Hyundai may have started out as a value brand, but the Korean automaker is looking to make a move upscale in Europe. Hyundai Europe has announced a new €60 million initiative to move the Hyundai brand up-scale through vast improvements to its dealer network.
Dubbed Mission Q, the new program will make improvements to each of Hyundai’s 2,500 European dealers. Dealers will be required to front one-third of the improvement costs, with both Hyundai and its distributors kicking in a third each. Dealers are required to front a minimum of €24,000.
“We want people to think of Hyundai as a market leader in quality, SUVs, family cars and because of our sports sponsorships, and then later come to the price discussion,” Jens Nagl, Hyundai’s head of European dealer development, told Automotive News.
The move is also intended to distance Hyundai from new competition from India and China which are moving in to fill the low-cost niche.
07/22, 12:00 PM
posted by:
xyunya
Hyundai did not start as a value brand – it was/is poor value brand.
07/22, 12:09 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
Hyundai is pushing hard to market itself as a “luxury” Kia… which is fine by me. If you want a new car for 9,999 head over to the Kia place for some basic transportation. Hyundai needs to distance themselves from no-frill motoring. They are offering a great car (Genesis) at a nice price… so maybe it’s time to step up the dealerships to reflect their future plans. Half of the car market is perception… people buy Honda and Toyota b/c they are percieved to be top-quality brands. In reality what they offer is little different from anything you’d see at any other dealership. Hyundai has a long uphill battle ahead of them… but this is a step in the right direction.
07/22, 12:19 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
If this is Hyundai’s attempt at home improvement maybe they’d be better off delaying the fresh paint and new carpets and get to work on the foundation first.
07/22, 12:29 PM
posted by:
ktulu
Hyundai is the smarters automaker 2day
07/22, 12:38 PM
posted by:
macabre
Hyundai would do well to shed it’s name. Dare I say their quality (NOT performance or design) is only slightly under the Japanese competition. If they want to move up market just create a separate luxury division like everyone else has. I still have memories of the Excel that Rodney King was driving.
07/22, 7:10 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
Perhaps they should make sure their airbags don’t deploy unexpectedly and their engines no longer seize before they take the Elantra (i30) upmarket.