Hyundai Sime Darby held a media preview this morning where the specs and variants for the new Tucson and Sonata were confirmed. What’s not confirmed is the pricing of the cars, which are still in the process of being approved by the authorities. The planned launch for the duo is in late April or early May, and we’ll be one of the earliest markets in Asia Pacific to receive right-hand drive cars. As previously revealed by this blog, both the Tucson and Sonata are imported CBU from Korea and will come in 2.0-litre Standard, 2.0-litre High Spec and 2.4-litre variants.

Both cars use the Theta II family of engines with DOHC and Dual CVVT. The 2.0-litre produces 164 bhp and 197 Nm of torque, which compares favourably to the Honda CR-V’s 148 bhp/190 Nm or the Accord’s 154 bhp/189 Nm.

Hyundai’s 175 bhp/227 Nm 2.4-litre beats Camry 2.4 figures and Honda K24A torque ratings, although it’s just shy of the Honda’s 178 bhp (which is made at a high 6,500 rpm). No diesels though, our Euro 2M standards are still not convincing enough for HMC.

Hyundai Sonata dashboard

All models will come with a six-speed automatic gearbox with tiptronic function. Developed in-house by Hyundai, this gearbox is said to be maintainence free. To back up the claim, Hyundai ran the gearbox for one and a half months, 24 hours a day, cycling through all six ratios. In that situation, the transmission lasted 300,000 km, so we can presume that it’ll last even longer with normal use.

For “harsh conditions” (the example given for “harsh” was up and down Genting Highlands full bore every day), you can send it in for service after 100,000 km. It was also mentioned that the A/T is “serviceable”, meaning that a faulty component can be replaced, rather than chucking the whole unit away. Anyhow, a five-year or 300,000 km warranty covers the gearbox, so it should be truly worry-free.

Hyundai Tucson dashboard

The Tucson is available in 2WD and 4WD, but the latter is only for the 2.4-litre. It’s a torque on demand system that automatically sends drive (maximum of 50%) to the rear wheels if slip is detected, and there’s a button on the centre console that locks it at 50:50. High spec 2.0 and 2.4 models are fitted with ESP, Hill Start Assist and Downhill Brake Control – the latter takes over braking duties from your foot in steep off road descents.

They also get keyless entry and start (with start button), a full length panaromic sunroof, semi-leather seats and driver’s powered seat. The only feature on the 2.4 that’s missing from the high spec 2.0 is auto climate control with ionizer.

The spec spread is pretty similar for the Sonata, which high spec 2.0 and 2.4 also get the glass roof and keyless entry/start, but adds on HID headlamps. Curiously, the panaromic roof on the sedan has a one-touch function that’s missing from the Tucson. Wheels of up to 18 inches are available for the two, but Hyundai Sime Darby has opted for 17s to avoid expensive tyre replacement costs. Both cars are yet to be officially crash tested, but Hyundai expects no less than full five stars for both cars in Euro NCAP and North America’s IIHS test after in-house simulations.

Now, all that’s left is the pricing. HSD is not having it easy on this matter; although this new breed of Hyundais meet and exceed class standards, the typical Malaysian customer still wants a substantially lower price than an equivalent Honda or Toyota, so we’ll see!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

The Hyundai i-flow is one of the significant concept cars at Geneva, not just because it looks dramatic, but because under that heavily sculpted skin is a range of latest tech that could appear in Hyundai’s next generation of cars.

Powering the i-flow is the company’s first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain consisting of a U2 1.7-litre oil burner with two-stage turbocharging and Hyundai’s lithium ion-polymer battery. Coupled to a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission, the drivetrain is capable of 33.3 km/l and a low CO2 output of 85g/km.

The i-flow is also a test bed for new energy harvesting ideas, ranging from a flexible solar panel roofing to a thermo-electric generator developed in partnership with leading chemical company BASF. One such idea is thermal engine encapsulation, which ensures that the engine reaches optimum operating temperature more quickly by retaining heat when the car is idle. Hyundai says that this translates into fuel savings and emissions cuts of 5% during summer and up to 9% in winter. The thermo-electric generator meanwhile recaptures energy from hot exhaust gases and converts it to electrical energy to help power auxiliary systems.

Designed at Hyundai’s European studio in Russelsheim, the i-flow sports the firm’s “fluidic sculpture” design language. With an overall length of 4,780 mm and a 2,800 mm wheelbase, the i-flow is a Honda Accord sized D-segment contender that is set to hit the market in 2011. It remains to be seen how much of the i-flow’s styling is retained for production, but things look promising with the recent Korean realisation that advanced design is as important as making competent cars.

Live pictures from Geneva and official images are after the jump!

