Friday, January 24, 2025

Want a Hyundai? Amazon Autos can help!

Share

I guess it was only a matter of time. After Amazon Health and Amazon Pharmacy, Amazon is now dabbling in automotive sales with Amazon Autos.

There are two downsides to this new venture. For one, it’s only available in 48 cities (scroll down for the full list) and only Hyundais are currently available. So if you live in San Francisco, want a Hyundai Elantra, and the thought of talking to anyone at a dealership fills you with dread, you’re in luck!

Related: Aston Martin drops a supercar for the rest of us – kind of

Hyundai Elantra N

Hyundai

The Amazon Autos process 

The way it works is pretty straightforward. You find a car you like at a local dealership through Amazon Autos and you press “Begin Purchase.” From there you can choose between financing or paying in full, whether or not you have a trade-in vehicle, any rebates you’re available for, and any extra warranties or service contracts you want.

Amazon Autos will then ask you for relevant ownership information and documents, you schedule a pickup at your local dealership, and three hours later you’ll receive some contracts to sign before you head out to pick up your new car.

Amazon Autos Promo

Amazon

Amazon wants to add more manufacturers as they expand

The program is still in beta and Amazon seems to have every intention to make this a staple feature and expand into different brands.

“We’re excited to have Hyundai as our exclusive launch partner and look forward to welcoming more brands and expanding our selection to customers as the program grows,” said Fan Jin, global head of Amazon Autos. “It’s still early for us and we welcome customer and dealer feedback as we continue to add new functionality, expand to additional brands, and iterate on the customer experience.”

While there is the benefit of not having to be upsold on warranties and options you don’t need, there is also the downside of not being able to negotiate so you’re stuck with the price the dealership sets.

Related: The most—and least—reliable car brands on the road today

Amazon Auto Sales Promo

Amazon

Final thoughts

Apart from the dystopian idea that Amazon will slowly have a foothold in every consumer industry, I think Amazon Autos is a great idea. I despise the idea of negotiating with dealership salespeople and having to sit through upsell presentations just say “no thank you,” and be judged for not wanting an extra warranty.

Not only that but with Tesla and Rivian promoting a digital-first sales experience too, I feel like more young people like me who grew up with the internet will be more attracted to that avenue of purchasing a new car. 

I still think some kind of showroom should still exist to provide test drives and in-person viewing experiences of the cars but in terms of ordering, we’re headed in the right direction.

Full list of cities where Amazon Autos is available: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Birmingham, Boston, Champaign/Springfield, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbia, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Fond Du Lac, Ft. Myers/Naples, Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, Harrisonburg, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh-Durham, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Sheboygan, Springfield, St. Louis, Tampa, W. Palm Beach, Washington D.C.

Related: 2026 Cadillac Vistiq | Specs and price

Source link

Read more

Local News