This may be the worst year ever for the auto industry (though sales in the past few months have actually been high) with the MCO forcing a shutdown of businesses and factories. Production was affected and sales too were virtually non-existent for at least one month. Nevertheless, the government’s assistance in the form of sales tax exemption seems to have helped to encourage people to buy new vehicles.
For Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM), that’s good news since it has had a number of brand new models in the pipeline and next month, it will launch yet another one – the 7th generation Hyundai Elantra. The popular global model of the Korean carmaker was among the early ones to be launched online as the typical live launch was not possible due to the pandemic and lockdown situation. Hyundai broadcast the new Elantra’s launch worldwide from Hollywood on March 17, and 9 months later, it will be in Malaysian showrooms.
Parametric Dynamics in design
As with the recent new models, the Elantra gets a distinctive new look with adoption of Hyundai’s new design language. This design language uses ‘Parametric Dynamics’ for a futuristic look. The 3-dimensional design is carefully crafted like a well-cut jewel with stark wide side lines.
The coupe-like body is longer, lower, and wider compared to the 6th-generation model with the front cowl point moved back around 50 mm. These minor changes dramatically changed the shape of the car but had limited impact on cabin space. In fact, Hyundai says most key interior dimensions increased.
Low Yuan Lung, MD of Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors, said the new Elantra with its differentiating design ‘will thrill the market’. “The new look, which takes inspiration from geometric crystals’ cut body surfaces, is expected to wow customers due to its uniqueness,” he added.
“Not only does the car exude sophistication and sportiness, but it also offers a fulfilling driving experience,” he promised. “It is fun to drive a car, loaded with a host of safety and convenience features such as parking distance warning and wireless phone charging.”
‘Immersive cocoon’ interior
Besides the striking exterior design, the interior is like an ‘immersive cocoon’ that envelopes the driver. Described as being like entering an airplane cockpit, there is a large interface consisting of two displays – a 10.25-inch Supervision TFT display and an 8-inch floating panel. All information to operate the car and also the infotainments systems is easily viewed.
Hyundai SmartSense to help the driver
The new Elantra will also come with Hyundai SmartSense, a suite of driver assistance systems that work together to help the driver avoid an accident. These include automatic emergency braking (AEB) and smart cruise control which will even bring the car to a stop if necessary and automatically resume movement.
HSDM has not revealed the price of the new model other than that its estimated price is ‘RM1XX,888’ (the current Elantra with a 2-litre engine has been priced around RM110,000). Bookings are accepted now with a fee of RM777.
Being a righthand drive market has sometimes been a challenge for distributors as their principal may choose to focus on the lefthand drive market which offers a bigger volume globally. The additional cost of engineering a righthand drive variant may not be justified by the potential volumes so some models may not be available.
Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has had that sort of problem on and off over the years, leading to some periods when there were no really new products to display in the showrooms. With the global products, of course, righthand drive models are a must and the time has come for not one but two new models to be launched in Malaysia.
The first is the Sonata which was the first Hyundai model to be sold in Malaysia way back in the early 1990s. Every generation since then has been sold and it has even been assembled locally and the eighth generation has its official launch today.
The second model is the Kona. This is Hyundai’s representative in the compact SUV segment and is a younger product which was born in 2017. It’s been doing pretty well and riding the wave of popularity for small SUVs these days.
NEW HYUNDAI SONATA
The eighth generation of the executive sedan has undergone a transformation in appearance, taking on a sleeker form that could be mistaken for a 4-door coupe. Inspired by the dramatic Le Fil Rouge concept shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the new Sonata gains a sportier image than its predecessor.
The new design features the Digital Pulse Cascading Grille that spans from the front of the new Sonata, finishing at the innermost points of new combination headlamps coupled with a distinctive and innovative new lighting architecture.
Also a first for a Hyundai vehicle, the Hidden Lighting Lamps are a design innovation that incorporates state-of-the-art lighting technology, forming the Sonata’s light architecture. The Hidden Lighting Lamps appear to be chrome when switched off and become dramatically lit when turned on. It’s a design feature that you will see in other coming models as well.
The Sonata sits on a platform with a new Smartstream G2.5 powertrain. The 2.5-litre engine produces 180 ps/232 Nm which is transferred to the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic transmission with shift-by-wire linkage.
The platform is a totally new one and the Sonata is the first model to utilize it. The engineers have significant flexibility for vehicle development across multiple segments with this platform which is made with hot-stamping and super-high-tensile steel. It has also been strengthened and with the aid of computer-aided engineering, dissipation of impact forces is carefully planned to minimize the effects on the occupants.
