Hyundai dealers weathered a difficult year for the U.S. auto market, with brand sales falling 9.7 percent. That outperformed the market overall and came with surprising gains in retail market share and dealer profitability.
The brand’s performance benefited from some decisive moves by the manufacturer to provide dealers with financial support and generous vehicle incentives, as well as from a growing product portfolio.
For 2021, that game plan should help retailers post solid volume gains, with a new generation of the Tucson compact crossover coming to the biggest nonpickup segment in America. The highly anticipated Santa Cruz lifestyle pickup will also launch in 2021, as will the Ioniq 5 electric crossover, the first vehicle in the new Ioniq electric subbrand, with three models announced so far.
“There’s a lot to be positive about being a Hyundai dealer, but if you had to put something No. 1 on the list, it’s the product,” said Kevin Reilly, the new chairman of the Hyundai National Dealer Council and owner of Alexandria Hyundai in Virginia.
Also coming this year: a freshened Kona subcompact crossover and a plug-in hybrid version of the Santa Fe midsize crossover.
Reilly said one of his goals is to keep communication flowing between dealers and Hyundai Motor America on pressing issues. One of them is the implementation of Hyundai’s Accelerate facilities program, which was postponed last year because of the pandemic.
“Our interests are aligned,” Reilly told Automotive News. “We both want to upgrade the image of our facilities. …
“They’ve communicated that they will be flexible with dealers.”