XM Lands Car Deals with Lexus, Hyundai

By Geoff Duncan
April 05, 2007

Yesterday it was Infiniti, and today XM Satellite Radio has announced deals which put its receivers in selected Lexus and (yes) Hyundai vehicles.

Sure, the news yesterday was that XM satellite radio receivers will be installed as factory-standard gear in 2008 Infiniti automobiles; today, XM Satellite Radio has announced deals which will put its receivers in selected Lexus and (yes) Hyundai models.

The deal with Hyundai is actually an expansion of an existing deal: XM receivers are already standard on the auto-maker's Azera, Elantra, Santa Fe, and Sonata models. The new announcement will add XM radio as a factory-installed standard feature on two new models, Hyundai's Veracruz "crossover" vehicle and an as-yet-unnamed premium sports sedan.

"Hyundai was the first automotive brand to announce plans to make XM Radio standard across the board," said Steve Cook, XM's executive VP for Automotive, in a statement. "The addition of XM's coast-to-coast programming is another feature to remind Hyundai buyers that they are enjoying one of the best new car values on the market today. By the end of 2007, all Hyundai factory audio systems will feature XM's 170-plus channels of commercial-free music, news, sports, talk, and entertainment."