Inside the new Sonata
Spanning the full width of the cabin, the slim dashboard features a wide 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. This is customizable to suit different driving modes and preferences. At the centre of the dashboard, a large, 8-inch HD screen enables occupants to interact easily with the audio-video and navigation functions. This screen can also accommodate a split-screen function that allows audio and navigation to be displayed simultaneously.
The instrument panel is in the shape of spread wings, inspired by a stealth aircraft. This shape presents a levitating effect, and this philosophy carries into the long armrests. The designers compressed the height of the dashboard and air vents as much as possible to create a ‘lightweight ambience’.
HSDM has been well known for packing a lot of features into its models, making them good value for money. With the new Sonata, there are segment-first features too, and one of them is the video-based blind spot monitor that is displayed on the instrument panel. With most other companies, blind spot monitors usually just provide an alert to the driver who must look at the door mirrors. The Sonata’s system gives a live feed so the driver does not have to turn the head at all.
The top version also includes a Head-Up Display (HUD) ahead of the driver. This is a low-cost HUD which provides useful information when driving and it is right in the forward view of vision so the driver can keep eyes on the road ahead.
Other features in the comfort and convenience areas include a sunroof, electric parking brake, smart trunk, wireless smartphone charging pad with cooling fan, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a high-quality infotainment system.
The new Sonata is available in only one variant, priced from RM206,888, but the first 50 buyers can get it a special introductory price from RM189,888 (Peninsular Malaysia, excluding insurance). There are 6 exterior colour choices with three interior colour themes.
NEW HYUNDAI KONA
Those who like the well known coffee from the Hawaiian Islands will be happy to know there is now a SUV from Hyundai named after it. The compact model is a new line and is the first B-segment SUV sold by HSDM.
It’s a stylish design with an athletic image that incorporates Hyundai’s new ‘face’. This is the Cascading Grille with a sporty mesh pattern, flanked by flared, wing-like fenders that house composite headlamps with high-efficiency LEDs.
To appeal to younger buyers, the colour choices are more extroverted – Chalk White, Lake Silver, Phantom Black, Pulse Red and Ceramic Blue. The 1.6 Turbo variant gets a black roof, providing high contrast between the body, roof and wheels for a more distinctive appearance.
The Kona rides on an all-new platform developed for compact SUVs. On this platform is a lightweight unibody structure, 52% of which is Advanced High Strength Steel. Proprietary hot-stamping methods produce lightweight, ultra-strong structural elements to maximize the cabin’s central safety cell.
The platform also features an innovative multi-load path structure, effectively dispersing impact energy across multiple structures to protect passengers in the event of an accident. As such, injuries can be minimised, along with the cushioning effects of airbags.
HSDM offers the Kona with a choice of two powertrains – a 2.0-litre Nu MPI engine and a Gamma 1.6-litre 4-cylinder direct-injected, turbocharged engine. While the bigger engine generates 149 ps/180 Nm, the smaller one with turbocharging can produce up to 177 ps, with a maximum of 265 Nm of torque starting from 1500 rpm and available till 4500 rpm. The engine is coupled to a 7-speed EcoShift dual- clutch transmission (DCT).
Inside the Kona
Although the exterior appearance is that of a compact vehicle, the interior has been packaged intelligently to maximise space for passenger comfort. Stylistically, there is a strong horizontal character line creating a wide and spacious feel.
As with the exterior colour choices, the interior has also been given a youthful touch with contrasting coloured seatbelts and interior trims. Grey-coloured interior trim and black seatbelts are matched with the Lake Silver, Phantom Black, Blue Lagoon and Ceramic Blue exteriors; Red seatbelts and Red interior trims are paired with the Phantom Black and Pulse Red exteriors; and Lime seatbelts and Lime interior trims are paired with Chalk White.
The functional dashboard houses an advanced infotainment which displays information on a floating 7-inch touchscreen. Connectivity is possible with standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay so apps on smartphones can be mirrored on the dashboard. Incidentally, for those with compatible smartphones, there is also a wireless charging pad provided.
The more expensive variant has a Head-Up Display (HUD) system as well, projecting information onto the transparent panel ahead of the steering wheel. The 8-inch projected-image is visible in all lighting conditions and provides driving as well as safety information. When not in use, the HUD panel retracts into the dashboard.