Hyundai i-flow live images from Geneva

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

A reader sent us these images of the new Hyundai Sonata and Tucson being delivered on a trailer, so we know that they are already in Malaysia ahead of the scheduled launch in April. The paparazzi in training did not say where these cars were spotted, but from the surroundings my guess is the Bukit Kiara area in Kuala Lumpur. Hyundai is sponsoring the Malaysian Open golf event at KLGCC, which is in the vicinity, so it makes sense. In that tournament, the Tucson will be the hole-in-one prize.

We can see a grey Tucson and a black Sonata in the pics, without any exterior badging and with the Hyundai logo taped up. If these are the exact same spec that will go on sale, we will be getting the same big rims and Kumho Solus tyres as the cars I tested in Oman last month. Our sources also revealed that Hyundai Sime Darby will be bringing in (both models are CBU from Korea) a high-spec variant of the Sonata with panaromic roof. The roof is split in the middle (like the W211 E-Class) and not a whole piece item like on some French cars.

For the specs of both cars, see our previous post here. More pictures after the jump!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Here’s another image of the Hyundai i-flow concept which will be unveiled at Geneva next week. The i-flow, which advances the ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language Hyundai currently uses on cars like the new Sonata and Tucson, previews a future D-segment contender, according to the Korean carmaker.

Under the sheetmetal is Hyundai’s first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain. The package consists of a new 1.7-litre engine with two-stage turbocharging, lithium Ion-polymer batteries and a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission. Combined with drag coefficient of 0.25Cd, the i-flow’s CO2 output is a low 85 g/km and it only consumes three litres of fuel for every 100 km (33.3 km/l).

Hyundai says that the i-flow cabin “redefines the perception of space in a sedan bodystyle”, and this concept will use next-generation materials and technologies co-developed with top chemical company BASF. Elements such as the seats and centre console has BASF’s input for minimal weight and volume, while the cockpit’s main interface screen recognises not only touch but also “gestural inputs”. The glossy Liquid Metal eco-friendly waterborne coating developed by BASF Coatings contains special-effect pigments that give the surface a polished metal appearance, good for highlighting the car’s complex lines.

Also making their debuts will be the facelifted i30 (with cleaner powertrains and enhanced spec, production starts next month) and eco focussed Blue Drive variants for the i10, i20, i30 and ix35 (European version of the Tucson). All Blue Drive cars except the SUV produce less than 100 g/km of CO2. One step beyond the blue-badged models is the ix35 FCEV which shows Hyundai’s latest hydrogen fuel cell tech. The show car features steps to reduce cost and complexity of fuel-cell manufacturing as well as new approaches which simplify final assembly, leading to full production in 2012.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

The sketch above previews the Hyundai i-flow concept, which will make its world debut at the Geneva show at the end of this month. Hyundai says this concept will preview a future D-segment competitor – but really, is it time for a new D-segment competitor so soon when the Sonata has just been revealed? The Sonata already has a coupe-like roofline so it would be quite overkill for them to do a “Passat CC CC” with another take on a D-segment car.

This is just a hunch but it could be possible that what Hyundai meant in its press release as D-segment is different from what we normally consider as D-segment cars. In the US, what we call D-segment cars are CD-segment cars. The Camry is a CD car, while Toyota’s D car is the Avalon. Hyundai had a model like that – the Azera, and it was even sold here in Malaysia. The Azera was first launched in 2005 and it’s about time for a 5-year lifecycle full replacement model to arrive!

This new concept car could be slotted in between the Sonata and the Genesis as Hyundai’s most expensive front wheel drive executive car (taking the place of the Azera) before we start to enter Genesis rear wheel drive territory. But then again I could be wrong and this is really a “double CC” version of the Sonata.

The same press release also says this new i-flow concept will be used by chemical company BASF (there’s a good chance you use BASF products in your car everyday – they make petrol additives too) as a platform to showcase some technology such as lightweight materials, and solar cells.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Hyundai Sime Darby will be a very busy company in 2010, and the first launches we can expect from them this year is the introduction of the new Sonata YF and Tucson SUV, which is scheduled for April. Both cars will be imported CBU from Korea, and our source has also revealed the variants that will be brought in.

The sixth-generation Sonata, codenamed YF, will come with two Theta II engines – a 163 bhp/198 Nm 2.0-litre and a 176 bhp/228 Nm 2.4-litre, mirroring the engine options of its D-segment Japanese rivals. Not only the Sonata’s figures compare very well with its competitors, it also has a six-speed automatic gearbox (Accord and Camry 2.4 have five forward ratios) which is self-developed and claimed to be “maintainence free”.

The Tucson SUV will also ship with these two engines and the six-speed auto ‘box. If you want 4WD, opt for the 2.4-litre model, as the 2.0-litre Tucson will be front-wheel drive only. Hyundai’s Theta II, which is a development of the GEMA world engine, is 10kg lighter than its predecessor, more frugal, cleaner and comes with Dual CVVT. The latest GDI direct injection engines won’t reach our shores however, due to below par fuel quality.

