Stuck In The Past: Why Road Tax In Malaysia NEEDS To Change

There’s plenty to say on the state of road tax in Malaysia, but as far as one-word summaries go, we can all roughly agree that words such as “confusing”, “outdated”, or “weird” hit the mark decently well.

Though some might gripe about its mere existence, most of us accept it as a necessary evil that’s used to ensure that the road network in Malaysia continues to expand and is well maintained (ideally). While there are more roads being built, there are too many examples of shoddy quality and of existing ones being neglected.

Recently, the topic of the rampant potholes that road users, particularly in the Klang Valley, have had to deal with has been thrown into sharp focus, to which the Public Works Department (JKR) have now
committed to rectifying
, but empty promises
have been made before
. Regardless of their newfound motivation, this calls into question just what our annual road tax payment is really being spent on prior to this.

Out Of Date. Out Of Mind.

In case you weren’t already aware, there is only one metric used that the Road Transport Department (JPJ) uses to calculate your road tax: engine displacement, measured in cubic centimetres.

While other countries have long since abandoned this simplistic methodology and have moved on to an emissions-based system (such as most of Europe and North America), Malaysia persists. Before more complex means of accurately calculating (primarily) how much carbon dioxide a car produces, it was generally assumed that a vehicle with a larger engine consumes more fuel and thus emits the most pollution, so encouraging buyers to purchase smaller displacement cars and automakers to offer more downsized engines also had environmental benefits.

Nowadays that’s only true to a certain degree. Not only are engines much more efficient, we’ve come to know that even small displacement engines are also very capable of as much pollution if tuned a certain way, especially if it’s turbocharged or supercharged, but that seems lost on policymakers in Malaysia.

Tiers For Fears

The tiered road tax structure that results is - unsurprisingly - baffling as it treats (or taxes) anyone with a car that has an engine above 2.0-litres (or 3,000cc) like the devil incarnate, artificially narrowing the variety of cars offered within our borders.

Most of us pay our small annual fees but ignore the underlying system, of course, mostly because by now our landscape of cars has been altered to favour everything under 2.0-litres, but also due to the fact that we’re actually aware of what a steaming mess it is. And if it doesn’t effect us,
why bother delving deeper
?

Let’s try breaking that road tax structure down into smaller, more easily chewable bite-size pieces.

For these purposes I’ll be talking about privately owned cars in Peninsula Malaysia, does not include SUVs and MPVs, which use a similar tiered system with different rates.

Also, automakers almost always round up your engine's displacement. For example, though your car might be described as a "1.5-litre", the accurate displacement isn't 1,500cc but is slightly lower, such as 1,498cc.

Fixed Rates (Non-Progressive)

Everything is pretty tame until the (1,600cc) 1.6L mark since you pay a fixed annual amount depending on your displacement tier that never exceeds RM90 per year. Seems reasonable.

Cars between 0-1,000cc engine capacity
 have a base rate of RM20 annually and are free of progressive rates. Final road tax: RM20.

Kancil and Kelisa owners, we see you.

Cars between 1,001-1,200cc engine capacity
 have a higher base rate of RM55 annually but are also free of progressive rates. Final road tax: RM55.

Models such as the Perodua Axia fall in here, but this applies to pricier cars such as the Peugeot 208 Puretech too.

Cars between 1,201-1,400cc engine capacity
 get an increased base rate of RM70 annually and are also free of progressive rates.Final road tax: RM70.

Myvi 1.3 owners, Iriz owners, Saga owners. Welcome to the party.

Cars between 1,401-1,600cc engine capacity
 get an increased base rate of RM90 annually and are also free of progressive rates. Final road tax: RM90.

Too many cars fall into this category and it’s no surprise why. This is as high as you can go without falling out of a fixed annual rate.

Semi Fixed Rates (Progressive)

This is where things get unnecessarily confusing and considerably more expensive. JPJ are clearly upping the squeeze here but it isn’t anything too crazy yet. Between 1.6L and 3.0L, road tax can range between RM200 to RM2,130 per year.

Cars between 1,601-1,800cc engine capacity
 have a base rate of RM200 annually and increase by RM0.40 per cubic centimetre, capping the maximum annual rate at RM280.

Cars between 1,801-2,000cc engine capacity
 have an increased base rate that starts at the previous maximum of RM280 and increases by RM0.50 per cubic centimetre, capping the maximum annual rate at RM380.

Cars between 2,001-2,500cc engine capacity
 have an increased base rate that starts at the previous maximum of RM380 and increases by RM1.00 per cubic centimetre, capping the maximum annual rate at RM880.

Cars between 2,501-3,000cc engine capacity
 have an increased base rate that starts at the previous maximum of RM880 and increases by RM2.50 per cubic centimetre, capping the maximum annual rate at RM2,130.

Cars between 2,501-3,000cc engine capacity are in No Man’s Land, basically. The base rate starts at the previous maximum of RM2,130 but can increase EXPONENTIALLY by RM4.00 per cubic centimetre.  You’ve no doubt seen some of the insane road tax stickers that sail way past the 5 figure mark, and this is why. Deepest condolences.

Room For Change. Now.

It really is high time for some sort of reassessment of how road tax works in Malaysia and the authorities should be clear about the underlying goal. Are larger engines taxed more to protect the environment? Or are they there to protect our national automakers which are generally in the business of producing small(er) cars with small engines anyway?

