You might want to check your facts on that. The new G37 coupe actually gained 100 pounds or so on the previous model.

 

I could've sworn I heard it was lighter....at any rate, 100 pounds is a lot easier for me to swallow than 400.

 

Comparison with the Lexus GS350:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..1.*

 

Helped greatly by its huge price advantage, the Hyundai Genesis edges out the Lexus GS 350 by a cumulative score of 68.5 to 66.3. It just doesn't get closer than that.

But remember, Inside Line's algorithms and criteria don't control for the intangible of prestige. And it could well be that in this status-conscious market segment, paying extra money for that Lexus badge may be worth it to a lot of buyers. After all, they didn't work hard all their lives to retire, take out a reverse mortgage and drive a Hyundai.

That right there says a lot.

I will be very interested to see if this car doesn't fall flat on it's face. Should be an excellent way to test the public perception of the brand.

 

Kyle, (Threxx). Has got to be a car salesman's worst stroke ever

I have a friend who has both a Mercedes and Infiniti and when she saw the new Hyundai she fell in love! Alot of people want less of an image now, especially with a different economy, they may not want to be seen in a MB or BMW.

Sure, the door panal's may look cheeper or something similar, but they needed to trim somewhere otherwise the price wouldnt be good.

 

Do you realize how many Americans think that its a Japanese car company???
A LOT

 

Sadly, do you realize how many Americans don't know that Korea and Japan are different countries...

Seriously, what percentage of Americans under the age of 40 do you think could find Korea on a globe if it wasn't labled?

 

Or that there is actually no country named "Korea" for that matter.

 

Any idea why they didn't create a new luxury brand name? Maybe they will in the next few years.

It's the same problem Volkswagen had with trying to sell a $90K Phaeton. It still says VW on the grill.

 

Funny thing is many had the same argument with the Sonata when it was redesigned in 2006. "How can Hyundai compete with Accord and Camry, none of these buyers would ever buy a Hyundai". We all know how that turned out, and Hyundai is now beating both at their own game and for a better price. While you see a large amount of luxury cars in northern Virginia, you see a lot of Hyundai's as well with a lot of Sonata's and Hyundai SUV's. This area is a perfect example of the brand's crossover appeal of offering more for less. Hyundai is the 5th largest auto maker in the world and growing.

 

Sure there is. There's actually two

 

I'm sticking with em. Had one since '04 and its been incredibly reliable. Oh yeah, the dome light went bad. That's it.

A redesigned Sonata or even the new Tiburon once it hits the streets might be its replacement.

 

That is assuming that the buyers who bought a Sonata were comparing it against a Camry or Accord. They were likely comparing it against a Corolla or a Civic based on prices. Hyundai sells for the same reason people shop at Walmart, it's cheap. 32k isn't cheap. For the amount of car you are getting, it is cheap. I just think it is going to be hard for people who are looking to spend at least 32k are going to find themselves walking into a Hyundai dealership.

 

Sonatas were running from 18K to around 24K and the segment they are in is directly with Accord and Camry. The Elantra is in the Corolla and Civic segment, both of which we looked at before getting the Elantra. My wife's best friend bought the Sonata over Accord and Camry. My wife's parents bought an Accord but almost bought the Sonata. Hyundai is selling right now because of what you get for the price, not just because the price is cheap. If you have cheap and the car is a POS, it is not going to sell. The simple fact of the matter is that the Korean's are beating Toyota and Honda at their own game in several segments.

 

I'm not one to discount Hyundai's achievements of late (though I note you've become quite the cheerleader for this brand since you bought yours), but I wouldn't say they are beating the Accord and Camry at their own game with the Sonata. I don't see the Sonata selling 400k+ units / year.

Even if the Genesis is great (and it does seem to be quite good; makes one wonder how they are able to deliver certain levels of features and perceived quality at such prices), the issue is whether or not the brand name will support a $50k car. The VW Phaeton was at Audi A8 levels, but no one wanted an $80k VW when they could get an Audi, BMW, or Mercedes. Hyundai may face similar issues.