Hyundai Stops Marketing Accent, Elantra Base Models
While the 2012 Hyundai Accent starts at $12,445 and the Hyundai Elantra at $15,195, you’d be hard pressed to find either of those low-priced models at Hyundai dealerships.
Because of the limited supply of base models, Hyundai has stopped marketing its base prices of the 2012 Accent and Elantra on its website. It’s also due to limited interest in those base vehicles by dealers and car buyers alike, said Miles Johnson, a Hyundai spokesman.
When you go to Hyundai’s website and use its configurator, it will automatically equip the Accent or Elantra with the Comfort Equipment Package (Package 2), Johnson said. The Accent’s price change has been on Hyundai’s website for at least a month, according to our observations.
The lowest-priced Accent shows up as $14,195 on the company’s retail website. The GLS has a manual transmission and the Comfort Equipment Package, which adds air conditioning, iPod connectivity, power windows and mirrors, 172-watt stereo system and cloth door inserts. If you want an Accent with an automatic transmission, that model still starts at $15,195.
On Hyundai’s website, the Elantra starts at $16,445 for the GLS trim with a manual transmission and the Comfort Package, which includes cruise control, air conditioning and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The 2012 Elantra’s price was increased by $250 across the trim lineup less than a year after the launch of its redesign.
Technically, Hyundai hasn’t raised its Elantra and Accent prices with this move. This is the same thing Toyota does with its attractive base Prius pricing that’s essentially unavailable to retail car shoppers.
The more realistic pricing should help mend the differences between Hyundai’s teaser rates and the actual pricing most customers will pay before leaving the lot.
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It's worse than that, the dealer I bought my Elantra from loads his cars with edge guards, pin stripes, paint protection etc. They work the retail up another $1,500 with a product cost probably under $200. If the car wasn't so hard to come by I'd have gone elsewhere, probably will next time. Don't buy the we can't make any money story on a car that typically sits on a lot less than a week.
The dealer i went to wanted around $1800 for the same appearance package. They said that if i was interested in the vehicle that they would not apply it after it comes off the truck. Every Accent and Elantra on the lot had pinstripes and door edge guards on them. I guess since they're in such high demand, they can do whatever to them and people will still by them. I'm still debating with going with Hyundai or the Ford Focus.
Wow, $1500 to 1800 to make a perfectly attractive cars ugly...hopefully, these dealers are exceptions...or Hyundai/Kia may want to consider hiring back their old crappy design staff...
I've seen those kits before but never at that price. You have to say you want them removed and you're not paying for them. Part of the negotiation. You can always walk out.
This has been on the website for over two months. Most people want A/C and radio.
I think I mentioned this in Sept.:
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2011/09/2012-hyundai-accent-video.html
Derrick,
We made the point as well when the cars were released. Same with Jetta. But VW from the beginning didn't advertise the lower priced models that weren't widely available. Now Hyundai is following suit and that's why we did the story after they confirmed it with us.
At the Hyundai dealerships owned by my brothers the models with the lowest trim level are the most in demand, the first to go and the hardest to come by. Many buyers wait weeks for one.
And every dealership tacks on extra margin to the vehicles that are highest in demand. Even the entry-level ones.
A friend of mine at a Jeep dealership tells me that their hottest seller is the Grand Cherokee in the Laredo trim and they tack on about $1800 to MSRP for extra margin.
Their slowest seller in that line is the Limited and they often have to discount that one to move it. Many 2011s still available at that trim level, for cheap. But just try to get a 2012 Laredo trim. Good luck!
The Overland and the SRT8 are squarely aimed at the luxo-SUV demographic like Land Rover, BMW and Mercedes, and those buyers buy them at whatever price the market will bear.
Hyundai is pretty smart in tailoring their trim level to the demographic actually buying these vehicles. More car makers need to do that.
Odd thing is though when this
http://ask.cars.com/2011/10/which-cars-are-still-available-with-manual-windows.html
was posted there were at the time quite a few listed as base models with pictures taken by the dealer clearly showing manual windows.
The local Hyundai dealer here in Albuquerque tacks on a $3000 dealer markup on every car on their lot. No pinstripes, no "protection package", just pure profit mark up, and it's not negotiable. And they still sell every car they get. I don't know why customers take it.