36 years and three generations of Hyundai ownership for Mr. Raphaël Dion and his family

by Hyundai Auto Canada | December 11, 2023

•Mr. Raphaël Dion purchased his first Hyundai vehicle in 1987 and remains a loyal customer of the brand to this day

•Over time, his children and members of his immediate family also bought multiple Hyundais

•The 82-year-old man from Québec recently took delivery of his family's 18th Hyundai, a 2024 Kona N Line Ultimate

A Hyundai customer from Delson, Québec recently purchased an all-new 2024 Kona, bringing the total number of vehicles purchased by him and his immediate family members to 18 over the past four decades.

When taking possession of his new 2024 Kona N Line Ultimate from Hyundai Gabriel Ouest, Mr. Raphaël Dion brought a sheet of paper that caught the attention of many members of his dealership's team. It contained a handwritten list of all Hyundai models purchased by Mr. Dion and his immediate family over the past 36 years.

The first of many

It was in 1987 that the long story between Raphaël Dion and Hyundai began. At the time, Hyundai had only been selling vehicles in Canada for approximately four years. It was on a 1987 Hyundai Excel that Mr. Dion set his sights. 'It was a good little car,' he recalls, adding that it was sold at an unbeatable price.

Already a father at the time, Mr. Dion opted for Hyundai because he had to change vehicles quickly after realizing the poor condition of the chassis of the vehicle he previously owned. 'I needed a reliable car that would keep us safe on the road,' he explains.

Three generations of Hyundai customers

Delighted by his Excel, Raphaël Dion continued to follow the evolution of Hyundai in Canada, visiting his dealership on for routine service and maintenance. During a visit with his father, he fell in love with another Excel, a black Special Edition model from 1990. His father saw a 1989 Sonata, which represented a huge step forward for the company. 'That day, we both left the dealership with a brand new Hyundai,' he says, laughing, remembering his father's negotiation techniques.

After his father, Mr. Dion took it upon himself to introduce Hyundai to his children: a 1992 Excel for his son Denis and a 1995 Elantra for his daughter Cindy. Both drive Hyundais to this day, one owns Sonata and the other recently bought a 2023 Tucson.

Mr. Dion's son Richard also owned a 1992 Excel. His sister, brother-in-law and his son's wife also owned Hyundai vehicles throughout the years, thanks to Mr. Dion's advice and influence.

Among the first to get a 2024 Kona

After a hiatus of a few years, Raphaël Dion became a Hyundai customer again in 2019 when he acquired a Kona. Mr. Dion was drawn to Hyundai's first entry into the subcompact utility segment for its size and ride quality, he purchased a second Kona in 2022, leading up to his 2024 model.

'I used to tell myself that I would keep the 2022 for a long time,' he says. I lost my wife last year and I forgot myself a little. I spoiled my children, but eventually felt it was time to treat myself.'

Impressed by the design of the new generation Kona, he inquired with his dealership and learned that the 2024 model was just beginning to arrive to Québec and that demand was very strong. However, as chance would have it, Mr. Dion was able to find a model available online. 'When I logged onto Facebook, I saw that the Pierrefonds dealership (Hyundai Gabriel Ouest) had just posted a photo of a Kona for sale. The post was a minute old!' says Dion. He then immediately sent a message to the dealership, who quickly responded by reserving the white vehicle for him. 'The vehicle hadn't even gotten off the delivery truck yet!' recalls Mr. Dion.

Although the 2024 Kona is only his fifth Hyundai vehicle in his personal name, Mr. Dion had a big role to play in the decisions of his family members. Now aged 82, Raphaël Dion is making the most of his new Kona, enjoying the increased cargo space as well as the efficiency of the new eight-speed automatic transmission.

List of Hyundai vehicles owned by Raphaël Dion and his family

1987 Excel

1989 Sonata

1990 Excel

1990 Elantra

1992 Excel

1995 Elantra

2009 Sonata

2010 Accent

2014 Santa Fe

2017 Santa Fe

2019 Kona