A $60K plus Hyundai...?

A magazine, that will remain nameless, is reporting that Hyundai is about to launch an even more expensive/new top-of-the-line sedan. At first, this new sedan will use the "old" 4.6 V8 before "graduating" to a 5 liter engine putting out about 348 horsepower.

It's also reporting that the next Accent will use a 1.4 liter engine good for about 100+ horsepower. A 1.6 WAS considered, but discarded for the U.S. market for cost reasons.

The next Elantra will sort of meld the new Sonata and old Elantra lines, and will be powered by the 1.6 that the Accent will not use.

BTW wagon fans, the Sonata in Europe will soon have a wagon companion model, which the U.S. will NOT get, and the Elantra TOURING (or whatever it's called) will go away, not to be replaced at the end of this model year.

Sorry to hear the Elantra Touring wagon will not be returning. I think the loaded version looks quite nice. To me it was a Kia Soul with the polorizing appearance replace by more traditional lines.

I think the Touring came out as a 2009 model so with only 3 years (and likely low sales) this model will be quite rare.

Toyota, maker of the Corolla and Matrix, makes a sedan that is over $100,000 and a sports car that is pushing $400,000. $60K seems like a steal!

Call me old-fashioned, but Hyundai priced themselves out of consideration when they started offering cars over $10k.

A top of the line Genesis Sedan is nearly $45k currently. $60k does not seem like too far of a stretch.

I expect some more marketing distancing will be put between the Accent and the Genesis. My prediction is that Hyundai will follow similar logic...
Honda/Acura
Toyota/Lexus
Nissan/Infiniti

Hyundai/Genesis

I'd be sorely tempted by the Genesis V6 sedan, especially if it came with a manual.

The top of the line sedan is the Eqquis. Bigger and more luxurious than the Genesis Sedan. I've read reports it will come from the dealership with the owners manual on an iPad, which can also be used to communicate with the dealership to schedule service, and they will also come pick up and drop off your car directly to you.

Im pretty sure the next Accent will be getting a 1.6 in the states, putting out around 140hp. The restyled Accent sedan looks like a mini sonata. There will also be a 5 door Accent hatchback type thing but it isnt all that attractive imo.... sedan- http://newcar.xcar.com.cn/photo/s1787/ 5 door-

The restyled elantra sort of looks like the sonata, but has a more attractive nose and looks a little sportier than the sonata and accent.

Hyundai is moving up market, but they're no different than what the Japanese companies did decades ago. If you had said back in 1978 that Toyota or Honda would produce a $50,000 car, or a $75,000 car, imagine the reaction you would have gotten. It's been 25 years since Hyundai started selling cars here, so I guess time for them to push upmarket.

Hopefully they'll have more success moving upmarket than VW did with their Phaeton...

A $60,000 Hyundai reminds me of the VW Phaeton and we know that worked so well.

The trick is... is there VALUE in their 60k sedan? I got a chance to drive a prepro Genesis v8 before they were introduced to the general public back when... and let me tell you, I was QUITE impressed with the value for the dollar. Hyundai seems to be doing quite well stuffing tons of goodies into cars for a cheap price. I somehow imagine the 60k Hyundai to be marching right up the backsides of the a8, s-class, and 7-series, not to mention the LS-series cars, and the M/Q whatever it is Infiniti is doing right now.

carguy123 wrote: A $60,000 Hyundai reminds me of the VW Phaeton and we know that worked so well.

Truth.

Can anybody here honestly say modern VW's have good build quality? We have VW employees telling us to run away. Not the same story on Hyundai...

The Phaeton is coming back.

How many luxury cars can the market support?

Bob

P71 wrote: Can anybody here honestly say modern VW's have good build quality? We have VW employees telling us to run away. Not the same story on Hyundai...

Don't come in here with your facts and your logic.

This is the Internet.

Tom Heath wrote:

carguy123 wrote: A $60,000 Hyundai reminds me of the VW Phaeton and we know that worked so well.

Truth.

Subaru had the same issue with the SVX in 92. Subaru owners at that time weren't interested in spending $32k on a car, and people looking for a $32k car didn't want to buy a Subaru...

P71 wrote: Can anybody here honestly say modern VW's have good build quality? We have VW employees telling us to run away. Not the same story on Hyundai...

But they're so damn sexy! It's like hooking up with the high-maintenance blonde: you know you're going to regret it, but you just can't help yourself!

The Hyundai is the homely fat girl you know you can have.

The homely fat girl that got lipo and a boob job. Still the same guts, just better packaging.

carguy123 wrote: A $60,000 Hyundai reminds me of the VW Phaeton and we know that worked so well.

On the other hand, VW could have badged that thing as an Audi, or even a Bently, and gotten away with it if it was styled to match. But pair it with a brand whose name literally means "A car for the masses," and you've got the worst case of bad brand management in automotive history.

The VW was a rebadged A8 for the most part, they just wanted to move VW upmarket.

81gtv6 wrote: The VW was a rebadged A8 for the most part, they just wanted to move VW upmarket.

That combination says a lot about Audi/VW build-quality and marketing, but not in a good way.

For all their alleged awesomeness, I would never give serious consideration towards purchasing cars with reputations equal to a super-model with addiction issues.

Has Hyundai ever done a true hot hatch? I mean I know there was the Accent GT but that does seem like a true hot hatch to me.

Schmidlap wrote: The Phaeton is coming back. How many luxury cars can the market support? Bob

Excellent I want one when they show up again. Leased though.

I don't think it will be a quality issue that sinks this ship... Lots of people need good economical transport at a certain price point but nobody NEEDS a $60k car. People who pay $60k for a car would rather pay $80k for a car that isn't a Hyundai because that name says "cheap car". The car would have to be so hot and so sexy that it was a complete game changer for the entire market space, even then... there is a reason Hondas are called Acuras and Toyotas are Lexuses... you can't sell a cheap name to a luxo customer. Its easier to badge engineer a better name.

My bet is it will be a hard lesson in overplaying your hand for the Koreans.

I could apply this same story to the M3 vs Stang thread. If that comparo does anything at all it is to send image conscious M3 buyers over to Audi or Porsche. It does not put them in the market for a '11 Mustang. It just makes Mustang owners feel vindicated that for once they bought a car that doesn't suck.

People are consumer whores.

failboat wrote:

Anyone else see the resemblance?

back when the GF was looking to buy a new car, she test drove a Genesis coupe, and the sales guy told us that hyundai would soon be spinning the genesis name off into an all new brand entirely, similar to what toyota did with lexus in the early 90s. just hope that hyundai doesn't end up with the "reliable appliance" reputation like toyota, or we'll all be paying double reasonable price on used hyundais....

Edit: she ended up in a volvo C30, and didn't like the genesis more or less because it said hyundai on it.