While there are two engine choices, there are three variants as the 2-litre engine is available with either Standard or Active specs priced from RM123,888 and RM138,888, respectively. The Kona the 1.6 Turbo is priced from RM151,888.
Like the new Sonata, HSDM is offering the Kona at a special introductory price for a limited time. The 2.0 variant will be priced at RM130,888 for the Kona Active and the Kona 1.6 Turbo will be RM143,888 (Peninsula Malaysia, excluding insurance).
The 8th generation of the Hyundai Sonata, which made its global debut in March 2019, will be released in the Malaysian market before the year ends. Hyundai Sime Darby Motors is expecting the new model to be highly competitive in the D-segment with its design and technological advancements.
“Make no mistake. Hyundai’s roll-out of all its latest models is poised to disrupt the market. The all-new Sonata is no exception. It has surged ahead of competing models in terms of sales in several markets and the awards are accumulating,” said Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of Hyundai Sime Darby Motors.
“The Sonata’s unique features in the D-segment is patently obvious. One look at it and you can already see that its Sensuous Sportiness exterior design, with its coupe roof line and elegant, sporty body lines, makes this the stand-out car in the segment. The conservative look of the D-segment has been totally discarded. This is a stunning, sporty, long coupe-like sedan for the business executive. Its design was conceived to emote. This is not your average D-segment car,” Mr. Low declared.
Under the sleek new design, the 4.9-metre long Sonata has a structure of Hyundai’s proprietary Advanced High Strength Steel. The expertise in steel that Hyundai today possesses is through its decades as an industrial steel company. The steel has been used for railway tracks, bridges and ships and is now also used in the motor vehicles to make them more resistant to deformation.
The new Sonata will have a Smartstream 2.5-litre MPI 4-cylinder engine with improved fuel efficiency. The long-stroke engine produces 180 ps/232 Nm which goes to the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic transmission with shift-by-wire link.
While full details of the features are not available at this time, it is known that there will be a blind-spot display which will be on a small screen within the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. This means the driver does not have to turn the head to look for alerts of other vehicles in the blind spot as the image will be right in front of him or her.
Mr. Low said that such a feature is not available in other D-segment sedans, adding that the new Sonata is also one of the safest cars in the world. It has already been assessed by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and received a 5-star rating.
A Head-up Display will also be available, also allowing the driver to keep the eyes on the road ahead for better driving safety.
If you want to be among the first to own a new Sonata, you can place a booking now with a fee of RM888 while the price is teased as RM20X,XXX. The bookings are accepted at all authorised Hyundai showrooms nationwide.
UPDATE (30/8/20): The price has been announced as starting from RM115,000.
With Malaysia being a righthand drive (RHD) market and this market segment having lower volumes than lefthand drive (LHD) markets globally, manufacturers tend to be reluctant to provide their full model range as the cost of developing and making RHD models may not be justified. This is the frustration that some companies, including Hyundai Sime-Darby Motors (HSDM), have faced over the years, more so in recent times.
You can book now
Nevertheless, HSDM will be getting the new Hyundai Kona, a compact SUV that has been making waves in other markets, with over 600,000 units sold worldwide since being launched in 2017. It will be available by the next quarter of this year and those who want to be early owners can place bookings at authorized Hyundai dealerships around the country.
A Kona was among the Hyundai displays at the last KL International Motor Show.
The Kona will be imported from Korea as a Completely Built-Up (CBU) model from Korea so it will incur higher duties and it will also be given a sales tax exemption of 5% until the end of 2020. Pricing is not revealed other than that it will be ‘RM11X, XXX’ (on the website) but the booking fee is RM288 and you get an invitation to the launch event if you book early.
The Kona rides on an all-new platform and it is also HSDM’s first B-segment SUV. It incorporates the Korean carmaker’s new design language with an expressive and powerful front dominated by the cascading grille, a signature feature. Its ‘urban smart armour’ exterior styling feature a voluminous, aggressive body complemented by a low and wide stance which will look appropriate in urban as well as adventure-oriented environments.
1.6 or 2.0, or both?
The powertrain for the Malaysian model is not revealed yet although the 1-litre T-GDI engine is unlikely as companies (other than Perodua) face a challenge selling 1-litre cars to Malaysians. While there is a 2-litre unit, HSDM might not choose this as it will bump up the price so our best guess would be the 1.6-litre engine which is already used in other Hyundai models sold locally. However, the company is known to have different engines for different variants and might also do so for the Kona.
The Kona is available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive but to keep the price attractive, HSDM is likely to opt for the FWD variant.
