Judging from the sales of Korean cars in China in recent years, it is indeed tepid, but it is worth noting that the sales of Korean cars in the world are indeed very impressive, which is in strong contrast with the performance of the domestic market. In 2021, Kia will sell 2.777 million vehicles and Hyundai sales of 3.89 million vehicles, so will Korean cars change their previous sales strategies in China in 2022, or win the recognition of more domestic consumers by introducing better models?
The development trend of Korean cars
In the early years, the advantages of Korean cars in the domestic market were very obvious, compared with other joint venture models, they not only had a strong sense of design, but also had a higher cost performance. I have to admit that South Korea's automobile industry has a deep heritage, even now, there are still many models with strong competitiveness, such as the Hyundai Elantra, which is concerned by young people, and the tenth generation hyundai Sonata, which is more familiar to everyone, are the best in the family car.
However, due to the rapid development of independent brands, car manufacturing technology is becoming more and more mature, and more excellent models have emerged, so high cost performance is no longer the unique advantage of Korean cars. In this context, Zheng Yixuan, president of Hyundai Motor Group, delivered a New Year's message proposing that 2022 will be a year that fills "the daily life of customers" with unlimited possibilities. Committed to becoming a leading environmental brand and actively promoting the transformation to an electrification system, Hyundai Motor Group has launched three exclusive models equipped with E-GMP, IONIQ (ENIKr) 5, EV6 and GV60, and plans to launch IONIQ (Ani Kr) 6, GV70, niro EV and EV6 GT high-performance vehicles this year.
Careful netizens may find that Hyundai Motor's high-performance N brand launched the official website of the Chinese in January, and it can be speculated that Elantra N and KONA N will most likely be introduced into China this year. These two models have also been widely publicized by major media platforms last year, indicating that Korean cars do attach great importance to the domestic market, with the introduction of more high-performance Korean cars, but also let the domestic car culture more diverse, so that more consumers experience more cost-effective, more practical, more interesting models.
Noteworthy Korean models
Modern Elantra
The early impression of the Hyundai Elantra may still be stuck in Beijing taxis, but today, the Elantra is already a model that young people are very enthusiastic about. From the outside, the Elantra is indeed able to shake off some of its peers a few blocks. The model front face grille and headlights using an integrated design, full of scientific and technological sense, the design essence of this car in the side and tail, showing the beauty of cutting art, the sharp lines on the door panel with a simple body is very coordinated, the tail light part of the concave shape, with a sharp tail light, exquisite and cool, more in line with the current consumer's aesthetics.
In terms of interior, the interior of Elantra has no fancy design, mainly based on simplicity, with some metal accessories and piano paint panels, both avant-garde and high-end, and the workmanship materials are also very sincere.
In terms of power, Elantra has two power versions of 1.5L and 1.4T, of which the 1.5L engine has a maximum power of 84.5kW and a maximum torque of 143.9N·m, matching the CVT transmission; the 1.4T engine has a maximum power of 103kW and a maximum torque of 211N·m, matching the 7DCT transmission. With a wheelbase performance of 2720mm, the interior space is completely sufficient, and the driving comfort is also guaranteed. Its 1.5L version is very suitable for young people who value cost performance, less than 100,000 yuan naked car price can start its entry version, coupled with terminal discounts, the cost performance is still very high.
Geniseith G80
As a Korean high-end luxury brand, Genises must have excellent quality in order to occupy a place in the domestic luxury market. As a flagship model, the Genises G80 is indispensable for creating a sense of luxury from the outside to the inside, and the overall design has both the dignity of traditional luxury cars and the vitality that should be expected as a new luxury brand.
The shield-shaped net on the front face is very eye-catching, and the layered light group design is unique and more holistic. The length, width and height of the Genises G80 are 4995/1925/1465mm, the wheelbase is 3010mm, positioned as a medium and large car, the body side shape is slender, and the use of short front overhang, long rear overhang design, with silver rims, chrome car window trim, it can be said that every detail is luxurious.
In terms of power, the Geniseys G80 is equipped with a 2.5T turbocharged engine with a maximum power of 223.6 kW and a maximum torque of 422N·m. The model has two versions of rear-drive and four-wheel drive, the rear-drive version accelerates by 6.6 seconds per 100 kilometers, and the four-wheel drive version accelerates by 7 seconds per 100 kilometers, and consumers who value handling and acceleration performance are more recommended for its rear-drive version, and the rear-drive version has lower fuel consumption, and the fuel consumption of 100 kilometers is only 7.8L. In fact, the brand influence of Genises is not dominant compared with first-line luxury brands such as BBA, but the Genisesis G80 has both the design of million-dollar luxury cars and the price of people, which also has a good competitiveness.
Kia Jawa
Kia Kahua has been a hot model since its launch, although the overall sales volume is not as good as the MPV big brother Buick GL8, but Kia Kahua also has a good reputation in the market. This car is equipped with a power combination of 2.0T+8AT, which ensures the driving quality of daily travel. The car is 5155/1995/1795mm in length, 1995/1795mm in length, 3090mm in wheelbase, and adopts a 5-door, 7-seat layout, which can bring more comfortable driving experience with ample interior space.
Kia Kahua's interior workmanship is solid, which is also an important reason why many consumers choose this model. The main seat position of all models supports front and rear adjustment, backrest adjustment, 4-way high and low adjustment, and 4-way adjustment of lumbar support. The front seats are equipped with seat heating, and the high-end and top-up models also have seat ventilation functions, and all of them use leather seats. Kia Kahua's official guidance price is 288,900 to 339,900 yuan, because the price difference between each configuration is not large, you can buy more practical configurations for a small amount of money, so it is more recommended to have a high or top model.
summary
Since 2020, affected by the epidemic and chip shortage, the automobile market has undergone a major baptism, and the new energy vehicle market has grown against the trend and developed rapidly, but there are still excellent new fuel models listed, and the domestic automobile market has become more diversified. Like Hyundai Elantra, Genises G80 and Kia Kahua are all relatively outstanding models, I believe that in 2022, Korean brands can successfully transform to electrification, while upgrading their marketing strategies in China, so that Korean cars can be recognized by more domestic consumers.
(Author: Dai Jun)