Hankook Tire is equipping Toyota’s first ever all-electric vehicle, Toyota bZ4X, in the Chinese market from last June. Hankook Tire’s Ventus S1 evo 3 ev will be available for fitment in the sizes 235/60R18 and 235/50R20.Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 ev is equipped ex works to maximize the electric SUV’s f
Hyundai Motor's electric vehicle (EV) Kona, which had been voluntarily recalled due to fire risks, was again included in a recall list. This time, the model is recalled for safety risks stemming from brakes.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on Dec. 8 that 82,657 units
Japanese automakers have been receiving tax-free treatment of the free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the United States as nine out of 10 Honda and Nissan cars sold in South Korea are manufactured in U.S. plants.The top three Japanese car brands in South Korea enjoy up to 30 billion w
Japanese cars’ share in Korea’s imported car market surpassed 20 percent for the first time since 2010.Japanese cars accounted for 22.2 percent (11,585) of the total imported car market (52,061 units) from January to March of this year, said the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Associatio
Toyota Korea has been benefiting from the KORUS FTA by selling U.S.-manufactured cars in Korea. The Korean operation of the Japanese carmaker shifts its tariff savings to its headquarters in Japan.Toyota Korea launched the Avalon Hybrid sedan in South Korea last month. According to industry sources,
Competition among hybrid sedans is getting fiercer as eco-friendly vehicles are gaining popularity due to high oil prices.In January of this year, the Korean government’s subsidy for a hybrid car was reduced from one million won (US$900) to 500,000 won (US$450). However, as oil prices hiked, demand
South Korean automakers have built no factory at all in South Korea since February 1997, when Daewoo built its plant in Gunsan to manufacture 300,000 vehicles a year, according to industry sources on December 25. The plant of Daewoo that manufactured the Nubira sedan had an automation rate of 97% in
The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) announced on November 12 that a total of 16,833 imported hybrid cars were sold in South Korea for the first 10 months of this year to account for 9.6% of the total sales of imported cars in the market for the period. The ratio is expe
It has been found that Japanese hybrid models are taking the place of German diesel cars in the South Korean market in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal.The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association announced on March 12 that Japanese carmakers sold a total of 5,656 cars in So
Five steady-selling vehicle models produced by South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors Corp. have been named best cars by U.S. consumers.In a customer satisfaction survey dubbed “2016 Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL)” released by J.D. Power an
In the first half of this year, sales of import cars edged down 2.6% from a year before. It was the first time in seven years since 2009 for the sales in the half year. Analysis says that the “Diesel Gate” that broke out last year had a big impact although various elements played their roles. In ac
Hyundai Motor, the nation’s largest auto maker, will start mass producing LF Sonata Hybrid models in its Beijing plant from January next year. Although the company is exporting and selling hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in the markets of China, the U.S., the Middle East and South America, it is the
The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association announced on June 9 that Toyota sold 1,074 Camrys in Korea between January and May this year to record a 52.9 percent increase from a year earlier, while the sales volumes of the Nissan Altima 2.5 and the Honda Accord 2.4, both in their third
The Sonata and Genesis of Hyundai Motor and the Soul EV of Kia Motors ranked first in each category evaluation of the 2015 Canadian Car of the Year, which was announced by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada on Dec. 3 (local time).The Sonata ranked first in the category of family cars w
The Korea Energy Management Corporation announced on Nov. 27 that Hyundai Motor Company’s LF Sonata Hybrid, running on 16-inch tires, recorded gas mileage of 18.2 kilometers per liter (42.8 MPG), which is approximately 9 percent better than that of the YF Sonata Hybrid and 1.8 km higher than that of
Koreans in their 30s are increasing their presence in the imported car market. Automakers such as Volkswagen, Toyota and Peugeot are trying to better win them over as well, with strategic models like the Jetta, Camry, and 2008.According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (K
Korean automakers are feeling nervous, as the Korean government is planning to declare the conclusion of the Korea-China FTA at the APEC meeting held in Beijing next month.What they are worried about is the import of BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Toyota vehicles being manufactured in China. Once the high-
Japanese manufacturing companies are making the most of the weak yen for new business opportunities. Specifically, they are cutting the prices of their products and investing more in R&D at the same time thanks to the depreciation of the yen.Toyota has agreed with major Japanese steelmakers such as
As the automobile industry is being digitalized and requiring more networking, safety regulations of software becoming stricter. As a result, major automobile component manufacturers are competing fiercely to obtain ISO 26252, the international automobile software and electronics standard safety cri
On March 14 (local time), US-based Consumer Reports reported the Santa Fe as the mid-sized SUV with the lowest maintenance costs for the first 5 years after purchase.According to the report, Santa Fe’s total five year maintenance cost was some 39 million won (US$36,425), whereas the car with the hig