Renault aims to sell up to 5,000 Clios in S. Korea this year

French carmaker Renault S.A. is aiming to sell up to 5,000 units of its small Clio hatchback in South Korea this year after its launch in September, the local head of Renault Samsung Motors Corp. said Friday. Renault Samsung, an 80-percent-owned unit of Renault, originally planned to place the small hatchback in the domestic market in August but the launch date was delayed by a month due to difficulties in securing the vehicles. "The Clio is among the best-selling cars in Europe. At stake is to

June 9, 2017

Hankook Tire supplies threads for BMW M4 GT4 racing car

Hankook Tire Manufacturing Co., the world's seventh-biggest tiremaker by sales, said Friday it has begun exclusively supplying threads for BMW's M4 GT4 racing car.BMW Motorsport has selected Hankook Tire's Ventus Race tires as original equipment (OE) for the M4 GT4 equipped with a 3.0-liter turbo engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the company said in a statement.The new BMW M4 GT4 made its debut in the ADAC Zurich 24-hour race at the Nurburgring in Germany last month, running on

June 9, 2017

Solid driving characteristics, comfort key attributes of SsangYong's new G4 Rexton SUV

SsangYong Motor Co.'s new G4 Rexton SUV displayed solid driving characteristics and comfort on the road Friday, as the carmaker expands its lineup of off-road capable passenger cars.  In a mix of urban, motorway and off-road driving that covered 120 kilometers, the G4 Rexton SUV proved itself as a capable and very stable performer helped by its sturdy body-on-frame architecture referred to as "Quad Frame" and 20-inch threads.Even at speeds hitting 140 kph on the motorway, wind and road noise lev

June 9, 2017

Businesses concerned by Moon’s labor policy

In their first official meeting with the new government’s policy advisory panel, the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industries on Thursday said it appears to be premature to talk about President Moon Jae-in’s labor policies, stressing that both sides need to seek “realistic measures.”“In a big picture, I think it is a bit early to carry out (Moon’s labor policies),” said KCCI Chairman Park Yong-maan to President Moon’s de facto transition team. KCCI Chairman Park Yong-maan (Yonhap)“We need to fi

June 8, 2017

Genesis G90 named US' best luxury sedan

Hyundai Motor’s 2017 Genesis G90 luxury sedan was named the most satisfying vehicle on AutoPacific’s 21th Vehicle Satisfaction Awards, the company said Thursday.The VSAs are based on responses from some 54,000 owners of cars and light trucks released in 2016 and 2017. AutoPacific’s VSAs measure owner satisfaction with 49 separate attributes, ranging from interior comfort and styling to fuel economy and performance.Hyundai’s Genesis G90 also won the President’s Award, which is given to vehicles t

June 8, 2017

Volvo Trucks Korea aims to take nation's No. 2 spot by 2020

The South Korean sales unit of Swedish commercial vehicle brand Volvo Trucks said Thursday it aims to become the second-largest player in the country by securing 20 percent of the market share in the next three years.At a press conference held to mark the 20th anniversary of Volvo Trucks’ operation here, its local manager Kim Young-jae said the company plans to achieve the goal by selling around 4,000 units annually, a sales volume enough to compete with domestic brands. Currently, Volvo Trucks

June 8, 2017

Hyundai, Kia cars win top reviews from US consumers

South Korea's top two carmakers have won top marks from US industry tracker AutoPacific's consumer satisfaction survey, industry sources said Thursday.According to the tracker, Hyundai Motor Co.'s G90 flagship sedan received the top mark of 818 among luxury cars, beating other rivals, such as the Lincoln Continental and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which earned 793 and 770, respectively. (Yonhap)Kia Motors Corp.'s K5, K7 and Sportage also won top awards in the mid-sized, large sedan and compact crosso

June 8, 2017

Kia Stinger sports car receives strong response in Korea

Kia Motors Corp.'s Stinger sports sedan has generated a strong response in South Korea since its launch last month, with initial orders exceeding 2,700 units. Kia, the country's second-biggest carmaker by sales after Hyundai Motor Co., has added the Stinger to its lineup to enhance its brand image and compete with high-performance models, such as the Audi A4 and BMW3 series, in global markets. "Given the strong response, we expect the Stinger to boost sales amid growing interest among consumers

June 8, 2017

Kia unveils render of its upcoming SUV before July launch

Kia Motors Corp. on Wednesday unveiled rendered images of its new subcompact sport-utility vehicle "Stonic" before its launch next month.  Kia Motors, the country's second-largest carmaker by sales after Hyundai Motor Co., plans to launch the compact SUV in the domestic market in July to absorb a growing demand for small-sized recreational vehicles, the company said in a statement.   A rendered image of the front of Kia's Stonic SUV (Kia Motors)The maker of the K5, K7 and K9 sedans aims to beef

June 7, 2017

BMW the most registered import car brand in May

BMW Korea appears to be catching up with Mercedes-Benz Korea, the No. 1 importer of automobiles here, with the former topping the list of newly registered cars for two consecutive months in May, industry data showed Wednesday.Last month, a total of 5,373 units of BMW vehicles were registered here, while Mercedes-Benz Korea, the local importer and distributor of the German automaker, came in second place with 5,063 units, according to data compiled by the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributo

