Ever wondered if your local car manufacturer intentionally produces better quality cars for the export market versus the domestic ones for local consumption? Well, the Koreans certainly do. According to a survey, 74% of the respondent believe that Hyundai’s overseas models are of better quality than the local ones (in Korea).
Well, the company then held a head-on collision test demonstration recently, pitting a Korean-market Sonata against a US-made Sonata. Essentially, it wanted to prove to local audiences that there is no difference between the stiffness of the Sonata’s domestic and US models.
Two Sonata 2.0 Turbo models were used in the demonstration – one from the local Korean market and another that was shipped from the US. Apparently, the cars were chosen at random, and the palm prints you see on the cars are there to reassure the audience that no reinforcements or strengthening was performed after it was received.
Fast forward to the actual collision, both cars were sent hurtling towards each other at 56 km/h, in front of a packed audience that consisted of local Sonata owners and members of the media as well.
Judging from the pictures, it looks like both cars suffered an equal amount of damage. So kudos to Hyundai for doing something like this to reassure their customers that there is virtually no difference in quality when it comes to its standards on manufacturing for both local and export models.
But of course, while this test proves that the Sonatas sold in Korea and the US have similar crash safety standards, the same does not apply for all brands and models. The Mitsubishi Triton, for instance, received a full five-star ANCAP and ASEAN NCAP crash safety ratings in its Australian-market guise, while the Malaysian models scored just four stars.
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Lets see Proton try that…
You know… to prove that export models doesnt have better safety features like airbags etc :P
Proton Preve model and above no problem. Why not try doing it with UMW camry vs USA camry. See which will die first. I oso suggest strapping Sam Loo into the UMW version for the test.
Not make sense, because is about local brand car vs us made (local brand) car…
Proton will be likely…
UMW just a cheap copycat dealer but still not local brand car manufacturer.
Meanwhile in bolehland, Toyota is big joke right now, what use the test if it’s ady wins moving coffin title?
Not as big joke as the Proton Shit Plus car, no VSC still want to remove ABS? Hahaha…
Saga Plus is old car, who cares, unlike Toyota new junk cars line up.
Habis lah Toyota Salesman. All crying like baby now.
Now all the Toyota salesman are hiding. This hyundai, so reasonable in price and yet it is packed with safety features and so strong in chasis
And about RV, go and check in mudah, oto and carlies, Korean cars have the SAME RV as Toyota and Honda.
All the rumours in the past about Korean not having good RV is done by disgruntled Toyota salesman having ZERO sales in their office. They come online and try to bad mouth Korean cars.
The truth is, Toyota has got the worst RV ever. 1 year old 2014 Camry 2.5 now selling for RM98k, down from RM180k. Accident free and low mileage.
2013 Altis 1.8 selling for RM65k. Dealer so desperate, he told me even RM60k also he take. Brand new Atis is RM139k. In 1 year 10 months, the Altis can drop to RM60k. More than half price.
I hope we all here can help the Toyota salesman crying like a baby. Let us all buy pampers for them and also some formula milk and donate to all UMW showrooms
You dun even understand the article. Its Hyundai vs Hyundai lah! Adoi!
In every article, i just want to let u or any1 that proton n perodua shud close shop instead sucking ppl money n zero safety. Malaysians are suppose drive beta cars like foreign cars not malaysia made JUNK!
OMG you must living in cave too long. Preve got 5 star NCAP ady.
Get out from cave!
You just lost your mind, read properly. ..
Strap him in the UMW Camry BUT… with his legs on the dashboard.
Hyundai have gusts, back in Bolehland all lost the “balls” just support a receive “donation” of a single men…
Please bring your useless political whine out of here. This is car blog
Hear! Hear!
Koreans are making better cars.
Malaysian are busy politicking.
Condemn and cursing everyday.
Btw Ford Mustang is a legend. Nice car to have if I have the money…right now Kia Sorento is my drive…
what political? comment mean all local made car brand does the same !!! When did I involved political? And don’t praise and support your own comment by using others name !!!
UMW
Let try local Camry VS US Camry or local Altis VS US Altis
:p
Even Korean themselves no confident of thier own Kimchi Cars quality.
