[Korea Financial News Reporter Kim Jae-hoon] 
Hyundai Motor Group’s HMG Driving Center has kicked off its 2026 season, turning the Taean site into a hands-on playground for the brand’s entire vehicle lineup. The initiative aims to deepen brand engagement through tailored experiences for novice drivers, performance enthusiasts, campers and families.
Hyundai Motor Group announced on the 6th that the “HMG Driving Experience 2026 season” will run from the 9th through December 6.
Since opening the HMG Driving Experience Center in Taean, Chungnam, in September 2022, Hyundai and Kia have offered distinctive firsthand brand experiences there every year. To date, the center has welcomed about 64,000 visitors.
This year’s lineup expands beyond experienced drivers to include beginner-friendly and family-oriented programs.
The beginner track, “Basic Drive,” is offered in two tiers: Basic Drive Lite and Basic Drive Plus. The Plus option adds a 40-minute public-road driving segment. Completing either Lite or Plus helps novice drivers build confidence in city driving, parking and handling wet-road conditions.
The program slate also includes brand-specific experiences. Hyundai introduced “N Track Performance” to let skilled drivers feel the distinct high-performance character of its N models.
N Track Performance runs 8 hours and 30 minutes and teaches structured driving techniques. With professional instructors, participants pilot high-performance models like the IONIQ 5 N and IONIQ 6 N, practicing drifting on wet surfaces and high-speed runs on dry pavement.
The curriculum also covers advanced techniques such as learning the record line for corners, vehicle-centric motion control, and video and data analysis.
Kia debuts a program showcasing the dynamic capabilities of its traditional pickup, the Tasman. The new “Tasman Experience” lets participants try gravel, mud and water-crossing scenarios to test the pickup’s off-road performance.
Notably, the “Tasman Intensive” program—which pairs off-road driving with an overnight camping stay and has been a hit with auto enthusiasts—returns this year by popular demand.
Visitors can also test-drive Hyundai, Kia and Genesis’s latest models, including the Hyundai IONIQ 6 N, Kia EV3 GT, EV4 GT and EV5 GT, and the Genesis GV60 Magma.
Family-friendly offerings are a highlight of the 2026 season. The new “Package Taxi” lets adults and children ride together on two selected courses from four options—dry surface, wet surface, high-speed track and off-road—so the whole family can share the experience.
The “Camping Experience,” which pairs an EV test drive with an overnight stay, will introduce space-optimized models such as the Kia EV5 and PV5.
Programs for younger visitors are also available. The “Junior Driving Experience” invites kids to build car models and learn basic coding, making future mobility technologies fun and accessible. In the simulator zone, children can take virtual drives in a variety of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis models.
The center includes family amenities like a nursing room and a kids’ lounge. The first-floor nursing room is equipped with a feeding area, a bottle sterilizer and disposable diapers to make visits easier for families.
On the second-floor kids’ lounge, children can scan drawings of cars they create and then virtually drive their designs on a screen. The lounge also stocks children’s books and toys to ensure a welcoming space for the entire family.
A Hyundai Motor Group spokesperson said, “We will continue investing in the HMG Driving Experience Center so it becomes more than just a driving venue and truly serves as a mobility experience space the whole family can enjoy.”
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