New Optima GT launched and priced at rm179k powered by Nu 2.0L turbocharged boosted to 3.5L strength. Reminds me of when Mondeo 2.0T launched at Rm180k and eventually failed. What were they thinking? Most D segments sold are 2.0L at rm140-150k. Probably don't know how to compete head on with Japanese D segment so brought in turbocharged 2.0L hoping to gain some sales competing with Japanese 2.4L and 2.5L D segments. FC result in America, the FC of 2.0T Optima/Sonata are higher than 2.4L NA Optima & Sonata. What do the people here think? Looks like they think themselves as conti car selling at cbu conti price now. Chain reaction, the sales volume also become like conti in the past. Conti today instead playing by the rule going CKD competing with Japanese at Japanese price range.

This post has been edited by jayraptor: Jun 6 2017, 10:28 PM


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Brand is 1 thing while necessities and maintenance count too. Any car that is priced too close to BMW, Mercedes will need to have lots of oomph that could convince people to buy. Mazda 6 is best example of Japanese non-luxury marque that could sell despite people could get 6 months old preowned BMW 3 series at RM180k

Thank you. Yes, I can get entry level preowned BMW 3 series or Mercedes C-Class at similar pricing, only 6 months old driven by staff and most of the time only parked there. So they are still in good condition. New Optima won't survive like this unless they got 2.0L NA engine but will require good Strategist to lead and plan. If it's just any ex salesman or marketing cert guy, they can forget about selling.

Yes, even rm150k, people won't buy. Mondeo 2.0T is best example, they throw high discount until similar price, while preowned units at even much lower price, the sales is just as bad. Looks like Japanese King Strategist is winning. Latest survey report, the response is just poor. Surveyors at few main outlets reported quiet. Compared to nearby showrooms of Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Honda has most visitors, Toyota and Mazda still got people. Korean showrooms just quiet despite 2 models just newly launched. Feel really bad for the sales people.

@Eternalgl0ry
"So true. I sold my veloster turbo because drinks fuel like crazy ( same stuffs with the new elantra but less power tuned ) and The aftersales is even worse than proton. Unless koreans decide to even bother with malaysia unlike mazda"

Your post in new Elantra thread was removed, probably some kiasu reported as offensive . Perhaps you coulld post your Veloster 1.6T FC here. Japanese King Strategist evaluation test on rented or leased Elantra Sport in overseas, day 1 gets 6-7Km/L based on MY city traffic condition, similar to 2.4L engine FC.

Just ignore new Elantra thread since they aren't open to public facts talk on cars. That is only reserved for their own marketing talk only. Anything these marketing guys dislike, they'll report forcing admin to remove. No wonder people don't bother to post there anymore. Their showrooms also quiet, no people despite first weekend after launch. They can ask their members to flock to showroom after seeing my comment but they still can't deny the poor response due to failed marketing and planning, worst is they reject owners feedback, now padan muka.

New Elantra brought in only 2.0L and 1.6T, most likely to make way for Accent 1.4L and 1.6L B segment to challenge Japanese B segments. Cerato also quiet, still x laku despite price throwing...Will have preowned soon, already 6 months but people lost confidence already.

This post has been edited by jayraptor: Jun 10 2017, 02:14 PM

Do you plan to test drive Optima GT, Elantra sport and Tucson 1.6T? If you have tried, care to post review here?

Only Optima? Why not try new Elantra? They have turbo version for test drive at few main branches and HQ.

If Optima GT sales volume low, how does that give cheap spare parts? The 2.0GDI engine and dual clutch gearbox are far less on the road. If spare parts imported in small numbers or only when there's order onpy, then the price of spare parts won't be cheap. Take Koup, Veloster 1.6T for example, rarely see 1, spare part shops won't stock in lots of parts, so is SC. Remember when forte launched, no spare parts for broken windscreen yet expensive and took a month to arrive. How is that practical? No difference than buying BMW, Mercedes that have plenty of spare parts and tech expertise

In fact, BMW and Mercedes have plenty of parts except for the failed models like 8 series. That is why many bought. In referring present day series F10 5 series and F30 3 series, if you cannot afford SC price, outside there are good specialist that offers lower labour cost. Spare parts you can choose original parts or replica parts that are made under licence that are cheaper.

