes SUVs so popular: great visibility, easy ingress and egress, and a chair-like driving position. However, as market preference towards SUVs has now been well established and sedan share is rapidly dropping, Toyota saw an opportunity to make the Camry a real car again. After all, those who want to sit up high will buy one of Toyota’s many able SUVs anyway. If Camry sales are (by Toyota’s own admission) expected to drop at the hand of the almighty SUV, why not make Camry more differentiated from its high-riding SUV lineup?
So, the new Camry’s seating and roof heights are about an inch lower than before, giving it a sleeker and more aggressive profile than any Camry before it. The seating position is also more sporty too. The interior is a massive step up in appeal too, with expensive looking materials, textures, shapes, and colors that dramatically up the Camry’s desirability. Toyota hasn’t ignored technology either. While lacking Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Toyota’s latest Entune 3.0 infotainment system with its standard App Suite and standard navigation is easy to use. Notably, Toyota’s TSS-P suite of safety technologies, which includes forward collision alert with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist is standard on every Camry.
Camry’s base engine is a 206-horsepower 2.5L 4-cylinder. Its V6 option is a 301-horsepower 3.5L V6 mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Though this generation will no longer hold Toyota’s sales crown (which is being taken over by RAV4), it certainly looks to be the most appealing and engaging Camry yet.
2018 Honda Accord Touring
2018 Honda Accord Touring
Honda Accord The all-new 2018 Honda Accord mid-size sedan takes a page out of the latest Camry’s playbook, but that’s no bad thing. Like the 2018 Camry, the 2018 Accord rides on an all-new platform and features lower seating height and a lower roofline, abandoning prior generations’ goals of trying to imbue the mid-size sedan with SUV-like interior packaging. Like Camry, Accord’s sales crown at Honda is being transferred to an SUV model, namely the CR-V. This latest Accord is set to lose sales compared to prior generations not because of any inherent flaws, but because market preference has been rapidly shifting to SUVs.
For those who prefer sedans over SUVs, the Accord is a real winner. Its lower seating and roofline don’t result in less interior space; both cabin and trunk space have increased over the last generation’s already generous cabin and cargo hold dimensions, partially due to a longer wheelbase that also improves the car’s exterior proportions. Speaking of proportions, it’s hard not to think Audi A7 when looking at the new Accord in profile; its fastback roofline and pert tail – combined with the longer wheelbase – help give the sedan a luxurious presence.
Also contributing to that luxurious presence is the styling, which possesses a delicateness not seen in recent Honda products. The detailing is crisp and not overdone as is the case in many Hondas. The visual appeal of the new Accord is in its proportions and detailing; the heavy handedness of other recent Honda designs is absent here. Unlike Toyota, Honda uses more bright-work to highlight the grille. There is a bright arch sweeping from the A-Pillar down into the rear quarter (similar to the Kia Optima). The bodyside lower is accented by a bright swoosh line flowing rear from just behind the front wheel opening, through the lower doors and peaking at the rear fascia. There is a dainty bright highlight on the lower rear fascia above the the bright exhaust tips.
The new Accord does differ from Camry in a key way: its powertrain strategy. Unlike Camry, which sticks with traditional naturally aspirated four- and six-cylinder engines, the Accord moves to an all four-cylinder lineup with a 192-horsepower 1.5L direct injected turbo as the volume engine and a 252-horsepower 2.0L direct injected turbo replacing last generation’s V6. A new non-turbo 2.0L hybrid four is also available. Not that it matters to anyone but the buff books, but a six-speed manual is available on both turbo engines. In practice, nearly all 2018 Accords will have automatic transmissions; the 1.5 is paired to a CVT while the 2.0 is paired to a brand-new ten-speed unit. The hybrid will be paired to a two-motor e-CVT transmission.
Like Camry, a full complement of safety technologies are standard, with Honda Sensing (automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition) installed on every 2018 Accord. Infotainment is upgraded too, and a head-up display is available for the first time.
2018 Hyundai Sonata – LaJolla, CA
2018 Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai Sonata The Hyundai Sonata mid-size car gets a major freshening for the 2018 model year. The present Sonata has been criticized for getting too conservative when changing from the very avant garde 2010 model. Senior management probably were surprised at the success of the 2010, but could not muster the will to keep the pedal to the metal. The 2018 Sonata goes a long way in correcting that strategic error.
