South Korean automaker Hyundai has recently teased a new sedan for the Philippines market. Captioned “R you ready to meet the one?” and “The Right one rules” the teased subcompact sedan is apparently the China-made Hyundai Reina.
This comes as no surprise since the automaker revealed its plans last year, to ship China-made cars to Southeast Asia. Hyundai, once ranked third in China in terms of sales alongside its affiliate Kia Motors. But just as it opened its fifth factory in China, a diplomatic dispute saw Chinese consumers turn against South Korean consumer goods, badly damaging Hyundai’s sales and brand image.
Related: Hyundai to Export China-Made Cars to Southeast Asia
An official from Hyundai commented:
Hyundai needs a survival plan as China recovery will take time. Hyundai is considering (exporting China-made vehicles) to emerging markets such as Southeast Asia.
The Reina seems to be the first model that will come from the land of Dragons. It is a small 4-door sedan that is slightly smaller than the 5th gen Honda City we have here. It’s 4300mm long, 1705mm wide and 1460mm tall having a wheelbase of 2570mm.
The Chinese-spec Reina comes with a 1.4-liter D-CVVT engine producing 93 hp of power and 132 Nm of torque. It comes with a choice of either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. Features include ABS, airbags, hill-hold control, electronic stability control, Apple Carplay, and even an automatic start/stop system which reduces fuel consumption by shutting off and re-starting the engine in traffic.
Related: Hyundai Launches the Low-Budget Reina Sedan in China
With Hyundai launching these cars in Southeast Asian region, it might make sense for Hyundai-Nishat to introduce such reasonable cars alongside the luxury options they intend to launch in Pakistan.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
