Editorial: What John Krafcik's depature means for Hyundai

Image courtesy of Automobile Magazine

If you have not heard the news already, a big shake-up is taking place in the automotive world - John Krafcik, the leader of Hyundai's operations in the US and considered one of the more visionary leaders among major automakers, is stepping down come January 1. Krafcik's tenure at Hyundai saw the Korean automaker go from selling mediocre cars that competed by selling for a lot less to a truly global automaker that now produces cars that are not only competitive, but downright world-class and in some cases, are class-leading. This kind of total image shift is something that few automakers have managed successfully and fewer still have managed so effortlessly as Hyundai has with Krafcik at the helm.

Krafcik has overseen the launch of the wildly popular Sonata and the transition of the Genesis sedan from a home market only vehicle to a truly global product. A completely redesigned Elantra has made huge waves in the compact car market by showing the world that cheap does not mean you cannot have a little style. And the funky Veloster redefined the subcompact segment with its unconventional looks and door arrangement. To be fair, it hasn't been all favorable. In fact, Hyundai just recently settled with owners of various models for overstating EPA fuel economy figures that most drivers found unattainable.

Editorial: Luxury car makers could be even better

Luxury is a very subjective term these days. It gets bandied about with near reckless abandon, applied to everything from pet supplies to apartment rentals to fancy cars. When it comes to cars, the mainstream manufacturers are moving ever increasingly upmarket, adding features that were traditionally the distinct purview of luxury car makers, blurring the lines ever more. In fact, companies such as Hyundai have taken the entire market and turned it one its head, offering the Hyundai Equus, a V8-powered RWD long-wheelbase luxury sedan with features that were once only found on chauffeur-driven cars such as Rolls Royces or the upper end of the Mercedes S-class range. So with the definition of a luxury car becoming increasingly unclear, what are some things that luxury manufacturers can do to differentiate themselves from the riff-raff and justify the extra expense?

Here are a few ideas that I believe luxury manufacturers must do in order to maintain their standing and brand equity in the luxury marketplace and keep themselves from being overtaken by the invasion of mainstream manufacturers into their space.

Test Drive: 2013 Hyundai Equus Signature

Hyundai has had a brand resurgence like no other in recent years, with the tremendous magazine comparison successes against the segment stalwarts, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Other big successes in the form of the Genesis Coupe and Sedan, the Elantra, and the cool looking Veloster. Each of these vehicles made a splash when they were introduced and continue to be treated as darlings of the automotive magazine editors, but Hyundai was not satisfied and wanted to set the bar even higher. With the success of the Genesis Sedan, Hyundai set its sights on BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus with its homegrown full-size luxury sedan, the Equus. Targeted squarely at LS, S-Class, and 7-series, the Equus was out to try to repeat the same splash that the Sonata had made. Unfortunately, things did not go so well this time...

Update: We heard back from Hyundai on Twitter about our review. See their response after the break!