Under present day condition, many would go for good FC and stable resale value. D segment 2.0L millennium sprint slower but beats FC of 2.4/2.5L. If I get Mazda 6 2.0L, it has good sprint 10.5s, build quality high, RV stable, spare parts plenty as sales volume good. I go for Accord or Camry, they are safe to own long term, no worry on spare parts, RV, when bored, just trade in and get new replacement. For same feeling secured over long term ownership and wanted more power, they can go for 2.4L or 2.5L.

Optima GT, with what the distributor doing now, its after sales won't be good if sales volume poor, followed by RV and ended up being another Mondeo. Many that owned 2.4, 2.5L and turbocharged 1.6, 2.0T, but most obey law, even if they sprint for fun or overtaking, they don't bother counting the sprint when they already have less than 9s acceleration. They are happy as long as the car could overtake well. FC is more concern than acceleration at this stage. Do you know that BMW and Mercedes engines today are FC saving that beats Japanese rivals?

As tested by Japanese King Strategist and US consumer group, the Sonata 2.0T that shares same engine, gearbox, chassis as Optima GT gets poorer FC than Sonata 2.4L. If a person bought Optima, he pays more petrol and rarely gets to enjoy the sprint, drive normal on highway only. Then have to risk end up with less or no spare part having to import. Another person who bought 2.4, 2.5L Japanese brand, he enjoys better FC with little power still with good after sales

Conclusion

Kesian Elantra, no wonder no people visit showroom. Because you also said like this. What is your comment on Elantra future here? They didn't bring in 1.6L entry level this time. Looks like they are planning to bring in new Accent 1.4 and 1.6L. if they do, under current rules on pricing, 1.4L at rm75k while 1.6L at close to rm90k.

Behold their last hope, new Accent, Elantra as smaller brother. Difference on the grille that adopted new Sonata style, rear lights are Genesis style. Expect public to say 1.4L underpowered while 1.6L fuel thirsty when compared to Japanese rival 1.5L.


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Not just pricing, it's the failed and wrong strategies that killed the Korean brand here. 2015 onwards they just kept slumping despite throwing very high discount in overall.

In America, ever since they went off course, they actually lost. Refer 2015~present sales statistics, in these countries they claimed best seller, their sales are actually behind the few Japanese brand models C and D segments. Before this they park themselves side by side or chasing up near Camry, Accord and Civic, Altis,. Today they are trailing behind challenged by Ford. In China, they are losing to China quality brands. In Australia, Toyota and Mazda haven taken over most of the shares that was once held by Koreans.

Even I not convinced to buy BMW or Mercedes because I'm not rich. I bought Japanese for stable future. However, numbers of those owned BMW, Mercedes, Audi would drive slow to get attention. Ferrari, Lamborghini drive even slower so that they can show off.

Korean cars reduce price, they'll go dark age very soon. Have you seen the actual undeclared official price of new Cerato now? Why nobody buys despite price throwing until a person that wanted to buy Japanese B segment can afford new Cerato 2017? Veloster threw high discount too but only lying there to collect dust.

That Japanese King Strategist, as long as he could provide facts and evidence, I believe. Paul Tan is just an infected journalist that can't talk facts about cars properly. In fact I do know how it works but chose not to share any pros of any car to let the Japanese and Korean brands compete fair and square. In just news commentator, not with Japanese company. Whatever mainstream Japanese cars got flamed, if my members are involved in that brand, you'll notice those remeh-temeh bombardment in forum failed to bring down their sales in real world. Like poking fun at Civic rear crab lights, in real world, these crabs are everywhere while no Ioniq, Cerato, tucson, shortage or any 2015 onwards launched Korean cars seen on the road nowadays.

I want to see how the Korean principals hired so call experts fare against my members that have joined Japanese rivals. Looks like the Koreans failed big time, blaming economy, school holidays when raya is only by end of the month. They can come up with excuses as if everyone has evacuated KL because of school holidays until nobody visit showroom when next door rival showrooms look busy at the few main showrooms where Japanese King Strategist fielded his surveyors.

