'Hyundai-Kia is becoming a global car superpower to match Toyota and VW'

Hyundai-Kia have dramatically improved in the last few decades and look set to become one of the motoring giants, says Mike Rutherford

OPINION  - Hyundai

Japan massively changed the car game between the sixties and the eighties. China will bust out of its 10-million-square-kilometre ‘local’ patch to perform on the world stage proper from 2020 to 2050. 

But if you’re looking for the nation that’s rocked the car design/manufacturing/retail scene more than any other between the nineties and today, look at The Land of Morning Calm: South Korea.

• Hyundai and Kia plan to up their game even further

When, in 1987, I first parachuted into the country, which is about the size of Scotland, it was rebuilding after the triple trauma of the Japanese occupation, the Korean War and the assassination of its president. South Korea wasn’t just rough around the edges during my first visit. It was rough all over, apart from where the 1988 Olympic venues were being built. 

Back then, South Korean cars were as pretty as Mike Tyson, funnier than Jim Carrey and nastier than a Liam Neeson character. And Hyundai’s Ulsan plant, which was tasked with building most of them, had machine guns on its perimeter walls. Honest.

To say that the Korean car industry has changed since 1987 is the automotive understatement of the century. I’ve subsequently visited the place dozens of times and have witnessed Hyundai-Kia become a global top-five manufacturer, while South Korea has made it as a world top-five car-making country.

Hyundai-Kia has run out of land, citizens and self-generated energy to expand on home soil, so now builds most of its cars abroad, thereby putting itself on course to catch and overtake imploding GM and troubled Renault-Nissan as world number three behind Toyota-Lexus and the VW Group.

South Korean vehicles have morphed from comedic, cosmetically challenged, not fit for purpose and unpredictable, to serious, often handsome, world-class and highly reliable. Its industry has transformed from shy, naive and almost apologetic, to credible, highly capable and confident. And little sister Genesis is threatening to become Korea’s Jaguar, while the launch of a fourth brand, one to rival Land Rover, is being mulled over. Alternatively, it may be quicker and cheaper for the cash-rich Hyundai-Kia-Genesis empire to buy skint, Coventry-based JLR. 

It’s not until 2019 that Hyundai-Kia has felt it’s truly arrived on the world stage, able and willing to beat the strongest European and Japanese rivals, plus the weaker Americans. That’s why World Car Awards/World Car of the Year jurors were summoned to Seoul to see and drive the all-new petrol, hybrid, hydrogen and pure-electric vehicles in the pipeline for overseas buyers.

Why now? Hyundai-Kia told me days ago in Korea that it’s taken this long – about a third of a century – to get its products for international buyers absolutely spot on. The cars are now as good as, if not better than, those from Japan, Germany and Britain, the argument goes. Deep down, the likes of Nissan, Volkswagen and Vauxhall know this to be true.

The Koreans, Japanese, Germans and Brits are the statistical favourites to grab most or all of the gongs at the World Car Awards ceremony in New York on 17 April. And, since these are the most talented car-producers on Earth, that’s the way it should be, right?

Partnership
Need to sell your car?
Find your best offer from over 5,000+ dealers. It’s that easy.

Do you agree with Mike? Let us know in the comments below and click here to read his previous columns...

Chief columnist

Mike was one of the founding fathers of Auto Express in 1988. He's been motoring editor on four tabloid newspapers - London Evening News, The Sun, News of the World & Daily Mirror. He was also a weekly columnist on the Daily Telegraph, The Independent and The Sunday Times. 

Recommended

‘The end is nigh for petrol-powered Hyundai N cars’
Opinion - Hyundai i20 N
Opinion

‘The end is nigh for petrol-powered Hyundai N cars’

John McIlroy thinks it’s hard to see another combustion-engined N car rolling off the production line at Hyundai
23 Nov 2023
New Hyundai N car to bring electric hot hatch thrills at a cheaper price
Hyundai baby N car
News

New Hyundai N car to bring electric hot hatch thrills at a cheaper price

Hyundai’s are planning to build a follow-up to Ioniq 5 N, and our exclusive image previews how it could look
23 Nov 2023
"Hyundai and Kia are now leading the way in electrification and design"
KIa EV9 - opinion
Opinion

"Hyundai and Kia are now leading the way in electrification and design"

Editor-in-chief Steve Fowler thinks the success of Hyundai and Kia is a good indication of how the balance of power has shifted in the car industry
22 Nov 2023
Best new cars coming in 2024
Best new cars coming in 2024 - header image
Best cars & vans

Best new cars coming in 2024

There are some big new models from the likes of Audi, BMW, Citroen, Ford, MINI, Skoda and more on the way in 2024
20 Nov 2023

Most Popular

New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates
Renault 5 EV concept at 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed
News

New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates

Renault’s reborn Renault 5 will start from €25,000 in Europe, suggesting a circa-£30k price in the UK. It's due on sale in the summer of 2024. Here's …
1 Dec 2023
New BMW X3 replacement to grow in size and feature a minimalist dash
BMW Neue Klasse SUV exclusive image - front
News

New BMW X3 replacement to grow in size and feature a minimalist dash

BMW’s first Neue Klasse electric SUV could carry the iX3 nameplate and our exclusive images preview how it might look
30 Nov 2023
New 2024 Dacia Duster: third generation of Europe’s best-selling SUV revealed
Dacia Duster - front
News

New 2024 Dacia Duster: third generation of Europe’s best-selling SUV revealed

Dacia has taken the wraps off the latest Duster, which arrives with a new look and fresh technology
29 Nov 2023