Hyundai's Latest 'Motorstudio' Reintroduces Drivers to the Brand

Three months ago, Hyundai christened a new Motorstudio in Goyang, one of the satellite cities of Seoul. Open to the public, this experience center is designed to introduce owners and potential customers to the brand.

Similar to Volkswagen’s Autostadt or BMW Welt in Germany, this facility showcases the company’s lineup. It also has room to service up to 250 vehicles a day, amuses visitors with interactive displays and even has a restaurant. Think of it as a theme park of sorts for the Hyundai brand.

Accordingly, it’s an ideal destination for families, especially since entry free and a guided tour costs just $5.

Hyundai-Kia’s share of the Korean-domestic market has fallen by an alarming amount from around 80 percent in recent years as foreign brands make inroads. Motorstudios are designed to help reintroduce these brands to Korean drivers so they’re top of mind when it’s time to get a new ride.

Appropriately, the fresh-faced Kona subcompact crossover made its splashy debut at Motorstudio Goyang, with hundreds of domestic and foreign press in attendance.

SEE ALSO: Hyundai Kona EV Could Have 242-Mile Range

Following the unveiling, we were taken on a guided tour of the facility, which contains an array of displays, many of which illustrate various steps in the car-building process, from stamping sheet steel, to spot welding to painting and more.

There’s even a display comprised of several glass panels and special lights that allow you to virtually walk through one of the firm’s Lambda V6 engines, to see the various components that make it work. There’s a dramatically crushed Genesis sedan that suffered through a small-overlap crash test that’s quite interesting to see in person, and plenty more.

But unquestionably the coolest part of this facility is an art installation near the tour’s end. Made from hundreds of electrically actuated metal posts that rise and fall from the floor, they’re programmed to create dramatic patterns. Motion-activated, they also silently extend when you come close. It’s an exceedingly cool display of electronic wizardry.

Furthering Hyundai’s ambitions, there’s one other Motorstudio in the Seoul area, which opened in 2014, though it’s more showroom than theme park. Additionally, there’s a third one in Moscow, Russia. Not to be left out, Hyundai may open one in the U.S., most likely in the Los Angeles market, though this could ultimately prove challenging due to real-estate costs.

But for now, if you’re in the Soul area and love cars, a quick trip Hyundai’s Motorstudio Goyang is worth the time.

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