Why Chinese car design lags the western world.

MotoMan sits down with the Global Head of ‪@HyundaiMotorGroup‬ Design Center, Simon Loasby, to initially discuss the all-new for 2026 ‪@hyundai‬ IONIQ 9 when their conversation takes a turn: How does a car company navigate beyond trends and why Chinese car OEMs struggle with innovative design . . .
#Hyundai #HyundaiIONIQ9 #IONIQ9
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[@mikemaslanka3786]

Hyundai is hitting some home runs for sure. Their future is very bright.

@@mikemaslanka3786 The Koreans would be may favourite brands but that are too expensive in Thailand - and the cars are build in China, too.

[@basslinefreshdetailing]

They are growing very fast! Wow Hyundai! Amazing to see how they keep attempting to Compete against the Big Boys like Mazda, BMW, Audi

[@cheapercharlie]

This was the best interview you have had. Simon is amazing in his communication abilities such as the trends vs signals discussion.

[@LYNDONGOLDEN]

Fantastic discussion to enjoy with my morning coffee. Specifically, I am thinking of Simon's explanation of a signal versus a trend. His real-world, intelligent definitions of signal/trend are NOT something we learned in my college marketing courses.

[@ruk2023--]

Agreed. I have always believed that trends are too late to follow because they are already happening but I haven't found a succinct way to explain it before now.

[@schizo0223]

Now I understand the design of so much better and appreciate it. Until now, I liked the EV9 better, but I appreciate the design of the Ioniq 9.

[@nawafa4307]

Hyundai is super creative. No doubt. Their biggest challenge will be figuring out how to compete with the Chinese on cost/performance ratio. Without an alliance with china, I think it will be challenging.

[@nawafa4307]

I know Luc personally and I know he would have totally gone for the gear change thing.

[@IceDree]

Loved the discussion, M. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving day with your friends and family.

[@brianc7474]

Fantastic conversation and insights.

[@kyolml]

Is title misleading? I watched the entire show no where Si or motorman saying Chinese design is lagging now. Only said 15 years ago no startup so everything drinking from fire hose that growing fast.

[@franzvanjulio5523]

That was awesome.

[@paulpellico3797]

nice conversation. but i always mistrust an executive telling me the truth about his employer. and as far as watching the signals....the signals AGAINST the EV are flashing RED everywhere. peopleare bitching and is he listening, or just following corp orders.

[@zoner__]

A life well lived

[@DanH-u3f]

Their design from top brands are good, its their reliability that is the problem.

[@raymondreynolds1796]

No Chinese cars for me. I don’t believe they have the quality. They remind me of Hyundai of 20+ years ago. Plus I think they might be collecting data, as welll.

I am living in Thailand where Chinese EVs are the only affordable option. I own a BYD Dolphin now since 14 month (35,000 km) and I am very astonished about the quality. The BYD is very close to our former Mazda cars. The Dolphin is a cheap car. I just could sit in the new Sealion 7 and this is a big jump in quality. This are meanwhile very good cars. They improved much faster than the Korean. MG was the first Chinese brand in Thailand about 10 years ago and it’s cars were crap. That has changed. Chinese EVs has meanwhile surpassed Western cars in case of technology and have much more better design.

[@loseerich493]

You may be right about their quality but as far as collecting data, they're all doing it. I was at a conference with some BMW heavy hitters earlier this month where they were discussing the lack of moving glass in the roof of the new X3. The reason they gave for that was data collected from their products' use by consumers was the typical moonroof was only used by like 2% of owners. When I say data collected I don't mean by customer survey, it's data the cars send back to the mothership.

[@protonjicari5990]

Hahaha keep believing. One day you western folks will just be left behind 😂😂😂

[@Uzaair]

Quite literally everyone is collecting your data

@@loseerich493 All manufactures with OTA collect data. I have nothing to hide, anyway.

[@chestophercolumbo4561]

No West Taiwan cars for me...We are already drowning in West Taiwan products and run a nearly 300B trade deficit with them - the inflation effects of tariffs on their products are worth the short term pain and long term gain for our workers.

[@infernoking7504]

Look at chinese car parts cheap always fail sooner than oem and have shit quality. Same goes with there cars.

That was in the past. Times have changed.

[@infernoking7504]

Its not the past parts I order thinking that are american or german parts for my car chinese and the quality is always bad hell half the time its not even a cheap price anymore.

@ What Chinese cars brands do you know or have driven?

@ The pricing of Chinese cars for export is very strange. Thailand has also high import tariffs but offers good conditions for manufacturing in Thailand. So most Japanese brands produce in Thailand for this market but also for export. Chinese brands also have now factories in Thailand and we have very competitive prices. A BYD Seal is about 30% cheaper than a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. But BYD cars are too expensive in Europe, even before the tariffs. I don’t know if the importer wants too much profit?

[@infernoking7504]

Also there's the moral sign I hate China because it's civilians are slaves at least in America we have freedoms. In China there is none I don't want to support that fanatically BYD is a bad company founded directly by China as well bad vehicles I've been in em I'm a engineer and a mechanic I can tell you avoid them

[@NeedSpeedRC]

Oddly, no thoughtful discussion about how much this brand “borrows” design inspiration and then claim originality.

[@juanseaforth5111]

First!!