Hyundai Auto Canada used this year’s Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS) to highlight several developments, including an AJAC Utility Vehicle of the Year win for the Palisade, the Canadian debut of the IONIQ 6 N and an expanded Hope on Wheels commitment exceeding $4 million for 2026. In separate media day remarks and a show floor interview with Canadian auto dealer, Hyundai Auto Canada President and CEO Steve Flamand discussed dealer alignment, competitive pressures and the company’s outlook heading into next year.
Flamand noted that the addition of a hybrid powertrain has aligned with current consumer demand, adding that in January the Palisade became the best-selling vehicle in its segment for the first time in Hyundai Canada’s history.
He announced that Hyundai will donate more than $4.1 million through the program in 2026, including $1.15 million dedicated to clinical trials and transportation support for families travelling long distances for treatment.
Hyundai also revealed a new partnership with the C17 Council, the national organization representing Canada’s pediatric hematology, oncology and stem cell transplant programs, and the creation of a $1 million research grant fund supporting four $250,000 grants over two years.
Dr. Jim Whitlock, chair of the C17 Council, said during the same presentation that Hyundai has committed more than $8 million in support of childhood cancer research and care, making it the largest non-governmental supporter of childhood cancer research in Canada.
In his separate conversation with Canadian auto dealer on the show floor, Flamand returned repeatedly to Hyundai’s dealer network as one of the company’s most important strategic strengths and a key driver behind its recent retail performance.
With 225 dealers across the country, Flamand described Hyundai retailers not simply as distribution points, but as full partners in long-term brand building.
“Easy to support our dealers,” he said. “They’re the best in the country. I’ve been in the industry for 34, 35 years and never had such a cohesive group that believe in the brand.”
Flamand credited Hyundai dealers with maintaining a consistent focus on the customer experience, from the initial shopping journey through ownership and service, and said that alignment has translated directly into sustained growth.
“They put the customers as the single most important point during the shopping process, purchasing process, ownership process,” he said. “And that translates into sales, success, profit, success, and for a long time.”
He also emphasized the frequency and openness of communication between Hyundai Canada and its retailers, describing the relationship as a shared operational effort rather than a top-down structure.
“We form one team. We talk all the time, every single day,” Flamand said.
That collaboration, he added, extends into dealer council discussions about how to manage uncertainty and maintain stability in the retail environment.
“Yesterday we met with the dealer council, talking about strategies and how we’re going to navigate the uncertainties going forward,” he said, adding that the organization remains confident about its direction.
Flamand suggested that disciplined retail execution and customer trust will be particularly important as new competitive pressures emerge, including the potential entry of additional global OEMs into the Canadian market.
“If and when, for example, the Chinese do enter the market, we don’t want to be disrupted,” he said. “How do we do this? We protect our ecosystem with our customers.”
That ecosystem, he suggested, is built through dealer-led service, ownership support, and consistent retail engagement, areas Hyundai believes will be difficult for new entrants to replicate quickly.
“We control what we can control,” Flamand said. “And ensuring we do this well will protect us against newcomers, but also continue to fuel our growth against the other OEMs.”
Flamand also pointed to a culture of listening as part of Hyundai’s approach in Canada, both internally and across its retailer body.
“We listen to customers, listen to our dealers, we listen to the press,” he said. “We never pretend we know it all.”
CIAS also served as the Canadian debut for the all-new IONIQ 6 N, part of Hyundai’s expanding electrified N performance strategy. The company also displayed the CRATER Concept, an all-electric off-road SUV design study that signals future design direction.
Flamand acknowledged broader industry concerns, including ongoing tariff discussions and trade policy uncertainty, noting that stability remains important for both manufacturers and retailers.
“There’s no worse enemy to the auto industry than uncertainty,” he said. “People that don’t work don’t buy cars. So we want equal footing in terms of competition.”
