Hyundai 'sharpens edge' in luxury market

Imported Hyundai Equus and Rohens models now have a series of warantee enhancements.

New warantee covers range of services and unlimited miles

Driving in the blazing hot sun to get their car serviced might be the last thing people want to do over the hot summer.

But owners of Hyundai's Equus and Rohens models are spared the effort thanks to the carmaker's home-to-home service.

Part of the Hyundai Premium Assurance program, the service enables owners to make a simple phone call to various dealerships whose teams do the rest.

Hyundai also offers free loaner cars to use while maintenance is underway.

The Premium Assurance program launched in this January is designed to improve the carmaker's brand image in the premium imported auto market in China, said an executive at Hyundai Motor Group (China) Ltd's sales department.

"It is an important tool for us to sharpen our competitive edge in the field of luxury vehicles," he added.

The program also offers a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage for Equus models in addition to 20 free regular maintenance visits.

A further incentive is trade-ins for both Equus and Rohens models that allow owners to claim back up to 80 percent of the purchase price within a year.

The program also entitles owners of the two models to have their cars replaced for free if they have major traffic accident.

Another value-added service in the program is a free five-day visit to South Korea for car owners.

In late May, the second group of Equus and Rohens owners arrived in Seoul, where they toured the modern metropolis and had a world-class South Korean medical checkup.

They also visited Hyundai's pavilion at the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu, a port city in the south of the country, to gain a better understanding of the carmaker.

"Since South Korea is China's close neighbor, it is quite convenient for our customers to visit the country to understand Hyundai's corporate culture," said a company leader.

The Equus and Rohens models, both assembled in South Korea, entered the Chinese market in 2008 and 2009, respectively.

Named after the Latin word for "horse", the Equus is the flagship model in Hyundai's lineup.

The Rohens, called Genesis in other countries, debuted in March 2007 as a concept car at the New York International Auto Show before it was mass-produced in 2008.

Founded in 1967, Hyundai Motor is now the fifth-largest carmaker in the world.

Zhuanti@chinadaily.com.cn