Hyundai driveaway deals on small cars

HYUNDAI has introduced $13,990 driveaway pricing for the base model Getz three-door 1.3-litre XL as it struggles to energise its flagging sales.

The once pre-eminent small car company is in a sales nosedive that has steepened in 2003 despite the introduction of the Getz and the return of the Accent.

To the end of April Hyundai Automotive Distributors Australia (HADA) had sold 8052 vehicles in Australia, compared to 13,258 in the same period of 2002.

HADA has been heading down in sales terms consistently since the late 1990s when it was in the 60,000 sales per annum zone. It managed just 34,176 sales in 2002.

Driveaway pricing has been introduced across the Getz range and for the single model Hyundai Accent 1.6 three-door. The Getz pricing includes free air-conditioning. Auto remains an $1863 option.

Driveaway pricing already exists for the Elantra small car range.

HADA made its name and biggest sales volumes in Australia selling the defunct Excel model for $13,990 driveaway with free air.

Initially it had hoped to sell as many as 2000 Getzes per month, but the car has rarely got close to 1000 per month. HADA now wants to sell 1000-1200 Getzes per month.

The driveaway offer follows the previous week's decision to slash pricing on more expensive models by the GST component. That means a saving of almost $4000 on the flagship sedan, the Grandeur XG.

But the driveaway and GST deals have a cut-off date of June 30.

HADA director of sales and marketing Theo van Doore said the price reductions had been made possible by the improving exchange rate between the Aussie dollar and the South Korean won.

HADA had bought from the factory in US dollars until a change to Aussie dollars within the past six months.

"The Aussie dollar has been building to its now three-year high and that currency strength brings economies which we are passing on to our prospective customers," Mr van Doore said.

PRICING:

	Was	Is
Getz XL 3-door	$13,490 + on-road costs	$13,990 driveaway with free air
Getz GL 3-door	$14,990 + on-road costs	$14,490 driveaway with free air
Getz GL 5-door	$16,990 + on-road costs	$16,990 driveaway with free air
Getz FX	$19,990 + on-road costs	$17,990 driveaway
Accent 3-door	$14,990 + on-road costs	$15,490 driveaway with free air