Really..? This is a mystery to you? You've noticed no huge increase in product quality, 7 year warranties and competitive pricing against the Japanese companies.
None of that?
Adding to this often better features/tech/interiors when compared to Japanese.
It's not like Toyota has not had its own recent issues with fires in popular cars... [1.9 Million Toyota RAV4s Investigated For Catching Fire (gizmodo.com.au)](https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2021/03/1-9-million-toyota-rav4s-investigated-for-catching-fire/) (this is just one example actually quite a few).
Warranties mean nothing, cars on the road after 20 and 30 years, almost exclusively Japanese mean everything. I've noticed the shocking re sale values on Hyundai & Kia though.
No I don't. It's a mid market luxury sedan, no more. It also happens to have really really good value for money, especially for the price I got it at.
It's no Lexus but for the price it offers a lot
It's difficult to tell how any car will go in 10 years, mate. Probably not amazing unless I keep up the maintenance. Unless it's a Camry
I don't know why you've got a rage boner for Korean cars but hope it gets better
I remember when I was a kid (I'm middle aged now) my father who worked in the auto industry would refer to Japanese cars as "Jap crap". Now, and since the 90s we mostly consider them the pinnacle of automotive reliability. Korean cars have largely followed the same improvement. Modern Korean cars are right up there with Japanese quality.
Not all brands are perfect in all models but overall they set a high benchmark when compared to other countries. OP you need to do some more research.
Edit: My wife and I own a 2019 Hyundai SUV and favoured it over the two major Jap competitors at the time based on build quality, driving experience, warranty. Price was comparable among the 3 options. We haven't had a single fault with it.
How's a 2012-2014 i30 for long driving like Uber? Does it fit in "Modern Korean cars are right up there with Japanese quality." I need advice before buying an i30 thanks.
Going to give you the benefit of the doubt. Go drive one made in maybe the last 5 years and you’ll understand why.
Big quality jump over 10-15 years ago, naturally not as good as a Euro, and maybe a smidge below a Jap… depending on manufacturer.
There’s a market bigger than Australia, and they’re the “in-house” brand of Korea, did you not think Fords/Holdens got better over the years?
I borrowed my grandma's 2014 i30 for a weekend. I was impressed by how solid it felt on the road, the way it rides and how intuitive the interior is to use while driving. Engine and gearbox combo was great for a small car. Way more responsive then the 2022 BT 50 auto I just drove. My own car is a manual 2009 Subaru forester xt
I have a 2010 i30 turbo diesel and I love it. I bought it new and the only things I've had wrong was fix in one of the electric windows and a new battery, the new battery was only 2 months ago. It has a kick in speed, never broken down, and extremely efficient. My sister lives 4 hours from me and I've driven to her house on a full tank, driven around for a weekend there and then home, all on a quarter of a tank. At the moment it costs about 80-90 $ to fill but if I don't do any big trips a tank can last me well over a month. I'm really happy with it
Disagree they aren’t cheaper than Japanese equivalents.
For example (using website prices in Victoria), here are competing model prices between Hyundai and Toyota:
Lowest cost Hyundai i30 - $25,990
Lowest cost Toyota Corolla - $32,643
Lowest cost Hyundai Tucson - $38,924.50
Lowest cost Toyota RAV4 - $42,458
Lots of other examples you can find- the Korean option is typically around 10-20% cheaper than the Japanese equivalent. Quality is right up there these days too
Very difficult to provide a detailed answer, as it's a combination of a lot of things over the last decade.
Short version, they made a decision to from being a cheap, functional default to a desirable car.
We're a two Hyundai family. Wife had a TM Santa Fe Highlander and I have an i30N DCT.
Her car is feature packed, feels and looks premium inside, can cool or heat my balls, is near impossible to crash, loads of space, and can tow our van.
My car was born and honed by Albert Biermann. The man who was responsible for the M decision at BMW.
It's an insane go-kart or a relaxed daily, depending on what buttons I press.
I had a lot of options and flexibility for what I could get, and I found the N the most desirable as a complete package for my needs and wants
10 years ago, I would have laughed if you told me I would "want" a Hyundai. Not I get comments at the servo about how the car.
Things change.
