2019 Hyundai Reina Undercuts Its Kia Soluto Twin With P598K Starting Price (With Full Specs)

Last January 30, 2019, Kia Motors Philippines was formally re-launched under Ayala Corporation, and in a bid to steal a little bit of the limelight from Kia, Hyundai has launched the 2019 Reina A-segment sedan just a day after Kia’s formal re-launching.

Customers of A-segment vehicles are very sensitive to pricing. As such, manufacturers try their best to lower the MSRP of their A-segment vehicles in order to attract more people to their showrooms. Hyundai has decided to offer the new Reina at P27,000 less than its key competitor. The GL MT is priced at P598,000, while the GL AT is priced at P648,000.

The two cars are literally twins, therefore it isn’t surprising to know that they look quite similar. The Kia Soluto has a more aggressive and sportier face, while the Reina carries a more sophisticated look with its Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language. The front fascia is characterized by a large hexagonal grille that’s flanked by a pair of aggressive-looking multi-reflector headlights. However, from the side and the rear, the two vehicles are almost identical, with only slight revisions in the tail lights and different rear bumpers splitting the two cars.

The single GL variant can be acquired with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. The engine is also the same one found in the Soluto, a 1.4-liter inline-4 Dual CVVT engine that produces 95 hp and 135 Nm of torque. Because of its lower entry price, the Reina has fewer features than the Soluto. Only the front receives power windows while entertainment is provided by a 1-DIN radio with USB input. Dual SRS airbags and ABS with EBD come as standard.

Whether the lower entry price of the Hyundai Reina will attract more buyers compared to the Kia is hard to tell at this point, but apart from pricing, A-segment customers also look for what they get with their money, and while the Hyundai costs less, the Kia has more features. This should be an interesting battle between the two cars, then.