Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Hyundai Motor, Kia make renewed effort in Japan
Hyundai Motor's flagship IONIQ 5 electric SUV / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor
By Lee Min-hyung
Hyundai Motor and Kia will showcase their strategic eco-friendly vehicles at the upcoming Japan Mobility Show 2025, in a renewed push for the Japanese market — long dominated by the country’s domestic carmakers.
This marks the first time since 2005 the two Korean carmakers will jointly attend the event, slated to run from Oct. 30-Nov. 9 in Tokyo.
Hyundai Motor will unveil the all-new NEXO fuel cell electric vehicle for the first time in Japan on the sidelines of the upcoming mobility fair. The carmaker will also promote a selection of its fully electric vehicles (EVs), such as the flagship IONIQ 5 electric SUV and the Inster Cross subcompact electric SUV.
The carmaker’s return to the Japanese mobility show came about 12 years after it last attended in 2013. Hyundai Motor had been placing less focus on the Japanese auto market amid its falling sales and ultra-tough competition against the country’s home-grown carmakers, such as Toyota Motor.
Hyundai Motor, however, has shifted its strategy to spur its global sales growth, particularly in eco-friendly cars, as the carmaker faces mounting tariff uncertainties in its largest export market, the United States.
According to data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association, Hyundai Motor’s accumulated sales in Japan between January and September came in at 759 vehicles, up 54 percent from the previous year.
Kia is also returning to the auto fair for the first time in two decades. The carmaker will showcase its purpose-built vehicle — the PV 5 — to target Japan’s commercial electric car market. Kia is set to start sales for the strategic electric van starting in 2026.
The PV5 features a modular flexible body system, which enables users to replace the upper body of the car with other modules in line with their specific purposes.
Both Hyundai Motor and Kia will not showcase any vehicles powered by internal combustion engines at the upcoming fair, as they can't gain a competitive edge against Japan’s favored domestic auto brands, such as Toyota, Honda and Nissan.
“Hyundai Motor Group’s global standing in the eco-friendly cars sector is getting stronger, and the carmaker hopes to extend the momentum into other territories, such as Japan, to boost its global sales for EVs,” an official from the auto industry said.