The all-new Hyundai Elantra was launched here in Malaysia late last year, but seeing one on the roads is almost like catching a unicorn in the wild, in part due to the asking price of its sole variant on offer – the 1.6 Premium. Well, Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has heard your complaints, and is now introducing a new Executive variant for the Elantra that lowers the entry point for the model to RM139,888.
To afford the RM19k reduction in price, a number of creature comfort niceties from the Premium variant had to be omitted. These include the power-adjustable leather seats, now replaced by manual black fabric items. Also gone are the fully-digital instrument cluster, heating and ventilation function for the front seats, heated steering wheel, wireless charging tray, and the electro-chromic rear-view mirror.
HSDM also had to compromise on the advanced driver assistance features of the Hyundai Elantra, with only the basic SmartSense features making their way onto the new entry-level variant. These include passive cruise control, blind-spot monitor, and rear cross-traffic alert – AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam have been removed from the list.
Other than these changes though, the rest of the car is identical to the Premium variant, including its exterior styling features. Standard items include LED projector headlights, the iconic full-width combination tail lights, and 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels.
Inside, the Hyundai Elantra Executive still get the eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents, as well as electronic parking brake with auto-hold as standard.
Also unchanged here is the 1.6-litre SmartStream naturally-aspirated engine, which makes 123 hp and 154 Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via Hyundai’s Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), which translates to a 0-100 km/h time of around 10.4 seconds, onward to a top speed of 196 km/h.
As mentioned above, the new Hyundai Elantra Executive, fully-imported from South Korea, is priced at RM139,888 on the road, without insurance, and inclusive of the 50% sales tax exemptions. Also included in the price is a five-year/300,000 km warranty, whichever comes first.
And since there are pretty much no changes to its exterior, be sure to check out our full gallery of the Premium variant to see the all-new Elantra in its full glory!
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