The new BIG 3: GM, VW and Hyundai

[taylor192]

Originally Posted by Carl Johnson

I don't understand why people are so surprised to see Hyundai up there.

I agree with you, Toyota and Honda used to be crap too and now lead reliability ratings.

Hyundia just needs to drop some of its names, like the Accent. I will forever associate that name with a POS gutless car an ex-GF drove. I like the direction they went with the Veloster, yet the name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

[trancehead]

it seems natural, those at the top get complacent and stagnate. great empires inevitably crumble

[Z3guy]

Originally Posted by PJ

And this.

To expand on this one, people will always buy Toyotas and Hondas simply because of their reputation. It automatically clicks as the "safer" choice. Which is completely understandable. I mean, they built their rep from the ground up. But what used to be will not always be. And only time will change that.

Though IMO, it seems like Toyota and Honda are focusing more on Lexus and Acura. Their luxury counterparts don't seem to be falling behind much, if at all.

I am not sure of international marketshare but I think Honda and Toyota will lose marketshare on the lower end, but what they lose there will easily be made up in the more profitable higher end via Acura and Toyota.

I wonder if any Euro or American car company would take a run at a company like Honda?

[Z3guy]

Originally Posted by trancehead

it seems natural, those at the top get complacent and stagnate. great empires inevitably crumble

Heard of a company called GE? poorly run companies go the route you suggested. Well managed companies become GE.

[Timpo]

Originally Posted by taylor192

I agree with you, Toyota and Honda used to be crap too and now lead reliability ratings.

Hyundia just needs to drop some of its names, like the Accent. I will forever associate that name with a POS gutless car an ex-GF drove. I like the direction they went with the Veloster, yet the name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

Honda = crap?
WRONG.

I would agree with Toyota...since American BIG 3 have been bashing Toyota 20 years ago for their cars and trucks, and I do agree with that. Americans were more superior.

But Honda was totally different.

Honda already had proven engineering and high performance image from winning motorcycle races.

In 1970s..

Honda Civic CVCC was one of the first car to enter the US market, and SAE already rated Honda to be the "BEST ENGINEERED CAR" in the Automotive Engineering Magazine.

Not just SAE, but the EPA's new emission standard “Muskie Law/Muskie Act” too.
Honda CVCC was the ony car manufacture that had enough technology to pass this emission standard.

Honda had to share their CVCC technology to Ford and Chrysler so that they could survive and stay in business.

In 1980s..

The Honda's luxury brand Acura was introduced.

Formula 1: McLaren-Honda along with Aarton Senna...ok we don't even need to talk about this because it's so well known how Honda dominated the F1 scene beating Ferrari and everything.

In 1990s..

Acura NSX: The first all aluminum sportscar that can be driven everyday.

The McLaren F1 was inspired by the NSX. Gordon Murray, the chief engineer of McLaren went up to Honda to built the engine for the McLaren F1, Honda declined 3 times...so McLaren F1 had to compromise with BMW engine.

Honda Insight: The first hybrid to come on the market.

In 2000s and 2010s

Well I guess we don't need to talk about it since nobody's gonna argue Hondas are crap. (well you could, but you know..)

[StylinRed]

I can see VW/Hyundai but i think they'd have to call it the Big 4 Ford/Toyota/VW/Hyundai

but GM?

[PJ]

Originally Posted by Z3guy

I am not sure of international marketshare but I think Honda and Toyota will lose marketshare on the lower end, but what they lose there will easily be made up in the more profitable higher end via Acura and Toyota.

I wonder if any Euro or American car company would take a run at a company like Honda?

I assume you mean Acura and Lexus lol

I think GM has always tried, but hasn't really gotten anywhere. The Cruze is probably gving them a run for their money.
Posted via RS Mobile

[UFO]

Originally Posted by Soltaaa

I basically would rather have a Hyundai model over the japanese models anyday. The new veloster has better gas mileage than a CRZ and it's not even hybrid!

You've got to stop drinking the marketing coolaid. The Veloster is a cool car, but its 'better' fuel economy is only seen in highway driving where hybrids are not really working as hybrids. Hybrids real advantages are seen in city and stop/go situations.

I'm no CR-Z fan, but real world reports of highway fuel economy are better than EPA if driven in the economy mode, and better than the Veloster. A Camry hybrid gets similar combined real world fuel economy as a Toyota Yaris, for reference.

The Veloster is a cool looking car, but seems like a repackaged cooler looking Accent at its root. There are other similar examples of Hyundai marketing their class leading fuel economy hard, but focusing only the hwy EPA rating vs. city and combined ratings.

[donjalapeno]

^ lol shit i didnt even notice its in highway driving until i just read the fine print....dem bastards

[taylor192]

Originally Posted by Timpo

Honda = crap?
WRONG.

I think you took me too literally. Honda was looked down upon in North America when first introduced and took awhile to establish themselves as the brand they are today. Hyundia is suffering the same image problems despite making quality cars.

[oldsnail]

GM carries the following brands:
Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Opel, Vauxhall, Daewoo, Holden.

VW carries the following brands:
Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti

Hyundai carries the following brands:
Hyundai, KIA

just from ratio... hyundai is out numbered where other brands have penetrated more markets around the world.

Toyota: Toyota, Lexus, Scion, Daihatsu, Hino
Renault: Renault, Nissan, Infiniti, Dacia, Samsung, Lada, Alpine
Fiat: FIAT, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Ferrari, Maserati, Abarth, Iveco, Chysler