The rapid rise of Hyundai and Kia from Europe’s automotive margins

The growth of the Hyundai and Kia manufacturing operations in Europe in recent times has been remarkable, not just in terms of their scale, but also in terms of their focus. The two brands produce vehicles in Europe’s highly competitive B- and C-segments; however, this has not stymied their growth and both brands have established themselves in Europe while traditional major players like Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroen have struggled and indeed seen their market shares fall. Hyundai and Kia have been amongst the main beneficiaries of this change in market structure and seem likely to continue in this vein.