Hyundai Motor's (005380.KS) mid-to-large sedan Grandeur has returned to the top of sales rankings on the back of a new-car effect. Analysts say the model proved the resilience of domestic sedans, breaking the 10,000-unit monthly barrier just a month after the launch of its facelifted version.
According to Hyundai Motor on the 8th, the Grandeur sold 10,062 units last month, up 80.4% from the same month a year earlier. The result was achieved just a month after the launch of The New Grandeur, the facelifted model introduced in May. During the same period, the Grandeur was the only model across Hyundai Motor and Kia to surpass 10,000 units in monthly sales.
The new-car effect is clearly reflected in the figures. Last month, the Grandeur's sales accounted for about 24.6% of Hyundai Motor's total passenger and recreational vehicle (RV) sales of 40,973 units, excluding commercial and special vehicles. In other words, one in every four Hyundai passenger models sold last month was the new Grandeur.
Launched in 1986, the Grandeur is regarded as a national sedan with a history of nearly 40 years. It also gained recognition through its advertising slogan, "the car you drive when you've made it." It has been a strong performer for Hyundai Motor, with around 100,000 units sold each time a new model is released.
The seventh-generation model, launched in late 2022 as an homage to the so-called "boxy Grandeur," sold 113,062 units in 2023, while the sixth-generation Grandeur IG recorded 132,080 units at the time of its 2017 launch.
This model is a facelift of the seventh generation, but the changes it carries are not minor. It drew attention with the installation of Pleos Connect, a next-generation infotainment system that signals Hyundai Motor Group's transition to software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The latest technologies, such as pedal misapplication safety assistance, have been added, and the front end, featuring the Seamless Horizon Lamp, was reworked, earning praise for a more youthful sensibility.
Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor will hold "The New Grandeur Tech Pop-up Store" event for two days starting on the 9th at Informal Square in Seongdong-gu, Seoul.
The New Grandeur Tech Pop-up Store is the first event Hyundai Motor has organized around the theme of technology. It is designed as a space where customers can experience the key technologies applied to The New Grandeur.
The New Grandeur Tech Pop-up Store operated by displaying parts related to the core technologies applied to The New Grandeur, including the 1.6 turbo next-generation hybrid system, R&H, Pleos Connect, and the Smart Vision Roof, with researchers personally introducing the development background and differentiated technology of each.
Since the launch of its first-generation model in 1986, the Grandeur has been Hyundai Motor's flagship model that has led the history of Korea's luxury sedans by being the first to showcase forward-looking design and advanced technology over the past 40 years or so.
Through this Tech Pop-up Store, Hyundai Motor sought to highlight the heritage of technological innovation the Grandeur has built up across generations, while allowing customers to see and experience firsthand the advanced technologies applied to The New Grandeur and to confirm Hyundai Motor's future mobility technology and competitiveness.
The New Grandeur is the first Hyundai Motor vehicle to feature the next-generation infotainment platform Pleos Connect. Centered on a 17-inch central display, Pleos Connect implements an intuitive user interface, providing a digital environment that makes vehicle information and content easier and more convenient to use.
"The New Grandeur Tech Pop-up Store is Hyundai Motor's first technology-focused pop-up store and a place designed to allow general customers to experience the Grandeur's advanced technologies firsthand," a Hyundai Motor official said. "Hyundai Motor will continue to provide even more differentiated mobility experiences based on customer-centered technological innovation."