Korean has no faith in Kimchi Cars?
they seem like just dont trust Hyundai Car Quality and Durability.
just like us, dont trust proton quality.
And we believe the export model is ‘slightly’ better in packaging.
A slight different, I think the US model have stronger chassis, because the korea one dented first and slighty deeper.
Thats because it is likely that the US car has 5mph rated bumpers required by the IIHS. Otherwise the chassis ought to be the same.
This requirement is by and for the American insurance agencies so that low speed bumper bumps would not result in costly damages.
If you look under a local D segment (especially those that share USDM designs like the Accord), you can tell there are missing bumper supports under the plastic cover.
Already it has low RV, now crashed and the scrap metal dealer won’t even accept this.
Buy Toyota better, good RV.
Toyota where got RV. If it crashes, nothing left for sale!
LOL
Yes, better get Saga Plus with RV Plus!
Sam Loo nowadays got so much free time. Even go create multiple dupes. Business must be bad eh, Sammy boy?
Better then your latest Saga no ABS??? What a shame to own !!!
Hi Sam Loo, hows business nowadays?
Then you expect its specs like 70k car? Even Vios dun have VSC at 80k, why no bash?
Hoping for Hyundai Malaysia to bring the Sonata Turbo and Santa Fe turbo here in Malaysia.
Wouldnt it be funny if we believe in Kimchi Cars Quality?
Korean themselves also doubt about it.
therefore they shows it on the stage. let their people rate it by themself
they should have tried crushing Kia Picanto.
this car achieved 0 star.
just like the paultan link shows:
http://paultan.org/2014/05/05/asean-ncap-third-phase-honda-cr-v-proton-preve-chevrolet-colorado-toyota-corolla-altis-get-5-stars/asean-ncap-p-3-kia-picanto-nab-2/
I always wantes to see an american full size head on collisions with a kancil, wondering what is the effect :-P
I believe the koreans were trying to prove that their car crash worthiness is as good as any european or american. Most of their car design were done in Europe, therefore will have strength and durability of the europeans. However, all this comes with the expense of poor FC when compared to japanese cars. Just take compare the korean cars with japanese cars in the same segment for weight. You will notice Korean cars are heavier than japanese due to which i believe is strengthening of the structure.
Let bygones be bygones. Don’t trap yourself into in the era 80s,90s where Korean auto industries are still on their learning curve. In current world, Korean cars are well accepted in Developed countries. In fact Hyundai/Kia car sales are surpassed their expectation due to their relentless effort to ensure the product is safe, reliable and value for money.
Likewise, we still talk about RV, about old Toyota/Honda legacy, about FC which is negligence(most of the times depends on how we drive), and generalize the isolated issues. Regardless the manufacturer from any countries, we should choose cars that able to meet the safety standard, provide comfort, and able to meet each individual spec. Unfortunately Korean and European car manufacturers are currently leading this effort. Hopefully other brands will follow suit to provide more choice and price competitiveness.
Let see Perodua doing the same thing…
Head on Passo/Boon vs Myvi or Boon Luminas vs Alza…you will see how junk our Myvi/Alza
Probably all these guys can explain how is it that our ASEAN models generally have lower strength when they are fully built in ASEAN?
Test Inokom vs CBU.
What if the speed is raised to 140 km/h
The cars before and after crash worth value is about the same anyway
Try to look into difference point of view here. Local ppl (in this case – Korean) will always doubt their local manufacture. Same here in Malaysia. Even the company try to do the best with current sate of the art tech, but local sill not satisfy.
Why full frontal not offset frontal like ncap..
Bravo to Hyundai. The new Sonata is a very solid car.
Well done Hyundai. The actual speed the cars came together was 112kph, and we can see intact passenger cabin, doors not deformed, likely able to be opened, no flip over or roll over. Indeed it showed sonata was well made. What car to buy at the end depends on budget and preference of style, features and safety. Sometimes after sale service. Cars are meant to be enjoyed. So I would respect whatever choice you make, it is your money. Korean, Malaysian, Japanese or Continental.