Hyundai Cars on Top

Strategic Vision names Azera, Grandeur, and Santa Fe best cars for 2007

Hyundai produced the most segment leaders of any automotive manufacturer, according to Strategic Vision's Total Quality IndexTM (TQI), which measures total vehicle satisfaction among new car owners. Achieving the top slot in three distinct vehicle segments is a first for Hyundai. The Strategic Vision results released recently placed the Hyundai Azera/Grandeur sedan atop the large car segment, the Santa Fe on top in the small sport utility vehicle (SUV) segment and the Entourage (tied with the Kia Sedona and Nissan Quest) in the top spot for the minivan segment. The Hyundai Entourage is sold only in North America.
"Hyundai's success in 2007 is not surprising given its current products and press, as well as its leadership team who is looking strategically to the future with new designs from styling to powertrain," reports Dr. Darrel Edwards, founder and CEO of San Diego-based Strategic Vision.
The Hyundai Santa Fe beat out competitors such as the Toyota FJ Cruiser and Jeep Wrangler 4-door for the top spot.
The Hyundai Entourage minivan, which tied for first with the Kia Sedona and Nissan Quest, beat out the Honda Odyssey for the top slot, a position held by the Odyssey for the last five years.
"The Strategic Vision Total Quality Index demonstrates that Azera, Entourage, and Santa Fe are high-quality vehicles with terrific appeal,"said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America's Vice President of Product Development and Strategic Planning. "At Hyundai we stand for great design, quality, safety, and outstanding value... and these study results show that consumers love this recipe."
The Total Quality Index is the measurement of new vehicle owner satisfaction. The Strategic Vision poll surveyed more than 27,000 vehicle buyers who bought 2007 models in September, October and November of 2006. Consumers were asked an array of questions about their ownership experience, including buying, owning and driving their new vehicles. The Index 2007 results were based on ratings of new vehicle owners in 19 product categories.
April saw Hyundai Motor Co." worldwide sales slip by 2.0 percent to 225,178 units. Domestic sales were down by 5.1 percent to 51,305 units while overseas sales were down by a single percentage point to 173,873 units. Despite the setback, the company's total worldwide sales during the first four months of this year were up by 1.5 percent over the same period last year as they reached 837,402 units.
Domestic Passenger Car
Avante/Elantra continued its reign as Korea's best-selling vehicle with 9,983 units sold in April. In a photo finish for second spot, Grandeur/Azera with sales of 8,743 units edged past Sonata's 8,722 units. A total of 29,90 Hyundai passenger cars were sold in Korea during April, marking a 5.3 percent decline over the previous month.
Domestic SUV & Minivans
Santa Fe once again led SUV sales with 3,596 units sold (down by 0.3 percent) with Tucson in second spot registering sales of 2,202 units (down by 21.8 percent). Total SUV and minivan sales for April slipped by 4.4 percent to 7,590 units.
Commercial Vehicles
Sales of Hyundai buses in Korea dropped by 12.8 percent to 4,550 units while truck sales saw a 0.7 percent decline to 9,185 units for a total commercial vehicle sales of 13,725 units.
Export Sales
Overseas shipments from Hyundai's three Korean factories edged up by 0.7 percent to reach 97,721 units, excluding the exports of 16,470 knock-down kits to overseas assembly partners in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
Sales at the company's overseas manufacturing subsidiaries in India, China, Turkey and the United States dropped by 3.1 percent to 76,152 units. Total overseas sales for April stood at 173,873 units equivalent to a 1.0 percent decline over the previous month. nw

(right photo) Chairman Chung Mong-koo of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group.
Hyundai Motor's new Grandeur sedan, named best car by Strategic Vision.