Spec levels for these two cars will be competitive and prices will undercut their immediate rivals, which we take as the Honda CR-V for the Tucson, Accord and Camry for the Sonata. You may have noticed the Arab number plates on these pictures; they were snapped this afternoon as we have been test driving the new Hyundais in Muscat, Oman. Unfortunately, we cannot share our impressions with you yet as the story is embargoed, but do stay tuned for updates as the launch date nears. Let’s just say for now that these new entries have great showroom appeal and are very decent to drive!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

The Korean carmaker’s sales volume breached the three million unit mark for the first time in 2009, recording 3,106,762 to better 2008’s sales of 2,783,052, an increase of 11.6%. Domestic sales rose 23.1% while overseas markets went up by 8.7% to support the overall figure. Of the 2009 total, 702,672 or 22.6% were in Korea.

Besides much improved cars, Hyundai also came up with innovative schemes to draw in the carbuyer hit by economic uncertainty. The brand’s “Assurance” programme in the US offered to buy back cars should the owner loses his/her job. As a result, Hyundai, along with sister brand Kia and Subaru were the only three carmakers in the US to have improved figures over 2008. In Europe, sales of its small cars, such as the brilliant i10, rose strongly due to car scrappage schemes which added discounts to its already value priced cars.

In Australia, Hyundai sold an all time high 63,207 units, up 39.2% over 2008, making the brand the clear winner in the 2009 sales race. This year should be even better, as new products like the Sonata YF and Tucson/ix35 gather momentum.

The Koreans are coming? No, they’ve already arrived!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Those brazen Somali pirates that terrorise the Gulf of Aden are at it again. This time a car shipment has been diverted to their den. Asian Glory, a ship operated by EUKOR Car Carriers Inc, was hijacked on Jan 1 while on its way to Saudi Arabia from Ulsan, according to statement today from South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritimes Affairs. The vessel was carrying 2,405 cars, including 2,388 from Hyundai and Kia, plus 25 crewmen. It was hijacked 1,000 km off Somalia’s coast.

“As soon as the vessel embarks, all risks related to the vessel are the responsibility of the distributor. All payments for the cars have been made, while the cars are also insured,” Hyundai said in an e-mailed response to queries.

After a spate of hijacks last year, some 20 warships from the EU, NATO and other countries patrol the Gulf of Aden, a major gateway that’s used by 30,000 ships a year carrying about a 10th of world trade. This latest case is among the first successful attacks on merchant ships in the area since July 2009. The Somali pirates, who received successive multi-million dollar ransoms last year, currently hold at least 12 vessels.

The pirate boss must have really wanted a Genesis Coupe!

Source

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

The first Hyundai i30 registered in 2010 will get a free bodykit that Hyundai calls “M Sport” (from MS Design), which consists of a new front, rear and side skirts, a black plastic cover for the grille, twin exhaust pipes and plastic mouldings on the rear bumper.

Comparing the price list I have here, it looks like the full kit costs about RM8,000 if you buy it separately after the first free 50 units. You can find hi-res images after the jump.

Related Post:
Hyundai i30 Test Drive Review

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

I stumbled on an ad by Hyundai-Sime Darby in today’s The Star newspaper. The page 18 half pager had the title “Welcome 2010″ and had a picture of the all-new Tucson in the background. This is a clear hint that the mid-sized SUV will be coming our way next year. The other pictured cars are the Avante and i10.

Called the ix35 in Europe and Tucson ix in Korea, this Honda CR-V rival made its global debut at the Frankfurt motor show earlier this year, and is designed by Hyundai’s European design studio in Germany. It was introduced last month in Singapore with the 166 bhp/197 Nm 2.0-litre Theta II engine paired with a new six-speed automatic – figures that should put it as the best in class, on paper, if we get the same spec.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Hyundai has recorded over 60,000 vehicle sales in Australia so far this year, an all time record for the brand Down Under. But more significantly, this was achieved in a declining overall market that’s down 9.3% (YTD Nov 2009 vs YTD Nov 2008). Up till November 2009, the Korean marque posted eleven consecutive months of year-on-year growth and an overall increase in sales of 41.6%.

Globally, Hyundai’s sales is up by 9.6% (YTD Nov). The company’s latest model, the YF Sonata, is off to a good start – it sold 17,464 units in South Korea, making it the best selling domestic model last month. Looks like the prejudice against Korean carmakers is fast subsiding, everywhere but in Malaysia!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Over the past year, the Malaysian car market has been blessed with much more variety than we’re used to seeing, and some new entries have blurred the price lines that many use to categorise cars.

For instance, someone looking to purchase a Vios or City at the region of RM90,000 will have new alternatives from a class above priced within reach. The Peugeot 308 VTi is one such good value product, the others being the just launched Kia Forte and the subject of this test report – the Hyundai i30.

