Are Korean cars worthy of playing in the modern classics arena?

A topic that often arises in idle petrolhead banter is which contemporary models are destined for future classic status?

The imminent “youngtimers” — or modern classics — one should keep an eye on.

We should make the distinction between cars obviously destined for collectibility from birth and models decidedly mainstream but which achieve a certain cachet and status over time.

Take examples such as the Toyota Cressida or BMW E30. These were mass market, high-volume staples in our market. In the case of the E30 there were more special derivatives built in limited numbers peppered with motorsport pedigree. But in 2024 you will find even garden variety 318i versions listed at dear prices.

I am not suggesting the nameplates about to be mentioned are destined for pricing trajectories as crazy as Mzansi's beloved box-shaped 3-Series.

But I want to make the suggestion that there could be a future crop of emerging modern classics from marques other than the expected German and Japanese players.

The past 15 years have been good for Hyundai and its relative Kia on the road to achieving parity with rivals once in a superior league. Also known as a “glow-up” in youth parlance.

Looking at the timeline, there are certain models from the earlier years of the brands' emergence that might be appreciated in times to come. Some are already being cherished by fringes of aficionados.

Unpopular opinion perhaps, but there is something appealing about the idea of a second-generation Hyundai Tiburon.

Launched in South Africa in 2003, before the brand got into stride, the model was received by critics of the day as offering champagne thrills on a beer budget. Its styling was sharper and more aggressive than the weird, melty-looking previous Tiburon instalments and there was a V6 engine option.

Around the same time, Kia was pushing a different agenda with its Magentis, which looked like the weird facsimile of a Mercedes-Benz W211 E-Class, but the Magentis is probably not something you would want to reserve a spot for in your garage as a Sunday cruiser. Unless you wanted to make an ironic statement.

In 2010 Kia dropped the Koup version of is Cerato, with lines penned by Peter Schreyer formerly of Audi. Visually the model was regarded as a revelation for the brand. While its front-wheel drive layout and normally aspirated 2.0l failed to match expectations stirred by that dazzling exterior, the Koup was still heralded as a game-changer in the Kia context.

I found clean examples on the classifieds for upwards of R139,000 — a reasonable sum for a stylish, somewhat exclusive two-door with mechanicals bound to be durable.

Three years later, Hyundai added the Veloster to its stable, replacing the Tiburon locally as the sporty offering of the range. With its three-door body (two doors one side, a single door on the other) the model was a novelty. The initial release seemed to fall flat from a performance perspective, but a turbocharged derivative with the facelift in 2015 enlivened things a little.

Back to Kia and its transformation. Remember the underrated Optima? Launched at a time when the sedan market was still doing reasonable volumes the D-segment Kia had an executive spin. It boasted generous equipment levels and a snappy aesthetic that put one in mind of a first generation Saab 9-5 — which was not a bad thing.

While Hyundai took various stabs at sporty offerings over the years it truly got into the groove when the i30N came to market in 2020. Wielding a manual transmission, suitably extroverted styling and the engineering efforts of former BMW M chief Albert Biermann, it proved to be a true riposte to the traditional C-segment hot hatchback guard. The addition of a dual-clutch automatic in 2022 widened its appeal. Hyundai's N portfolio expanded with the playful Kona.

Kia's performance ambitions in our market are less prominent. Its most significant contribution is the exclusive Stinger, brought to the country in 2018. Its twin-turbocharged V6 was good for 272kW/510Nm, making it the most powerful Kia sold in the country.

Sleek, fastback styling, entertaining rear-wheel drive dynamics and a luxuriously appointed cabin made the Stinger a compelling left-field grand tourer. I found (literally) one example listed for sale, at R541,900. New, the Stinger cost just under R860,000.

Korean youngtimers? Give it a few years.