Hyundai pulls i45 from Oz

Hyundai Motor Company Australia has announced that it will suspend imports of its mid-size i45 sedan into the Australian market effective immediately.

The rationale behind HMCA’s decision is one of limited global supply coupled with slowing local sales. Demand for the petrol-only sedan is especially high in the Middle East and North American, while in Australia, demand for the i45 has fallen more than 25 per cent from annual sales of 4872 units in 2011 to just 3640 units at the end of 2012.

HMCA says it plans to plug the hole left by the departure of the i45 with an ‘enhanced’ i40 range. This will see Australia receive a greater mix of newly respecified i40 sedan variants – an example of which is currently the subject of a long-term test here at motoring.com.au.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia Chief Operating Officer, John Elsworth, says the absence of the i45 from the importer’s Australian portfolio will be more than compensated for by the augmentation of its i40 line-up.

“The i40 range offers Australian buyers the option of Sedan and Tourer (wagon) body styles, as well as a choice of highly efficient petrol and diesel powertrains with class-leading specifications throughout,” he said.

“We’ve worked hard to introduce more features to i40 and to create a premium mid-size choice for the brand.”

Remaining dealer stock of i45 variants will be absorbed primarily by corporate and government fleet sectors where the model has proved a popular choice. It will continue to be sold in overseas markets under both the i45 and Sonata monikers.

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