Ex-Hyundai, Kia executives indicted over delayed engine recall

The prosecution on Wednesday indicted former executives of Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors on charges of delaying recall processes in Korea for 18 months, though they were allegedly aware of engine defects.According to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, three former executives who were responsible of product quality between 2015 and 2017 were indicted on charges of violating the Motor Vehicle Management Act.The companies were aware of problems such as engine stalls, connecting ro

July 24, 2019

Doosan Heavy to export parts for US small modular reactor

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, South Korea’s industrial equipment maker has agreed to provide key parts needed for construction of a small modular reactor in the United States, the company said Wednesday.Under a partnership with NuScale Power, the South Korean company will supply parts crucial for a nuclear steam supply system and other parts for the SMR. SMR is a new kind of light water reactor for a nuclear power plant.  The project is a part of a plan between NuScale a

July 24, 2019

Renault Samsung’s SM6 offers premium quality at affordable price

Renault Samsung, the South Korean unit of French carmaker Renault, has released an upgraded version of its premium sedan SM6 while keeping its price down, amid intensifying competition in the midsized sedan market, the company said Wednesday.The company has added the upper-end premium model SM6 Premiere and a liquefied petroleum gas version of the vehicle to cater to the diversifying needs of customers. Emphasizing the premium features of the sedan, the company said it has applied the Bose surro

July 24, 2019

[Graphic News] Eco-friendly car exports soar in part 7 years

 South Korea’s shipments of environment friendly vehicles jumped an average of 33 percent annually in the past seven years on growing overseas demand, an auto business lobby group said.Local carmakers exported 196,000 eco-friendly vehicles in 2018, up from 35,000 units in 2012. Eco-friendly cars accounted for 8 percent of the country’s overall vehicle exports last year, up from 1.1 percent six years earlier, according to data from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association.

July 23, 2019

Despite labor tension, Hyundai Motor’s Q2 profit jumps

Amid growing tension between the management and unionized workers, Hyundai Motor said Monday it saw its operating profit rise 30 percent in the second quarter chiefly on the weaker Korean won and sales of new sport utility vehicles.The South Korean carmaker said in a regulatory filing that it earned an operating profit of 1.23 trillion won ($1.04 billion), a 30.2 percent on-year increase, crossing the 1-trillion-won mark for the first time in seven quarters. Hyundai sold lesser cars, but both it

July 22, 2019

Renault Samsung adds KT’s voice assistant tech to new QM6

Automaker Renault Samsung said Monday it has partnered with telecom firm KT to provide Easy Link, a “vehicle infotainment” system utilizing voice assistant technology.Easy Link is a new in-vehicle system that provides a combination of information and entertainment to car users. It will be equipped on the upgraded QM6, the company’s most popular midsized sport utility vehicle model that was unveiled in June. According to Renault Samsung, with a simple call to Giga Genie, KT&rsqu

July 22, 2019

[Behind the Wheel] Venue designed for singletons, not exactly for thrills

YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- Hyundai Motor’s latest sports utility vehicle Venue targets a specific group of people -- those in their 20s and 30s pursuing a single and minimalist lifestyle. Well, as its name indicates, the vehicle can literally take you anywhere, but the driving experience of Venue, which simply is just a small SUV, is short of enthralling. Let’s admit it. One should not expect too much from an entry-level car with a price range between $13,000 and $18,000. But the l

July 21, 2019

Kia Motors begins sales of compact SUV Seltos

Kia Motors began selling its new compact sports utility vehicle Seltos on Thursday, which the automaker called it a “game changer” in the global small SUV market which has doubled in size over the last five years. The Seltos, which was unveiled in India last month, can be characterized by its spacious interior with 498 liters of trunk space and a relatively long car body at 4,375 millimeters -- the longest in the small SUV category, according to Kia. &ld

July 18, 2019

South Korea’s eco-friendly car exports take off

South Korean exports of environment-friendly cars, such as hybrid and electric vehicles, soared over the seven years ending last year as global demand shifted away from combustion-engine cars, industry data showed Tuesday. The data from the Korea Automobile Manufacturer Association showed that from 2012 to 2018, the country’s automotive exports fell by an annual average of 4.2 percent, but exports of eco-friendly cars rose by an average of 33.1 percent per year.A total of 196,000 eco-

July 16, 2019

Israeli president calls for bigger partnership with Hyundai Motor

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said he hopes to see expanding cooperation between the Middle East country’s startups and South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor in the fields of smart, connected and green mobility, the company said Monday.In his visit to the Hyundai R&D Center in Namyang, Gyeonggi Province, the Israeli leader met the carmaker’s de facto chief, Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun, vowing to take the lead in the development of future cars by strengthening partnership

July 15, 2019

[Behind the Wheel] BMW 620GT has comfort of 7 series, upgraded features from 5 series

