Nobody asked me but . . .

Hyundai has been selling cars in the US since 1986.  And after a bit of a sputtering start, the last decade has seen years of steady growth for Hyundai in this market.  Starting at a mere 0.6 percent market share in 1998, Hyundai reached 3.0 percent penetration in 2008 and in 2009, a year in which world-wide recession and plummeting auto sales affected virtually every auto maker in this market, Hyundai sales rocketed to a 4.2 percent share of market.

So what has Hyundai been doing right?  Seems like just about everything: Quality products competitively priced.  J.D. Power quality and North American Car of the Year Awards.  Attention grabbing warranty programs.  A job-loss vehicle return program.  Depreciation lower than Toyota and Ford.  High-tech powertrains.  Industry-leading fuel economy.  More standard features than the competition.  Leadership in active and passive safety technologies.  Oh, and did I mention styling?  Say hello to the eye-stopping 2011 Hyundai Sonata.

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Nobody asked me, but . . .

Mazda designers and engineers faced a serious dilemma as they gathered to create the next Mazda6.  The current model didn’t have the broad appeal of its direct family sedan Asian competitors—Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata—because it was smaller on the outside and on the inside.  It also trailed these competitors in quality and power.   (more…)