The front and rear styling is all new. Like Toyota and Honda, Hyundai is adopting a much more expressive grille and front face. They describe the grill surround as being a “cascade”. There are two different grill textures – horizontal and diamond shaped mesh. The front fascia is highlighted by a horizontal bright strip flowing from side to side. Hyundai describes this as a “catamaran blade”. Hyundai continues with the bright spear flowing from the front fenders back to surround the windows. In profile, the Sonata is similar to the Camry and Accord. Even though this is a freshening, the car looks as up to date as the all new Camry and Accord.
The interior has been freshened with material upgrades throughout. The center stack has been redesigned and ergonomics are excellent. Hyundai has found a way to make its blind spot warning system affordable and has made it standard on all 2018 Sonatas.
There are changes under the skin as well. Chassis tuning has been improved making this the best handling Sonata ever. Steering feel has been improved and the ride feels more taut than before, but not in a bad way. The rear suspension has also been upgraded.
Sonata’s base engine is a 185-horsepower 2.4L 4-cylinder. The Eco model gets a 178-horsepower 1.6L Turbo 4-cylinder. The top engine is a 245-horsepower 2.0L Turbo 4-cylinder. The 2.0L Turbo vehicles get an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Competitive Battleground There are ten major competitors in the mid-size sedan market in the USA. Three are all new or freshened for 2018. Two will get major changes in 2019. Three will be all new or get a major change in 2020. Even though the segment is beset by woes stemming from crossover SUV popularity, the mid-size sedan segment will remain fresh and competitive. The new Accord looks like a real winner and promises to continue sparring with Camry for sales dominance in the mid-size sedan segment, even as the segment itself is in decline. The Sonata will hold its own. For those who really like cars (and not SUVs), the new Accord, Camry and Sonata provide a lot to get excited over.
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on June 8, 2017 at 1:54 pm
G90 Satisfies its Owners to the Max Launching a new brand with an all new car is a huge challenge. Launching in the luxury space is even more of a challenge. Hyundai, the top Korean manufacturer, launched its Genesis brand in late 2015. The 2017 Genesis G90 Luxury Car followed in 2016. Owners of the new Genesis G90 have rated their satisfaction with their car. Their ratings have the G90 achieving the all-time highest score in AutoPacific’s 2017 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research. Hyundai has established a new benchmark with the Genesis G90 in its first year out.
Most vehicles are well-made today. The key is in the execution. Is the vehicle intuitive to use? Are the electronics easy to understand? Is the powertrain smooth and seamless? Is the interior quiet and comfortable? Is the dealership experience special? For the G90, the execution is excellent. Excellent car. Excellent experience with the dealer. This is from a Korean manufacturer that just began building its quality mojo in 1999. Job well done.
Satisfaction Results Distributed Across Segments The rest of the industry has not been standing still. All major automakers have at least some design and engineering capabilities in the United States. Winning vehicles show product design that caters to American tastes. Winning vehicles also show that the sales organizations are listening to their customers to provide a satisfying sales experience.
The top brand in the satisfaction research is Lincoln closely followed by Cadillac and Genesis. The top popular brand is General Motors’ GMC truck brand.
There are twenty-three segments in AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Award research. Eight were won by American brands. Seven were won by Japanese brands. Four were won by Korean brands. Four were won by European brands.
Nissan is the top brand with five category wins. Kia is second with three.
Only one American CAR won its class. The Dodge Challenger is the top ranked in the Sporty Car category. The other nine car categories were won by Japanese, Korean and European brands. Seven of the eight awards won by the American brands are in truck and SUV categories.
One surprise is that the Nissan Titan won the light duty full size pickup truck award. The new Titan was a dark horse in a race including the vaunted aluminum Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet, GMC and Ram half-ton pickups. Another interesting result is in the Compact Pickup category. The Honda Ridgeline handily won top spot. While “real” truckers disdain the Ridgeline’s small pickup bed (that is integral with its body) and plush ride, Honda has provided a pickup that is luxurious and quiet like a SUV but with adequate pickup capability. The “trunk” in its pickup bed is a great idea.
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on May 25, 2017 at 10:12 am
2017 Honda Civic Si
Eighth Generation Honda Civic Si There have been ten generations of the Honda Civic spanning about 40 years. Generations three through nine have included the Honda Civic Si model to provide a sportier alternative for enthusiast small car buyers. The tenth generation Honda Civic Si sedan and coupe went on sale at Honda dealers on May 13, 2017.
The tenth generation Civic is a platform development tour-de-force. Honda lost its mojo with a generation of technically excellent, but unexciting products. Honda is now back with a vengeance. Their new generation stuff is outstanding. Their truck platform products are very good – Honda Pilot XSUV, Honda Ridgeline pickup and Honda Odyssey minivan. The Honda Accord is a very competitive premium mid-size car selling at high volumes.
