Hyundai Thailand Builds New Elantra Sport in Malaysia

Hyundai Thailand sources its all-new Elantra Sport from Malaysia, allowing it to use preferential tariffs to slash prices compared with the previous version.

Prices for the C-segment car range from TB749,000 to TB898,000 ($23,311 to $27,949) compared with TB1.1 million to TB1.2 million ($33,862 to $37,286) for the previous models.

Hyundai has assembly plants in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Hyundai Thailand President Hideki Yanagisawa says the assembly facilities in Malaysia are advanced and recognized for production efficiency. “Quality of vehicles is maintained to match those of Korean-produced (models), while a bigger package of standard equipment is improving the value for money,” he says in a statement.

Yanagisawa says better pricing will be the key in allowing more Thai consumers to enjoy Hyundai cars.

“Passenger-car segments are quite sensitive as competition starts with strong price positioning against extensive product performance and standard equipment,” he says. “Price positioning reflects value for money, something that benefits our customers (directly).”

“With the AFTA (Association of Southeast Asian Nations free-trade area) scheme, prices of the all-New Hyundai Elantra Sport will be better, if not match, the price levels of mainstream C-segment sedans manufactured here in Thailand,” he says.

Yanagisawa tells The Nation newspaper Hyundai aims to sell 100 Malaysia-built Elantras a month, adding the automaker will look at producing another model in Malaysia within the next two years.

“Hyundai Motor is reconfirming the possibilities of the ASEAN market once again after concentrating on other major markets around the world,” Yanagisawa says. “In the past we have been focusing on the U.S. and China markets, but recently the parent company has been studying the capabilities of ASEAN countries, which are mainly dominated by Japanese brands.”