[Photo News] Kia releases new Sportage

Kia Motors, South Korea’s second-largest automaker, on Thursday released a style edition trim of the 2018 model-year Sportage SUV with a redesigned interior. The style edition is marked at 26.45 million won ($23,000). (Hyundai Motor Group)

April 13, 2017

Hyundai's Sonata facelift, new Kia Rio to reach US in Q3

Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's top automotive conglomerate, will start selling its new midsize Sonata and the Rio compact in the United States in the third quarter to boost its presence in the growing market. Hyundai Motor Co. plans to introduce the revamped Sonata sedan in the US market during the July-September period. Its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. also plans to have the Rio reach dealerships in the same period, the group said in a statement.Hyundai's Sonata facelift at New York Auto Show

April 13, 2017

Hyundai to unveil Genesis SUV at NY Motor Show

Hyundai Motor Group is expected to unveil the first SUV for its Genesis luxury car line at the upcoming New York International Auto Show, according to media reports Wednesday. The new Genesis concept sport utility vehicle is said to be making its worldwide debut for members of the press Wednesday prior to the auto show’s official opening Friday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. It is also said that Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun is planning to attend the

April 12, 2017

Korean carmakers stage Swedish revival, led by Kia

The share of Korean carmakers in Sweden has rebounded after four years of declines, reaching nearly 8.5 percent, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency and Swedish Automobile Association on Wednesday.Sweden’s total imported vehicle sales market last year was 372,318 units, of which Korean vehicles accounted for 31,532 units, or 8.47 percent. Sales of Korean car brands in the European nation reached 9.98 percent in 2012, but had been on a steady decline until last year. In 2015,

April 12, 2017

Hyundai ordered to recall 68,000 Equus, Genesis sedans

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s No. 1 auto company, has been ordered to recall 68,000 of its luxury Equus and Genesis sedans that were made in 2011, due to defective engine parts, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday.“Hyundai Motor was notified on March 28 to recall four cases of affected automobiles, including the Equus and Genesis, within 30 days. A forced recall will take place if the company does not carry out a voluntary recall within the given time period,” the mini

April 11, 2017

Toyota Prius Prime enters domestic green car market

The new Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is looking to be the next contender in South Korea’s rapidly growing green car industry, following the introduction of Hyundai’s Ioniq plug-in hybrid here earlier this year and the recent domestic unveiling of the Chevrolet Bolt EV at the Seoul Motor Show. The Japanese automaker unveiled its Prius Prime plug-in for the first time in Korea on March 31, prior to the opening of this year’s Seoul Motor Show, highlighting the vehicle’s fuel efficiency and sle

April 11, 2017

Korean carmakers making extra effort for Shanghai motor show

South Korean automakers are taking extra steps for Auto Shanghai opening later this month, choosing to debut their China-exclusive models to woo back consumers in the giant market affected by an ongoing diplomatic row, industry officials said Tuesday.The motor show, held every other year, begins with a press day on April 19 and runs till April 28. Three South Korean car manufacturers -- Hyundai Motor, its sister firm Kia Motors and Ssangyong Motor -- are participating.This file photo shows a con

April 11, 2017

Korea returning additional 2,500 VW, Audi vehicles to Germany

South Korea is returning 2,500 vehicles manufactured by Volkswagen and Audi in the aftermath of Volkswagen’s emissions scandal, according to news reports Monday.It has been reported that the 2,500 automobiles, which include VW’s Tiguan, Golf and Jetta models, have been held at a port in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, since last year following the government’s sales ban slapped on Audi Volkswagen Korea, the domestic distributor of the two German brands. The company is said to be sending the fleet

April 10, 2017

[Photo News] Kia releases its high performance sedan K5 GT

Kia Motors, South Korea’s second-largest automaker, released a high performance version of its flagship sedan, dubbed the K5 GT on Monday. The new model is equipped with electronically controlled suspension and comes with an enhanced interior and exterior. (Hyundai Motor Group)

April 10, 2017

Hyundai Motor tops auto sales in Peru in Feb.

