• by Tanya Gazdik , Staff Writer, July 23, 2018

Hyundai’s 16-month long partnership with Amazon is expanding to include a new digital “showroom.” It will feature more “robust” information on the Hyundai brand and vehicles available via the online retailer. It also gives customers the ability to quickly find a Hyundai dealer in their area.

Car buyers can compare pricing and reviews, book test drives, check dealer inventories and other Shopper Assurance conveniences directly through Amazon Vehicles. The new digital showroom can be found at Amazon.com/Hyundai.

“The car industry is changing, and customer demands and expectations around a frictionless, efficient and transparent experience are key drivers,” says Dean Evans, CMO Hyundai Motor America, who gave a detailed presentation on Shopper Assurance at MediaPost’s Marketing: Automotive conference at the New York Auto Show earlier this year. “Hyundai Shopper Assurance was just the first step in modernizing the way people shop for and buy cars.”

The automaker and online retailer partnered in March 2017 to to let potential customers order up test drives right from the e-tailer’s website. Available via Amazon Prime Now, the program featured the 2017 Elantra in California for 45- to 60-minute test drives over several weekends.

Hyundai’s showroom on Amazon.com takes prospective car buyers on a customer journey, starting with a “brand experience” page highlighting the latest in Hyundai technology and automotive innovation. From there, customers can learn about Hyundai Assurance, receive details on vehicles that fit their preferences and buying habits, read reviews and more.

For the first time, customers also have the opportunity to click through directly to HyundaiUSA.com to access Shopper Assurance conveniences, including transparent pricing, flexible test drives, streamlined purchase options and a three day worry-free exchange, along with finding a local Hyundai dealer. 

“This collaboration with Amazon provides customers with the ability to learn about Hyundai vehicles in a way that matches their expectations for nearly every other type of purchase,” said Tim Maxwell, senior group manager, digital marketing, Hyundai Motor America. “Hyundai and its dealers are modernizing the car buying process, so it made sense for us to be the first car company with its own digital showroom.”

This is not a short-lived trend; in fact, it’s only the beginning, says Sam Mylrea, CEO of PureCars.

“They are proving to other OEMs that making the car-buying experience as seamless as possible drives sales,” Mylrea tells MediaPost’s Drive Time. “Consumers value convenience more than anything. While car buying is no exception, auto manufacturers have been slow to catch on.”

Investing in a new car is a stressful and time-consuming process and, at the end of the day, the sale goes to the dealer who streamlines the process — which is what Hyundai is doing by partnering with Amazon, Mylrea says.

Partnerships between automakers and Amazon will continue to develop, and those who capitalize on the opportunity will be able to connect with more car buyers, he adds.

“In a world where the most convenient option is usually the preferred choice, Amazon comes out on top,” Mylrea says. “Car buyers don’t want to spend an entire Saturday at the dealership, so it’s time to bring the sales where they’re already shopping."