José Muñoz left Nissan Motor Co. to join Hyundai Motor America Inc. in April.
His job will be to continue to elevate the brand, keep dealers happy and of course boost sales.
Hyundai has spent plenty of time padding its lineup with SUVs, including the three-row Palisade and Kona (offered in a gas engine and all-electric version) for the U.S. market. It’s also testing tech with the autonomous vehicle ride-sharing program, BotRide, in Irvine, and will once again advertise in the upcoming Super Bowl with a 60-second spot during the second quarter.
The company is up 3.6% year-to-date in November, to 624,051 vehicles sold.
Next year, Muñoz’s first full year on the job (he’s also global chief operating officer of Hyundai Motor Co.), will be one to watch as he puts his mark on the business.
