Hyundai is offering to pay more than $85 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that was filed after the Korean automaker overstated the horsepower of Hyundai and Kia cars exported to the U.S. Plaintiffs in the suit are roughly 840,000 consumers who bought 1996 to 2002 model year vehicles. Hyundai has admitted overstating engine power by as much as 10%. Company officials say it was an oversight, that they miscalculated the effect of U.S. anti-pollution devices. The miscalculations affected about 1.3 million cars, of which 400,000 were misstated by more than 4 percent. The company estimates that the average misstatement among all 1.3 million vehicles was 4.6 horsepower. Hyundai originally offered to provide extended warranties and roadside assistance plans to affected consumers. It attempted to downplay the seriousness of the mistakes, saying that customers who buy Hyundai are not primarily interested in horsepower. "As you may know, horsepower is not a major reason for buying Hyundai vehicles," said Finbarr O'Neill, who was President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America Inc. at the time the misstatements were made.   What unethical actions are being performed in the case study?

Principles Of Marketing
17th Edition
ISBN:9780134492513
Author:Kotler, Philip, Armstrong, Gary (gary M.)
Publisher:Kotler, Philip, Armstrong, Gary (gary M.)
Chapter1: Marketing: Creating Customer Value And Engagement
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1.1DQ
icon
Related questions
Question

Hyundai is offering to pay more than $85 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that was filed after the Korean automaker overstated the horsepower of Hyundai and Kia cars exported to the U.S. Plaintiffs in the suit are roughly 840,000 consumers who bought 1996 to 2002 model year vehicles. Hyundai has admitted overstating engine power by as much as 10%. Company officials say it was an oversight, that they miscalculated the effect of U.S. anti-pollution devices. The miscalculations affected about 1.3 million cars, of which 400,000 were misstated by more than 4 percent. The company estimates that the average misstatement among all 1.3 million vehicles was 4.6 horsepower.

Hyundai originally offered to provide extended warranties and roadside assistance plans to affected consumers. It attempted to downplay the seriousness of the mistakes, saying that customers who buy Hyundai are not primarily interested in horsepower. "As you may know, horsepower is not a major reason for buying Hyundai vehicles," said Finbarr O'Neill, who was President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America Inc. at the time the misstatements were made.

 

What unethical actions are being performed in the case study?

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
International trade
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, marketing and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Principles Of Marketing
Principles Of Marketing
Marketing
ISBN:
9780134492513
Author:
Kotler, Philip, Armstrong, Gary (gary M.)
Publisher:
Pearson Higher Education,
Marketing
Marketing
Marketing
ISBN:
9781259924040
Author:
Roger A. Kerin, Steven W. Hartley
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Foundations of Business (MindTap Course List)
Foundations of Business (MindTap Course List)
Marketing
ISBN:
9781337386920
Author:
William M. Pride, Robert J. Hughes, Jack R. Kapoor
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Marketing: An Introduction (13th Edition)
Marketing: An Introduction (13th Edition)
Marketing
ISBN:
9780134149530
Author:
Gary Armstrong, Philip Kotler
Publisher:
PEARSON
MKTG 12:STUDENT ED.-TEXT
MKTG 12:STUDENT ED.-TEXT
Marketing
ISBN:
9781337407595
Author:
Lamb
Publisher:
Cengage
Contemporary Marketing
Contemporary Marketing
Marketing
ISBN:
9780357033777
Author:
Louis E. Boone, David L. Kurtz
Publisher:
Cengage Learning