Heading down a dangerous road
South Korea's future is tied to the deepening troubles at Hyundai Motor
THEY were once the butt of jokes. The quality of Hyundai cars was said to be so poor that they could only be sold with extended warranties to students in America. But having been the 13th-biggest carmaker in the world a decade ago, Hyundai Motor now ranks sixth; sales over the period increased fivefold, making the South Korean firm the second-biggest Asian carmaker after Japan's Toyota. In 2006 the firm placed third, ahead of Toyota's main brand for the second time in three years, in America's influential J.D. Power Initial Quality survey. Only Porsche and Toyota's luxury Lexus marque scored higher.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Heading down a dangerous road”
From the January 27th 2007 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Could seaweed replace plastic packaging?
Companies are experimenting with new ways to reduce plastic waste
Has Sequoia Capital outgrown its business model?
Venture capital’s hardiest perennial gets back to its roots
On stupid rules and quick wins
Why every boss can benefit from asking employees what most infuriates them
TikTok wants Western consumers to shop like the Chinese
It still has some convincing to do
Will the trouble ever end for Volkswagen and its rivals?
From strikes to Trump tariffs, calamities abound
After Northvolt’s failure, who will make Europe’s EV batteries?
The continent looks ever more reliant on Asian producers