The Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2013 (KLIMS13) is happening this week, and there will be plenty of new metal from various brands on display. Hyundai-Sime Darby will be putting up quite a show with a mixture of local launches and show cars. Making its Malaysian debut is the Hyundai i40 sedan and the wagon-bodied i40 Tourer.
Readers of this website won’t be surprised by the news of the i40 launching here, for we’ve already seen both the i40 sedan and i40 Tourer being tested by JPJ in Malaysia. The i40 is a D-segment car, so we’re not sure whether it will be positioned alongside, or perhaps slightly above the Sonata, or replace it altogether, like it has in the Australian market.
The i40 is marginally smaller than the Sonata (length and wheelbase shorter by 50 mm and 25 mm respectively), though both are considered to be in the same market segment. Put simply, the Sonata is Hyundai’s answer to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in North America, while the i40 is predominantly marketed in Europe against the VW Passat, Toyota Avensis and Honda Accord Euro.
Looks wise, the i40 follows a more recent interpretation of Hyundai’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language, and fits perfectly in line with the rest of the brand’s model range. It features the familiar recessed hexagonal grille sported by the Elantra and Veloster, which outdates the Sonata’s standalone design.
Both the i40 Sedan and Tourer we saw at JPJ Putrajaya wore ‘2.0’ badges, and Hyundai-Sime Darby has confirmed that the engine is question is a 2.0 litre four-cylinder ‘Nu’ GDI engine. In Europe, this engine makes 177 PS and 208 Nm, which is more than the Sonata’s 162 PS/194 Nm.
This choice of powerplant is significant as it will be the first Hyundai-Kia naturally-aspirated Gasoline Direct Injection engine to be introduced in Malaysia. We have been getting the MPI engine from both brands due to concerns on the compatability of the NA GDI engine with our Euro 2 fuel, so this might be the turning point.
Hyundai i40 Sedan
Hyundai i40 Tourer
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1st…hilax face!
Guess it’s also time for Kia to launch their Cee apostrophe d, the Cee’d and Pro underscore cee apostrophe d, the Pro_cee’d
The cee’d, pro_cee’d & cee’d SW are sold only in Europe so we won’t see them in M’sia. Kia’s C-segment hatchback for the non-European markets is the hatchback version of Cerato/Forte
Well the i40 was predominantly marketed in Europe too, so why isn’t there a chance for the Cee’d family to launch here?
My doubt how come most of the conti cars equipped with GDI engine can sustain EURO2 petrol instead of this engine?
they were probably weighing the pros and cons on whether they wanted to make the investment on calibrating the engine for our fuel.. The larger markets for this car probably doesn’t require this extra and expensive step. I suppose they finally decided that it was worth it to do so, and went ahead and spent the money.. probably believing they will sell enough cars to recoup their investment.
Diesel version too?
Wow. Korean cars sure are getting better!
Always better.. the only problem is parts quiet rare to be found =(
The beauty of Hyundai’s is that they can be exported to Sri Lanka easlily if they are around 12 months old and done less than 30,000kms.
Trade in value is low enough to be re-exported out
Unfortunately, no one wants KIA’s
Man, Sam would be smiling, as more sorhais will buy this and uncle Sam will have a steady supply of kimchis 1 year later, at ever lower prices
As I stated in the previous post, I wish to buy each of my family members one of “cheap, scrap metal” Kias for bargain prices… Where can I buy them?? Make sure they all are under 2 years old….
Hi! May i know what chi-bye car are you (chi-bye) driving then?
Better looking than Sonata. Better replace it with Sonata in Malaysia.
Wow kimchi cars are definitely improving a lot in terms of looks and technology. Just hoped that there would be the turbo direct injection engines to Bolehland.
End of an era for tin-kosong sushi cars.
I still think Kia Optima looks better but it is better than current Malaysian Sonata..
Yes wait for the new K5 n i am sure all the Camry accord Teana owners will trade in their unreliable junk and get the K5 FL.
i40 sounds like “want to die oh” in cantonese and hokkien. Superstitious chinese will stay away from this car.
