Was reading the newspaper over the weekend when something jumped out – an ad of the Hyundai Sonata Facelift by Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors, which I’ve scanned for you here. It has been two and a half years since HSDM launched the YF Sonata in Malaysia, so this facelift comes at a good time.
It’s not a major revamp, but the facelifted Sonata has enough new bits to distinguish it from the original YF. There’s a new, simpler grille in front, with built-in LED positioning lamps and fog lamps for the 2.4L Executive model, which also gets HID headlamps. At the back, the refresh brings wrap-around LED rear lights in the form of a light bar, as opposed to a row of individual LEDs.
The LED repeaters on the wing mirrors are now slimmer and sleeker, and there are new design 17- and 18-inch wheels, the latter reserved for the 2.4L Exec. The bigger engined variant also gets six airbags, audio visual navigation and automatic dual-zone air con.
No change under the hood of the 2.4L, but the 2.0 model gets an engine swap from Theta II to Nu. The Nu is a new engine family that debuted along with the current Hyundai Elantra MD, and this 2.0 Nu is a longer stroke version of the 1.8 litre Dual CVVT unit from the Elantra. It makes 166 PS and 201 Nm in MPI form.
The Sonata Facelift has also popped up on our auto classifieds site oto.my. Pics from the oto.my ad give us a better view of the new features, and we all agree that the new rear lights are much better looking.
The oto.my ad quotes RM145,888 for the 2.0 Executive variant, which is not too different from the pre-facelift sticker price. We shall wait for the official press release for full specs and pricing.
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Aha! This car gerenti Sam Loo no.1 favourite car after Hilux!
Wow…. The overall body kit and rear led lights are stunning!!! However, brand image places an important position here. I’m not saying Hyundai is a small company,don’t get me wrong; they are huge and very successful indeed. But when comes to excecutive sedans, the Japaneses always have the higher edge! I believe most of us Malaysians would prioritize brand power and status.
Danny Tan,
Does this mean we can expect an engine swap from Theta II to Nu for Optima K5 soon?
already NU for sometime..
The current batch of K5 is already Nu.
You will have to ask Naza Kia that :)
Hahahahaha. This is what you call laziness@oblivous to current happenings….
Too expensive for what it’s worth. Previous gen Sonata only RM120K, now the price starts at RM145!
Korean cars are not known for their driving dynamics or secondhand value but at least they are quite value for money at one point in time, offering better specifications yet cheaper price than their competitors. Now I don’t see it anymore.
Even if you leave out the Japanese makes for comparison, the Kia K5 is still a better buy if you’re going Korean.
All I can say is, please buy more kimchis brand new so that I can make my used car company public listed soon
Saw this yesterday at 1utama…
For any brands, please do not buy their cars if they use customers’ new cars for test drives. One way to know is they use red plates instead of a registered unit. Unless you like paying new-car price for a used unit. Trip meter readings can be changed.
i think it’s unfair for you to make such a conclusion about every car dealer, because almost all car dealers that i know of in where i live, sometimes when they had a new car launching they would be forced to use red plates for the demo cars, because they simply couldn’t register the car in time for the launching, especially if the car companies wanna keep the launching as secretive as possible (e.g. proton preve’s launching).
and from what i saw, the demo cars were all wearing registered car plates after few days or weeks (proton edar branch here always had this registration issues, and their demo cars were running with red plates for weeks before proper car plates were in place). how i know they were the same demo cars? simple, they were all wearing stickers and decals on their bodies. i don’t think the dealers will painstakingly take down all the stickers and decals of the previous cars, and paste them on another new cars just for the sake of “cost-saving” or earning more profit right?
Please do not strip off the new cars’ wrapping plastics. Earn honest money ya. I am not referring to Hyundai.
still price above RM140K?
i would get a focus instead though it is a different class.
ok..
BUT pretty expensive…
no doubt most car(s) these days dont have 2nd value; go ask around 2nd dealer market.
no offense even with such cosmetic surgery however the engine and transmission still lack of combination power.
hence lack of efficiency.
yes no doubt hyundai styling is getting better if compare with the Jap and China mades..
but nevertheless their efficiently is still not up to PAR and also to be frank having the car within the 5 years is OK but trust me speaking from experienced with previous version Sonata after 5 years it starts to falls a part (JAP is bit better on the build and lasting; yes of coz cannot compare to Conti).
Just to share a quote from WIKIpedia…
Reception Hyundai Sonata:
In a March 2012 comparison test by Car and Driver, the Sonata came in fourth place out of six cars behind the first place Volkswagen Passat, second place Honda Accord, and third place Kia Optima (cited from wiki).
Sonata/K5 can be Ichi Ban in ranking, but it will still have poor RV
Naruhodo, kon nihongo no hanasu, Sam Loo san
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Damn those self-Japanese lesson dose’t help
Too freaky expensive for a korean car.
Buy pree-owned. Very dai mai, especially Tucson
I love Tucson &i don’t care bout RV.Damn good SUV.
medic i thought u now with VW after u letgo ur Honda..
hurm or u go to Hyundai after ur VW?
I have both…Hyundai to ferry family around & Vw to terrorise the road.(joking ler).
The tow truck operator will be your best friend very soon, since both your cars sui kwan and kwai tai all the time
I’ve already liked my Sonata 1st FL so much; compared to Volkswagen Passat & Toyota Camry (test driven latter both), Passat seem too small for a D segment, and Camry seem too basic.
