Hyundai Malaysia Drops Sonata From Local Lineup – Santa Fe and Veloster Too

Hyundai Sime Darby Motors, the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in Malaysia has dropped the Sonata, Santa Fe and Veloster from its lineup.

A quick check with some Hyundai dealers indicated that HSDM has quietly removed these three models from their official price list, though the company's website still lists the Sonata and Santa Fe. In the interim, Hyundai dealers will continue to sell these models until existing stocks are depleted, after which fresh orders will no longer be made.  

The demise of the Sonata comes as no surprised as buying trends have been shifting towards SUVs and crossovers lately. On top of that, the fully-imported Sonata is priced at a disadvantage against its cheaper locally-assembled rivals. 

With that said however, all three models have been updated or replaced overseas. The Hyundai Sonata received a midlife update in April 2017, while the all-new Santa Fe was unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. As for the Veloster, the second generation model was introduced recently at the 2018 New York International Auto Show. 

The consolidation will allow Hyundai to concentrate its resources on supporting the Ioniq Hybrid and Grand Starex, its top-two best sellers at the moment.