Bro, such things didn’t happen in SG and the i40 is quite common here despite the need of adding a piece of imaginary paper to the car selling price that cost way more than the car itself. :(
You mean SG Cantonese is different from Malaysian cantonese ah?
Cantonese or hokkien all the same everywhere. I mean chinese who are superstitious will not like the name. Chinese who are not superstitious will not even bother with the name. I didn’t mean that all chinese are superstitious. Don’t you think “i40” sounds like “Wanna to die Oh” in cantonese and hokkien?
If you wanna die faster buy this car!
if thats so, then dont buy 4 series! Mati ma…tarak ong punya nombor.
sonata is pretty, this i40 is much pretty.
The face on the Sonata owner is already hailat beyond the recognition of their mothers.
For i40, their looks will be even more hailat, that a dental recognition would be needed to validate their identities when I tell the them the residue values of their cabbages
The Koreans have introduced new models at regular intervals, it simply mean they have caught up with the Japanese and the Europeans. Proton will lag further and further behind, sigh…
Funny that Proton actually got mentioned in this forum… Come on bro, both are at least 20-30 yrs apart in terms of design, tech, build quality and drivability, and comfort.
The Koreans are now gunning for the Americans and European brands.. They knew the Japs can’t do much to keep pace much less overtake them.. so Hyundai/Kia are concentrating their firepower against the western manufacturers..
When butthurt proton basher spoke….
If Kia/Hyundai got balls why not put in petrol turbo engine in elantra or cerato then sell it cheap? Those GDI engine cannot reach max and flat torque at low rpm.
The Theta II GDI turbo engine was designed for LHD markets since day one. And from what I read on various car forums, the intercooler pipings etc will hit the master cyln and steering shaft if the engine is installed in RHD cars.
Hyundai just made some changes to the layout and Australia market will get its 270hp Theta II GDI Turbo Sonata and Kia Optima very soon.
And the GDI Turbo engine requires min Euro 4 premium gas to work well. 95 octane is the bare minimum requirement and even then the engine will be detuned slightly to prevent knocking.
97/98 octane is recommended.
Then their engineering team is just not brilliant enough to fulfill global market. This is not global car!
“20-30 yrs apart in terms of design, tech, build quality and drivability, and comfort”
Funny, please proof it. Source please.
Just see how well Proton is selling once it leaves Bolehland lor.. I rest my case… LOL :D
The Preve CFE (sole model) is on sale here in SG. ZERO are sold in 2013.. :D Yeah so we’ve got ridiculously high COE $$, but why there’s still brand new i40, Kia Forte K3, Optima being sold in SG while Proton got ZERO sale??
They buy badge, not looking at specs. Of course you cannot rely on number of sales to say it’s good or not. Easy example, Vios is better than City? Nahhh
One this is for sure, their RV has not even caught up with Cherry or Geely
Singapore taxi company just start to use i40 as their new taxi fleet. If you mind that they use the same model of your car to become a taxi, don’t buy.
Btw, i40 is much prettier than sonata.
I’ve been longing for the i40 tourer to reach our shore. Nice!
i30 please..
ahhh you guys can have the i40 in Bolehland finally. To those Korean car naysayers.. please, and I mean PLEASE test drive the i40 (esp the wagon version) GDI and tell me if any of your Camry, Accord, Teana can even compete with the Koreans.
Yes the i40 sedan is being progressively introduced to ComfortDelgro taxi fleets in SG. Another attestment of durability of Korean cars today. No taxi companies will wanna buy tons of unreliable crap only to give them more trouble. It used to be the old NF Sonata, now its i40 1.7L CRDi Euro 5 sedan taxi. Do ride in one the next time you guys visit Singapore.
The 2L GDI i40 wagon continues to be available for private registration. Order one in white, silver or black, cover the badges and seriously, alot of pple will mistake the i40 as an Audi A4 Advant wagon
Click here to have a glimpse of what you guys can enjoy in the i40 in a few months time :)
http://hyundaimotors.com.sg/
select i40 from the top menu bar
You’re right man! Only those stubborn folks still saying brand T & H the best ~ come on try out koreans ride before you judge too early!
