Hyundai is counting on some help from consumers who sell the vehicles and stop the clock on the 10-year powertrain warranty. If the vehicle is sold outside the family, the powertrain warranty is reduced to five years or 60,000 miles. O'Neill said executives were also encouraged because Hyundai's warranty costs fell 30 percent in 1998 and 20 percent in 1999. It is a prudent business decision given what we know about the quality of our products and the trend of our costs. We've gone to great lengths to make sure that our vehicles are properly positioned to be of very high value in each segment in which they compete.
Outsiders are more skeptical.
You become the vehicle that people want to get out of. That's why it's in Kia and Hyundai's best interest to be more than just price. Cheryl Jensen is a free-lance writer from Lakewood, Ohio.