Report: Hyundai Sonata demand could prompt SUV manufacturing shuffle
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/suvs/" rel="tag">SUV</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/plants-manufacturing/" rel="tag">Plants/Manufacturing</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hyundai/" rel="tag">Hyundai</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/kia/" rel="tag">Kia</a></p><a href="http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100507/OEM01/100509876/1277"><img width="630" vspace="4" hspace="0" height="351" border="1" align="top" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/santa-fe.jpg" alt="2010 Hyundai Santa Fe" /></a><br />
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Ever since the all-new 2011 <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/sonata">Hyundai Sonata</a> went on sale in February, it's been selling faster than ever. Over 18,000 units were moved in both March and April and the new turbo and hybrid models are still to come later this year. In order to continue meeting the demand for the new sedan, moving <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/santa+fe">Santa Fe</a> SUV production out of Hyundai's Montgomery, Alabama factory (where the Sonata is also built) is now under consideration. Montgomery's been running overtime for weeks. <br />
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But if the Santa Fe is ousted to open up additional Sonata capacity, where would it go? Sister brand <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/kia/">Kia</a> recently opened factory in West Point, Georgia that builds the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/sorento">Sorento</a>. Relocating Santa Fe production there could work, since it the and Sorento share many components already. If Hyundai does pull the trigger on a production shift for the Santa Fe, it could happen before the two new Sonata models are added in the fall. <br />
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[Source: <a href="http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100507/OEM01/100509876/1277">Automotive News</a> - sub. req'd]<p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/08/report-hyundai-sonata-demand-could-prompt-suv-manufacturing-shu/">Report: Hyundai Sonata demand could prompt SUV manufacturing shuffle</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Sat, 08 May 2010 13:33:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/08/report-hyundai-sonata-demand-could-prompt-suv-manufacturing-shu/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19469553/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/08/report-hyundai-sonata-demand-could-prompt-suv-manufacturing-shu/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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