Earnhardt Auto Centers Celebrates Hyundai as Best SUV Brand Award Winner

MESA, Ariz., December 9, 2020 (Newswire.com) - The Hyundai brand has defied expectations again, earning the Best SUV Brand award from U.S. News and World Report. In an era that is marked by a growing emphasis on SUVs as personal transportation, this award takes on extra significance. Hyundai has nearly tripled its SUV offerings since 2018.

Earnhardt Auto Centers owns four Hyundai franchises across the Phoenix-Metro Area in Arizona, which is also part of one of the top regions for Hyundai sales in the country.

“Our SUVs have been popular for years,” explained Tom Scheurn, General Manager of San Tan Hyundai in Gilbert, Arizona. “It’s inspiring to earn this accolade from one of the most important voices in automotive journalism today and shows how strong our brand is.”

U.S. News and World Report does its own research and testing, but it also bases its awards on a consensus among automotive journalists at other prestigious outlets, such as Kelley Blue Book, J.D. Power, and more. This brings extra weight to its award process. A good reputation in all areas plus outstanding safety scores are required to achieve the best brand recognition.  

The eight-passenger Hyundai Palisades is the brand’s largest three-row family SUV to date. The 2020 and 2021 models rank in the top three for best SUVs with three rows at U.S. News. On the other end of the spectrum, the Hyundai Venue is a subcompact SUV with a budget-minded price tag.  With its advanced standard technologies, it moved past bigger competitors to take a spot in the top 20 two-row SUVs. 

“For me, the award is more evidence that Hyundai quality is uniform across the lineup,” said Mark Rushford, General Manager of Earnhardt Hyundai North Scottsdale. “The Best SUV Brand Award shows that each model -- from the well-known to the new entries -- are good values for the money. We’re excited to represent and sell them here at Earnhardt.”

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe earned Best SUV for the Money award and is the top-ranked midsize SUV at U.S. News. The site ranks the 2020 Hyundai Palisades at number three in this category, giving Hyundai two out of three of the top spots. In addition, the 2020 Hyundai Kona earned number one for compact SUVs.

“My takeaway is that Hyundai continues to move in the right direction as it broadens its list of SUV styles and emphasizes must-have technology even at the least-expensive entry-level,” said Peter Pasiakos, General Manager of Rodeo Hyundai in Surprise, Arizona. “While some associate Hyundai with the best warranty in the business, these automotive journalists recognize how well-rounded our products really are.” 

“I think it is significant that Hyundai earned this award in a year that saw the introduction of two new SUVs,” said Adam Breen, General Manager of Earnhardt Hyundai in Avondale, Arizona. “Sometimes it takes a while for a new model to earn respect.”

Source: Earnhardt Auto Centers