Hyundai trumpets dress-up and resale

Hyundai is trumpeting two pieces of news this week -- a 'makeover' for the Elantra sedan, and better than expected results in retained value for its latest models.

Released in August last year (more here), the latest Elantra has not been a runaway success for the brand. To the end of February its sales were down around 300 units YOY. No doubt Hyundai hopes the new kit -- comprising a front bib apron spoiler, side skirts and a rear skirt, plus a chrome extension to the tailpipe -- will be the fillip the small sedan needs.

"The overall effect [of the bodykit] is a lower and sportier look without having to lower the car's ride height and compromise comfort," the company says.

The recommended retail price of the five components as a set is $1220. That price does not include fitting and painting.

Complementing the body kit and available separately is a boot lid wing with an integrated LED strip brake light. The wing assembly is $398 plus fitting and painting.

Also available from Hyundai Accessories and "custom made in Australia" for Elantra are new 17 x 7-inch alloy wheels at $1412 (set of four) plus tyres, fitting, etc.

For Elantra SX and SLX owners and buyers, the same design alloys are available in a 15 x 6-inch version priced at $1028 (per set). These wheels take the standard 185/65 R15 tyres fitted to the above Elantra model variants.

The wheels are part of Hyundai Accessories' (formerly known as Astrel Accessories) line-up. Other products for the Elantra range from a $13 auxiliary MP3-player cable to sunroof, tow bar and even reverse sensors.

Meantime, Hyundai is crowing about resale values of its latest models, which it says: "have been independently shown to be markedly higher than car industry experts have been claiming."

Hyundai says its move to use ManheimFowles' independent, real-time, on-line simulcast auctions instead of its previous in-house tender process for its used company vehicles has seen wholesale sale prices paid for 2005-2006 models up to 31 per cent higher than the average trade-in values ascribed by Glass's Guide.

Hyundai says its SUVs "starred", led by the Santa Fe CRDi turbodiesels, but that "every model bettered the Glass's values, most by between 12 and 25 per cent."

"We and our Hyundai dealers have known for some time that Hyundai retained values have actually been very competitive and getting even more so, as these auctions show, debunking some public and media perceptions to the contrary," said Oliver Mann, Hyundai's general manager of marketing.

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