Unlike the Forte, which launch blast included TV ads and special inserts in local mags, the Hyundai i30 had a relatively quiet introduction with very little fanfare. I for one have not seen any on the road besides the media test cars and many people we spoke to don’t know of its existence!

So let’s recap. Belonging to Hyundai’s new generation of ‘i’ badged models, the i30 is a C-segment car designed to compete in the European family hatchback market, and is benchmarked againts class leaders such as the VW Golf. Both the i30 and its smaller sibling, the i10, have garnered impressive reviews from UK and Europe – no small feat for a Korean brand in markets much more sophisticated than ours.

And now, you can have it here for the price of a Modulo kitted Honda City – the i30 family starts from the 1.6 manual at RM92,388 to the 2.0 range topper at RM112,888. We try the mid range 1.6 auto which costs RM97,888.

Showroom appeal

A sure sign that Hyundai has come a long way is in the i30’s cabin. Quality is immediately apparent in the dashboard moulding’s soft padded plastic, which is not unlike that of the Peugeot 308 – the brown hue chosen for the seat fabric and upper half of the cabin is quite pleasing too, reminding us of the Mini Clubman’s ‘Hot Chocolate’ pack.

Materials and ergonomics are well sorted – all controls fall easily into place and are simple to use, except for the aftermarket Pioneer stereo, which looks flashy but is frustrating to operate. Interestingly, Hyundai took the effort to link the non-factory player to the standard steering wheel controls; the wireless connection worked fine in this car, but less so in another unit I tried previously.

Everything else is familiar – the blue illumination and instrument design are typically Hyundai; not the most classy in appearance but effective. Fussy Europeans demand things like telescopic adjustment for the steering as well as comfy seats, and the i30 duly delivers.

However, the Hyundai’s equipment list is underwhelming compared to the RM93,800 top spec Kia Forte – the i30 does without the 2.0-litre Kia’s Stability Control, leather seats/steering and curtain airbags, although it has basics like a full trip computer and single-zone climate control.

The i30 is one of the biggest cars in its segment, if you discount the new Opel Astra which really pushes the size boundary of this class. The Hyundai’s 2650mm wheelbase is for instance 70mm longer than the VW Golf’s, which translates to good rear legroom. There’s also space under the front seats for backbenchers to tuck their feet into. The boot volume at 340 litres isn’t great though, as the rear needs to accomodate an independent suspension and a full sized spare tyre. The rear multi-link system is more space consuming than a torsion beam suspension and more expensive to produce, but it pays off, as we find out.

Talented on the move

It doesn’t take more than a drive around the block to discover that the i30’s chassis competes well with class leaders such as the Golf and Ford Focus, and that it’s far removed from Korean cars of old. You do get a feeling of solidity, an intangible factor that distinguishes Continental cars from their Asian counterparts. The i30 rides really well on 16-inch wheels, cushioning road imperfections from the cabin instead of transferring the shock wholesale like how a Honda Civic would. The 2.0-litre variant wears 17-inch rims which introduce a harder edge to the ride quality, but it’s still far from brittle.

The i30 offers good body control, but not of the iron fisted stiff springing kind – the suspension is allowed some travel but movement is always well controlled. The result is a fluid drive over B-roads, much smoother than a Peugeot 308 in fact. We observed that the steering of the 1.6 feels more natural than the similar electric system on the 2.0-litre, which is quick and direct but has what feels like inconsistent assistance/weighting.

In truth, the Hyundai lacks the unflappable nature of the super composed Mk6 Golf or the communication of the Focus, but it’s a very good effort and probably offers a better ride/handling balance than the Civic/Sylphy/Altis trio.

Powertrain

Two engine options are available for the i30: a 141bhp/186Nm 2.0-litre Beta engine and our tester’s 1.6-litre Gamma unit with 120bhp and 153Nm of torque. The smaller engine is noticably slower, but was suprisingly sweeter revving than the 2.0 and with less buzz coming into the cabin.

Both CVVT engines have a decent spread of power throughout the rev range but our car could have done with more low-end urge – the Peugeot 308’s Prince engine beats it for flexibility and smoothness. We achieved fuel consumption of around 10 to 10.5km/l in our three days with the i30, according to the onboard trip computer.

The i30’s four-speed automatic worked unobtrusively, which is what a good auto should do – it was quick, smooth and smart enough although we’d gladly have an extra ratio for lower rpm highway cruising and better fuel economy. A five-speed manual is also an option for the 1.6; we’re eager to try it out when Hyundai-Sime Darby has a test unit available.

Worthy of our money?

The Hyundai i30 is a brilliant effort from a carmaker that has of late churned out cars that can match the best without excuses. It, the Peugeot 308 and Kia Forte should pose serious questions to those looking to buy a locally assembled Japanese B-segment sedan, as these cars from the next class up are much more sophisticated in design and quality.

