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Hyundai’s success around the world is evident as the car company continues to grow despite current global economic challenges. Though sales are down in the US, few companies are performing better than Hyundai in North America, allowing the Korean automaker to pick up important market share. Until recently, Hyundai was a blip on the European radar, but the company has managed to sell enough cars to take over the tenth position across the continent.

Despite Hyundai’s success, the automaker still isn’t showing all of its cards to the all important American car market. Earlier this year, Americans were treated to the release of the all new luxury Genesis sedan, followed up quickly by the Genesis coupe, a car that compares favorably with the Chevy Camaro. The top of the line Equus, a car that competes with the BMW 7 Series may become the next model to be sold on this side of the Pacific, but it is another Hyundai model, the subcompact i10, that just longs to be sold in the states.

Pity that Hyundai has no plans to ship the i10 stateside.

Hyundai i10: Not Ready For Prime Time?

Keeping the i10 out of the US market may be only a temporary move on Hyundai’s part as the automaker seeks to meet growing demand in India, where the car is produced, as well as across the European continent where it recently has begun to take hold. Powered by a 1.1L I4 engine paired with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, the i10 is considered a city car, the smallest car size available for sale. The only car of comparable size to it in the US is the Smart Fortwo, but the Hyundai model is slightly larger with a rear seat to accommodate two to three additional people.

If the model was sold in the US, it would like retail for under $10,000 especially if Chennai, India production was expanded and the car sent from that plant. Right now, Chennai is supplying the i10 to all markets where it is sold, capitalizing on low labor costs to keep the price down.

Hyundai i20 and i30 Next?

Though the smallest of the Hyundai models isn’t being sold in the US, two slightly larger models may soon arrive here. The i20 is powered by a 1.2L I4 engine, while the i30 is powered by a 1.4L and larger I4 engines. A variation of the i30 is currently sold in the US, the Elantra, which replaced Hyundai’s Excel series in 1991.

With the US federal government ordering even higher fuel mileage standards for the coming years, the likelihood of the smallest Hyundai models arriving in the states in the coming years improves. Until that time, Hyundai faithful will have to wait, hoping that changing market conditions will drive future product offerings.

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Source by Matthew C. Keegan