anyone here owns a korean car b4 ? I heard the koreans r improving especially hyundai with new cars like the Sonata n Santa fe. . .worth buying or not ?

they improving but rather still a step behind japs... but the got edge in design nowadays... n cost is good too... but rather scary in maintaining them

Their new Hyundai Accent 1.6 is quite a nice car. Anyway the interior which is in beige colour is rather boring. Quite powerful but engine is quite noisy and gets hot very easily. Its true that Many are complaining of maitaining them, esp Kia Spectra...same problem with the auto transmission.

Saw new SF @ Glenmarie and if I was in the market for 4x4 would def be on the list - impressed. Web site good as well

own a hyundai coupe b4. quite good i must say. value for money.

Been driving Elantra for 6 years without any problem, all the 4 power windows still working fine. Infact, interior may be a little better than the GT, at least the 4 power windows switch got back-lit, even the back door. Lol

before Lancer came into the picture, i was seriously considering the CBU Sonata NF 2.4, very quiet n comfy.... the NVH even better than accord! full features...u name it n u got it.... but i fell for lancer.

my wife's driving Citra for 2 years now, besides noisy engine n a lil tight in space, no complain. rm 80k for a 2 liter car.... where to get??

Yeah based on auto mag reviews, korean cars have improved by leaps and bounds but somehow, to me at least, the stigma remains - I still consider them one rung below the jap. Just like monied people stay away from Perdana because it's still a Proton, I'll keep my distance from any model from the land of the kimchi eaters because they are still... yup you got it right, koreans.

Of course I'm prejudiced but I just can't help shaking that perception. I could well be the one missing great offerings but hey that's fine with me.

Btw Ryan, seems like your preference for car character is very wide - Sonata and (then) Lancer? Hmm...

Ssangyong is actually pretty good. I've driven the Rexton all over Klang Valley and to and fro S'pore. for such a huge vehicle, its pretty easy to handle. Of course conering is not so good as the vehicle is too tall. One can't complaint much when its a Merc engine.
Its diesel, so even a 2.4l won't burn your pocket much.

i been driving the sonata for 5 years, quite good in the beginning but after 4 years the problem started, change the engine mounting, transmission problem, handling problem and lost of power after few years!!! the car quite heavy for 2.0 and i felt like a 1.6 when driving it and in the drag race can lose to a myvi!!! fuel consumption a costly about 30-40sen per km!! the maintenance is quite costly and i spending few hundreds every month and services and i cant barely maintain it!! that why i look for new car and i book lancer at 28/8. when my lancer arrive i will straight away sell it, and the 2nd hand value maybe 35k only

anyone seen Hyun Avante? it's quite a nice car *beware not GT category

i think it probably is la, cause its the elantra replacement, and the 2.0 version probably using the same engine block as our Lancer...

The Hyundai Elantra just came out!! A freaking RM94k for a 2.0 liter, CVVT engine. I wonder if it is the same engine?!

possible to have the same block, but different head for sure

I think it's a head to head to Lancer GLS, Altis and Civic 1.8 category.
Price very nice, but the second value also very nice. My friend bought RM92 5 years ago, now only cost about RM30k over.

I will check it out at Hyundai.....

If you can wait ... one more good option is coming in 2 months..
The Nissan Slphy 2.0
Estimated price range RM105K~RM110K

slphy not so nice on the out look.

I personally think the latest elantra is better looking than Sylphy

Need to check out the Korean made :)

Thanks !

If LGT is not here in M'sia.. I'd have booked the Hyundai Sonata.... I thing it's a good looking and overall a good car... for its price...

korean cars is now giving japanese car a run for their money, they offered more at same or even lower price,
this thus make alot ppl think they're under declared..... but still back to square one as resell is bad, but if u like a car, dun think of it resell as all car sucks iin resell in our market now...

For now, Korean car resell is bad. Japanese car resell seems not so suck. In fact, quite good.

A 2006 Civic 2.0 is selling at RM115K (new price that time was RM122K).

It depends though. That car a bit the father leh.....with GT our age seems to turned back at least one decade.
Somore the sonata no second hand value.
Now that i see so many Sonatas taxis in Singapore, each time i see it reminds me of Singapore taxis. And when i see Altis, reminds me of Thailand taxis!!!!

they can advertise tat price but will they getbuyer or not??? add in higher %rates n used car... a new is better deal :) but back to topic, till date i still think hyundai is best korean car... respect hyundai coupe... nearly got one few years ago :) cause fto body :)

I asked my Korean friends which brand is the most successful and trusted in Korea. They told me it's Hyundai loh...They have improved a lot, just that a bit copy cat...a mix between Jaguar and Merc, then now it's like a Honda Accord...damn potong stim man if Honda owners sees it...

yeah. more than 1/2 of the cars i saw in seoul are hyundai.

i once heard tat they will help u pump ur petrol if u drive a korean made but u got to pump at own if u drive foriegn made as they're very very patriotic tat y USA supply them the patriot missle now :)

n i know they're better than proton, n it's basically management n work attitude, both started with Mits help but c how ppl move now n our proton now???

The Koreans are one of the most advanced asian nations - was impressed when I went there a couple of years back - they're pretty self sufficient too as they can manufacture tons of high tech stuff - the new Sonata, Santa Fe are quite nice....

edit: apparently they've done quite well in customer satisfaction surveys and exporting the cars to many markets

The detailing of Elantra should be much better, I get a lot of small compartments for my previous Elantra, more cup holders, more backlit lighting, very good sound proofing, etc...