​Owner Review: Not part of the SUV hype? There's still good sedans - My 2012 Hyundai Elantra MD 1.8 AT Premium​

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Basic information about my car:

2012 Hyundai Elantra MD 1.8 AT Premium

Reasons why I bought this car(purpose):

I was looking for an additional car to accompany my 2008 Perodua Myvi. Not really into the SUV hype nowadays, making me decide to find a sedan with sporty look that is practical enough to serve as a weekend car, able to travel far comfortably, and of course fun to drive as well.

Car selection process

I have a budget of: RM 30,000 - RM 40,000

Models that I have considered include: Honda City GM2, Honda Civic FD, Mazda3 BL, Kia Cerato

Reasons why I chose this car:

Initially, I didn't find any great-conditioned Mazda3 available in the market. Budget-wise, other than Mazda3, Honda City was the only logical choice for me to go for that time since I don't want to get a car that is too near to RM 40k. Was test-driving a few units, and I felt like the City is lacking in the driving experience, it felt just okay considering it's still just a B-segment sedan. Tried to find a well-conditioned Honda Civic FD as well, but I gave up and felt like the price tags weren't really worth stretching my budget at that time. Still not giving up in the search for a great C-segment sedan, I'm exploring unpopular choices like Hyundai Elantra and Kia Cerato. After doing some research, I've gained liking towards Hyundai Elantra design and decided to find a unit to test-drive. Luckily I found the top-spec unit up for sale. To my surprise, I fell in love on the first drive ;) I felt confident, the car is rich with features that was way ahead of its time, the interior doesn't feel cheap, definitely more spacious comparing with Mazda3, and it even comes with sunroof/moonroof as well.

User Experience

• I have done: 10,000 km
• My average fuel consumption is about: 12 km/l

In the beginning of my ownership, I already felt like the NVH is quite bad in this car, the tyre and engine sound is quite loud especially during overtaking. After running a few hundred KMs, I decided to change the front tyres to touring tyres which are much quieter. Though it helps, it is not by much, so I guess it is lacking in that area.

Towards driving experience however, there's no complaint, the 1.8 Nu-series engine paired with a 6-speed AT really delivers, it just goes whenever you want it to go. Underpowered during overtaking is never an issue with this car. The steering on this car is also the lightest compared to other cars that I've driven before, making significant differences in terms of parking and maneuvering in tight spots. 

Driving position is also one of the good qualities of it, it comes with tilt, telescopic features on the steering wheel, and the driver's electric power seat adjustment helps easily when the car is being driven by both men and women with different height.

Maintenance is the main selling point of this car. Honestly, I was one of the people who was quite skeptical of a Korean car, hearing a lot of whispers about how the spare part was scarce, and the Korean car being not reliable. I guess that's true for Korean cars from the year of 2010 and below. For this Elantra, I have never been more at ease. Other than wear and tear parts, there's no significant issue with this car. It's almost as easy as maintaining my Myvi. Compared to its Japanese counterparts, the spare parts are cheaper, and it's easy to find without having to worry about the copycat spare parts in the market (Honda and Toyota have a lot of this, have to be careful).

For fuel consumption, during MCO, without a lot of long distance driving, I am able to reach an average of 12km/L. Considering it is a 2012 car with 1.8 L engine, it is pretty decent.
Pros and Cons

Pros of my car

1) C-segment sedan with an affordable price
2) Cheap and easy maintenance
3) Electric power seat
4) Sunroof/moonroof
5) Dual climate A/C
6) Nappa leather seat
7) Adjustable armrest
8) Light steering
9) Capable and confident driving experience
10) Large boot space with option to fold back seat (60:40)

Cons

1) NVH is pretty bad during high speed and overtaking
2) FC is average
3) 1.8 AT variant comes with 17" tyres, hence more expensive to replace
4) Lots of features and sensors equal to more parts to replace when the time comes
5) Bodyroll issue during hard cornering (can be fixed with adjustable suspension)
6) No rear A/C vents (Facelifted version has this)
7) Weird positioning of the front-middle A/C vents

Total Score: 5

Performance: 4

Quality & Features: 5

Space: 5

Ride comfort: 4

Fuel Economy: 3

Price & cost: 5

Summary:

The dominance and trust towards Japanese cars in our market is the reason why Korean cars don't really sell well nowadays. Lack of marketing effort and high CBU prices also contributes towards why we see really few Korean cars on the road. But as an average used car buyer, I don't think we should turn away from brands like Hyundai and Kia. This Elantra is proof that purchasing a Korean car, given the opportunity, could be a really great decision for you or your family. Low resale used-car value should be the fuel towards your decision, instead of turning away from it. Since the depreciation already hits the first owner, you are the one who should take the advantage of it. Hyundai Elantra is a really great C-segment car with a lot of bells and whistles that actually competes with the ones you have in today's car which you cannot get from other more expensive C-segment cars in the used-car market. As cheesy as this might be, I must say, once you go Kimchi, you'll never go Sushi (>,<)

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