Hyundai Says No, But Kia Could Say Yes to Trucks

Hmmmm..... interesting....
Don't expect Hyundai to step into the pickup truck segment anytime soon, as company President and CEO John Krafcik is not interested in repeating the same mistakes other automotive manufactuers have made.

"Our brand resonates best with families, but that's where we have the lowest market penetration. There's tremendous upside for us in crossovers. ... More seven-passenger crossover capacity is No. 1 on our priority list for the U.S," he said.

Phelan suggests this will likely mean Hyundai won't jump into the van (minivan or other) or pickup truck segment, and that makes sense. Hyundai has done a pretty good job lately of creating some buzz for its mainstream Genesis, Elantra, Sonata and eye-catching Veloster.

"When we looked at other companies in their growth phase, this (over-expansion) was where the train came off the track," and pressure to boost production led to quality snafus, Krafcik said. Our guess he's talking specfically about Toyota's multibillion-dollar endeavor in San Antonio.

Still, with a seven-passenger, rear-wheel-drive crossover in the works, a good amount of money already dedicated to rear-drive platforms and some new hybrid powertrain technologies, it would not be a stretch for Hyundai's "downmarket" player, Kia, to make a play in the pickup truck segment. The Kia Mojove concept was floated around about 10 years ago, and that was when the company wasn't doing nearly as well or had access to nearly as many resources.

Maybe Hyundai isn't ready to step into the realm of a small- or medium-sized pickup truck, but Kia certainly could, and it could likely have some interesting design and technology options at its disposal. In 2004, Kia played with the idea of a half-ton competitor for the U.S., called the KCV-4 Mojave, but the project was officially killed in 2008 because of unstable gas prices and shrinking interest in a small pickup. At that time, the vehicle was to be based off the new Kia Sorento (concept design by Stanley Ivan pictured).

Whether or not something new could be based off another larger or smaller SUV or crossover remains to be seen. (Remember the Soulster?) Regardless, it almost certainly would require a new assembly plant or some serious modifications to an existing facility. For now, it looks like we'll have to wait and see, but they do have options.

Source;
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2012/02/hyundai-says-no-but-kia-could-say-yes.html

Kia's top executive resigns after recalls

A little drastic I think, but I guess they are using this as a platform to show how serious they take these issues.... after all, they have been on quite a run lately....
Kelly Olsen / Associated Press

Seoul, South Korea -- The top executive at Kia Motors has resigned after the company recalled more than 100,000 vehicles worldwide over defective wiring, the automaker said Tuesday.
Chung Sung-eun, vice chairman and CEO of South Korea's No. 2 automaker, stepped down on Friday, according to company spokesman Michael Choo.

"His resignation comes in the light of the recent global recall issued by Kia Motors," Choo said, without elaborating. He said no successor has been named. Chung was one of two Kia CEOs.

Kia Motors Corp. is an affiliate of South Korea's top automaker, Hyundai Motor Co. Together they form the world's fifth-largest automotive group.

Chung's resignation comes amid a wave of recalls that have shaken the global auto industry since Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. began calling in vehicles in October last year. The world's top automaker has recalled more than 10 million vehicles for problems including faulty gas pedals and floor mats.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo asked Chung to step down to take responsibility for the recalls as they suggested possible quality problems.

Neither Choo nor Hyundai Motor spokeswoman Song Meeyoung could confirm the report.
Chung, the former Kia executive, is no relation to the Hyundai chairman, Choo said.

Early this month Kia issued a global recall totaling 104,047 vehicles for a defect in electric wiring that controls mood lighting inside the car and could cause heat-related damage, according to Choo. Of that total, 35,185 vehicles were recalled in the United States, he said.

Seoul-based Kia has a complex management system. Though Chung held the top rank, day-to-day operations come under the control of two presidents: Hank Lee for overseas operations and Seo Young-jong for domestic operations, according to Choo. Seo also holds the title of CEO, said Pamela Munoz, a Kia spokeswoman.

Kia, which posted a 61 percent surge in second-quarter net profit, manufactures vehicles in South Korea as well as at overseas plants in China, Slovakia and the U.S.

The company's stock price fell 0.2 percent to close Tuesday at 33,400 won ($28.38). Kia shares tripled in value in 2009.

Source;
http://detnews.com/article/20100907/AUTO01/9070374/1148/auto01/Kia-s-top-executive-resigns-after-recalls

Here Are The 10 Brands That Will Disappear In 2011 - KIA?!?!?

I don't claim to be a expert like these guys but I can't see this happening....

Kia Motors Corporation is one of the two car brands of Hyundai of South Korea. It has always been a marginal brand. Its stable mate, Hyundai USA, has a reputation for high quality cars like the Sonata and Genesis. Kia sells “low rent” cars and SUV nameplates like the Sorento and Rio.

As GM and Ford have already discovered, it is expensive to maintain multiple brands and storied car names, including Pontiac, Saturn, and Mercury, are disappearing.

Most Kia cars sell for $14,000 to $25,000. Hyundai has several cars in the same price range.

Hyundai’s Sonata has quickly become one of the best-selling cars in America, and its Genesis flagship model competes with mid-sized BMWs and Mercedes. The parent company will take a page from several other global car companies and dump its weakest

Source;

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-brands-that-will-disappear-in-2011-2010-7#kia-10