Among the highlights of the 2014 ExpoMovil vehicle fair in Costa Rica, hybrid and plug-in electric cars are creating interest on prospective buyers. The Toyota Prius hybrid taxi has gotten lots of attention as well as the BYD Qin, a Chinese hybrid announced by the Costa Rica Star back in December. On the non-hybrid front, luxury vehicles stole a few looks, but lots of attention were also given to BYD compact cars.

Since the late 20^th century, South Korean auto manufacturer Hyundai has been the undisputed king of the road in Costa Rica. The Hyundai Accent has been a staple model on the bumpy roads of Costa Rica for more than two decades, and it is the favorite car of many taxi fleets and independent cab operators. Hyundai’s reasonable prices, overall reliability and ample supply of inexpensive original and aftermarket parts have made the Accent the most purchased car in Costa Rica for many years.

In 2010, a new Chinese automotive brand was introduced during that year’s ExpoMovil. Visitors were not really impressed by the mostly utilitarian style of BYD models back then, but once Tico car buyers starting test-driving the few F0, F3, G3, and S6 models, the Chinese automakers began to get some converts. By 2012, BYD figured out a sure-fire way to rouse the interest of buyers in Costa Rica: Lots of extras such as rear sensors, a touchscreen entertainment and navigation system, air conditioning, etc. Hyundai, of course, offers such extra features -at higher prices.

Preliminary reports from ExpoMovil 2014 indicate that BYD is doing the right things to win the hearts and wallets of Tico car buyers (and there are a lot of them). Their 10 new models are more stylish and their interiors far surpass those offered by Hyundai in terms of comfort and functionality. BYD prices are also very competitive, and now that the automaker is backed by billionaire investor Warren Buffet, auto industry observers are predicting that Hyundai could soon be dethroned in Costa Rica.