Are you ss427’s dupe? Pity
I had a chance to test drive the Camry, Accord and Sonata within 1 week and i prefer the Sonata over the other 2 and my daily ride is a 200hp merc, so i know how to differentiate the cars.
Who cares about your daily ride ? I also can say mine is 500hp GT-R. Pictar please ir it didn’t happen, lol
Why it’s the same design with Elantra? Their designers are running out of idea? If like this better close shop and go to school again. Even school children can do better than this crap!
Do you think only your kind of people can get those cars? Funny.
When you take the sonata cab next time, you can ask the taxi driver whether they prefer Toyota crown or Hyundai sonata. The taxi driver will tell you that the sonata is more comfortable while the Toyota crown is more reliable. This is the answer from one of the Singapore taxi driver.
Singapore Taxi driver tells me that the Sonata typically spends 3 days at the service center every 25000kms but the Crown or Cedric just spends 3 hours.
So, get a Sonata and earn a lot less money, coz you will spend more time in the workshop changing parts that would last 300,000kms in a Jap Taxi
To me, somehow the rear has continental car feel. phenomenal !
The i40 was designed for European markets by German design house.. so naturally it has to look like one.
Seriously, do you think the Europeans will buy the Vios, Avanza, Innova, SE Asia Camry over there? The Avanza and Innova will be banned for sale immediately for safety and utter lack of power concerns. The Vios and Camry will collect dust in their dealer’s lot.
T got Auris in Europe, the specs are much better than corolla for Asean market. Don’t compare it with pathetic Vios, Avanza, Innova and Camry Asean version. And Preve/Suprima S is certainly not bad.
This design is fast to get bored with. Now too many cars got those sharp headlamps. Too many on roads just make those all cars same!
European market? This is a joke, they even can’t put the rear chrome bar on top of the headlamps.
Wow you sir are so genius. When compare cars you take cars from different country. I like your style.
*Sarcasm, puihhh*
Heard from a hyundai SA the i40 tourer will be priced around 140-150k..
Just in case those who got confuse like me.
Hyundai Elantra / i40 sedan / i45 sedan(SONATA)
Length: 4530 / 4740 / 4820 (mm)
Width: 1775 / 1815 / 1835
Height: 1435 / 1470 / 1470
Wheelbase: 2700 / 2770 / 2795
Boot capacity: 485 / 503 / 463 (litres)
They all have something in common.
Ultra low trade in value
just saw the trailer carrying i40 and i40 Tourer at jln Kuching on the way to pwtc. couldn’t snap a pic
:(
Good. Lets see how much this stickers in.
The Wagon is sure tempting. Lets hope Sime Darby doesn’t screw it up with nuking all its airbags.
Me thinks they should either have the i40 or the Sonata. Not sure how they will play with the pricing to slot this one in. It should be very close to the Sonata.
Not bad the design.
Don’t bother buying Hyundai cars. My 2008 Santa Fe bought for 175k is now worth Zero when I wanted to trade in a new Santa Fe in Kuantan . Looked nice, but hyundai reject their own make!!
Hyundai Sonata and Elantra still can trade in for some residual value. Santa Fe very difficult. Tucson still can accept trade in but not too many used car fellas will accept.
For Kia’s, its all across K5, Forte, Cerato, Sorento, Carnival/Ria, Sportage – no trade in accepted anymore. You gotta leave the car in the yard, pay rental space by the week
Love the looks on these kimchi owners that come begging me to buy their cabbages.
I have now another big Hilux banner placed in my office, on top of the 3 Hilux near my yard entrance.
More and more sorhais with the hailat face leaving my office everyday. Dam, biz is good
aiyoo this car look exactly the same as Kia Cerato! Cut and paste design and technology?
Kimchis are copy cats. Even within their own group of companies.
What they do is put a layer of skin designed by Europeans on top of a Tata/Geely/Cherry/Mahindra type of chasis and engine. Many sorhais dig this.
The big difference between Hyundai and Kia is that Hyundai still can can a trade in value, whereas for KIA’s, used car fella just tell you to leave the car there and charge you rental for the space used