Photo: Hyundai
Hyundai Motor America was established in 1986. That year, on February 20th, the South Korean automaker from Seoul made its first sale through its North American subsidiary. The Excel was the only model offered back then, and its quality-related shortcomings would soon become apparent.
On the upside, Hyundai set a record in 1986 by selling the most vehicles in the company’s first year of business in the United States. More specifically, the Excel moved 168,882 copies. Emboldened by this result, Hyundai stepped up both its quality and the number of vehicles offered stateside. 36 years after it started selling the Excel, Hyundai Motor America is celebrating a milestone in the form of its 15 millionth vehicle.
Pictured in a lovely shade of gray, the 15 millionth vehicle is a Tucson delivered by West Herr Hyundai in Williamsville, New York to Wende and James Tuskes. The oversized check in the couple’s arms reads $4,799 and 28 cents from the West Herr Automotive Group, representing the first year of payments on the compact utility vehicle. The fourth-generation Tucson for the United States is manufactured in Montgomery, Alabama.
The road to this milestone wasn’t easy, though. It took Hyundai until 1989 to launch the Sonata in this part of the world, the automaker’s longest-selling model in the United States of America. The Sonata sold in excess of 3.1 million examples since then, as in 20.9 percent of the grand total.
The best-selling nameplate, however, is the compact-sized Elantra with more than 3,533,998 units under its belt. In third place, the Santa Fe is rocking a little over 1.9 million copies to date. The Accent ranks fourth with 1.3 million units, and the Tucson ranks fifth with 1.3 million as well.
From affordable to not so affordable, the Accent will set you back $16,645 at the very least, sans destination charge. Elantra currently retails at $20,500 for internal combustion, $24,400 for the hybrid, and $32,650 for the go-faster variant. Sonata and Sonata Hybrid are listed at $24,950 and $27,950.
Tucson customers can expect to pony up $26,450 for internal combustion, $30,900 for the hybrid, and $35,400 for the plug-in hybrid. The Santa Fe also comes with three distinct personalities, priced at $28,200, $35,660, and $40,000 on the nose excluding the $1,295 destination freight charge.
In terms of manufacturing footprint, Hyundai Motor America currently operates HMMA in Alabama, the factory that produced the 15 millionth vehicle. Opened in 2005, it currently employs in the ballpark of 3,400 people. Come 2025, the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America will open in Bryan County, Georgia. It’s expected to create 8,100 jobs, and this site will be the home of EVs from Hyundai, Kia, and the Genesis luxury brand.
As for all-electric vehicles, the South Korean brand currently relies on the Kona Electric, Ioniq 5 crossover, and Nexo fuel-cell crossover.
Pictured in a lovely shade of gray, the 15 millionth vehicle is a Tucson delivered by West Herr Hyundai in Williamsville, New York to Wende and James Tuskes. The oversized check in the couple’s arms reads $4,799 and 28 cents from the West Herr Automotive Group, representing the first year of payments on the compact utility vehicle. The fourth-generation Tucson for the United States is manufactured in Montgomery, Alabama.
The road to this milestone wasn’t easy, though. It took Hyundai until 1989 to launch the Sonata in this part of the world, the automaker’s longest-selling model in the United States of America. The Sonata sold in excess of 3.1 million examples since then, as in 20.9 percent of the grand total.
The best-selling nameplate, however, is the compact-sized Elantra with more than 3,533,998 units under its belt. In third place, the Santa Fe is rocking a little over 1.9 million copies to date. The Accent ranks fourth with 1.3 million units, and the Tucson ranks fifth with 1.3 million as well.
From affordable to not so affordable, the Accent will set you back $16,645 at the very least, sans destination charge. Elantra currently retails at $20,500 for internal combustion, $24,400 for the hybrid, and $32,650 for the go-faster variant. Sonata and Sonata Hybrid are listed at $24,950 and $27,950.
Tucson customers can expect to pony up $26,450 for internal combustion, $30,900 for the hybrid, and $35,400 for the plug-in hybrid. The Santa Fe also comes with three distinct personalities, priced at $28,200, $35,660, and $40,000 on the nose excluding the $1,295 destination freight charge.
In terms of manufacturing footprint, Hyundai Motor America currently operates HMMA in Alabama, the factory that produced the 15 millionth vehicle. Opened in 2005, it currently employs in the ballpark of 3,400 people. Come 2025, the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America will open in Bryan County, Georgia. It’s expected to create 8,100 jobs, and this site will be the home of EVs from Hyundai, Kia, and the Genesis luxury brand.
As for all-electric vehicles, the South Korean brand currently relies on the Kona Electric, Ioniq 5 crossover, and Nexo fuel-cell crossover.
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