2011 Minneapolis Auto Show: Koreans? You betcha!

Now that I got my the "petty" stuff almost out of the way, I'm going to focus on who I think are the two automakers who are the most influential this year -- Hyundai and Kia. Starting off US operations in 1986 and 1992 respectively, they've certainly come along way from their first products sold here. For Hyundai, that was the Excel subcompact hatchback and sedan; for Kia, it was the crude, cheap Sephia (or the 1989 Kia Pride, which was sold here under the Ford Festiva name). Either way, both brands offered very cheap (and somewhat compromised quality) rivals to popular cars such as Civic and Corolla. Fast forward 20 years, and both brands have built extremely competent rivals to midsize leaders, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. In 2011, however, an even bigger splash had been made. For the first time, Hyundai has gotten "Most Fuel Efficient Car Lineup" in America for three consecutive years. The Elantra gets 40 MPG, the midsize Sonata gets 35 MPG, and that's not including the Hybrid version. Even the crossovers average 27 MPG. But the real news is two core products for this upcoming year; the fun, fuel efficient Veloster hatchback, and the much more impressive Equus luxury sedan.
The Veloster was first shown earlier this year, and it will debut in early summer. It's packing a 1.6 GDi four-cylinder with 138 horses and a proper six-speed stickshift. Unlike the popular, game-changing Genesis coupe, the Veloster is front wheel drive and fills the void left by the much-unloved Tiburon. The most unique feature in this new Hyundai is the door treatment; while European and Asian versions will have four doors, the US-bound version has three doors. EPA mileage figures have not been set in stone yet, but expect 40 MPG on the highway, besting that of the Civic coupe, and sister-company Kia's Forte Koup. Expect a turbocharged, possibly all wheel drive version to appear sometime down the road at a higher than $17,000 price of the front-wheel=drive version.



Next up is Hyundai's first foray into the luxury sedan market; yes, they unveiled the Genesis for 2008 or 2009, and that is a fine car in its own right. But the Genesis pales in comparison to the new Equus; while the Genesis compares to cars such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, the larger, more luxurious Equus goes up against heavyweights such as the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class. While the Germans have bigger engine options (V12s), and more amenities, the Hyundai has two major advantages; price and warranty-- and dealer network. And thus, servicing should be relatively simple, not to mention quite a bit cheaper. While the big dogs have a higher price, Hyundai stands on firm ground by offering just two trim levels, each with a set-in-stone price. That means the price you see on the sticker, is the price you pay. For nearly $60k, some people might scoff at a Hyundai for that money-- and they did so with a VW Phaeton, too. I can only hope the Equus doesn't meet the same fate of that equally amazing VW.






Speaking of the Genesis, here it is-- in R-Spec trim. Fitted with new wheels, a slightly lowered suspension, and a fresh face courtesy of new LEDs, Hyundai's first serious luxosedan receives minor updates to keep it in check for the 2011 motoring season. As so, prices have increased slightly, but the Genesis is still significantly cheaper than its main rivals from BMW and Mercedes.


On the other end of Hyundai's spectrum is the Sonata Hybrid; if the regular Sonata wasn't fuel efficient enough for you, or if it isn't green (or blue in the case) enough for for you, there is this one. Equipped with special wheels, lower resistance tires, and a "aero" front end, this Sonata is easily distinguished as the fuel sipper of the bunch. I'd rather have the 2.0T though; who can argue with 274 horses?


Over on the Kia side of things, auto show debuts were extremely calm, with fewer new product being rolled out. One of the most significant debuts in Kia's US history was the new Optima sedan. While its predecessor was a good car, it was nothing short of mundane; while I liked it for what it was, it didn't really stand out. The new car is a huge step in the right direction. Like the Hyundai Sonata on which it's based, the new Kia inherits the the 2.0T for top shelf models. Inside and out, this car represents a new stride for Kia; it shows that the Koreans are here, and they're not slowing down any time soon.




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Since Kia is on the rise upward, they needed a car to do battle with Honda's popular Civic. Naturally, they released a coupe version of their Forte compact sedan. Unlike the sedan, the Forte Koup is actually really nice to look at, rather than being a plain jane car. With the smoked wheels, and a set of smoked taillights and smoked headlights, the little Koup should be quite a stunner. Yes, I realize it is quite a copy of the Honda Civic, but I like this cars' rear a lot better; it seems to flow with the car rather than being pushed too far at an angle. Hopefully, given a little bit of time, the aftermarket will open up and embrace this little car for what is is -- a quick, viable alternative to the longtime sport-compact champ Honda Civic.