As for the Hyundai, it deserves more attention for its abilities but is unlikely to get much due to the lack of design flair and desirability, which is a pity because there’s real substance beneath.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Here’s a whole load of new shots of the new Hyundai Sonata from the LA Auto Show, the first time the new Sonata has been exhibited to the American public. It’s very very different from the Sonatas of the past as Hyundai has decided to give the new Sonata a Passat CC-like look. Just look at that curving roofline!

Hyundai is also boldly offering it as an inline-4 only product in North America, a land where even your average Camry and Accord is purchased with large V6 engines with displacements in excess of 3.0 liters. The Sonata which this new one replaces came with a 3.3 liter V6 engine.

The sole 4-pot engine at launch time is the new 2.4 liter direct injection engine producing 198 horsepower in the new Sonata. Two more engines will be added later but they will also be inline-4 engines – a 2.0 liter turbo and a 2.4 liter hybrid.

Look after the jump for a full photo gallery for the US market.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

A Hyundai i30 painted in North Korean colours? We’re looking at a collectors item here! The picture above shows 33 Hyundai i30s painted in the national colours of the 32 nations qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, including one with all the flags on it. Since North Korea, neighbour and warring enemy of South Korea (where Hyundai is based) is one of the nations travelling to South Africa for the football showpiece next year, the Communist country gets its own customised i30!

It may be 190 days until the World Cup kicks off, but Hyundai is keen to milk its status as the official Automotive Partner of the global football fest. The “i30 World Cup tour” has stopped at Hyundai retailers around Europe, meeting thousands of football fans along the way. After circling London over the weekend, the convoy is now making its way to Holland for the next pitstop.

Here in Malaysia, we are also currently circling the city with the Hyundai i30, so look out for the test drive report coming up soon!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Hmm, it looks like Hyundai’s new ‘angry crab’ look on the Santa Fe does not apply to all markets. This shot of a UK market Santa Fe from the UK press kit shows a much simpler-looking front grille that shares the same look with the Hyundai i series of cars. It’s basically a similiar grille but the three bars have been painted black, and a chrome edge has been added on top. Under the hood is the new ‘R’ diesel engine which is a 2.2 liter all-aluminium block. It makes a very good 194 horsepower with 436Nm of torque when mated to an automatic transmission (slightly less torque with a manual).

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Of all the GEMA manufacturers, the Hyundai-Kia Group has been setting the best track record in terms of extracting the most power and torque out of their engines. The current generation Sonata and Optima’s 2.0 liter GEMA engine (Hyundai calls them Theta, Mitsubishi calls them 4B11, etc) currently makes around 158 PS to 163 PS, which is probably one of the best in class when you’re talking about a regular engine with only variable valve timing and conventional port injection. The new “Passat CC-ish” Hyundai Sonata’s 2.0 liter Theta II engine makes even more power, now rated at 165 PS at 6,200rpm and 198Nm of torque at 4,600rpm.

Hyundai is now taking the bar higher with the 2.4 liter engine option for the new Sonata. The 2.4 liter Theta II with variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust now gains GDI gasoline direct injection and as a result, can produce 201 PS at 6,300rpm and 250Nm of torque at 4,250rpm. That’s some very good torque figures for a 2.4 liter engine.

Thanks to the lean burn precision that direct injection affords, compression ratio has been increased to 11.3:1. The engine also comes with a three-stake variable induction system. The variable valve timing system has also been improved, with a new drive system designed for silent operation and better durability. The block has also been reinforced, with improvements to the crank and piston design as well. For example, the piston now has a cooling jet under the piston crowd to get more oil onto the piston walls, helping reduce friction and improve economy/power.

Hyundai says conventional port fuel injection is limited in the sense that as the engine spins faster in terms of RPM, valve opening and closing times get shorter and shorter, reducing the time available for the injectors to injet fuel. A DI injector positioned inside the combustion chamber can inject fuel at pressures at up to 150 bar faster. The fuel travel path is also shorter and more direct, thus more control is available over the combustion process.

The Hyundai GDI system does injection in two phases. The first phase is called the pilot injection and ignition, which triggers the piston’s downward stroke. Then during the piston’s descent more fuel is injected and ignited. Hyundai claims this split-injection technique reduces load on the catalytic converter and helps reduce emissions. Optimal operating temperature for the cat is also achieve faster, which means better cold start emissions, a figure which Hyundai claims have improved by 25 percent.

The new 2.4 liter Theta II GDI engine will be available in the new Hyundai Sonata along with the high-powered 2.0 liter engine. No news yet when Sime Darby is bringing the new Sonata into Malaysia, but perhaps it might change people’s perception of Korean D-segment vehicles. Hyundai has also unveiled a 2.0 liter GDI Turbo engine before this.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

The most luxurious Hyundai ever has just been launched in South Korea. The long-wheelbase version of the Hyundai Equus callled the Equus Stretch is the largest and most expensive vehicle in the Hyundai line-up.