HSDM has, however, given an indication of the equipment list which looks pretty good. LED headlights and Daytime Running Lights will be standard and there will be a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability. A wireless charging pad will be provided for compatible mobilephones and Hyundai’s Smart Sense driver assistance system will be complemented by a Head-up Display (using a lower-cost active pop-up display screen).
“We are excited about the launch of the Kona as it’s an entirely new product for us in this segment and we are reassured of a good response for the Kona. The Compact SUV is in great demand not only in Malaysia but globally as well,” said Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of HSDM. “The SUV and Compact SUV market is growing exponentially so we see a great market potential for all our SUVs, which include the 7-seater Santa Fe, and 5-seater Tucson as well as this upcoming new model – Kona which is targeted at the younger generation.”
Responding to the Prime Minister’s call to safeguard the welfare of employees to prevent loss of jobs and livelihoods during this Movement Control Order (MCO) period, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) is proactively offering subsidies for dealers and sales consultants to alleviate their financial constraints.
For sales consultants, HSDM will provide a special monthly Hardship Allowance for sales consultants from April to June 2020. This is only applicable to those who have been in service for 3 months or more, and not for those serving notice. The subsidy will be distributed through their dealerships.
Sales consultants will receive subsidies in the form of monthly Hardship Allowances from April to June 2020. [File picture taken before MCO]Dealers are offered financial subsidies for online marketing expenses and purchase of hand sanitisers, disinfectants and thermometers for use at their sales and service outlets. This will be helpful for them as they have to comply with the strict Standard Operating Procedures for the protection of customers as well as staff.
“The pandemic has badly affected the auto sector. We understand the hardship of our dealers and sales consultants, and we hope the subsidy will help ease their financial burden and help with the cost of health and safety measures at all authorised Hyundai sales and service outlets,” said Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of HSDM.
HSDM assures customers and visitors alike that health and safety measures are already in place at service outlets that have reopened. The other sales and service outlets which will soon resume operations will also be taking health and safety measures such as hand sanitisation and temperature checks at all showroom entry points. Sanitisers will also be readily available at all customer touchpoints.
Additionally, there will be regular disinfection of the outlet (especially at high customer touch-point areas), with periodic disinfection of all customer/prospect-related vehicles. Test drive vehicles will be disinfected before and after every test drive in the presence of the customer for assurance.
To create greater awareness for the public regarding good hygiene practises, relevant messages will be shown on table standees, leaflets and posters.
With the Ministry of International Trade and Industry akkowing companies to resume their service centre operations in stages since April 20, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) today confirmed that all Sime Darby Auto Hyundai (SDAH) service centres have resumed operations.
As the conditions of allowing resumption require companies to have only a minimal number of service personnel and customers at the service centres (so as to enable social distancing), SDAH service centres are only accepting customers by appointment.
So owners are advised to contact their nearest SDAH outlet to arrange an appointment, bearing in mind that there is a 10-km limit from home stipulated by the Movement Control Order (MCO). SDAH service centres are located at Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor; Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur; Ipoh, Perak; Georgetown and Prai, Penang; as well as at Skudai, Johor.
They will operate between 9 am and 4 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 12 noon on Saturdays for most SDAH service centres except for outlets in Georgetown and Prai, which will operate from 8 am to 5 pm and 9 am to 2 pm, respectively.
All SDAH service centres will adhere to health and safety guidelines such as social distancing measures, regularly disinfection, temperature checks for staff and customers upon entry, and provide hand sanitisers at all customer touchpoints.
Warranty Extension Programme
HSDM has also launched the Hyundai C A R E Warranty Extension Programme, allowing for the extension of original warranties that expire in March and April 2020. This initiative is in tandem with Hyundai Motor’s launch of its warranty extension policy for Hyundai vehicles worldwide. This will ensure that Hyundai customers will still be eligible for warranty for repairs and other related services even though delayed due to the MCO.
Warranty extensions will be until May 31, 2020. Nevertheless, should the MCO period is further extend, a 30-day extension will be given from the last day of MCO if that occurs later. Vehicles with service overdue due to the MCO restrictions will need to be sent in for service within 30 days from the last day of MCO to ensure the validity of the warranty.
“We understand our customers’ predicament of not having access to our service centres during this period, and they are probably worried about their warranty,” said Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of HSDM. “With Hyundai C A R E, we wish to set their minds at ease with regards to their warranty eligibility. Not only do we care about our customers’ health and safety, we care about the ‘health’ and safety of their vehicles as well.”
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