In terms of value, i paid almost RM150k for a big, comfortable, luxury, and look stunning Sonata (Exec Plus). Can’t be said the same for Camry EX (lowest spec) even smae price, and Passat much more expensive.
Most my frens after sitting in my Sonata would have a “wow” factor. I think the 2nd FL is really nicer than the pre-FL, especially the rounded tail lamps, etc.
The only complain is the handling is tuned for American market (left hand driver) rather than Asian market (right hand driver). Hyundai should improve in this handling section. That would make it the “perfect” affordable car.
are you kidding me.
if luxury u seeking for then u should go for entry Audi A4 1.8T or C180CGI or 320i (F30).
people whom dont have class or money (assume buy cheap things and already making believed they are good).
come on people whom sat in YF never have seat down in better Jap (Camry or Lexus IS or Accord) and yes for sure they never event seat in a true Conti before.
anyway; what can do; u have already buy; might as well make believed :)
I’ve sit in conti cars … why don’t you test drive a Sonata before speaking. Just compare C200 with Sonata sitting inside the cars will blow your mind away!
sonata is crap.
tested and yes its a total crap.
C200/C250 CGI far superior.
also its a luxury vs korean junk
:)
Your name really suits u well…or u suit ur name well…ah whichever lah
Tested, doest mean you bought and drive on the road…I think, you didnt own even one of them car (but who care) and start talking without using ur mind. Indeed japanese have their RV in malaysia and cause you’re living in malaysia, u start believing that japanese so call luxury brand in malaysia, have become taxi in our neighbor country in thailand and indo. None of the car is prefect, and who care about the RV, if the purpose you bought the car for show off???Ppl who bought an Proton / Perodua can be determine as Rubbish? Cari Fasal?
In terms of RV, I like people like you buying them new, coz when you sell, I make more a lot more money than Japs or Sui Kwan Euros
Danny, you forgot to mention, or maybe the media forgot to mention a few things.
– Gated shifter has now been changed to more traditional straight type.
– Lukas BlackBox
Thanks for sharing!
By the way, there’s no official press release on the Sonata FL, not yet at least. All that I know and shared is gathered from the newspaper ad and oto.my ad
Not sure about official press launch, but the soft launch was actually on previous Saturday. The dealer I am working with actually got hold of the car last Thursday.
Those who loved Audi’s lamp design will fall in love with the rear lights :D
Those that are used to getting great deals on pre-owned kimchis will love people that buy them at full prices
I actually like the gated shifter of my Sonata, any good reason to switch to traditional straight type?
nothing to be proud of.
its a sampah :)
Forgot the link… :D
http://i.imgur.com/K5sSA.jpg
HSDM should equipped 2.0 variant with additional airbags as well..otherwise I don’t think this FL will boast sales..
they we trying to lower costs BUT max profit :).
who cares bout safety.
Eg Camry also no ESP some more yet price over RM170K and yet people buy.
Kiplinger Research – 2012 New Car Rankings – Compare Costs, Performance Ranking.
Resale value after 3 years
Honda Accord – 57%
Camry – 56%
Sonata – 43%
= losses of RM20k over Accord and Camry.
nope actually in Malaysia.. 2nd value is depends on buyer..
last time a 2009 2L honda accord buy time 140k.
but in 2011 selling time was 70K.
actually nowadays in malaysia most cars actually no value already once out from showroom.
but hyundai/kia/chery is even worse.
hyundai coupe is the only hyundai/kia which have 2nd value..
hurm…
RV is not equal trade in value.
Kimchis trade is value is much lower. As such, used car dealer love to trade kimchis at a higher profit margin
That’s the selling price. Trade in price, they will be asked to look at the Hilux
Toyota can build Lexus that scare the living daylight out off conti.
Koreans cars are still nothing to shout about.
Proton makes a lot of noise too.
i love dynamic design form sonata
its weird how sonata was compared against C250…even lexus …sighhh so not clever aaa…
the fact is, sonata’s true competitor is merely accord and camry….at rm150k pricing, those two cars don’t even have smart entry/push start button..no sunroof, no gps, no rev camera, and yet, people still says sonata is TOO expensive even with all the accessories…..a very very weird world indeed…
Camry is better drive.
Also more luxury :).
Its the fact.
nope, i will be more attracted to the sonata design rather than the ‘basic’ camry.
Yeah, the only logical comparison by manufacturer for Hyundai/Kia is perhaps Tata/Mahindra,Geely,Great Wall etc
eddy, so totally agree with you. people no longer compare apple with apple.
Can someone confirm if the steering wheel is now fully covered with leather? The pre-FL version, the area which got hold the most during driving is not covered with leather. A great oversight.
The steering can be covered in velvet, the kimchi will still have low RV
korean and japan cars for those poor only, nowadays we only target on European cars like VW, BM, Mercedes, Volvo. Stick with your cheap cars, poor people.
Is the NU engine reliable. It is hard to belief a new engine can be develop in so short of time. In my mind 1 thing for sure is definately more relable than Campro engine which is damm out. :-D
Kimchi Engines can run like the good old Pajero; from Paris to Dakar, but in the real world it would still have poor RV
SONATA IS LOOK VERY COMFORTABLE COMPARE TO CAMRY
Any one has any comment about SONATA’s drive shaft issues which was a common weakness of previous Korean cars?