The vehicle is longer than major competitors by as much as 310 mm. Backseat legroom is longer by up to 376 mm. The new model is fitted with the most powerful engine ever built for a Hyundai production car – a 5.0-litre V8 producing 400PS and 500Nm of torque.

Rear passengers will find they have the world’s first power-driven footrest (I know for a fact that MAS first class gets a powered footrest), seat leg support, relax posture control and a massage system. It’s quite clear that an airplane’s first class seating is the inspiration for the Equus rear passenger room.

There is also a bulletproof version of the car and 3 units have been delivered to the Korean President. Hyundai is the first Korean company to develop a bulletproof car with its own technology.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

There are currently three different sizes available – 1.8 liter, 2.0 liter and 2.4 liter. In Malaysia, there are a few cars that use engines derived from the GEMA project – the 2.0 liter motors in the Lancer and Lancer Evolution X, and the 2.0 liter motors in the Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima and Naza Rondo.

Chrysler says it intends to replace its GEMA engines with new small engine technology it will gain access to from its new Italian partner Fiat. But interestingly, despite Chrysler stating an intention to replace its GEMA products with Fiat products, Chrysler is the one who has ended up with full ownership of the GEMA plant. Mitsubishi and Hyundai have just sold their stakes to Chrysler. It is likely that the plant will be converted to a plant making Fiat engines in the future.

Technology bought to GEMA by an individual company will remain the intellectual property of that company, so Hyundai and Mitsubishi will likely be able to continue using their Theta/Theta II and 4B series of engines respectively.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

The new Sonata YF has been unveiled in Korea and I must say the specs list looks very good indeed. The cost of development to Hyundai was 400 billion won (RM1.15 billion) over a timespan of 4 years, and I must say the results look pretty good so far.

Not sure how long it’ll take to recoup costs but the car will be priced in Korea at 21.3 million Won (RM61,350) to 25.95 million Won (RM74,800).

The Sonata has a particularly powerful 2.0 liter engine from the Theta II family, which is a development of the GEMA world engine. Variants of the GEMA world engine are also found in Chrysler cars and locally in the Mitsubishi Lancer and Kia Optima.

The difference is with this latest stage of tune, horsepower and torque figures have been increase and are now even more impressive. The engine can now make a peak power output of 165 PS at 6,200rpm and a peak torque of 198Nm at 4,600rpm, which is very close to the 100Nm per liter ratio.

It’s one of the highest torque outputs available in non-premium segment engines without direct injection. This engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic, which is also the best in class so far in its segment (both competitors have 4 or 5-speeders).

Although only one engine option has been unveiled now, Hyundai says a 2.4 liter version with direct injection will be unveiled in January next year when it presents the US market version. Small engines like a 2.0 will never sell over there.

The body has a four-door coupe-ish look to the roofline, and most people are instantly reminded of the Passat CC when a few shots were leaked in the past few weeks. Hyundai calls this new design language “fluidic sculpture”. It’s designed to project a more youthful image for the car, so Hyundai probably intends it to be more Mazda 6 than Toyota Camry.

Vehicle Dynamic Control is standard, and there are also other driver assist features such as Hill-Start Assist Control and Brake Assist. The car also has the Korean market Mozen telematics system. This is not really likely to make its way anywhere outside of South Korea for now but its pretty interesting. It’s basically like BMW ConnectedDrive – the car can access various information systems via the WCDMA mobile network. You get features such as SOS calls and Mozen Autocare anti-theft tracking.

Look after the jump for a video and more shots of the YF Sonata.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Total sales for the Getz in Malaysia recently hit 20,000 units since its 2005 launch, so Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors have decided to create a new limited run Hyundai Getz SE (Special Edition) to celebrate. The Getz SE will be limited to a 300 unit run and each unit will have a serialized plate in the car starting with the number 001.

The changes are all aesthetic as the 1.4 liter DOHC engine under the hood remains the same as before. The Getz SE is only available in a colour called “Icing White”. The front end receives a new grille and bumper. The side mirrors have integrated LED indicators. At the rear, the car gets a new bumper as well. The single exhaust tailpipe is hidden behind the mesh grille of the “diffuser-like” design.

On the inside, the center dashboard and the door handles has a new brushed-aluminium look to them. The interior seats and steering wheel comes in leather. Wheels are 15 inchers of a new design and are wrapped with Dunlop D01 tyres. Hyundai says they picked the D01 because of its double V groove pattern which does well on wet roads, making it suitable for the Malaysian tropical climate.

Other than that, the rest of the car is the same as the regular Getz. The SE version is available for both the 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic options.

