U.S. auto dealers will be allowed to sell cars online via Amazon next year, with Hyundai being the first manufacturer to participate, the two companies announced.
Customers will be able to narrow their search for a Hyundai brand car on Amazon by model, color, features and trim, and be able to pick it up at a dealership or have the car delivered.
Payment and financing options will be available at checkout.
“Despite the industry’s focus on improving this experience, customers continue to express frustration with the process. They see how easy it is to buy all the products on Amazon, and they want that convenience when buying a car,” Hyundai Motor Group Global Chief Operating Officer Jose Munoz said on Thursday. at the Los Angeles Motor Show
The program is projected to start in the latter part of 2024.
A Hyundai spokesperson told Automotive News that the program will start with 18 dealerships across the counry, although the location of those dealers was not specified.
Neither company said whether other Hyundai Motor Group-owned brands, Kia and Genesis, will be available on Amazon.
Another part of the “broad strategic partnership” between the two companies is the inclusion of built-in Amazon Alexa in Hyundai cars starting in 2025. The companies did not say which models qualified.
In cars with built-in Alexa, drivers will be able to use all of the functions of their at-home Alexa units, including playing audio, setting reminders and controlling smart home functions, from behind the wheel. Some features will be available regardless of internet availability.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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