Hyundai CEO: Our hybrids will be better than the Prius

hyundai today is not the hyundai 10 years ago. i drove several hyundais as rentals and they were really nice cars.. i wouldn't be surprised hyundai can make a nice hybrid. and competition is always a good thing for comsumers

 

So Hyundai will be PHEV, with superior driving range (50 - 150 mi) and reliability. I wish them success and want others, including Toyota, to compete for quality.

 

Let me know when they start bragging SALES quantity, not just another trophy.

Building a small number of "more advanced" vehicles doesn't accomplish much.

Consumers actually need something better to drive. Their production-line much change.

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Bring it ON !!!

ZC1

 

I just traded in my 2006 Sonata for my Prius.

The Sonata is supposed to be one of their better cars. Engine replaced at 24,000 miles after a valve guide fell in at highway speeds. Transmission replaced after total failure at 40,000 miles.

Not even so much as an apology for the inconveniences. Both components were replaced under warranty, but I couldn't trust the car anymore.

Good luck with that kind of build quality, Hyundai. And your customer service sucks completely.

 

By 2010, Hyundai better have a car thats more advanced than a Prius thats built on a 2004 platform. I really wish more car makers could compete with Toyota over Hybrid cars.

 

Sounds good to me. I don't expect this to really be a Prius killer, but we need this kind of competition. More moderately priced hybrids are going to help a lot more people who are struggling with fuel costs. It also keeps the pressure on Toyota to keep ahead of the game with better products at better prices.

Rob

 

I not ready yet to give Hyundai the kind of unconditional trust I give Toyota. I bought my Prius in January of 2004 (ordered it in November of 2003) -- one of the first off the line of the new model -- because I was confident that I could trust Toyota, against the conventional wisdom to not buy the first year of a new model. Hyundai does not yet get that kind of trust from me.

However, I do think the Koreans are making real efforts towards quality, and if I invested in individual stocks (I don't: I buy mutual funds) I would buy Hyundai and hold it for the long term. I think Korea is a strong competitor, and will improve with time and experience.

 

I’ll believe it when I see it.

Anyway, 2010 is the same time period that Toyota replaces Prius 2.0.

 

Reminds me of GM's 2-mode hybrid hype. A more complicated system does not mean it is more advance and better.

 

My wife is Korean and really wants a hybrid car for herself, but she's into the whole "buy Korean" thing, so she'll be a happy camper when she hears this. Our house is stuffed with Samsung and LG... !

The first brand new car I ever bought was a Hyundai Accent in 2000. I drove the car for 79,000 miles in two years and the only issue I had was noise on the water pump, which was replaced under warranty in less than 24 hours.

In 2002 I moved to Korea and spent six years there. We owned a Kia, a Daewoo and a Hyundai, all between 5 to 15 years old all out of warranty. Had no major problem with neither car. One thing that impressed me in Korea is how much that country grows non stop and how they take their children's education seriously, much more than the US. Their country was one of the poorest in the world after the Korean War, but it has been rebuilt from its ashes to the industrial power house it is today.

If Hyundai says they'll make a hybrid to compete with the Prius I say bring it on. I believe they'll make a very nice hybrid. It will be a tough competition, but any competition is healthy and will hopefully lower the "hybrid premium".

Just like the Prius was selected as best green car by consumer reports, so was the Elantra chosen as best small sedan, Hyundai has a winning car here. I think that's an excellent platform for their first hybrid.

edit:

BTW, I just found where that quote that the Hyundai CEO said they will make a better hybrid than Toyota, and it came out on the Chosun Ilbo, one of Korea's major newspapers. That is typical Korean talk, they will never admit to make anything inferior to the Japanese. Ask any Korean in Korea and they will assure you they build bigger, better and faster, although in reality they envy Japan. Japanese goods in Korea are expensive, and almost everything they buy is made in Korea. I say this from living there for six years and having a Korean family for four years. Koreans are a curious people. Currently he only hybrids sold in Korea are the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Lexus RX 400h. Hyundai is also developing an Accent Hybrid. The Elantra hybrid they are developing is supposed to run on LPG, which is readily available for consumer use throughout Korea, unlikely they will bring the LPG to the US, maybe a gas version, which is not much different.

Hyundai's claim to make a better hybrid is mainly in response to the arrival of the Prius there in 2009: Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea

More news on Korea's hybrids:
Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea
Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea
Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea
Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea
Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea

But:
Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea

 

I feel certain that Hyundai will make an outstanding hybrid. The CEO's claims are far from baseless. Hyundai makes fine, high-quality cars. My last car was a 2004 Hyundai Sonata (which came with a 100K warranty). It was a wonderful car that ran like a clock, was beautiful to look at in my opinion, and was of the highest quality. I never had one single problem with it and it came with more standard features than the Toyotas in its class. Furthermore, Hyundai's consumer ratings have been through the roof and it has grabbed the JD Power award many times over. Hyundai deserves respect - it has certainly earned it by making high-quality cars, standing the test of time in a very competitive market, consistently improving its products year after year, and being willing to stand by it's cars.

Quite frankly, when I bought the Prius, I was a little put off by the sales staff's remarks about the Sonata (I traded it in for the Prius). They were condescending and ignorant, to say the least. I contradicted their claims and staunchy defended Hyundai, noting that my Sonata was the best car I'd ever owned. I was proud to drive it, appreciated the luxury in its design, and found it to be perfectly reliable, never failing me in any way, whatsoever. When I told them that I was impressed by Hyundai's 100K warranty and by its willingess to stand by its work in that manner, they even put that down. They said that Hyundai had to offer the high warranty because their brand is not trusted by consumers. I think that opinion is very misguided and that Toyota might be wise to take notice of Hyundai's consumer ratings. Hyundai is going to be competitive with Toyota, more and more every year, because they make quality automobiles that are stylish, reliable, and less expensive than Toyotas.

That said, I have nothing but respect for Toyota and it's products, more so now than ever before because of my amazing Prius. I just think that Hyundai and its CEO have the right to be loud and proud. When that Hyundai hybrid comes out, watch out for it because it will be an excellent product. Hyundai wouldn't have it any other way because, like Toyota, they maintain high standards when it comes to building quality cars.

 

I know the former President of Hyundai (now President of South Korea) and Head of Research are MIT grads. This is a solid car company, and is highly competitive with the Japanese.

 

Ah, just what did you expect their CEO to state?

"Our hybrid will work okay, but in all honesty it's no Toyota Prius."

... Brad

 

My daughter has had a Hyundai Santa Fe for a few years now. She really likes it, but admits the FE is not the greatest. Despite that, when her lease was up on it she decided to keep it. I was not thrilled when she first got it because I thought it would be a cheapo, lousy car. However, when I had an opportunity to drive it myself I realized it was a pretty neat vehicle.

 

The more companies boast about their green credentials the more Toyota's silence reveals who the leader in green technology really is.