STRAIT OF GEORGIA, B.C. — A nearby window is streaked with horizontal rain from a wicked fall storm that is whipping up frothy whitecaps in the deep channel of water separating the Lower Mainland of British Columbia from Vancouver Island. Yet here at a coffee bar inside a swaying B.C. ferry, a very calm Hyundai Auto Canada president Steve Kelleher is ignoring the nasty weather, instead talking about the target posted on the wall of his company's Markham, Ont., offices -- the one with "Toyota" on it.

"You know we admire Toyota. That's our target. That's who we've got up on the board every day. That's where we're going," says the former hockey goaltender, who once dreamed of stopping pucks for the Toronto Maple Leafs but instead got a business degree by following in the skates of Hall of Famer Ken Dryden at Cornell University.

Kelleher and other Hyundai officials make no bones about it: They are trying to emulate Toyota, the world's second largest auto maker, a recognized quality and innovation leader, not to mention the world's most profitable car company. Among other things, that means matching or beating Toyota on quality by 2007 or at the very latest 2008.

Hyundai isn't there yet, and while there have been notable and very real quality gains in recent years, the most recent 2006 new car preview from Consumer Reports (CR) chided the auto maker for "spotty" reliability. The high profile magazine was particularly critical of the Hyundai Tucson small SUV (sport-utility vehicle), predicting poor reliability for the hot selling little truck and its Kia cousin, the Sportage. Both were restyled and re-engineered about a year ago.

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Let's just hope they only emulate the profit part, and not the "quality" part, as of late. But then again I don't like Hyundai so I hope they follow in Toyota's foot steps exactly. Get too big and full of themselves, and then start making mistakes left and right because they're trying to do too much at once.

Trying to do too much at once? That's GM.. How many GM vehicles go head-to-head with one Toyota vehicle?

Let's just hope they only emulate the profit part, and not the "quality" part, as of late. But then again I don't like Hyundai so I hope they follow in Toyota's foot steps exactly. Get too big and full of themselves, and then start making mistakes left and right because they're trying to do too much at once.

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Making mistakes left and right? Toyota? I'd like to see all these "mistakes" ... other than recalls, there haven't really been any other mistakes.

I think you're confusing Toyota with GM.

Toyota is hardly "too big and full" of themselves. Toyota currently operates with a sense of urgency, just like it has for the longest time.

"Too big and full of themselves" sounds a lot like current GM management.

Making mistakes left and right? Toyota? I'd like to see all these "mistakes" ...

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1995-1999 and 2000-2005 Avalon.
Project Genesis cars (Echo/MR2/Celica).
3.0l V6 engine sludge.

That's just off the top of my head.

Well, Ill tell ya, Hyundia is putting a dent in the dealerships around this area. Hyundias are all over the place. Myself from the outside only, as I have never drivin one or looked one over, that XG30 ? What ever it is taged has the appearence I like in that kind of a car. At any rate they are abundant around these parts. Unfortunantly I believe it is the GM dealerships they are hurting the most. So hows your Korean ?

Toyota has had way too many recalls lately. By mistakes I don't mean putting in an underpowered engine or a styling decision, I mean forgetting to properly torque down certain nuts, or not properly weather-proofing a certain panel. Things that cause recalls, those are mistakes, and Toyota has been making a lot lately.

Toyota has had way too many recalls lately. By mistakes I don't mean putting in an underpowered engine or a styling decision, I mean forgetting to properly torque down certain nuts, or not properly weather-proofing a certain panel. Things that cause recalls, those are mistakes, and Toyota has been making a lot lately.

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And Honda hasn't?

Just like GM, or Ford, or anyone for that matter, Toyota is human ... nobody is perfect, and it's foolish to think that way.

1995-1999 and 2000-2005 Avalon.
Project Genesis cars (Echo/MR2/Celica).
3.0l V6 engine sludge.

That's just off the top of my head.

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How were the Avalons mistakes? Other than your opinion about not liking the cars?

And like I said, nobody is perfect, not Toyota, not GM, nobody.

But saying Toyota makes "mistakes left and right" means that Toyota is known for making mistakes, but to say that is just being biased.

The Avalon was the perfect car for its target audience. It wasn't a mistake. Not in any way, shape or form...

Edited November 20, 200519 yr by Sal Collaziano

Well, there is a 2005 Kia Amanti in the parkade in my condo building. The owner was notifed that he had to contain his oil leak problem. The dealer told him that the leak is normal.... ???? I had a 1986 Grand Marquis that didn't leak oil, and it's normal for his brand new kia??? That is QUALITY

Trying to do too much at once? That's GM.. How many GM vehicles go head-to-head with one Toyota vehicle?

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I think it's the other way around. GM's complete vehicle line-up was around way before Toyota's. Toyota is the one who decided to make one vehicle that competes against several from GM & Ford. That's why Toyota has a single vehicle that stretches across $10k-$15k in options while GM's were traditionally marketed in certain price ranges and loaded for that price range. GM has now joined the "3 foot long options list" racket which has created a lot of overlap with product pricing.