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. Like me, they tend to dislike stiff rides. Here in the U.S., the auto press has enormous influence on auto design......and most of them like larger wheels/tires and stiff underpinnings for more responsive handling.
It is just the trend for modern cars to be more sporty. Mainstream Crossovers tend to ride for more comfy. The new Subaru EV has nailed the ride from what has been reported by the auto press.
Korean-spec versions of Hyundai/Kia products actually tend to have softer suspensions than their American counterparts, not necessarily because the roads are any better, but because Koreans simply demand it. Like me, they tend to dislike stiff rides. Here in the U.S., the auto press has enormous influence on auto design......and most of them like larger wheels/tires and stiff underpinnings for more responsive handling.
It's not because they "dislike stiff rides", it's because Korea is littered with speed bumps in urban areas.
Korean tastes are oddly very similar to Chinese tastes. They demand large sedans that can be chauffeur-driven with soft rides and low-displacement engines. A lot of that is because, like in China, the government considers speeding a serious crime and cracks down on it by every means possible, like the aforementioned excess of speed bumps. That's also why Genesis has little incentive to make an M or AMG equivalent brand when nobody in South Korea would buy that. The outgoing G90 is still sold with the NA 3.8 V6 in South Korea.
Last edited by Motorola; Mar 26, 2022 at 11:50 AM.
It's not because they "dislike stiff rides", it's because Korea is littered with speed bumps in urban areas.
Korean tastes are oddly very similar to Chinese tastes. They demand large sedans that can be chauffeur-driven with soft rides and low-displacement engines. A lot of that is because, like in China, the government considers speeding a serious crime and cracks down on it by every means possible, like the aforementioned excess of speed bumps. That's also why Genesis has little incentive to make an M or AMG equivalent brand when nobody in South Korea would buy that. The outgoing G90 is still sold with the NA 3.8 V6 in South Korea.
^ ^ This. A friend of mine worked and lived in South Korea for 3 years, everyone was chauffeur driven. He had his own Chauffeur that picked him up and dropped him home every day
^ ^ This. A friend of mine worked and lived in South Korea for 3 years, everyone was chauffeur driven. He had his own Chauffeur that picked him up and dropped him home every day
It's not because they "dislike stiff rides", it's because Korea is littered with speed bumps in urban areas.
Korean tastes are oddly very similar to Chinese tastes. They demand large sedans that can be chauffeur-driven with soft rides and low-displacement engines. A lot of that is because, like in China, the government considers speeding a serious crime and cracks down on it by every means possible, like the aforementioned excess of speed bumps. That's also why Genesis has little incentive to make an M or AMG equivalent brand when nobody in South Korea would buy that. The outgoing G90 is still sold with the NA 3.8 V6 in South Korea.
Yes many older executives are chauffeur driven with extended wheelbase G90s and the like, but high performance vehicles are also extremely popular and common. The Lamborghini dealer in Seoul was once (might still be) the 2nd highest volume location behind Dubai.
So I wouldn't say "nobody" in Korea would buy high horsepower M/AMG equivalent vehicles.
And yes speeding cameras are common, but they're also noted in every single navigation system, so cars know exactly when and where to drop speed and then roar back up to cruising speeds when there isn't gridlocked traffic of course.
I often saw more Lamborghinis and newer models in Seoul than I would in Beverly Hills and Malibu.
They'll both sell out because Hyundai and Kia are rolling them out very slowly. The 2022 MY Ioniq 5 will only be sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. They simply don't have the production capacity and are treating it like a compliance vehicle for now.
Everyone is struggling with production capacity, but I think it's not really fair to call the efforts of Hyundai and Kia that they're simply having them as compliance vehicles.
Dealers in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area are starting to get pretty significant inventory of each. Over 2,000 of each sold in February. 2,555 Ioniq 5's in February, nearly the same as Santa Cruz and nearly matching Sonata which was down significantly. And the "only" 18 states that Ioniq 5 is currently on sale in comprise most of the largest markets in the country and EV friendly states, so why not focus initial efforts there?
Yes many older executives are chauffeur driven with extended wheelbase G90s and the like, but high performance vehicles are also extremely popular and common. The Lamborghini dealer in Seoul was once (might still be) the 2nd highest volume location behind Dubai.
So I wouldn't say "nobody" in Korea would buy high horsepower M/AMG equivalent vehicles.
And yes speeding cameras are common, but they're also noted in every single navigation system, so cars know exactly when and where to drop speed and then roar back up to cruising speeds when there isn't gridlocked traffic of course.
I often saw more Lamborghinis and newer models in Seoul than I would in Beverly Hills and Malibu.
People in South Korea buy Lamborghinis because it's a prestigious badge, not because they actually intend to put the car through its paces in a country whose enforcement of traffic is so strict that the car tuning/modding culture gets choked by the law before it can even come to fruition like in Japan. South Korea is one of the largest markets for prestige European brands in the world, period. People would buy those Lambos even if they were powered by 1.6 liter diesels.
Even then, it's a gross exaggeration to say these types of cars are "extremely popular and common" when they are a but a blip on the radar in regards to sales in South Korea, which is dominated almost entirely by Hyundai/Kia/Genesis. Last year, Genesis sold 60,000 G80 sedans domestically. That number alone is equivalent to how many cars BMW sold for that entire year in South Korea. European cars are niche, but performance cars are niche upon a niche in that country. Without Albert Biermann's influence, you wouldn't even see the Koreans themselves attempt something like the N cars.
Last edited by Motorola; Mar 27, 2022 at 09:25 PM.
Everyone is struggling with production capacity, but I think it's not really fair to call the efforts of Hyundai and Kia that they're simply having them as compliance vehicles.
Dealers in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area are starting to get pretty significant inventory of each. Over 2,000 of each sold in February. 2,555 Ioniq 5's in February, nearly the same as Santa Cruz and nearly matching Sonata which was down significantly. And the "only" 18 states that Ioniq 5 is currently on sale in comprise most of the largest markets in the country and EV friendly states, so why not focus initial efforts there?
I wrote this back in January before the car was even on sale, but you are correct, and I am glad to see that Hyundai is serious about selling these in large numbers.
What's there to be skeptical about? Hyundai Motor Group dominates South Korea.
Also, around 50,000 of the 60,000 G80's sold were of the 2.5T. And 4,000 of the 5,000 G90's sold were of the NA 3.8 V6. Goes to show how meaningless performance is to most Korean buyers.
Hopefully there is a future Ioniq 5 N that competes directly with the EV6 GT. Sounds like the objectively better overall choice outside of sportier driving feel of the EV6.
Hopefully there is a future Ioniq 5 N that competes directly with the EV6 GT. Sounds like the objectively better overall choice outside of sportier driving feel of the EV6.
I'm beginning to see them more and more. I got a call with the spec i wanted from a dealer today and they wanted $7800 markup
I'm beginning to see them more and more. I got a call with the spec i wanted from a dealer today and they wanted $7800 markup
I told this dealer that I would wait
That would nullify the $7500 federal tax credit. I really hate dealerships. You can figure the Ioniq online, I don't see why you can't do direct orders
