U.S. President Donald Trump triggered a tariff war, yet Hyundai Motor Group showcased its determination to penetrate the North American market by setting up a large exhibition hall at the 2025 New York International Auto Show (New York Auto Show). The combined area of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis amounts to approximately 7,265 square meters (about 2,200 pyeong).
On the 16th (local time), as one enters the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, where the New York Auto Show is taking place, six large billboards catch the eye first. Images of Hyundai's large sports utility vehicle (SUV), the Palisade, which is being unveiled for the first time in the North American market, Kia's compact Sedan K4 hatchback (a vehicle that connects the rear seat and trunk space), the electric sedan EV4, and Genesis's 2026 model GV70 are displayed.
Hyundai set up an exhibition hall spanning 4,434 square meters (1,341 pyeong) at the New York Auto Show. This is the largest among the 30 companies participating in the auto show. In addition to the Palisade, which occupies the core area of the booth, Hyundai's dedicated electric vehicles, the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Ioniq 9, are also on display. A total of 28 vehicles are displayed, including the upgraded compact SUV Santa Fe XRT, Tucson XRT, and the Santa Cruz XRT pickup truck, designed for off-roading.
On that day, a Santa Fe with handprint-shaped paint marks on its body was also displayed. This vehicle was exhibited to promote Hyundai's 'Hyundai Hope On Wheels’ campaign, which marks its 27th year this year, focusing on pediatric cancer elimination. This campaign is a social contribution initiative Hyundai is pursuing in the U.S., aimed at supporting research and treatment related to pediatric cancer, a leading cause of child mortality in the U.S. Hyundai plans to extend this campaign across North America, including Canada.
Kia set up an exhibition hall measuring 1,768 square meters (536 pyeong) at the New York Auto Show. Next to the K4 hatchback displayed in the main area of the Kia booth is the recently unveiled EV4, making its debut in the North American market on this day. Additionally, the Nightfall edition of the EV9, Kia's flagship electric SUV, was unveiled for the first time in the world. The Nightfall package, which was applied to the Seltos and Sportage, has been newly applied to the EV9 to enhance its luxury.
The EV9 Nightfall edition adopts a charging standard suitable for the North American consumer environment, allowing access to the Tesla Supercharger network. Kia plans to start selling the EV9 Nightfall edition in the U.S. market from the second quarter of this year. In addition, Kia exhibited a total of 21 vehicles, including the Telluride and EV6.