schade, dass nicht in Europa ...
aber zumindest tut sich was
SEOUL— Hyundai Motor Co. issued an apology for inflating the fuel economy of a sport-utility vehicle and offered to pay up to 56 billion won ($54.3 million) to settle a suit against the company, which also targeted five other auto makers.
Hyundai said it would reimburse up to 400,000 won ($388.12) to each customer of its diesel-powered Santa Fe SUV for extra fuel costs and inconvenience. The reimbursement applies to models produced and sold in South Korea since May 2012. Hyundai also said it would adjust the stated average fuel economy of the SUV to 13.8 kilometers per liter (32.5 miles per gallon) from the originally stated 14.4 kilometers per liter. The move affects about 140,000 units, said a company spokesman.
A group of more than 1,700 consumers filed suit against Hyundai, Ssangyong Motor Co. and four foreign auto makers last month for overstating the fuel economy of their vehicles.
The plaintiffs—in just the third suit of its kind in South Korea, pitting a consumer group against the domestic auto industry—said the vehicles they purchased had inflated mileage, resulting in higher-than-expected fuel costs.
Kim Woong, a lawyer at the firm Yeyul, which is representing some of the consumers, said Hyundai's proposed compensation doesn't meet his clients' demands.
"The proposed amount [from Hyundai] is way too low. We won't drop our lawsuit. We're preparing another group action for about 4,300 customers and will file it with a Seoul court later today," said Mr. Kim.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages between 900,000 won and 3 million won ($890 to $2,967) each.
South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in June it would fine Hyundai and five other auto makers for exaggerating fuel economy by as much as 8%. The ministry decision, however, came as another government branch that also regulates the auto industry offered its own test results approving the mileage claims by Hyundai and Ssangyong.
Hyundai's decision reverses its earlier refusal to offer compensation amid conflicting government rulings.
A Ssangyong spokesman said Tuesday the company is still talking with the transport ministry, and has no plans to take action such as a reimbursement offer. The spokesman didn't identify which of the company's vehicles the suit had targeted.
The foreign companies in the suit include Audi AG, Volkswagen AG, Chrysler Group LLC and BMW AG for the A4 2.0 TDI, Tiguan 2.0 TDI, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mini Cooper Countryman brands, respectively. The government didn't specify which models are affected.
BMW, through its Korean representative office, said no decision has been made regarding the complaint. Officials at Audi, Volkswagen and Chrysler weren't immediately available for comment.
Hyundai has been hit in recent years by a series of recalls and lawsuits over misstatement of its vehicles' fuel efficiency. In November 2012, the company and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. announced a several-hundred-million-dollar compensation offer for the owners of more than one million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, after admitting to overstating their fuel mileage.
Last week, Hyundai agreed to pay a $17.4 million fine to U.S. regulators for delaying the recall of 43,500 vehicles to fix a brake defect.
