Hyundai has become an emerging concern, if not the envy, of its global rivals. Thriving during a severe industry downturn, Hyundai’s momentum continues to barrel forward, benefitting from bold bets that capitalized on every market opportunity. The brand is replicating a similar story in Europe. But Hyundai is also shifting from a pure value play to a design-focused brand with a premium halo. The desired result would be getting consumers to talk more favorably about Hyundai for reasons other than value, prompting them to make more of an emotional purchase. Although quality perceptions are still not on par with actual performance, residual values are increasing, which will help boost Hyundai’s leasing operations in the longer term. While the brand has a long way to go, it is building a stronger presence in the luxury sedan market with its Genesis and Equus models. Hyundai is focused on executing more consistently on a global level and this should help take its brand value and profits to even greater heights.