June 7, 2017

Hyundai Motor USA's No.2 man resigns

Derrick Hatami, Hyundai Motor America’s vice president of sales, has stepped down, leaving a leadership vacuum in the South Korean carmaker’s US operation. This came six months after Hatami’s former boss, Dave Zuchowski, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America, resigned amid rumors that the carmaker was holding him responsible for stalled sales growth in the US market. (Yonhap)According to local reports, Hatami was “dismissed” due to Hyundai’s declining sales, but officials from the carmaker’

June 7, 2017

Hyundai, Baidu to jointly develop car navigation system

South Korea's top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it will work with Chinese technology giant Baidu, Inc. to develop a navigation system for its vehicles that will be sold in the world's biggest auto market. Hyundai and Baidu will jointly develop "Baidu MapAuto" and a voice recognition system called "Duer OS Auto" so the two systems can be incorporated in the carmaker's two new models to be launched in China later this year, the company said in a statement. In this photo taken on June 7

June 7, 2017

Imported car sales fall in May on lower diesel model demand

Sales of imported vehicles in South Korea fell 0.5 percent last month from a year earlier on lower demand for diesel models, industry data showed Wednesday. The number of newly registered foreign cars fell to 19,380 in May from 19,470 a year earlier, the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association said in a statement.  (Yonhap)Sales of diesel-powered vehicles fell 19 percent to 9,952 units last month from 12,238 units a year earlier, it said. "South Korean customers bought fewer dies

June 7, 2017

Kia's Soul boxcar ranked 3rd in Consumer Reports' best cars for senior drivers

Kia Motors Corp.'s Soul multipurpose car has ranked as the third best vehicle for seniors among 25 models checked, a US product evaluation publication said Wednesday.The Soul trailed Subaru's Forester and Outback in the Consumer Reports' "Top 25 New Cars for Senior Drivers," which were picked after an assessment of such senior-friendly features as front-seat access, visibility, control and headlights. A file photo of Kia's Soul EV multipurpose vehicle (Yonhap)"There is more to the boxy Soul than

June 7, 2017

SUV battle is on this summer

Competition among local automakers in the SUV market here is expected to heighten this summer, as sport utility vehicles have become cash cows for automakers amid declining sales worldwide, industry experts said Tuesday.The first round of the battle between Kia Motors and SsangYong Motor was triggered by the release of SsangYong’s premium large-size SUV, the G4 Rexton, in April.G4 Rexton (Ssangyong Motor)At the launch event, SsangYong Motor said it would aim to lay claim over the local full-size

June 6, 2017

Court rules against plaintiffs in damages suit against Volkswagen

A Seoul court has ruled against dozens of South Koreans who sued the local unit of German carmaker Volkswagen for infringing on their right to health by rigging emissions data, officials said Tuesday.The Seoul Central District Court said that there is not sufficient evidence to corroborate the plaintiffs' claim that the cars that Audi Volkswagen Korea imported here caused more air pollution affecting their health than other cars. This file photo, taken on Aug. 28, 2016, shows a car with the Volk

June 6, 2017

Hyundai, Kia sells over 500,000 hybrid cars worldwide

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors saw a boost in their sales of eco-friendly cars, with their combined sales reaching over 500,000 vehicles worldwide, the companies said Monday. An accumulated total of 514,759 hybrid cars, including plug-in hybrids, were sold from 2009, when Hyundai rolled out its first hybrid model, until last month, data from the company showed.A hybrid car runs on both a combustion engine and a battery electric drive system, emitting less pollutants than a conventional car. It ten

June 5, 2017

Unit price of Korean cars goes up amid drop in export volume

The unit price of South Korean-made vehicles went up this year despite a drop in export volume, industry data showed Sunday.According to findings released by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association and local carmakers, outbound passenger vehicle shipments reached 829,852 units in the first four months of this year, down 1.4 percent compared to a year earlier.Exports of cars made by Kia Motors Corp. and Renault Samsung Motors Co. moved up, but numbers for Hyundai Motor Co., GM Korea Co. an

June 4, 2017

Hyundai, Kia Motors suffer continued sales slump in May

Hyundai Motor Group headquarters in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)Sales of South Korea‘s leading automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors continued on a downward spiral in the US in May.Hyundai Motor, the country’s leading automaker, sold a total of 60,011 units in the US last month, down 15.4 percent compared to a year earlier when it sold 71,006 units, the company said. “We will strengthen the company’s core competency and aim to roll out new models to overcome low growth,” it said in a press statem

June 2, 2017

Hyundai Motor’s Grandeur Hybrid used as Al Gore’s official ride

Hyundai Motor’s hybrid version of its flagship Grandeur full-size premium sedan as well as its Ioniq electric vehicles were used as official cars during former US Vice President-turned-environmental activist Al Gore’s visit to South Korea, the company said Friday.The hybrid version of Hyundai Motor’s flagship Grandeur sedan. (Hyundai Motor Group)The Grandeur Hybrid was used as Gore’s official car during his daylong stay, while related officials rode the Ioniq EV at Al Gore’s request for an eco-f

June 2, 2017