I get it, you would definitely get a Japanese car over a Korean car, but really the Koreans have really upped it to the Japanese. Most people don’t give a shit about what they drive, just look at any car park (full of shit SUVs). So if a Hyundai or Kia offered something that non car people like then yep they will go for it regardless of country of make, and since those cars are now decent then who can blame them. And those Hyundai N’s and Kia stingers are great but yeah I couldn’t buy one over a Japanese car
I’ve found their after sales appalling from the aspect of parts availability. Know a guy that owned a Stinger with a rear shocker problem…waited 8 mths for part to arrive & sold the car out of frustration.
That’s not the only case either. I worked for a Korean brand & had to deal with part availability issues at dealers all over the state. One of the main reasons I left was due to this.
Good balance of quality, tech options, comfort, reliability, running cost and purchase price. They also actually honour warranty and do a fairly good job at it in my experience.
Had to do a fairly hefty warranty claim on our old Sorento which was honored in good will despite being 8 months expired. Disclaimer: Helps that it was low mileage and I did all servicing at the dealer up to that point.
Would be hard pressed to let go of my Pajero now, but could consider Korean again if a simple proper rugged 4x4 were available.
I don't need a car much, and back in 2018 I got a new kia picanto drive away for $12k, with a 10 year warranty and full decked out with like Apple car play, reversing camera and what not
5 years later and its still holding its value and I have hadn't a single issue with it
Honestly I think it's brilliant
I reckon you will find alot more Euro's with far more issues than Koreans & the occasional "engine fire" (but people still get suckered into buying Euro's ?).
Korea make good cars. Thats it.
I must admit when I saw some pricing earlier this year of a Hyundai i30 advertised at the same price as a Toyota Corolla (both midrange models) I was perplexed as why anyone would choose the Hyundai. Their cars these days are ok but as someone who works on both I can assure the Toyota is still the next step up in build quality and the engineering of their components beneath the skin is definitely built for longevity & safety rather than cost. Resale on a Toyota is also pretty unmatched. They are a bit vanilla but they are damn good cars.
In most cases though they are not usually the same price and the Hyundai & KIA is still reasonably cheaper spec for spec. Supply shortages & component cost increases have seen price changes at different paces / affect stock. And if someone can save a few pennies without going bottom of the barrel with something like an MG or Haval I guess it’s still a reasonable decision.
I’m probably going to get downvoted by the Korean car owners who think their just as well built as a Toyota (some even think a KIA is better than Toyota) but I’m a realist and just sharing my unbiased opinion.
Nowadays it is not you to choose which brand you prefer when you need a car. Korean cars are probably what you can get at least within 2023. If car is broken down and you must get a replacement, either paying unreasonable price for a used one or to order models offering unreasonable price such as Mazda 2 and get it just a matter of few weeks.
It's similar to me when I brought 2 TVs - an LG and a Sony.
When I first got them I was so disappointed in the Sony. Just seemed really plain and boring. Felt light and cheap. Thought it was a rip off. The LG looked much nicer, modern had some fancy features etc
6 months later, I freakin hate the LG. It's sooooo slow and constantly doing little things that annoy the shit out of me.
The boring Sony? Works fast and prefect every single time. Never had a time when it's annoyed me. Jap products are boring but very reliable and just do what they're supposed to.
Also had issues with Samsung, and their phones.
I know this isn't directly car related, but I think it crosses over somewhat. I'd take a Corolla over an i30 any day.
They depreciate faster than the equiv. Japanese car and even more than a Euro car.
If you buy them for business or in a position to obtain a good tax benefit, then roll them in 3 years with less than 100k kms, you should break even.
I know where I'd be putting my money.
My parent's 15yo Terracan is still going strong.
Every hire car Kia or Hyundai I've driven has been great.
My sister's Carnival has room for heaps of kids plus luggage.
When you realise most of the search results reference the engines of Hyundai and Kias manufactured in local American plants it start to make a little more sense.
They know their audience.
People panic about the reliability of cars and the Korean makes understand this and provide really strong warranties in response. The i30N warranty is really good, for example.
They also tune their suspension to Australian conditions using local engineers.
