Hyundai Shows Unprecedented Improvement in J.D. Power Interim APEAL Study

    FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., June 1 Hyundai recorded an
unprecedented seven-position improvement in the J.D. Power and Associates 2001
Interim APEAL Study.  The acronym APEAL stands for Automotive Performance
Execution And Layout.  An improvement this large has never occurred before in
the history of this influential study.  Overall, Hyundai moved up into the
27th position.  Hyundai's three newest vehicles, the XG300 sedan, the Santa Fe
sport utility vehicle and the compact Elantra GLS helped account for this
outstanding increase in APEAL.
    In the Premium Midsize Car Segment, the Hyundai XG300 sedan with
880 points out of a possible 1000, ranked second overall out of 25 vehicles.
Only the Toyota Avalon scored more points in the category.  In the hotly
contested Entry SUV segment the Hyundai Santa Fe with 853 points finished in
second position out of 14.  The Hyundai Elantra GLS with 847 points placed
fourth out of 23 in the Premium Compact Car Segment.
    "These three new vehicles were introduced last fall and all of them
exemplify Hyundai's continuing commitment to quality and improving the brand
image," said Robert Cosmai, Hyundai's vice president of sales.  "The Hyundai
combination of quality, value and America's Best Warranty make the Hyundai
vehicle the smart buy in any category."
    The J.D. Power and Associates APEAL Study measures three critical
requirements which substantially impact how successfully a manufacturer's
product will perform in the market.  The three criteria are: defining customer
requirements; translating those requirements into specifications and
integrating the requirements thoroughly into engineering, manufacturing and
field activities.  Hyundai's results show how successful the company has been
in implementing these requirements into the products they offer in the U.S.
automobile marketplace.
    Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif. is a
subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea.  Hyundai vehicles are distributed
throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and
serviced by more than 500 Hyundai dealers nationwide.