Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) today launched two new distinctive models – the all-new class-leading D-segment Sonata and the B-segment Compact SUV Kona along with a bold new tagline ‘Geared for Distinction’ for Hyundai in Malaysia.
The new tagline ‘Geared for Distinction’ encapsulates the essence of the Hyundai brand in Malaysia and reflects its transition to a stand-out brand of consequence. From inception to the final product, every Hyundai vehicle is engineered to perform and is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology, a few of which are not even offered in the luxury segment, size for size.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of HSDM said the new tagline follows a year-long business remodelling exercise which involved a restructuring of its business fundamentals and customer deliverables.
“With the progress that Hyundai has made in producing global award-winning products, innovations and cutting-edge technology, we feel it is time to take the brand to the next level to reflect its strengths in the premium car market segment.”
“As the tagline denotes, we are geared for distinction. Hence, Hyundai customers will enjoy a rejuvenated experience and a new definition of luxury. More distinctive Hyundai products will be rolled out while service capabilities will be enhanced to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction,” he added.
On the rollout of the all-new Kona and Sonata, Low said both models have been specially developed for discerning car owners, with stunning designs and innovative features.
“We understand the needs of our customers. Today’s car buyers would prefer to be associated with a brand that is distinctive, and offers quality, innovative designs and performance. The all-new Sonata and Kona have been specially created to appeal to these car owners,” he said.
The eighth-generation class-leading Sonata, with its dynamic design and features, is expected to make its mark in the D-segment market.
“In terms of design, the new Sonata is a fully transformed vehicle that bears more resemblance to a sporty four-door coupe. The new model is a step up from what people have come to expect from Hyundai and is expected to draw onlookers to take a closer look at the details.”
“The new model is built on an entirely new platform that emphasises design, safety, efficiency, power and driving performance. With it, there is a marked weight reduction and improved fuel efficiency while achieving better durability. It also builds on the original platform’s core strengths, enabling a more stable design with a lower centre of gravity,” Low added.
The Sonata also offers several segment-first features such as state-of-the-art hidden lighting lamps architecture; blind-spot-view monitoring that offers a “live” video feed of blind spots which is projected onto a video screen on the digital gauge cluster; and a 6-speed automatic transmission with a shift-by-wire feature controlled by a push-button shift console. It is also the first Hyundai model in Malaysia to be equipped with the Smartstream G2.5 powertrain.
The much-anticipated B-segment compact SUV, Kona, is another of Hyundai’s design innovations that is expected to reach a new market segment for the brand. The Kona appeals to consumers with active lifestyles, particularly the younger generation of car buyers.
The Kona’s “urban smart armour” exterior features voluminous, aggressive body styling which complements a low and wide stance for great looks and confident handling in a variety of urban and adventure-oriented driving environments.
“We have received overwhelming response for the new Kona during the pre-launch booking phase. As a result of the positive response, we are happy to announce that we will continue to market the Kona here. Customers can thus expect the next generation of Kona to be introduced here as well,” said Low.
Unique in its segment, the Kona incorporates several distinguishing features, among them, Wireless Phone Charging and Driver Attention Warning System. The contrasting vibrant colour seatbelts and interior trim colour creates a burst of exciting colour in the cabin.
The Kona is available in three variants, namely the 2.0-liter Nu MPI Standard and Active as well as the 1.6 Turbo which is priced at RM123,888, RM138,888 and RM151,888 respectively. For a limited time only, HSDM is offering a special introductory price, inclusive of tax savings, of RM115,888 for the 2.0 KONA, RM130,888 for the 2.0 Active and RM143,888 for the 1.6 Turbo variant (Peninsula Malaysia, on the road excluding insurance) .
The Sonata is only available in the SmartStream G2.5 version and priced at RM206,888.
HSDM is offering the first 50 Sonata units at a special introductory price, inclusive of tax savings, of RM189,888 (Peninsular Malaysia, on the road excluding insurance).
Both the Sonata and Kona are entitled to a five-year or 300,000km (whichever comes first) warranty. It is available for viewing at all Hyundai showrooms nationwide. Interested parties may contact Hyundai’s Customer Careline at 1-300-13-2000.
