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Hyundai CEO Says a “Level Playing Field” Can Limit Chinese Competition’s Impact

Hyundai CEO José Muñoz says fair competitive conditions matter, but his reported comments do not define a specific policy plan. He points instead to product improvement and vertical integration.
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Hyundai CEO José Muñoz says fair competitive conditions could help limit the impact of Chinese automakers, but he did not define what a “level playing field” would require. In comments reported by The Verge, he emphasized improving Hyundai’s products and controlling costs—not a strategy built specifically around Chinese rivals.

What Muñoz said about Chinese competition

Muñoz made the remarks at the reveal of the 2027 Hyundai Tucson in New York City the prior week, according to Andrew J. Hawkins’s October 5, 2026 report for The Verge. Hyundai’s newsroom separately announced the all-new Tucson on October 2, but that announcement does not independently confirm the interview or its quotations.

“As long as there is a level playing field for everybody,” Muñoz said. He added: “We compete everywhere in the world, and then we have seen that in the markets where that position is respected, so it’s really good for us.” His remarks express a general condition for competition, not a detailed policy proposal.

The Verge’s report says Muñoz acknowledged that affordable Chinese imports could create competitive pressure in the United States. He did not describe a China-specific response plan. “We don’t develop strategies specifically because of the Chinese or because of other types of consumers, or other types of competitors,” he said. “We are always trying to do better.”

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How Hyundai says it will compete

Muñoz pointed to product improvements and vertical integration: making more of Hyundai’s own technology and components to help manage costs and improve competitiveness. He said, “This allows us to be more competitive,” and described the goal as “Better quality over cost.”

As an example, he cited a $5.8 billion investment in Louisiana to produce green steel. That figure is reported by The Verge; it is not independently verified by the company announcement included here.

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Muñoz also singled out batteries as a major cost element: “One of the biggest pieces of cost is the battery. That is the key element, right?” The report notes that Hyundai operates a battery-manufacturing joint venture with SK On in Georgia, near Hyundai’s Metaplant. His comments identify the battery as a cost focus, but do not provide a breakdown of Hyundai’s battery costs or a quantified estimate of savings from vertical integration.

What “level playing field” does—and does not—establish

The phrase leaves the specific rules unclear. The Verge discusses tariffs, U.S. rules concerning software from China, and possible routes such as Chinese manufacturers producing in North America or entering through partners. But Muñoz’s reported comments do not set out a position on particular tariffs, subsidies, regulatory obligations, or reciprocal access to markets.

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Those subjects should not be treated as a definitive account of which vehicles may currently be imported or sold in the United States. Trade and vehicle rules can change; anyone making a legal or market-access claim needs to check current official rules separately.

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What the remarks mean for consumers and the industry

Muñoz’s comments put two broad responses to competition side by side: policy conditions that shape market access, and company efforts to improve products and costs. The report does not quantify how either approach would affect vehicle prices, consumer choice, or Hyundai’s competitive position. It supports a narrower conclusion: Hyundai’s CEO called for fair conditions while describing ongoing product improvement and vertical integration as the company’s approach.

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The Verge report also includes market comparisons and sales-share statistics, but the available sourcing does not trace those numbers to their original statistical publishers. They are not repeated here as verified data.

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