Even when marketers are locked in an epic struggle for the hearts of consumers, they still treat each other with a basic level of respect. After all, the competition is just competition; the real enemy is the consumer. But the competing impulses towards ruthless competition and collegial courtesy can often just cause more confusion. Take this spot from Hyundai, which makes a big joke out of a problem that isn’t especially widespread, and yet refuses to actually land the punch. What Hyundai is trying to do here is mock Chevrolet for coming out with a special “Eco” version of its Cruze that gets 42 MPG highway, and then using that claim to advertise all Cruzes with just an asterisk to remind buyers that the Eco model costs extra. Which is an interesting approach, except that we haven’t been able to find much evidence of this tactic… in fact, it seems that at least some Cruze ads cop to a 36 MPG, and the asterisk only references that the number is from the EPA. Did Hyundai jump the gun on this one? If so, the brand’s decision to break out sales of every 40 MPG vehicle it sells should help get things back on track.
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Was this a TV commercial? It seems kinda… amateur hour for that.
faced with a choice of 36 and 40 mpg? Everyone should have such problems.
I don’t think this is actually from Hyundai.
I love this commercial – my kind of humor but the production value is kinda amateur.
The “asterisk” reference is probably harmless, insofar as the point about conditional gas mileage figures is made whether or not Chevy actually uses an asterisk in its advertising.
The greater risk probably lies in saying “40 mpg for all… no asterisk” (1:01), which budding lawyers will surely argue is a promise to deliver 40 mpg for every driver under all conditions. Keep in mind that these are the same people who sued McDonalds for serving coffee hot.
Needs more Jeff Bridges and less running time.
Ford does the same thing with the Fiesta. You have to buy a special package in order to get the MPGs they claim in their commercial, but almost none of the cars come with it on dealer lots.
I agree with BlueEr03 – the dig was as much at Ford as it was at GM. The 2012 Focus is scheduled to get 40mpg with an automatic only. Hence the quote about 40mpg with Standard OR automatic transmission. But then I suppose highlighting Ford would have diminished the author’s anti-GM bias.
The Cruze ECO manual gets 42. The auto gets 37. So I think the dig is there too. I really think this was aimed at GM because the Cruze has the special version, again what is referenced in this commercial.
I went to Hyudai’s website and used their search to find cars above 36 MPG. There were no results. This commercial needs an asterisk.
The Cruze’s Eco Package is a joke that 99% of people won’t buy; it’s only there for advertising. The majority of people are going to buy the regular underpowered model that gets mediocre mileage.
My 1998 Corolla got 38 and even up to 40 MPG on the highway. We are talking 1998 and the car was sticker priced $15,300 for the CE model. By now you would expect at least 45 MPG. Oh yea, the Honda Civic HX stick got 44 MPG EPA figure and easily topped 48 MPG in actual use. Once again, many moons ago.
The EPA ratings for your ’98 Corolla are 27 and 34 (manual transmission). Use those to compare.
And your Corolla is smaller, less powerful and has fewer features. You’re comparing apples to oranges.
Drive the vehicle. It isn’t underpowered. It also doesn’t get mediocre mileage.
When you go to the store, I’m sure you like choices. What’s wrong with GM giving you choices with the Cruze? If you want the Cruze Eco, then buy it and you will get the best gas mileage in it’s class. (better than the Hundai). I guess when Hundai gets beaten, it has to find a way to make itself look better. I think it’s a poor ad for Hundai.
Americans who would buy a Korean car over an American car are totally retarded. Go to Korea and see what Korean’s buy – LOCAL
Americans are totally self destructive if they continue to give foreign auto makers such a huge chuck of their annual auto sales
Wake the heck up!
If you can find a better car – buy it, as Lee Iaccoca said, and they did…. Now what, you complain?
By your logic it is okay to buy cars such as a honda accord, toyota camry, and hyundai sonata (all built in america) but not okay to buy cars such as a chevy impala and ford fusion (not built in america). Maybe you are the one that is retarded.
CamO is right – it would have been better to avoid all those imports while GM, F, and C were building quality cars like the Cimarron, Grenada, and Newport.
Gimme a break; your comments are so 1980.
Except isn’t the Cruze a Daewoo product, despite being built in Lordstown? And aren’t most of the Hyundais sold in the US built in the US? The Hyundai may well have higher US content than the Cruze, considering how much stuff GM is making in China these days.
The Elantra under discussion in this thread, is built in Alabama. Most cars that Hyundai sells in North America are built in the USA.
krhodes1,
Domestic content is a joke these days. If 90% comes from China, but final assembly is in the North America, it can be counted as domestic content. Where do you think all of the electronics comes from in all of the cars these days?
I’m with you 100%. The American car companies now build better cars than the Asian, so there is no more excuses.
There is a point on my daily walk, where on a clear day I can see GM. From the same spot on a real clear day I can see the United States. I guess that still makes the Oshawa built Impala, and Camaro foreign eh?
Wait..my winter beater Jimmy came from Linden N.J. …OMG! I’m driving an import!
This is definitely an amateur production. It seems like some kid did this in 20 minutes for his film class. No way it’s an actual commercial.