The Hyundai Getz SE 1.4GL(M) is priced at RM 60,984.00 (OTR) in West Malaysia and RM 62,716.10 (OTR) in East Malaysia and the Hyundai Getz SE 1.4GL(A) is priced at RM 63,888.00 (OTR) in West Malaysia and RM 66,277.00 (OTR) in East Malaysia. Hyundai offers a 5 year or 300,000 warranty with the Getz.

Look after the jump for more shots of the Getz SE.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Here’s a first photo of Hyundai’s new electric i10 set to make its debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. The Hyundai i10 Electric will begin limited series production in 2010 and will initially be offered in Korea only. It will be offered to the Korean government, state corporations, and utility companies. No price has been revealed as of now, but the press release mentions “sell” instead of “lease”.

The i10 Electric is powered by a 49kW (66 horsepower) motor, mated to a 16kWh battery which promises a range of 160km and a top speed of 130km/h. Because of the switch of powertrain, the steering, air conditioning, water pump and brake vacuum pump systems have been modified to all run on electrical power now.

The Koreans have improved the standard of their powertrains tremendously in the past decade. From the initial set of engines based on Mitsubishi products, they’ve moved to very competent engines with dual variable valve timing, new engines with turbocharging and direct injection, impressive and fuel efficient R-engine diesel engines, LPI Hybrids and now, an all-electric powertrain! Impressive!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Official sketches of the new Hyundai Sonata has been released by the Korean company and the car is expected to make its official debut in Korea on the 10th of September.

With a roofline that looks like it was inspired by the likes of the Passat CC and the one that started it all – the CLS, it definitely distances itself from the generic looks of the current generation Sonata with an all-new look that employs plenty of curves and ‘flame-surfacing-esque’ creases.

So okay, these are just sketches and its easy to make a sketch look good. There are actually some photos leaked of the Sonata in the metal that have made their way out onto the internet. Look after the jump for how the actual car looks like.

Source

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Here’s the first undisguised full image of the new Hyundai ix35, which gives us a clear view of Hyundai’s new C-segment SUV. The ix35 is the replacement for the aging Hyundai Tucson. Thankfully that new “Genesis’ grille that has recently graced the facelifted Starex did not really find its way onto the ix35, instead we get a front end which has more in common with the Veracruz.

In other markets it will also be called the Hyundai Tucson ix in Korea. Under the hood will be Hyundai’s new all-aluminium “R-engine” diesel in 184hp tune (of which specs sound pretty good by the way), or the 166hp Theta II petrol engine, both mated to Hyundai’s new 6-speed automatic.

The rear view mirror has a built-in 3.5 inch colour LCD to display images from the rear view camera to assist with parking. The ix35/Tucson ix will feature typical SUV driver assist functionality such as downhill brake control to help the driver negotiate a downhill slope, and hill-start assist control. The car will of course be available with stability control, and a panoramic sunroof helps enhance the interior.

More details and information on the ix35 will be available when Frankfurt opens its doors in mid-September. You can watch a movie from the Korean Tucson ix launch after the jump that shows all angles of the car in motion… pretty decent looking!

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

This is supposed to be the new 2011 Hyundai Sonata and it’s probably going to be revealed soon since it looks like these shots were sneaked out during a photoshoot for its product images. The front instantly reminded me of the latest Mazda 6, except with a whole lot of more chrome going on there. It’s not easy to see how the side profile of the car looks like in these shots but I really think I’ve actually seen the new Sonata on test (or perhaps it was its Kia Optima sibling) at some proving grounds when I was in Korea for the Kia Koup preview drive earlier this year, and it’s got a very Passat CC-like coupe roofline to it – very sleek and nice. The interior seems to look good as well. The Koreans just keep getting better and better each time they try. They have to, it’s the only way forward.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

This new 800cc engine will likely be offered first as some form of alternative to the new 1.2 liter Kappa engine (80 horses) in the markets that can afford it, and later probably completely replace it if they are able to price it well. This engine will likely find its way into the Hyundai i10 and the Kia Picanto and later other cars like the Hyundai i20 (Getz).

There are not many turbocharged gasoline engines in the Hyundai-Kia line-up, with the most modern one coming to my mind being the 2.0 liter GDI Turbo unit based on the GEMA engine that was announced late last year. Hyundai’s turbocharged GEMA engine trumps its rivals with the addition of direct injection.

The Kia Forte Koup with its killer looks are just dying for a more powerful engine like a turbo inline-4, as the 2.4 liter version just doesn’t cut it, being quite far off from hitting the 200 horsepower mark. There was also a 1.6 liter GDI Turbo that was slotted into the Hyundai ix-onic Concept from March this year – that one made about 170 horses.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

Hyundai has updated the Hyundai Grand Starex with a new front grille that features a slatted design rather than the original Starex’s mesh grille with a chrome surround and a chrome bar going through it. The new model is called the Hyundai Grand Starex Royale. The wing mirrors are also now body-coloured instead of black, and now feature signal indicators on them.