The previous, ninth gen Civic was created during the lean years of the Great Recession. Consequently, the car left a lot to be desired. Realizing the ninth gen Civic had been a step backwards, Honda pulled out the stops on the tenth generation Civic. They created a car with distinctive styling and a comfortable and functional interior. The car is available with an impressive load of comfort, convenience and safety features.
2017 Honda Civic Si
The Honda Civic Si is not the end of the car line’s model extension. The higher performance Type-R hatchback will be launched in a month or so.
Exterior Styling The 2017 Honda Civic Si is special. It has more aggressive front and rear fascias with prominent air ducts. The grille texture has moved from chrome to gloss black for a sportier look. A rear spoiler has been added. Tires are upgraded to 235/40R18 to help more aggressive handling and enhance the car’s stance. There is a center outlet exhaust with chrome surround. All this clearly communicates the car’s more sporty nature.
Interior Styling The black interior sports black and red accents for the instrumentation. The Honda Civic Si has two driving modes – “Sport”and “Normal”. In sport mode, the cluster accents are red. In normal mode, the cluster accents are blue. New front seats have a unique frame and bolstering to better support the driver and front seat passenger when pushing the limits. The bolsters are firm, but not uncomfortable.
Powertrain and Chassis Under the skin, the engine has been upgraded. It is powered by a 205-horsepower 1.5L 4-cylinder turbo. The turbo substantially improves mid-range torque which makes the car feel more flexible. The already-excellent 6-speed manual transmission in the Civic is upgraded to provide an even more definite short stroke gear change. Front brake discs grow 1.2-inches to a 12.3 inch diameter. Rears add 0.9 inches for 11.1 inches. As you might expect, the Si gets an exclusive suspension with unique springs, stabilizer bars and shocks.
Competition and Pricing The Honda Civic Si competes with the Subaru Impreza WRX, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST, Toyota 86, Subaru BRZ and Hyundai Veloster Turbo. In recent years the WRX and GTI have outsold the Si, but the new car may change that. The Si is priced at $23,900 for either the coupe or 4-door sedan. This gives it a $525 advantage over the Focus ST, $1,695 over the GTI and $2,795 over the WRX. Si is a high value proposition in its class. There are no options available on the Si.
What Honda Civic Si Lacks The Si is available only with a 6-speed manual transmission. This is admittedly an excellent transmission, but American buyers have been abandoning manuals for years. This limits the sales potential of the Si. Honda engineers and planners seemed to dismiss the need for an automatic. They cited the enthusiast’s desire for the active driving experience provided by a manual. One admitted their Continuously Variable Transmission found in the rest of the Civic line would accommodate the horsepower and torque of the Si’s engine, but the CVT would surely sap the crispness of the engine. Then there is a dual clutch automatic like Honda uses in the Acura ILX. Maybe that could be fitted. Anyway, if they want to increase Si sales at some point, an automatic would be in order.
The rest of the Civic line offers the excellent HondaSensing automatic driver assistance system. This includes adaptive cruise control, lane watch and assist. More and more drivers are expecting this system. Just because Si is directed at sporty drivers, it does not mean they do not want HondaSensing. Similarly, the Si is not available with a blind spot monitoring system. It needs one available.
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on March 1, 2017 at 3:13 pm
Mazda Premium is the objective for the Mazda brand in the future. Mazda realizes it is a mainstream brand but wants to become premium. In the minds of the car buyer, Mazda competes with Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Mazda has limited resources and needs to husband them. To achieve Mazda Premium positioning, its products must be executed to meet or beat premium brand competitors. This requires targeted benchmarking against more expensive vehicles in the same product category.
CX-5 Latest Mazda Premium Vehicle At the press launch of the 2017 Mazda CX-5 mid-size crossover SUV (XSUV) in San Diego, Mazda detailed its competitive strategy. The Mazda product development team did not closely benchmark the usual suspects. The CX-5 will be sold against Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage. To go against premium brands, the CX-5 team benchmarked luxury brand XSUVs like Audi Q3, BMW X1, Lexus NX, Mercedes GLA. To show how deep they have benchmarked premium XSUVs, the Jaguar F-Pace was even included on one comparison chart.
The new Mazda CX-5 is a 5-passenger XSUV slotted below the 7-passenger CX-9 introduced last year. The CX-5 completes Mazda’s evolution to its Kudo design theme that stresses the “soul of motion”. The styling is striking and clearly differentiated from its German and Japanese competitors. Mazda states that “every element has been designed to be in a class above”.
