2019 Hyundai Reina sedan debuts online, starts at P598,000

It hasn't been 24 hours since Kia Motors Philippines made a swooping comeback and launched the all-new 2019 Soluto. I’m pretty sure those who attended the event last night has just risen from their beds by the time I put up this article for everyone to read.

However, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) seems to have put sleep aside and decided to start a war – a subcompact sedan war, that is.

HARI launches the Reina sedan online and said that the all-new model will be available soon at its 42 dealerships. Even better, the Reina has an introductory price of P598,000 for its MT variant, which is P27,000 less than the entry-level Soluto. The AT variant, on the other hand, has a sticker price of P648,000.

What’s the deal about the Reina? Just like the Kia Soluto, the Reina is a subcompact sedan that’s specifically made for China. Actually, the Soluto, or Pegas in China, shares the same platform with the Reina. Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be – Hyundai and Kia have been sister companies since time immemorial.

In the Philippines, however, the two South Korean automakers are essentially rivals. Most of their vehicles may share the same platform but each has its own identity that makes a distinction between a Hyundai and a Kia. Now, HARI has just cemented that rivalry by raining on Kia Philippines’ parade and launching the Reina with a lower price tag than the Soluto. We’re pretty sure that it’s going to be a healthy competition, but its timing and pricing are just interesting.

Enough about the juicy bits, let’s check out what the Reina can offer. The 2019 Hyundai Reina carries the same design language as the diesel-powered Accent sedan. So, it has the Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 also known as the curvy hexagonal grille.

For the Philippine-spec Reina, Hyundai’s website says that it will come with halogen headlamps, body-color side mirrors, motor-driven power steering, 1.4-liter gasoline engine coupled to either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions, dual front airbags, ABS, and a conventional 2.8-inch LCD instrument cluster. Sounds familiar? That’s right – it’s essentially specced the same as the Soluto.

The only difference between the two South Korean sedans is their infotainment systems. While the Soluto has a 7-inch touchscreen head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Reina is specced lower with a basic 1-DIN AM/FM radio with USB connectivity.

So, if you’re torn between the Hyundai Reina and Kia Soluto right now, your choice would mainly depend on your taste with head units. And of course, choosing between the tiger-nose and curvy hexagonal grilles. Pick your poison.