Hyundai to Honda: "I think you're pretty swell, too."

John Muir First Described the Sequoia Redwoods as " Wicked Sweet."

(Image Credits: imlablog.wordpress.com)

In a press release statement straight of our current 'Twitter-era,' Honda's CEO described Hyundai as being "awesome." While the erstwhile Mr. Takanobu undoubtedly meant it in the sense of 'inspiring awe,' though perhaps stopping short of 'majestic,' it is at once a silly, hyperbolic, and foreboding statement. 'Awesome' is not quite the adjective that I would use to describe Hyundai, in any sense. I usually tend to reserve 'awesome' for the Alps, or King's College Chapel, or perhaps even an '80's power ballad. Hyundai? Not really. The gymnastics of diction aside, there's absolutely no questioning Mr. Takanobu's assessment of the potential challenge that Hyundai will raise for their cross-strait neighbors in the coming years. Improving quality, excellent warranty plans, and--that jewel of capitalism--cheap labor have convolved nicely in South Korea; see the relative success of compatriots LG and Samsung, as an example. It is only a matter of time before people trade down on the quality of a Japanese car for the economy of a Korean alternative.