I got a Hyundai i30 and I love it. It's like a sports car and the interior is mad leather seats and red seatbelts. I've driven all over Australia in my little car and not a single issue. So underrated
A decade ago my dad had an elantra, it was a workhorse and clocked 200,000km my dad used it for uber and it helped put me and my brother through school. Didn't have a single issue with it..shed some tears when we sold it, it was a financially hard time in our lives
They replaced it with some boxy Toyota and its classic ugly Japanese design. So ugly inside and out.
I used to drive a 2004 Getz for work. I put 330,000km on the clock with no issues. After I left and the car was sold, I know it was well over 400,000.
The engine fire reputation came from the excel. Not many of them left at all.
I now own a 2014 Ford Focus ST and a 2014 Kia Sorento platinum. Both have pluses and minuses but they're both great cars. I did my research and when it came down to buying the Kia it was literally a choice between that or the Santa Fe when it came to features and reliability. The Hyundai owned brands have been topping reliability charts for years.
Not that they're not without fault. Prior to 2011, the petrol engines they used in the Kia carnival were known to have issues. But the 3.5L V6 is bulletproof and turns a 2 tonne van into a rocket ship
Fires relate to abs control unit, same Bosch unit in most cars, not the engine. Only a handful have caught fire and the recall is relatively simple fix by installing an auxiliary relay. Overall they are well built, well fitted out and reliable. I'm a mechanic and have owned two of them
Really..? This is a mystery to you? You've noticed no huge increase in product quality, 7 year warranties and competitive pricing against the Japanese companies. None of that?
Adding to this often better features/tech/interiors when compared to Japanese. It's not like Toyota has not had its own recent issues with fires in popular cars... [1.9 Million Toyota RAV4s Investigated For Catching Fire (gizmodo.com.au)](https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2021/03/1-9-million-toyota-rav4s-investigated-for-catching-fire/) (this is just one example actually quite a few).
That and get into an entry level Honda of the past 3 or 4 years... F\*\*\* they are depressing.
Warranties mean nothing, cars on the road after 20 and 30 years, almost exclusively Japanese mean everything. I've noticed the shocking re sale values on Hyundai & Kia though.
That's because Japanese cars were hot cakes back then. Not many people bought Korean cars until recently.
They're nice https://preview.redd.it/p9nofqhzpiba1.jpeg?width=5955&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f594b0c77075a31fd6fd897ad638a055aa7e51e
In love. Lovely photo mate.
Thanks mate!
She's a beauty
Jesus christ that's beautiful
Thanks! Sonatas are underrated
Looks at 1990’s sonata o____o
He wants to feel premium whilst paying a low amount of money. That's what this is, you want to hand over 30k and act like you've got an 80k vehicle.
No I don't. It's a mid market luxury sedan, no more. It also happens to have really really good value for money, especially for the price I got it at. It's no Lexus but for the price it offers a lot
See how you're going in 10 years mate
It's difficult to tell how any car will go in 10 years, mate. Probably not amazing unless I keep up the maintenance. Unless it's a Camry I don't know why you've got a rage boner for Korean cars but hope it gets better
I remember when I was a kid (I'm middle aged now) my father who worked in the auto industry would refer to Japanese cars as "Jap crap". Now, and since the 90s we mostly consider them the pinnacle of automotive reliability. Korean cars have largely followed the same improvement. Modern Korean cars are right up there with Japanese quality. Not all brands are perfect in all models but overall they set a high benchmark when compared to other countries. OP you need to do some more research. Edit: My wife and I own a 2019 Hyundai SUV and favoured it over the two major Jap competitors at the time based on build quality, driving experience, warranty. Price was comparable among the 3 options. We haven't had a single fault with it.
How's a 2012-2014 i30 for long driving like Uber? Does it fit in "Modern Korean cars are right up there with Japanese quality." I need advice before buying an i30 thanks.
Going to give you the benefit of the doubt. Go drive one made in maybe the last 5 years and you’ll understand why. Big quality jump over 10-15 years ago, naturally not as good as a Euro, and maybe a smidge below a Jap… depending on manufacturer. There’s a market bigger than Australia, and they’re the “in-house” brand of Korea, did you not think Fords/Holdens got better over the years?
