HYUNDAI AZERA RECEIVES J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES APEAL AWARD


06/28/2006 The all-new 2006 Hyundai Azera earned distinction from J.D. Power and Associates today as the most appealing Large Car in the 2006 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. In addition, the Hyundai Tiburon ranked second in the Compact Sporty Car segment.

“In its first year of production, the Azera has earned recognition for high quality, impressive safety features and, now, consumer appeal,” said Mark Barnes, vice president, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. “In addition, the Tiburon sporty coupe continues to impress owners with its dynamic styling, performance and safety, adding depth and diversity to our product portfolio.”

The Azera trophy case has grown recently with a number of honors and awards. It captured the AutoPacific 2006 Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) for the Large Car category. Forbes.com named the Azera the Best Luxurious Car for a Nonluxury Price in its 2006 “Best Cars for the Bucks” list. J.D. Power and Associates’ Initial Quality Study (IQS) ranked Azera second in the Large Car segment. Finally, the 2006 Azera earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) top crash test ratings for frontal offset impacts, aided by unsurpassed standard safety equipment like Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) and eight airbags.

The Tiburon also scored high marks in the 2006 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, ranking second in the Compact Sporty Car segment.
The annual APEAL Study measures owner delight with the design, content, layout and performance of their new vehicles. The study is based on responses from more than 63,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2006 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumer annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies. J.D. Power and Associates can be accessed through the World Wide Web at www.jdpower.com.

About Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America, based in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai cars and sports utility vehicles are distributed in the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 700 dealerships nationwide. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.