Hyundai Passes Ford to Clinch World Number 4. Now What?

For those of us who are pistonheads and think that the 21st century is going to be a clone of the 20th, this ought to be a wake-up call (along with the bankruptcy of General Motors and Chrysler, as well as the current inability of Toyota to make money in North America). Hyundai Group (which includes 50 percent owned Kia) is now the fourth largest automaker in the land. As in, all of the land/world. It just passed Ford Motor Company this month. With the upcoming major offensive by Hyundai and the ongoing downward spiral of General Messup, the only question remains: how long before Hyundai becomes number three in the world?

Meanwhile, Toyota and Volkswagen vie for the number one spot, with GM spirallying down down down in the inevitable slide started after their zenith in the early 1960s (since nothing lasts forever).

This car is Hyundai’s biggest seller in North America, and it is the bread and butter of the line, competing with the heavy hitters of the industry, including the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Malibu, among many others.

One thing that Hyundai are talking about is the upcoming Sonata Hybrid using new lithium polymer batteries. The technology is not cribbed from either Honda nor Toyota, but is to use Hyundai’s self-engineered six speed automatic transmission with a powerful motor-generator between the transaxle and the direct-injection four cylinder engine (which is soon to be about three generations ahead of the co-designed engines used by Chrysler and Mitsubishi and built in Dundee, Michigan, for Chrysler’s use).

The direct injection is going to be found in the conventional four cylinder Sonata, too—and for those Baruthian drivers out there who don’t mind powerful wrong-wheel-drive (FWD) cars, apparently a larger more powerful V6 will be optional, too, also fitted with the new six speed automatic.

As for the look of the new Sonata, I know that car styling is cyclical. Big glasshouses are out, slit windows and high beltlines are in; boxiness and lithe size are out, swooping long lines are in. It’s like the early 1970s redux (the 1971-1974 Dodge Charger two door hardtops being the “best”—or worst, depending upon your viewpoint—example of this styling in that prior era). The prior time this kind of styling was “in” was the late 1940s with the 1948-1954 Hudson Commodore, Wasp and Hornet being the “best/worst” example (but at least these cars had tons of interior room).

So, the new Sonata apes the current styling themes already seen in the Mercedes CLS and Volkswagen CC, the so-called “four door coupe’ styling” which simply indicates reduced visibility and less room for human beings.

What’s the opinion of the best & brightest of The Truth About Cars? Will the “YF” Sonata be a hit, or a flop? Will Hyundai knock on Toyota and Volkswagen’s door for #3 spot worldwide within 5 years or 10, or never?

And will Hyundai finally lose the “Rodney Dangerfield” syndrome of not ever seeming to get any respect from car guys and gals?