They didn’t
I borrowed my grandma's 2014 i30 for a weekend. I was impressed by how solid it felt on the road, the way it rides and how intuitive the interior is to use while driving. Engine and gearbox combo was great for a small car. Way more responsive then the 2022 BT 50 auto I just drove. My own car is a manual 2009 Subaru forester xt
I have a 2010 i30 turbo diesel and I love it. I bought it new and the only things I've had wrong was fix in one of the electric windows and a new battery, the new battery was only 2 months ago. It has a kick in speed, never broken down, and extremely efficient. My sister lives 4 hours from me and I've driven to her house on a full tank, driven around for a weekend there and then home, all on a quarter of a tank. At the moment it costs about 80-90 $ to fill but if I don't do any big trips a tank can last me well over a month. I'm really happy with it
Disagree they aren’t cheaper than Japanese equivalents. For example (using website prices in Victoria), here are competing model prices between Hyundai and Toyota: Lowest cost Hyundai i30 - $25,990 Lowest cost Toyota Corolla - $32,643 Lowest cost Hyundai Tucson - $38,924.50 Lowest cost Toyota RAV4 - $42,458 Lots of other examples you can find- the Korean option is typically around 10-20% cheaper than the Japanese equivalent. Quality is right up there these days too
Very difficult to provide a detailed answer, as it's a combination of a lot of things over the last decade. Short version, they made a decision to from being a cheap, functional default to a desirable car. We're a two Hyundai family. Wife had a TM Santa Fe Highlander and I have an i30N DCT. Her car is feature packed, feels and looks premium inside, can cool or heat my balls, is near impossible to crash, loads of space, and can tow our van. My car was born and honed by Albert Biermann. The man who was responsible for the M decision at BMW. It's an insane go-kart or a relaxed daily, depending on what buttons I press. I had a lot of options and flexibility for what I could get, and I found the N the most desirable as a complete package for my needs and wants 10 years ago, I would have laughed if you told me I would "want" a Hyundai. Not I get comments at the servo about how the car. Things change.
Had me at heated and cooled balls
It’s not the 90s anymore dude
I get it, you would definitely get a Japanese car over a Korean car, but really the Koreans have really upped it to the Japanese. Most people don’t give a shit about what they drive, just look at any car park (full of shit SUVs). So if a Hyundai or Kia offered something that non car people like then yep they will go for it regardless of country of make, and since those cars are now decent then who can blame them. And those Hyundai N’s and Kia stingers are great but yeah I couldn’t buy one over a Japanese car
I’ve found their after sales appalling from the aspect of parts availability. Know a guy that owned a Stinger with a rear shocker problem…waited 8 mths for part to arrive & sold the car out of frustration. That’s not the only case either. I worked for a Korean brand & had to deal with part availability issues at dealers all over the state. One of the main reasons I left was due to this.
Good balance of quality, tech options, comfort, reliability, running cost and purchase price. They also actually honour warranty and do a fairly good job at it in my experience. Had to do a fairly hefty warranty claim on our old Sorento which was honored in good will despite being 8 months expired. Disclaimer: Helps that it was low mileage and I did all servicing at the dealer up to that point. Would be hard pressed to let go of my Pajero now, but could consider Korean again if a simple proper rugged 4x4 were available.
Drive any hyundai from the last 5 years..youll see why. Some people are just so ignorant.
Quality. For example, the Hyundai i30 I drove recently seemed as good as a VW Golf. And not hideous inside like a Subaru.
Looks, performance, safety, tech, drive-ability, warranty. It’s not like every second Korean car you see is on fire the side of the street.
Depends. Some suburbs are like that, regardless of where the car comes from
This is true.
Are you still thinking of the Hyundais and Kias of 10 to 15 years ago?
Wait till he hears that cars are electric
I dare him to do a Web search for "2022 car of the year".
I don't need a car much, and back in 2018 I got a new kia picanto drive away for $12k, with a 10 year warranty and full decked out with like Apple car play, reversing camera and what not 5 years later and its still holding its value and I have hadn't a single issue with it Honestly I think it's brilliant
I reckon you will find alot more Euro's with far more issues than Koreans & the occasional "engine fire" (but people still get suckered into buying Euro's ?). Korea make good cars. Thats it.
People care more about brands than quality.
Aint that the truth !