To demonstrate the superiority of the premium-designed CX-5 over its luxury competition, Mazda provided these premium vehicles as comparisons to drive through downtown San Diego. While we cannot yet discuss the driving experience, we can reveal that the CX-5 arguably looks and drives better than premium brand XSUVs costing about $10,000 more.
In reality, it will take years for Mazda to achieve premium brand status. Executed consistently and effectively, Mazda Premium will ultimately achieve a stronger image with Mazda dealers and customers. Mazda Premium will allow Mazda to achieve higher per-unit profitability. Ultimately, Mazda Premium will allow Mazda to be positioned at a premium brand like Acura or Buick if all goes as planned. Competing against Audi, BMW, Lexus, Jaguar and Mercedes is still a ways off.
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on August 16, 2016 at 5:28 pm
The Genesis G90 is the flagship of the new Genesis lineup. It will be on the market in September, 2016. Genesis is positioning the G90 against the top-of-the line Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus sedans. The question is can it compete?
Size is Competitive with Lexus, Mercedes, BMW From a size perspective, the Genesis G90 is within inches of its competitors. It is a bit bigger than the Lexus LS460. It is about the same size as the Lexus LS460L, however. That is the extended length LS. It is a couple of inches shy in wheelbase and overall length to the BMW 7-Series. It is a couple of inches shorter than the Mercedes S-Class. Its interior volume is a bit bigger than the S-Class. Let’s call it a toss up when looking at size.
Powertrain Choices – Base V6 TT with Optional V8 The base Genesis G90 powertrain is a 3.3L Twin-Turbo GDI (gasoline direct injected) V6 with 365 horsepower and 376 lb.ft. of torque. About 80% of G90 volume will be the V6. Base-to-base, G90 loses to the competition with standard V8s. Lexus’ 4.6L V8 has 386 horsepower. The Mercedes 4.7L bi-turbo V8 has 449 horsepower. But Genesis’ V6 has more horsewpower than BMW’s base 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6 that has 320 horsepower. The optional Genesis engine is the 5.0L GDI V8 with 420 horsepower and 383 lb.ft of torque. The BMW 750i with its 4.4L Twin-Turbo V8 has 445 horsepower. So Genesis’ V8 is a bit below the German V8s.
So what? The Genesis G90 with the Twin-Turbo V6 performs very well. Teamed with an 8-speed automatic transmission, the G90 has excellent performance. Power is delivered smoothly and continuously. The powertrain is seamless and unobtrusive. There are only two options – V8 and All wheel drive. Driving the V6 with both rear and all wheel drive, we did not feel any noticeable difference. It wasn’t snowing.
Genesis planners want to have an interior that is “whisper quiet” and the NVH of the car delivers. The interior is quiet. Conversation is easy at any speed.
Rumor has it that Hyundai called in Lotus Engineering to help fine tune the G90s suspension. True or not, the suspension feels biased towards a German feel – purposeful and taut. It is not the cushy, absorbent feel provided by the Lexus LS. Handling is stable with little body lean. Nothing not to like.
On the Road to Autonomous Driving The Genesis G90 is loaded with standard driver assist and safety features. Many standard features on the G90 are in optional packages on the competition. As more and more is being written about autonomous driving, the G90 has some features that qualify. With standard adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist the G90 can cruise in heavy traffic pretty much autonomously. But, if the driver has their hands off the wheel for longer than 13-seconds, the car insists you touch the wheel again.
I found the lane keeping assist pretty accurate on twisty mountain roads in British Columbia, but there were a couple of times the car was obviously going to overshoot a lane marker and I had to take over. I would be confident in using this in heavy Los Angeles Freeway gridlock, but would stay attentive when on the twisties.
Base Pricing Guess – $65,000 – $70,000 Genesis is not ready to divulge pricing for the G90 yet. As brands usually say at a press event prior to introduction, pricing will be set closer to the release date. But the pricing of the competition can show the general area the G90 will be priced. The more-powerful V8-only S-Class has a base price of $95,650. G90 will not be that high. The less powerful in-line 6-cylinder BMW is priced at $81,500. A 750i V8 is priced at $97,600. The lowest priced facing competitor is the Lexus LS at $72,520. But lets look at the Genesis sister ship the G80. The G80 starts at $41,400 with a 311-horsepower 3.8L V6. Check all the boxes and you get the G80 up to $50,350. The V8 G80 is $54,550 fully equipped. Any guess at what the base price for a rear wheel drive G90 with the V6 would be? Our guess is the base price will be between $65,000 and $70,000. For a V8 G90 with All Wheel Drive? Maybe $75,000. I could be high.
