It probably would and should be. Hyundai is still overcoming a negative stigma of poorly made cars (going back over 2 decades). While they've gotten their act together, they are also smart enough to "special brand", no different than Acura (Honda), Infinity (Nissan), Lexus (Toyota), etc...
People perceive value in brand names. Companies know this and capitalize on it. And of course, to preserve their status....they HAVE to deliver. In a market where prices are only second to the average American's home, you lose a customer forever if you fail them with such a large expense that results in ANY kind of regret. As I said in a post a while back, I actually used this scenario in Customer Service classes that I once taught (in 4 different industries).
And yes, it's because the U.S. "Big 3" made trash in the 80's, that people like myself bought Honda, Nissan & Toyota....and remained loyal because of their emphasis on quality control. Despite the Big 3 getting it together in the 90's, the people who walked away already had cars that would last them faithfully, and for well over a decade...or two!