ALL-NEW 8TH GENERATION 2020 SONATA
The new-generation Sonata is the first sedan designed with Hyundai’s Sensuous Sportiness design language. The word ‘sensuous’ integrates the value of more emotion in designs. ‘Sportiness’ implies dynamics, to be reactive of what’s happening around us. ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ is about a new concept in the creation of cars.
The 2020 Sonata represents Hyundai’s new focus on creating emotional value using proportion, styling and technology. It is a fully transformed vehicle showcasing a sporty four-door-coupe look.
Smartstream G2.5 Powertrain
The new Smartstream G2.5 powertrain offers dynamic performance with a smoother and comfortable driving experience, reduced emissions and better fuel efficiency. It is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Gear selection is controlled by a new Electronic Shift Button (shift-by-wire) selector that makes for safer, more precise and fool-proof gear changes.
The new powertrain boasts a generous 180 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 232Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm.
Performance and Chassis
The all-new Sonata is the first model to utilize Hyundai Motor’s third-generation vehicle platform. Offering significant flexibility for vehicle development across multiple segments, the platform enables dramatic innovations in design, alongside improvements in safety, efficiency and driving performance.
The platform delivers an improvement in collision safety through the use of a multiload path structure, Hot Stamping, and super-high-tensile steel plate. The sophisticated multiload path structure increases the energy that the vehicle absorbs in collisions.
Exterior Design: Sensuous Sportiness Defined in a Four-Door-Coupe Silhouette
Inspired by the dramatic Le Fil Rouge four-door-coupe concept shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the new-generation Sonata is a sporty four-door coupe with a spacious and technology-packed interior. The exterior exhibits performance-led proportions that reference the car’s step up in sportiness over that of its predecessor.
From the front, the 2020 Sonata is unlike any other Hyundai. The design is all-new, with cues that don’t immediately appear Hyundai-like. It features a newly designed 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.
A chrome line flows from the wing mirror, right around the side passenger windows, and returns to the front of the car by running down the length of the hood and ending at a sharp right angle beneath each headlight. This chrome strip features graduated LED Daytime Running Lights embedded with Hidden Lighting Lamps.
Also a first for a Hyundai vehicle, 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.
The side sections of the Sonata are accentuated by the light architecture, which connects two chrome lines that seamlessly link the windows and daytime running lights. Through these two character lines, the Sonata effuses a flowing and refined charm.
From the side, sleek forms combine with sensual lines to accentuate the car’s sportiness and clear coupe-like silhouette. Eye-catching sporty details include a trunk spoiler and black side skirts along the lower flanks. The car’s overall height has been lowered an inch to enhance the sporty profile even further. It comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, each with a design that suggests forward motion even when stationary.
At the rear, a wide horizontal line extends across the centre of the trunk, stretching to the edges of the car. This line is actually a long LED strip that connects each brake light, creating a striking visual impression at night. The high-tech appearance of the rear is intentionally suggestive of the Sonata’s advanced safety systems and technology-packed interior.
The Sonata’s coefficient of drag (Cd) is just 0.27, with a flat underfloor covering and a range of body enhancements—including small fins across each taillight—that help keep the car fuel efficient, as well as stable.
Interior: “Beautifully Smart” Technology and Design
The cabin conforms to a “Beautifully Smart” theme, aligned with the expectations of Sonata customers seeking advanced technologies applied naturally and intuitively. The signature aesthetic of the exterior lighting is echoed inside in the form of ambient mood lighting featured across the dashboard and doors.
Spanning the full width of the cabin, the slim dashboard features a first-in-class, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which 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 (AVN) functions. This screen can also accommodate a split-screen function that allows audio and navigation to be displayed simultaneously.
The instrument panel is rich and modern, 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 satin chrome accents enhance this effect even further. Designers compressed the height of the dashboard and aircond vents as much as possible to emphasize the lightweight feeling, while modern leather interior provide a fresh and unconstrained ambience for the driver.
Maximizing the sense of a spacious interior was a key focus for Hyundai’s designers and engineers. Alongside visual devices that create an impression of greater room, the new Sonata features an optional panoramic sunroof that amplifies the light and airy ambience.
Wherever possible, Hyundai took the opportunity to combine a technological development with visual or space benefit. The new shift-by-wire gear selector is a prime example, as the new interface not only is sleek and technologically advanced but also takes up significantly less space than a traditional gear selector.
