Hyundai's worst enemy is it's name and history.

Sure, they did make **** cars for years. So did Toyota when they came here first, so did Datsun, so did Mazda, Hell GM Chrysler and Ford made some of the worst cars ever in the 1980s. My buddy bought a 1988 Hyundai sedan for 50 dollars that was missing 3rd gear and we used to drive it into snow banks. But it kept running. That was one of the first cars they sent here. It was a pos, and it was cheap.

Sure, your friend had one that needed a new trans, does that mean they all will? I had a 2002 Malibu that I drove for 50k miles and never had a single problem, were they all like that ? No.

People used to talk crap about japanese cars EXACTLY like some of you are doing here.

Sorry but it is very idiotic.

They have hired american and japanese engineers and business people and studied the process Toyota and others have taken over the past FIFTY years. Toyota first imported cars in the 1950s. Hyundai is taking a quicker route because they don't want to take over 40 years to become a force in the US. They will be a force, then you know what's next, India and China. Hyundai and Kia are profitable and growing faster than most other brands.

If you don't believe it and just want to say Hyundais are crap, sorry but you are clueless.

As for the Genesis, it's a lot of car for the money, period. From everything I have seen or heard, that is all they are trying to say, and that is all it is.

 

To me it looks lame because it knocks off so many blatent styling cues. It would have scored many more points with me had they tried to be original...instead of the "Knock it off and ***** it out" approch.

 

exactly. this was the only point i was trying to make in this post. if they can do it, why cant everyone

 

it's simply a lot cheaper to manufacture in South Korea. Some of the parts are made in other countries with even lower production costs as well.

GM could use some of this by using their Daewoo ownership in the same fashion, or even use Daewoo to make the more expensive components a lot cheaper for all their cars.

 

It's like getting a Honda roadster motorcycle, it's just not a harley. It doesn't matter how good it looks or fast it is or how reasonable the price is.

 

So I posted saying my coworkers car had a bad transmission, then I posted a link that shows Hyundai in the Bottom 1/3 of a Dependability study, okay 23rd out of 36, released by a Nationally Recognized company. I guess JDpowers is clueless too eh?

The current info out there says that Hyundai is improving but do you want to be their $35,000 guinea pig? There are proven cars out there at that price, some even produced by American companies. Their name does nothing for the cause they have produced crappy small cars for awhile and its tough to shake that, ask saturn. I liken it to owning the nicest trailer in the court.

 

That may well be true but if I'm not mistaken, they have a plant not very far from where I'm sitting now.

As far as I know they aren't planning on building this car at their plant in Alabama but I suspect you can look for them to build plants here when their volume needs justify it.

 

I didn't feel an urgent need to post because I'm just not inspired. I'm not a fan of Hyundai/Kia products. They're coming a long way, and even surpassing some quality/performance standards. It's just not what I like, and there's no heritage or models I liked before this introduction.

This is the car's "predecessor" which was--a huge failure.

 

People may take more of an interest on here when the top of the line engine is revealed.

 

Will knockoff styling between brands EVER be cool to Americans? If not, does the engine really matter if the rest of the car is unattractive?

 

Ever seen the car in person? Many thought the Camaro was ugly from first photos. You need to see a car in person to fully form an (reliable) opinion.

With that said, the answer to your questions are yes and yes. G6 is very derivative and it's GM's 2nd highest selling car. For the 2nd, refer to the Evo and Sti off the top of my head.

 

I realize this is kind of tangential to this thread, but mine was problem free, too. I had a 2001 that was flawless for 36,000 miles. My parents bought it off-lease when I turned it in (my dad was a Buick/Chevy salesman before he retired) and it's still going with not a single problem to report. Those were good cars. My folks have had more problems (though not big ones) with their 2005 Maxx than the 2001.

 

Wouldn't the XG300/XG350 be more of a predecessor to the current Azera than to the Genesis? It was their first U.S. market "flagship," but was nonetheless still a stretched Sonata with FWD and a V6.

 

You're right--I had mostly forgotten about the Azera. The XG was their first stab at breaking into the luxury market though. The Azera is a relatively new entry, so it kinda stands on its own. The Genesis is another breakthrough attempt to run with the big dogs.

I'll leave my mind open. The car may do just great, but I don't feel any interest in it. The styling does nothing to inspire me, and its heritage is not exactly respectable in my mind. The market is already stuffed with great luxury vehicles, so really it's about Hyundai making a chunk of change by mimicking what's already out there at a reduced price.

Their new marketing scheme carries the tagline "Think about it."

Yah, I did, and all I could think of is people who really can't afford luxury will now be pimpin their new Genesis thinking they are rich.