All-New 2013 Santa Fe Finds Robust Sales Demand While Attracting A Higher Demographic CUV Buyer

COSTA MESA, Calif., Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai( )Motor America today released key sales metrics and early buyer demographics from the highly successful launch of its all-new 2013 Santa Fe CUV. Last week, Santa Fe received ALG’s prestigious Highest Residual Value for the Midsize Utility Vehicle segment, establishing market expectations for superior value retention, both off-lease and in the pre-owned vehicle market. Equally impressive, Santa Fe has earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick recommendation as well as top-ranked 5-star NHTSA crash ratings, indicating superb crashworthiness in various critical collision categories.

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    2013 Santa Fe Launch Highlights
    Industry Accolades
    ALG Highest Residual Value for Midsize Utility
     Vehicle segmentIIHS Top Safety PickNHTSA
     5-star crash test ratings
    New, Higher Demographic Santa Fe Buyer
    Average household income level up 36% above
     previous modelYounger median buyer age,
     nearly five years below previous modelHigh
     Turbo model sales mix of 39%, a premium buyer
     preference
    Early Launch Sales Metrics
    Dealer days-to-turn rate: 30 days49% faster
     than industry average 59 days for same
     periodYear-over-year sales nearly 15% above
     previous model
    --------------------------------------------

“Santa Fe is enjoying outstanding consumer demand with a new, higher-demographic CUV buyer, higher transaction prices and top-ranked crash safety ratings from the most respected safety agencies,” said Michael O’Brien, vice president of corporate and product planning for Hyundai Motor America. “Santa Fe dealer inventories are turning at a brisk 30-day pace, and we are very pleased with the new, upmarket class of buyers attracted to its combination of fluidic sculpture design, exceptional value, interior flexibility and outstanding safety credentials.”

Even with Santa Fe’s outstanding safety ratings, curb weights remain class-leading, a benefit of Hyundai’s strategic use of high-tensile steel in specific structural areas of the platform.

    CUV     Santa Fe Sport      Edge       Equinox       Journey       Venza       Escape
    ---     --------------      ----       -------       -------       -----       ------
     Base
     Curb
     Weight
     (lbs.)               3,459      4,050         3,777         3,818       3,870        3,502
     ------               -----      -----         -----         -----       -----        -----

Early internal Hyundai buyer studies for the 2013 Santa Fe indicate a younger buyer than the previous Santa Fe by nearly five years, with 36 percent higher income. It is also attracting more educated buyers than the compact CUV segment in which it competes.

In terms of in-market shopper demand, Santa Fe has surged over the past few months since the introduction of the new model, according to the marketing analytics firm Kantar Compete. Further, according to TrueCar studies measuring a cross-section of shopper demand on a variety of shopping-oriented websites, Santa Fe demand is up 67 percent over the previous model. Using industry inventory data from Cars.com, Santa Fe has the fastest days-to-turn rate (30 days) in its segment by a large margin.

                      Santa Fe Sport Edge Equinox Journey Venza Escape
                      -------------- ---- ------- ------- ----- ------
    Days-to-turn rate                 30   57      72      71    49     34
    -----------------                ---  ---     ---     ---   ---    ---

Santa Fe sales for the early launch period, September through November, are outpacing year-over-year sales for the previous model Santa Fe by nearly 15 percent, even without the benefit of the soon-to-be-released, larger 3-row Santa Fe. The new three-row, seven-passenger Santa Fe configuration made its world debut at last week’s 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, joining the two-row, five-passenger Santa Fe Sport. The new three-row Santa Fe will be on sale early 2013.

Santa Fe Model Line Sales Volume

             Sep.-Nov. 2012 Sep.-Nov. 2011 New Model Sales Increase
             -------------- -------------- ------------------------
    SANTA FE                20,154         17,541                 14.8%
    --------                ------         ------                 ----

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, 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 through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

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SOURCE Hyundai Motor America