Safety
The new Sonata maximizes occupant safety through a range of active and passive safety technologies. Passengers benefit from a comprehensive six-airbag set-up along with a suite of safety other features such as the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), Brake Assist System (BAS) and the Vehicle Stability Management (VSM).
Convenient Technology
The 2020 Sonata features a number of advanced comfort and convenience features typically found only in luxury cars, including a sunroof, electric parking brake, smart trunk, wireless smartphone charging pad with cooling fan, standard Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto®, and split-folding rear seats.
Its top-of-the-line audio and navigation display is a wide, high-definition, customizable, 8-inch touchscreen monitor with split screens while the cluster supervision display is a full 12.3 inches.
Making it convenient especially for long distance driving the HUD that offers improved visibility in different lighting conditions. The HUD can be adjusted in both angle and height to provide optimum visibility. The HUD supports driving safety by displaying information such as speed and navigation commands, as well as alerts from active safety and driving assistance features.
The Blind-Spot View Monitor is another convenient feature of the Sonata. The outside mirror-mounted cameras offers the driver an enhanced field of vision. The Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) system scans for vehicles entering your blind spot. If the driver activates a turn signal, an image of the view from the corresponding wing mirror is displayed in the 12.3-inch cluster display. If a vehicle is detected in the blind spot, audible and visual alerts are provided.
Parking and getting out of tight parking spaces is now more convenient than ever with the Surround View Monitor that offers a bird’s-eye view of the car’s exterior, giving the driver confidence when maneuvering into or out of spaces.
2020 KONA
The All-New Kona is Hyundai’s first compact SUV that reflects the lifestyle of modern customers. It is stylish and functional, and is most importantly tailored to the needs of customers who pursue active lifestyles.
Hyundai’s Kona is named after the idyllic west-coast region of the Big Island of Hawaii. The Kona region is famous among endurance triathletes and thrill-seeking travelers, and this energetic image is reflected in the innovative and functional design of this lifestyle-focused Compact SUV.
MODERN DESIGN ENHANCED BY LED LIGHTING SIGNATURE
The Kona employs refined aesthetics with sculpted body forms and sporty contours for an athletic, bold, and striking appearance. Its distinctive design is reinforced by the car’s voluminous, aggressive body styling that emphasizes its well-proportioned, dynamic silhouette. A low and wide stance complements its profile, with a long wheelbase and short overhangs, ensuring sporty, nimble handling, in addition to delivering superior driving stability at highway speeds. Its masculine, protective ‘armour’ combines powerfully with the futuristic LED lighting to create a high-tech look.
Kona’s front view conveys a powerful presence, as its armour shows readiness for adventuresome activities. It incorporates Hyundai’s new family identity, the cascading grille, featuring a sporty mesh pattern, flanked by flared, wing-like fenders that dominate the front visage. It’s further enhanced by a composite headlamp design, with high-efficiency LED headlights and LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs).
The slim brake lights, turn indicators and reverse lamps are in a separate configuration, surrounded by protective skin that begins at the C-pillar garnish.
In keeping with its adventuresome demeanor, a number of extroverted colour variations allow buyers to further express themselves by choosing colours such as Chalk White, Lake Silver, Phantom Black, Pulse Red and Ceramic Blue. The 1.6 Turbo gets black colour-contrasting roof, providing high contrast between the body, roof and wheels for a distinctive appearance.
The 2.0 Active and 1.6 Turbo variants are fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels while the 2.0 basic variant is fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels.
SPACIOUS, COMFORTABLE INTERIOR
The unique features of the exterior continue inside with a strong horizontal character line creating a wide and spacious feel. Even with its compact dimensions and low roof line, the Kona delivers outstanding interior roominess.
Unique to the Kona is also its vibrant contrasting coloured seatbelts and interior trims. Grey coloured interior trims 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 sleek and simple layout interior contrasts with the bold, adventurous exterior design. The audio/navigation display incorporates advanced infotainment features and the standard floating seven-inch touchscreen includes Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™ capability. The floating display design adds further to the occupants’ sense of interior openness.
POWERFUL AND EFFICIENT POWERTRAIN
The 2020 Kona is offered with two powertrains – the 2.0-liter Nu MPI engine and the Gamma 1.6-liter 4-cylinder direct-injected, turbocharged engine. The 2.0-liter Nu MPI on the other hand generates 149 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 180Nm at 4,000 rpm.