One of the gripes that we had in our Grand Starex review was also the absence of a rear windscreen wiper – this has now been added onto the Grand Starex Royale. On the interior there is a new Pioneer touch screen LCD DVD player that is linked to a 7 inch LCD screen located at the middle top of the MPV for rear passenger enertainment purposes.

For more details on whether the Grand Starex is a worthy addition to your fleet of vehicles especially if you have a growing family (the Starex has a total of 11 seats with seatbelts – that’s alot of people!), check our our test drive review of the Grand Starex. Or look after the jump for more photos of the updated Hyundai Grand Starex Royale. It’s priced at RM148,888 OTR in West Malaysia and RM153,997.50 OTR in East Malaysia. Four colours are available – Crystal White, Stone Black, Sleek Silver and Carbon Grey.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

One of the first Hyundai cars to feature the new i naming scheme is now in Malaysia, but it is not the first i car in Malaysia, as that honour has gone to the i10.

The Hyundai i30 is a C-segment contender designed by their European center for the European market, but that has not stopped it from offering it elsewhere unlike the Kia cee’d’s European exclusivity. The i30 shares the same platform as cars like the cee’d and the upcoming Forte. Proof of that is the fact that the i30 is now here in Malaysia and the wagon version is even in the US, called the Hyundai Elantra Touring.

Three variants are sold here, and the good news for manual fans is that there’s a manual version for the 1.6 liter. The following are the prices of the Hyundai i30 variants here in Malaysia:

• Hyundai i30 1.6 (M) – RM92,388.00
• Hyundai i30 1.6 (A) – RM97,888.00
• Hyundai i30 2.0 (A) – RM112,888.00

The 1.6 liter engine makes 121 PS at 6,200rpm and 154Nm of torque at 4,200rpm, while the larger 2.0 liter unit makes 143 PS at 6,000rpm and 186Nm at 4,600rpm. The 2.0 liter engine is the same as the one in the Elantra/Avante, and not of the GEMA series found in the Sonata.

The 5-speed manual 1.6 gets 15 inch wheels with 185/65R15 tyres, the 1.6 auto goes up one inch with 205/55R16 tyres while the 2.0 auto gets 17 inch wheels with 225/45R17 tyres for a sportier stance. The car rides on a 2,650mm wheelbase chassis (the i30 wagon/Elantra Touring has an extended wheelbase of 2,700mm) with MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link suspension setup at the rear.

In terms of safety features, all cars get 2 SRS airbags at the front as well as ABS brakes, and good news is that the 2.0 liter automatic gets ESP stability control. Another safety feature for your wallet – a 5 year or 300,000km warranty.

Hyundai is offering 1.99% loans for 5 year tenures, and this also applies to the rest of the Hyundai range except the Starex. Speaking of the rest of the Hyundai range, it looks like the Elantra has been renamed the Avante in the new Hyundai-Sime Darby line-up.

This probably happened when the Hyundai franchise was unified here in Malaysia – there are no longer two separate companies selling different Hyundai models, only the Sime Darby unit. The i30 will be in showrooms August onwards. If you like the car and are already thinking of how to pimp it up once you’ve bought one, here’s some inspiration.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

The first images of Hyundai’s mid-life refreshing of the Hyundai Santa Fe has been revealed, and it looks like the odd grille that first appeared on the facelifted “angry crab” Accent/Verna Transform will be making its way onto many other Hyundai models. The most significant change is under the hood, where the new R-Engine turbodiesel engine family will be installed. The 2.0 and 2.2 liter engines have an all-aluminium construction and produce 184PS/392Nm and 200PS/436Nm respectively. These are pretty strong numbers for turbodiesel engines of these size, especially with only a single turbocharger. More details and pix to be revealed as they are released.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

The model that we know as the Hyundai Accent has been updated in Korea and called the Hyundai Verna Transform, a naming scheme that seems to echo the Sonata facelift which was also called a Sonata Transform.

Most of the equipment and engines remain the same and the only other change from the exterior looks seem to be an Eco indicator on the instrumentation panel which lets you know when you are driving economically, a revised dash design and blue backlighting for the dashboard instead of green. Those stuff they put on the grille don’t really look too good on such a narrow grille.

While its sibling Kia’s cars are all very aesthetically pleasing now, it looks like Hyundai still has to work hard on establishing its own corporate design language. It went one direction with the i30 and i20 but everything suddenly changed with the Genesis, and then now we have this. Kia’s design language thanks to Peter Schreyer is very stable with its simple but sleek and dynamic-looking designs and the Schreyer grille identity.

Check out more photos after the jump.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.

© 2010 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 14 Mar 10 21:05:50 +0000.