BMW’s 620d Gran Tourismo, the German carmaker’s new entry-level diesel variant of the 6 series, was released in the Korean market in April. Since then, a total of 314 cars have been sold as of the first week of July.When the Korea Herald drove the 620d GT on the 40 kilometer route from Seoul Station to a cafe in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, the car’s concept was distinctive -- a luxury sedan with functionality and spaciousness but still stylish in its coupe frame. &n

July 14, 2019

Sales of RVs surpass 300,000 from Jan. to June

With the popularity of larger, spacious cars globally, South Korea saw sales of recreational vehicles hit 300,000 units in the first half of the year. According to five major carmakers here -- Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, SsangYong Motors, Renault Samsung and General Motors -- a total of 303,315 RVs were sold here from January to June. This accounted for 48.4 percent of total sales of cars here, an increase of about 3 percentage points from the same period the previous year. RVs refer to

July 14, 2019

Japanese automakers expanding presence in S. Korea with hybrid models

Japanese automakers are expanding their presence in South Korea, industry data showed Sunday, as the popularity of their hybrid models is rising in the imported car market. According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association and automakers, Japanese auto brands took a 21.5 percent share of the imported car market in the first half of the year, the highest figure since 25.3 percent in 2010. The sales of five Japanese auto brands -- Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Nissan and

July 14, 2019

Hyundai aims to sell 15,000 Venue annually

Hyundai Motor announced Thursday the launch of its smallest sport utility vehicle Venue, setting an annual sales target of 15,000 units in the future and 8,000 units within the year. The Venue completes the carmaker’s SUV lineup, in which it has invested heavily in recent years, defying market criticism of its reliance on midsized sedans. This latest addition to its SUV lineup takes its place alongside the flagship Palisade, the Santa Fe compact, the Tucson subcompact and the entry-level K

July 11, 2019

Hyundai says little hold-up left for long-awaited US pickup

Hyundai Motor expects to enter the US pickup market soon with what’s likely to be an American-made vehicle aimed at luring buyers who aren’t traditional truck owners, an executive said Monday.“It’ll be a very versatile vehicle,” Michael O’Brien, vice president of product, corporate and digital planning for Hyundai’s US unit, said in an interview. “That has the promise of creating a whole new class of buyers.” The South Korean automaker won&rs

July 9, 2019

Hyundai Motor Group’s US sales on rise for 11 months in row

Hyundai Motor Group has seen an increase in its US sales for 11 consecutive months, the South Korean automaker’s US office said Friday.According to Hyundai Motor America, the Korean carmaker sold 64,200 units in June, about 2 percent rise from a year earlier. Sport utility vehicles led the uptrend, the company said, recording a 10 percent sales increase on-year and accounting for 53 percent of the total monthly sales. By type, 50 percent of SUV sales in the US last month was led by su

July 5, 2019

Hyundai Motor unveils new CVVD engine valve control technology, a world first

Hyundai Motor Group announced Wednesday that it had become the first company in the world to develop a technology called Continuously Variable Valve Duration, which will improve engine performance and fuel efficiency once the automaker begins mass-producing CVVD-equipped engines for use in Hyundai and Kia cars later this year. According to the company, CVVD technology enhances the function of the engine by optimizing the timing of the opening and closing of the valve at all four stages of its po

July 3, 2019

[Behind the Wheel] K7 Premier feels brand new with dramatic face-lift

Kia Motors’ full-sized K7 sedan has been always compared to its competitor, the Grandeur, a same-class sedan from its sister company Hyundai Motor. And the rival Grandeur has always topped the sales rankings in the category, selling 46,790 units this year as of June, while K7 sold 12,652 units. Kia Motors’ latest K7 Premier has been face-lifted to bring the car “up to date,” the automaker said, but the changes were so extensive that it almost feels like new generatio

July 3, 2019

Seoul to host electric-car race ABB FIA Formula E next May

ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the world’s only electric-powered car race, will take place in Seoul in May next year, Formula E Korea said Tuesday. Dubbed Seoul E-Prix 2020, the championship’s 10th race in its sixth season will be held at Jamsil Sports Complex and on roads around the Olympic Park on May 3. Fourteen rounds will take place in 12 cities, finishing the race in London in July. Participating automotive firms include Audi, Jaguar, Nissan, DS, BMW, Mercedes-Benz a

July 2, 2019

[Behind the Wheel] Very New Tivoli runs quieter despite stronger engine

Since the 2015 launch of the Tivoli, SsangYong Motor’s bestselling compact sport utility vehicle has been especially popular among drivers who prefer a compact, stylish SUV -- one that is suitable for urban driving and has a more spacious trunk than a sedan.But after four years, the Very New Tivoli is here. This face-lifted version will appeal to drivers seeking a dynamic driving experience, a powerful engine and the chance to try out different driving modes. During the 170-kilometer test

July 1, 2019