You're welcome. There'll be more discount and price slash on new models if the Koreans failed against Japanese King Strategist few more waves of offensive strategies. Since they'll bring in Korean B segment, that's their last hope. Fiesta that is competing against Japanese B segment, it failed despite having quality and technology. Rio has failed, the new Accent, without good Strategist, it will fail too just like the rest.

The older Cerato was sold really cheap price. New one slash price a lot that affects old Cerato resale value soon under really bad marketing strategies.

Mondeo 2.0T was priced at RM179k too when it was launched. Accord, Camry 2.4L at rm170k too but Mondeo failed to sell, not even when they slashed high discount. Mazda 6 2.5L was priced higher than Mondeo 2.0T yet far more people bought Mazda 6 2.5L. Now new Optima GT is following exactly Mondeo footsteps. Even worse, no test drive available.

Value for money actually counts practicality and secured long term ownership. If it failed that 2 main criteria, then it's not value for money. It has power but at cost of higher FC and engine working harder. The larger engine would just relax when churning out the extra power.

Everyone knows why I don't post tech talk that would benefit Korean cars at the moment. I'm just news commentator posting news and results. Not helping the losing brand to win this time. The Passat turbocharged is at good offer now, cheaper than Accord 2.4 and Optima GT. Why would people pay so much for Optima GT that will end up like Mondeo 2.0T when they can buy Passat turbo at much lower price? Top up a bit more can get Volvo.

Assemble here does not mean manufacture here. Important vital parts are brought in from the actual country they are from. Only simple things and not so technical parts are manufactured locally. Leather seats are sub to local vendors.

The people here don't see any difference between Passat and Optima reliability and long term ownership which is why VW beats the Korean car sales. Do you know that Korean marketing staff been attacking VW unreliable for the past few years but failed. Only end up Japanese being the winner at the end.

People would take Passat 1.8TSI at rm158k vs Optima GT rm180k. If Passat 2.0T at rm189k, people would top up 9k for Passat. Since both future also similar, they would take the Passat that has better FC, better ride and comfort. Nothing beats conti in NVH and handling.


FYI, Volvo technology derived from Ford and Mazda with their own recipe. Volvo is actually more reliable than VW, probably beats Korean too.

This new Camry with new dual vvti probably GDI is on its way to launch in America in 1-2 months time before summer ends. Existing Camry is losing to Accord in local market , Toyota will surely launch this new Camry early to get back into fight maybe 2 months after US release. US Camry 2.5L is powered by 8 speed conventional gearbox. Hope we get 8AT too. Camry 2.0L, could be 6AT or miraculously 8AT if Toyota suddenly generous.

If Camry gives us 2.0T at rm180k, ofcourse will sell. Not because of performance but secured long term ownership with good RV.

This post has been edited by jayraptor: Jun 20 2017, 11:05 PM


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Electronic parking brake requires electricity to operate. Since it could release parking brake without having to release, it means it is linked to multiplexer or ECM which is not good failsafe and not practical nor reliable. When car is old, electronic problem, it means there's possibility that driver cannot engage or disengage the parking brake? Foot parking brake and handbrake are at least reliable for long term.

The Koreans are not delusional here only but also in China and America. Which explains their losses in the 2 major countries that they have been bragging how good they were. If thing continue like this, they'll drop out of China league faster than expected.

Korean brands' strength falls
By Li Fusheng(China Daily) Updated: 2017-04-10 10:10:12
m.chinadaily.com.cn/en/2017-04/10/content_28857380.htm

China cars been getting help from Japanese, American, European technology with money. Koreans bought their technology from Japanese, later American. The rest depends on how well they reverse engineered and learn from the assistance they could get. Seems like Korean brand already started behaving like conti (think themselves superior and ignore feedback from customers) that they will stuck at that level. The serious fall in deteriorating sales is evidence of their failure, so is the way they hire staff that are vital to Korean cars success in overseas.

This post has been edited by jayraptor: Jun 21 2017, 10:14 PM