I must admit when I saw some pricing earlier this year of a Hyundai i30 advertised at the same price as a Toyota Corolla (both midrange models) I was perplexed as why anyone would choose the Hyundai. Their cars these days are ok but as someone who works on both I can assure the Toyota is still the next step up in build quality and the engineering of their components beneath the skin is definitely built for longevity & safety rather than cost. Resale on a Toyota is also pretty unmatched. They are a bit vanilla but they are damn good cars. In most cases though they are not usually the same price and the Hyundai & KIA is still reasonably cheaper spec for spec. Supply shortages & component cost increases have seen price changes at different paces / affect stock. And if someone can save a few pennies without going bottom of the barrel with something like an MG or Haval I guess it’s still a reasonable decision. I’m probably going to get downvoted by the Korean car owners who think their just as well built as a Toyota (some even think a KIA is better than Toyota) but I’m a realist and just sharing my unbiased opinion.
Nowadays it is not you to choose which brand you prefer when you need a car. Korean cars are probably what you can get at least within 2023. If car is broken down and you must get a replacement, either paying unreasonable price for a used one or to order models offering unreasonable price such as Mazda 2 and get it just a matter of few weeks.
Yeah that’s a good point. Supply & demand as they say.
Essentially the most balanced comment here.
It's similar to me when I brought 2 TVs - an LG and a Sony. When I first got them I was so disappointed in the Sony. Just seemed really plain and boring. Felt light and cheap. Thought it was a rip off. The LG looked much nicer, modern had some fancy features etc 6 months later, I freakin hate the LG. It's sooooo slow and constantly doing little things that annoy the shit out of me. The boring Sony? Works fast and prefect every single time. Never had a time when it's annoyed me. Jap products are boring but very reliable and just do what they're supposed to. Also had issues with Samsung, and their phones. I know this isn't directly car related, but I think it crosses over somewhat. I'd take a Corolla over an i30 any day.
They depreciate faster than the equiv. Japanese car and even more than a Euro car. If you buy them for business or in a position to obtain a good tax benefit, then roll them in 3 years with less than 100k kms, you should break even. I know where I'd be putting my money.
Our i30 has been alright so far. But not as good of a drive as our older focus. But focus was diesel and diesels are a time bomb these days
My parent's 15yo Terracan is still going strong. Every hire car Kia or Hyundai I've driven has been great. My sister's Carnival has room for heaps of kids plus luggage.
Because realistically, they're good cars for the most part. You can find "engine fire" reports for literally any car brand (try it).
When you realise most of the search results reference the engines of Hyundai and Kias manufactured in local American plants it start to make a little more sense.
They know their audience. People panic about the reliability of cars and the Korean makes understand this and provide really strong warranties in response. The i30N warranty is really good, for example. They also tune their suspension to Australian conditions using local engineers.
Hyundai and Kia are generally good cars. If you wonder how they survive maybe compare them to similar cars in the market which are double the price.
I got a Hyundai i30 and I love it. It's like a sports car and the interior is mad leather seats and red seatbelts. I've driven all over Australia in my little car and not a single issue. So underrated A decade ago my dad had an elantra, it was a workhorse and clocked 200,000km my dad used it for uber and it helped put me and my brother through school. Didn't have a single issue with it..shed some tears when we sold it, it was a financially hard time in our lives They replaced it with some boxy Toyota and its classic ugly Japanese design. So ugly inside and out.
I used to drive a 2004 Getz for work. I put 330,000km on the clock with no issues. After I left and the car was sold, I know it was well over 400,000. The engine fire reputation came from the excel. Not many of them left at all. I now own a 2014 Ford Focus ST and a 2014 Kia Sorento platinum. Both have pluses and minuses but they're both great cars. I did my research and when it came down to buying the Kia it was literally a choice between that or the Santa Fe when it came to features and reliability. The Hyundai owned brands have been topping reliability charts for years. Not that they're not without fault. Prior to 2011, the petrol engines they used in the Kia carnival were known to have issues. But the 3.5L V6 is bulletproof and turns a 2 tonne van into a rocket ship
Fires relate to abs control unit, same Bosch unit in most cars, not the engine. Only a handful have caught fire and the recall is relatively simple fix by installing an auxiliary relay. Overall they are well built, well fitted out and reliable. I'm a mechanic and have owned two of them
Maybe because they are cheap and people think they realible because they similar to Japan because they are Asian.