Around the Super Bowl Hyundai promoted the Genesis, voted North American Car of the Year, by taking shots at their German and Japanese rivals and launched the new Genesis Coupe. Commercials for the Hyundai Assurance program, which let buyers return their new vehicles for up to a year if they lost their jobs, also helped Hyundai establish brand identity. During the Academy Awards Hyundai ran spots in slots that were given up by troubled GM. Hyundai has just launched a billboard campaign at Times Square in New York.
All Hyundai's aggressive marketing has paid off as October sales of 31,005 was a 49 percent increase compared with October 2008. Calendar year-to-date, Hyundai sales are up 4 percent and market share is up 1.2 percentage points (from 3.1 percent to 4.3 percent). Expected to give Hyundai a year end sales boost will be the all-new Tuscon ix.
The Hyundai Tucson ix was first announced on Aug. 25 in Korea as the Hyundai ix35 and had its world debut in mid-September at the Frankfurt Auto Show where I took the above photo. The Tucson ix will be on display in early December at the Los Angeles Auto Show with more details on its features and specs.
Tucson ix rides on a 104 inch wheelbase which is a fraction of an inch longer than the previous iteration. At 173.6 inches long and 71.6 inches wide, it is also longer and wider than its predecessor improving the interior cabin space. Overall height has been lowered without affecting headroom.
Tucson ix will get the newest fuel-efficient engines and six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. For the North American market, a choice of 2-liter or 2.4-liter Theta-II engines will be available.