Continue Reading
Posted by George Peterson on August 15, 2016 at 5:53 pm
Image Source: Genesis Motors USA
The new Genesis brand of luxury vehicles has been launched with Hyundaispeed! Bbalee! Bbalee! Quick, quick in Korean.
Finally, Hyundai Launches a Luxury Brand After years of deliberation, argument, and negotiation, Hyundai has launched the new Genesis brand. Hyundai officially announced the new Genesis brand in November 2015. Erwin Raphael was appointed head of Genesis in March 2016. The new Genesis brand goes public in September, 2016. That is quick – bbalee, bbalee!
In reality, the new Genesis brand is not a big deal. The brand will have only six vehicles by 2021. This does not approach the dozens of models offered by Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus.
But wait. That is wrong, Genesis is a BIG DEAL! Genesis is the only luxury car brand launched after 1990 that has a deep pockets major manufacturer behind it. Tesla, launched in 2004, is questionably viable in the long term.
Hyundai has decided after years of consideration that a stand-alone luxury brand is a BIG DEAL. The resources of Hyundai are committed to guarantee its success. Hyundai presently has about 835 dealers in the United States. The new Genesis brand will launch with about 300. These have been selected with great care. The Genesis Institute will train dealer salespeople across the country.
Aggressive Launch Marketing The new Genesis brand launches with all guns blazing. Genesis launches as the luxury car sponsor for the National Football League. They are the sponsor for the Los Angeles Open golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club. These sponsorships are sure to make a splash. By early 2017, awide cross-section of American car buyers will know Genesis as a brand. They will know Genesis now exists as a brand rather than just a few car lines resting atop the Hyundai Motor America lineup. This will get the new Genesis brand and the two vehicles it will initially have to sell – the G90 and G80 – on the radar of people who have money to spend on their next new vehicle.
While Genesis vehicles promise to be outstanding, the brand’s commitment to its customers is a cornerstone of its existence. Genesis wants to take the customer experience to a whole new level beyond Lexus, Mercedes and BMW.
Respect for Time Respect for the Genesis Customers’ time is of paramount importance. Time is precious and cannot be replaced. So lets call this the Genesis “Respect Initiative”. Tthe features of this “respect initiative,” hovever, last only for 3-years and 36,000 miles. The 3/36 commitment results from Genesis management estimates that up to 80% of Genesis vehicles will be leased and the majority of those leases will be for 3-years and 36,000 miles. During the “respect period” Genesis owners/lessees will get full maintenance, valet service, SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, navigation map updates, 24/7 roadside assistance with concierge service, and Genesis Connected Services. It would not be a surprise if Genesis has a comprehensive CPO (certified pre-owned used car) program in place by the time the first vehicles come off lease that would extend the “Respect Period” for subsequent owners.
Genesis Uses Hyundai’s In-House Advertising Agency – Innocean While Genesis is a stand-alone brand, it accelerated its launch by using Innocean as its advertising agency. Innocean is owned by Hyundai and also handles advertising for Hyundai brand vehicles. By using Innocean, Genesis gets a known quantity without lengthy reviews to select from numerous agencies vying for the job through lengthy and expensive reviews. Also, there is likely a “family discount” for using the in-house agency in there somewhere.
When asked by an advertising-savvy media member how the new Genesis brand will target its buyers after the NFL and LA Open hoopla, Genesis and their agency will “respectfully” target anyone who can afford to buy their cars. Genesis head Erwin Raphael contends they have no specific target buyer in mind – no age range, gender, or ethnicity. They are just targeting the ability to pay a certain lease fee for their G90 and G80 sedans. And after the brand is launched with heavy advertising and sponsorships, specific groups will be emphasized using Internet messaging and social media.
Product is the Foundation Leading to The Genesis Customer Experience Presently, there are six vehicles planned for the Genesis lineup. There are four cars and two SUVs. The G80 luxury sedan is on sale now. It is a 5-Series/E-Class competitor. The all new G90 (formerly Hyundai Equus) luxury sedan goes on sale in September. It is a competitor to the Lexus LS, Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series. Later comes a BMW 3-Series competitor – the Genesis G70. Then a near luxury sport coupe is launched. There will be a mid-luxury sport utility vehicle and a near luxury SUV. Frankly, they cannot get these SUVs on the market quickly enough.
Based on driving the G90 and G80, Genesis products promise to give the best entries in the competitive set a solid run for their money. Initially, they will be value propositions. You will get more features and content for your money. Such a deal!
Continue Reading