The 1.6 Gamma T-Gdi generates 177 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 265 Nm of torque from 1500-4500 rpm, an advantage over its key competitors. Peak torque delivery starts at only 1,500 rpm and holds through 4,500 rpm, for low-RPM responsiveness and performance in everyday driving conditions. The turbo engine is coupled to a seven-speed EcoShift® dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This Hyundai-developed dual-clutch transmission offers outstanding efficiency with quick, seamless shifting and brisk acceleration. When compared with some competitors’ continuously-variable transmissions, this DCT is able to handle more torque with minimal power interruption throughout the engine operating range for natural acceleration and premium aural character with greater durability.
SAFETY STRUCTURE
Hyundai is the only global car manufacturer to produce its own steel for vehicle production for specific benefits to Kona’s structural integrity and safety. The lightweight unibody structure has been developed with 52 percent Advanced High Strength Steel to deliver leading levels of inherent passive safety characteristics.
Proprietary hot-stamping methods produce lightweight, ultra-strong structural elements to maximize the cabin’s central safety cell. The length of structural adhesives used in Kona production exceeds 375 feet, providing additional torsional rigidity and further reducing overall structure weight for better fuel efficiency, acceleration and handling. The platform also features an innovative multi-load path structure – an advanced energy dispersion technology that boosts impact tolerance by dispersing crash energy across multiple structures to protect passengers in the event of an accident. These design features are expected to give Kona a NHTSA 5-star safety rating as well as an IIHS Top Safety Pick overall.
ADVANCED INFOTAINMENT AND CONNECTIVITY
Kona offers a full suite of sophisticated technologies paired with user-friendly functionality to keep passengers informed and entertained. The premium infotainment system offers various advanced connectivity features, including standard Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™. The standard seven-inch colour LCD display includes AM/FM/MP3 touchscreen audio, auxiliary input jacks, voice-command recognition and Rear View Monitor.
A *Heads-Up Display system is available, projecting a virtual image onto the transparent panel mounted behind the instrument panel and helping the driver keep his or her eyes on the road. With a generous, eight-inch projected-image size and outstanding luminance, the Heads-Up Display ensures both excellent day- and night-time visibility. Information projected includes speed, navigation instructions, and audio system information. Deployed vertically by a simple touch of a button beside the steering wheel, the display disappears into the dashboard when not in use.
The Kona also offers smartphone **wireless charging which is a segment-first feature. To charge a device, simply place a compatible smartphone on the wireless-charging interface located in the centre console storage, recharging without the need for cables. The system indicates when the phone has fully charged, reminds occupants to remove their phones when exiting the vehicle, and detects when a foreign object is in the recharging area that could interfere with charging. The system is fully compliant with Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi standard for ease of use.
ACTIVE SAFETY (Applicable to 1.6 Turbo/2.0 Active variant)
Kona offers advanced active safety features, including **Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), which uses the car’s front-facing camera and radar to detect an imminent collision and avoid impact or minimize damage by braking autonomously. Three additional systems also utilize the front-view camera to boost safety and convenience: **Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), **High Beam Assist (HBA), and **Driver Attention Warning (DAW).
By sensing road markings, Lane Keeping Assist helps to prevent accidental lane departure by automatically steering the car if required. High Beam Assist automatically controls the high beam headlights depending on surroundings, while the Driver Attention Warning system monitors a spectrum of driver-related characteristics to detect driver fatigue or careless driving.
Kona radar systems also assist with the *Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) to detect approaching vehicles that may be obscured from view during highway driving. The *Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW) detects when another vehicle may have entered the car’s rearward path, such as backing out of a parking spot, and provides a driver alert.
*Available in the 2.0 Active and 1.6 Turbo variant
**Available only in the 1.6 Turbo variant
Exterior and Interior Colours
The all-new Sonata comes in a choice 6 exterior colours namely, White Cream, Shimmering Silver, Nocturne Grey, Oxford Blue, Midnight Black and Flame Red. The Oxford Blue and Flame Red exterior colours are matched with the black leather interior; Shimmering Silver exterior colour with the Greige two-tone leather interior; while the White Cream, Nocturne Grey and Midnight Black exterior colours are matched with the Camel two-tone leather interior.
