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The Koreans have arrived
Two cars for you this month from two Koreans manufacturers - Kia and Hyundai.
Long ago the impression I had of these two manufacturers was that they bought the rights to dated models from the West/Japan and re-badged them. They then sold them as their own but at a considerable price advantage. They were value brands and you accepted that the car being offered was just that bit behind the latest offerings from the more established brands. Not any more. The Koreans design and build their own cars now to exacting standards and the rewards have been tremendous sales. Sales for Kia and Hyundai are booming in Ireland. Sales of Hyundai are up 18% on 2004 and they finished 8th in the Irish Market whereas Kia sold 25% more than last year. Not only are the cars well engineered but they carry that all important price advantage. Mr. Hobbs has done both these manufacturers a favour by encouraging us to shop around and compare prices. We are, we're surprised and we're buying.
The Hyundai Sonata is already a popular car in Ireland. Its appeal, I'd wager, is about to widen. It has all the right ingredients for success. It looks the part and feels classy and upmarket. Its goal in life is to beat the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in the US. That's a tough job but one the Sonata is winning with target sales there of 150,000. (That's more than the entire Irish Market!) They won't hit those dizzy heights here especially with the initial engine offering, a 2400cc petrol one. Totally unsuited to the Irish market but brought in early to be eligible for Irish Car of the Year. The engine issue will be resolved soon with new 2000cc petrol and diesel versions, the diesel one particularly suited to the fleet market.
The Kia Cerato finds itself in the Focus/Golf class that is one of the toughest classes to be in. This Cerato is an all-new car offering tremendous value and practicality as well as class leading levels of space, specification and price. That last sentence was taken directly from the Kia publicity material I've received and I can't argue with the sentiments. Again those reliable Korean trademarks of engineering and value are here in a very tidy car. I could happily drive this car everyday and a lot of you probably will.
Residuals are usually offered as a reason to think twice about Korean manufacturers. And yet I've still to meet anyone who doesn't complain about the cost when that expensive time to change time arrives. It still amazes me when people brag about how much they only had to spend to change. It's always in the thousands, and nothing to brag about. As ever do the maths and don't let the heart run riot.
The Koreans have definitely arrived in Ireland and I predict in the not too distant future, we'll consider them in the same way as we consider the premium Japanese manufacturers now. That can only be a good thing. Next time "the car in front" may well be Korean.