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, topped the list of auto sales in Peru, in February, aided by a sharp rise in demand for small passenger vehicles, industry data showed on Monday.According to the data compiled by the the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, Hyundai Motor sold a total of 2,348 units in the Latin American nation in February, followed by Japanese rival Toyota Corp.'s 2,253 units. (Yonhap)In October last year, Hyundai Motor also clinched the top slot in the Peruvia

April 10, 2017

Hyundai's Sonata sales surpass 10,000 units in March

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, said Monday the sales of its midsize Sonata sedan exceeded the 10,000 unit mark in March, helped by the face-lifted version hitting local dealerships and an improved powertrain that expands the car's customer base. The March tally marked the first time in 15 months that the sedan's monthly sales surpassed 10,000 units, the automaker said. The Sonata New Rise Turbo (Hyundai Motor)In March, Hyundai Motor unveiled the updated version of the sedan, the

April 10, 2017

[Behind the Wheel] Grandeur Hybrid highlights eco-friendly luxury, but not so speedy

Amid the growing rivalry among mid-sized hybrid vehicles, Hyundai Motor is hoping to create a premier image with a hybrid version of its luxury Grandeur brand. The 2017 Grandeur Hybrid retains the basic design of its gasoline model, but falls behind the original version in terms of performance. Of course, the hybrid version is meant to be more energy efficient than the conventional model. But its acceleration felt less responsive during a 40-kilometer test drive Wednesday. The 2017 Grandeur Hybr

April 9, 2017

[Behind the Wheel] New Bolt EV pleasantly fast, redefines eco-driving

General Motor’s latest Bolt EV compact electric car has finally made its way to the domestic market, looking to push the envelope in the country’s already vastly growing green car market. Last week, members of the media were given the opportunity to take the new Bolt EV for a spin on the roads of Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.One of the vehicle’s biggest highlights other than its emissions-free features is its driving range of 383 kilometers on a single charge, the first of its kind to be introduced

April 9, 2017

Hyundai, Kia expanding share in US hybrid car market

Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. are expanding their presence in the hybrid vehicle market in the United States, backed by brisk sales of their latest sports utility vehicle models, data showed Sunday. The South Korean automobile companies sold a combined 4,358 hybrid vehicles in world's largest economy last month, up 87.8 percent from a year earlier, according to US online market tracker HybridCars.com (Yonhap)Their share in the US hybrid vehicles market rose to 13.7 percent

April 9, 2017

Hyundai to launch new EV buses early next year

Hyundai Motor Company is said to be planning to roll out new electric buses early next year, according to news reports Friday. A representative of Hyundai Motor was quoted by reports saying the company’s electric bus development was underway and the company was looking to commercialize its new line in early 2018, adding that it was also scheduled to start trial operations in the second half of this year.The country’s largest automaker had introduced the country’s first electric bus, the “Elec-Ci

April 7, 2017

Hyundai and Kia to recall 171,348 cars in South Korea

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors are set to recall 171,348 units across five models due to possible defects in the Theta 2 engines made before August 2013, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Friday. Models subject to the recall are Grandeur HG, Sonata YF, K7 VG, K5 TF, Sportage SL with a Theta 2-liter turbo and 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection made between July 2009 and August 2013. A total of 112,670 units of the Grandeur along with 6,092 Sonatas, 34,153 K7s, 13,032 K5s

April 7, 2017

Renault Samsung, BMW, Nissan order recalls over faulty parts

BMW, Renault Samsung Motors Co. and six other carmakers have ordered a recall of certain cars with faulty parts, the government said Friday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said BMW, Renault Samsung, Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volvo, Nissan Motor Co., Porsche and Honda Motor Co. plan to recall a combined 18,181 units starting this month, the ministry said in a statement. The recall involves 37 different models made by the companies. Renault Samsung Motors' SM6 sedan (Yonhap file

April 7, 2017

Moody's maintains Hyundai's, Kia's ratings despite poor China sales

Moody's Investors Service said Thursday it will maintain the current ratings for Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. despite sharp declines in auto sales in China. "Although Hyundai's and Kia's weak auto unit shipments from China will likely have a short-term negative impact on their profitability and cash flow, we do not expect this development which mainly stems from political tensions between Korea and China to last over the longer term," Yoo Wan-hee, a Moody's vice president and senior cr

April 6, 2017

[Monitor] M&As in global auto industry reach record high

The size of merger and acquisitions taken by companies in the auto industry globally reached a record high last year, according to a report by an accounting firm Samjong KPMG. The report, citing Bloomberg figures, showed that a total of 598 cases amounting to $87.5 billion took place in the year.

April 6, 2017

Hyundai, Kia Motors‘ eco-friendly car sales rise

Hyundai and Kia sold an accumulated 509,645 eco-friendly vehicles worldwide between 2009 and last March, the companies said Thursday.A total of 201,785 units were sold in the domestic market and 307,860 units overseas in the cited period, the automaker said. Hyundai's Ioniq hybrid car (Yonhap file photo)By car type, hybrid models were the most popular, with sales of 470,903 units, followed by 33,443 electric vehicles and 4,549 plug-in-hybrids, the company said. The two automakers currently offer

April 6, 2017