Hyundai Now Charges Extra for the Instrument Cluster in Two Models
Instrument Clusters Are Now Paid Extras in Two Hyundai Models
Hyundai is making the instrument cluster a paid extra on the new Avante (Elantra) and Ioniq 3 in Korea. The Avante's base trim can add a 9.9-inch display for $255, but the Ioniq 3's base trim lacks the option entirely, forcing buyers to step up a trim for $5,000. Both cars run Hyundai's Pleos Connect infotainment, which will reach the U.S. by decade's end, potentially bringing this cost-cutting trend stateside.
Not the most expensive optional extra in the world, but still kind of a slap in the face for a feature traditionally viewed as standard fare.
- avidiax
One of the problems with this kind of marketing is that there are essentially no base-models available at dealerships. So the flexibility supposedly provided by making the gauge cluster an option is not actually available to the consumer. This is just a money-grab while advertising a low price.
The ads all show the fully loaded model, "starting from" $LowPrice. We need a rule that the price shown is for the fully loaded model ($HighPrice), maybe fine print "configurable as low as $LowPrice". And then they have to actually allow you to configure that base model, and stock it. Otherwise, it's just effectively false advertising when every dealership gets just one base model that they will not sell to you.
- 542458
Two notes - 1, this applies only to a pair of base models in the Korean market (for now) and 2, the info is still there, but it's on the central screen and not on the instrument cluster behind the wheel.
You can see it in the article's hero image: https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/2fa717dc-2eea-4e...
The thin screen is not always present, but the larger screen shows the same info upper-left.
- bluGill
The old jeeps had the speedometer in the middle of the dash. I don't know how that worked but they were never good on road vehicles anyway (they could do it, just not well) and off road you don't need that. Jeeps in the past 30 or 50 years have moved to cars with an off road image. Still better than most off road, but mostly off road is and after-thought in the design.
- matthews3
A lot of Minis had the central speedo. Unsure if it's true or just automotive legend, but allegedly it was for cost cutting (fewer changes between left hand drive and right hand drive models). So nothing ever changes.
- mdavid626
- I’m sorry officer I didn’t know I was speeding. My car isn’t equipped with an instrument cluster.
- Oh, I see, go on then.