Kia building new small car, Hyundai may get one as well

We’ve already told you that Kia has canceled plan to produce a pickup for its lineup and its parent brand Hyundai at its Georgia assembly plant. The West Point, Ga., plant will instead build a new small C-segment car about the size of a Kia Spectra.

“Small cars are where we are headed,” said Kim Dong-Jin, CEO of Hyundai Motor Co., at a recent press event here. “We neglected the small-car segment the last few years.”

Kim said that while Hyundai started going towards mid-sized and large vehicles to upgrade the brands image, it must go back to the mainstream of its business as fuel-prices are on a rapid rise.

“We may produce a Hyundai car at the Kia plant if the platform is compatible,” said Kim. “We are going back to the basics and focus on small cars,” Kim said. “We are good at small cars.”

John Krafcik, product development chief for Hyundai Motor America, said that the company will also focus on 4-cylinder turbocharged engines. The Hyundai Genesis coupe will get a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with it goes on sale next spring.

 

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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