South Korean brands again demonstrated the best initial quality among 32 automotive brands sold in the United States, according to an annual ranking by researcher J.D. Power, with about half of the domestic brands better than average and all European brands below average. 　Genesis, Kia and Hyundai, all part of Hyundai Motor Group, were the top three brands in the 2019 US Initial Quality Study, which measures problems in the first 90 days of vehicle ownership. 　Ford Motor ranked fourth followed

SsangYong Motor seeks to conventionalize the use of pickup trucks in South Korea by introducing its Rexton Sports series as “open top SUVs,” the carmaker said Tuesday.Both the Rexton Sports and the new Rexton Sports Khan introduced in January boast most features of the company’s flagship SUV model G4 Rexton, but also include a large deck space designed for drivers who enjoy outdoor activities and recreational sports. By introducing the series as an open top SUV, the company hop

South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor said Monday it will deliver additional units of Ioniq hybrid to a Singaporean transportation company, prolonging its lead as vehicle supplier in the local market.Confirming its contract with ComfortDelGro, Hyundai Motor will be supplying 2,000 units of Ioniq gasoline hybrid vehicles, 1,500 units by the end of this year and the remaining within the first half of next year, officials said.The Singaporean company, which is the largest transportation business op

Kia Motor has unveiled its redone upper-midsized sedan K7 Premier, offering five different engine options, and began sales in Korea on Monday, according to officials.The latest version is the first face-lifted version since the launch of the K7 model in 2016. According to the automaker, the K7 Premier comes with five different engine options to satisfy diversified consumer needs: new G2.5 GDi, 3.0 gasoline, 2.4 hybrid, 2.2 diesel and 3.0 liquefied petroleum injected engines. Kia Motors&rsqu

Auto parts maker sets eyes on developing superior lidar technology

Kia Motors entered the Indian market on Thursday with the unveiling of its compact sport utility vehicle Seltos. “Seltos is Kia Motors’ new global model, and we are very delighted to introduce Seltos for the first time here in India, a rising market for the automotive industry,” said Kia Motors President Park Han-woo during a ceremony at Gurgaon’s A Dot Convention Center in India on Thursday.  According to the automaker, Seltos stands out with its full light-emi

From roads to harbor, Germany’s 2nd-largest city tests future mobility, faces challenge for quality of life

South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor will partner Aramco, the biggest oil company in the world, on the “comprehensive” development of hydrogen energy, sources told The Korea Herald on Wednesday.An official familiar with the matter said the two companies would sign a memorandum of understanding on hydrogen-related business in the presence of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun.The Saudi Prince visits Seoul

Amid rebounding sedan sales in the South Korean market, Nissan Korea said it will launch a sixth-generation model of its bestselling midsized sedan, the Altima, here in July. According to the carmaker, the most distinctive aspect of the fully transformed Altima is its design.  With a sportier, more dynamic exterior design, Nissan said it had equipped the latest Altima with its award-winning Nissan Vmotion 2.0 design. In 2017, the Nissan Vmotion 2.0 was recognized as the best concept ca

Facelifted QM6 becomes only LPG-powered SUV in the domestic market

Porsche Korea, local unit of the German luxury carmaker, opened a new studio in Gangnam, southern Seoul, on Tuesday, in a bid to appeal better to younger customers.The new retail format introduced by the carmaker is the eight of its kind in the world and has been opened to provide a wide-ranging brand experience, from cars to custom-made accessories. “Porsche Korea will position ‘Porsche Studio Cheongdam’ as a cultural space where existing customers as well as potential cl

Four out of 10 vehicles sold in South Korea from January to May were sport utility vehicles, reflecting growing demand for recreational vehicles, industry sales data showed Monday. In the first five months, domestic and imported carmakers sold 612,043 vehicles, with SUVs accounting for 42 percent, according to data from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association and the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association. "The ratio of SUVs in overall passenger car sales is expected

Hyundai Mobis, an auto parts maker under Hyundai Motor Group, said Sunday it has partnered with US high-end home audio systems manufacturer Krell for Kia’s K7 Premier.The partnership is part of Hyundai Mobis’ efforts to collaborate with technology-based companies on autonomous driving and connectivity, aimed at providing premium audio systems for in-vehicle infotainment, it added. The company plans to further its partnership with Krell by deploying the audio systems in new vehicles t

Chung Eui-sun touts hydrogen economy as ‘certain solution’ for successful energy transition

Following the change in its name last month to Hankook Tire & Technology, the firm said Sunday it plans to lead the global original equipment tire market by beefing up its research and development on innovative technology. In May, the company was renamed from Hankook Tire as part of its holding company Hankook Technology Group’s rebranding to redefine its focus. The group said it included the word “technology” to reflect its long-term mission to achieve innovation