If air pollution and exhaust emissions really are the main priority (which I doubt), hiding behind a simplistic measurement of engine displacement really should be stopped in favour of something more accurately reflective of a car’s environmental impact.

The reason why I personally doubt this is the case is because, believe it or not, even before electric cars ever had a chance to flourish here in earnest, the road tax structure for EVs (which is based on how powerful the car is) is even more confusing and prohibitive.

As my colleague
explains rather well
, you might own a Porsche Taycan Turbo S and perhaps take every step possible to charge it off-the-grid or via sustainable means, but because of its 761PS power output, you are still forced to pay RM12,094 a year in road tax.

There must be a better way, for vehicles powered both by internal combustion and electricity, since it seems that these calculations are hinged upon either outdated or poorly considered criteria.

I’ll try taking a stab at this, for what it’s worth, in a follow-up to this article.


Mercedes-Benz and Hap Seng Star opens newest sprawling Autohaus in Bukit Tinggi

The partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Hap Seng Star is an ever-growing entity, and the latest to flourish out of their partnership is the opening of their Autohaus in Bukit Tinggi.

Said to offer an exclusive luxury lifestyle experiences to its customers in the Klang region, the Autohaus serves as a one-stop auto centre spanning 49,543 sq ft of showroom and amenity spaces, built on over 142,000 sq ft of land.

The Hap Seng Star Bukit Tinggi Autohaus has the capacity to showcase up to 45 cars on its showroom floor, and features amenities such the Star Lounge, self-service café, kid’s playroom and a luxurious ladies’ powder room for an exclusive and comfortable experience for customers.

The lifestyle retail experience includes the Mercedes-Benz luxury accessories and collection products, catering to a wide range of customers, especially those who are keen on Mercedes-Benz collectables.

Bukit Tinggi Autohaus can service up to 900 cars a month, and that can be expanded in the future.

The Autohaus is also ready to serve the brand’s electric vehicle customers, as they have 120kW DC Charger and a dedicated EV charging facility of up to four vehicle bays.

Other service offerings include:

Express Service 2.0

Pick-up and delivery

Drop-and-go service booking

Wheel alignment and balancing

Electrical diagnosis and repairs

Paint coating

Glass tinting along with insurance and warranty claims.

Sagree Sardien, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia said, “The launch of the Mercedes-Benz Autohaus in Bukit Tinggi is a testament of our joint commitment to redefine a luxurious brand experience for our Malaysian customers, at every point of their journey.The new state-of-the-art Autohaus features increased capacity for customer service, with digital transformation and high focus on data protection, and additional amenities for a seamless and sustainable brand experience that Mercedes-Benz can exclusively offer.”

Harald Behrend, Group Chief Operating Officer of Hap Seng Consolidated Berhad and Chief Executive of Hap Seng Group Automotive Division said, “Bukit Tinggi is a prominent and established township and we want to be where our customers are, and deliver to them, the best customer services and retail experience."


KLIMS 2018: Kia Picanto GT-Line And KX Variant Confirmed

Naza Kia Malaysia, the official distributor of Kia vehicles in Malaysia has confirmed two new variants of its Picanto A-Segment hatchback – the Picanto GT-Line and a new entry-level KX variant – at the ongoing KLIMS 2018 motor show.
The two new variants join the
existing EX
which is priced at RM49,888 OTR without insurance. Prices for the KX and GT-Line variants have yet to be announced.
All three models are powered by Kia’s 1.2-litre Kappa naturally aspirated four-cylinder which produces 84 PS and 122 Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic.
Kia Picanto KX
On the outside, the Picanto KX does without halogen projector headlamps, front fog lamps, integrated LED daytime running lights, and LED type rear lamps. The KX also loses out keyless entry and the powered side view mirror made available on the EX variant.
On the inside, the Picanto KX most notably is not offered the ‘floating type’ 7-inch LCD touchscreen, rearview camera, and rear powered windows. The gearknob is also a polyurethane item versus the ‘premium wrap’ gearknob fitted in the EX and GT Line variants.
In terms of safety, the KX still offers the same equipment as the EX variant with 6-airbags, ABS, Brake Assist, ESC, and Traction Control.
Kia Picanto GT-Line
The sporty GT-Line adds a slew of cosmetic enhancements – crucially a more aggressive bodykit with contrasting colour accents, which consists of the front bumper, side skirts, and rear bumper. At the flanks, larger 16-inch wheels versus the 14-inch wheels fitted to the EX and KX variant. Round the back, dual-exhaust pipes complete the list of cosmetic enhancements. The GT Line is also offered with one additional colour option, dubbed Aurora Black Pearl.
The GT-Line adds the following equipment over the EX variant:
Sunroof
Supervision meter cluster
“D-Cut” premium wrap steering wheel
Cruise-control
Leather front seats
Single-zone climate control
Additionally, the GT-Line is fitted with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
Click
here
 for a full review of the Kia Picanto EX.


Subaru has a Magical School Girl Anime, And It Makes Sense in Japan

Believe it or not,
Subaru
 who made their name in the WRC and renowned for their rally-inspired cars, sponsored the production of an anime last year. Car makers tying up with Japanese animation studios is nothing new, after all anime is a legitimate medium watched by young impressionable adults in Japan just as much as soap operas and dramas are to the rest of the world.

But while anime productions like
Initial D
 and
Midnight Wangan
 had influence the popularity of Japanese cars profoundly, whereas Toyota made a light-hearted coming of age anime with product placements inside. Subaru’s collaboration doesn’t play by that formula. Instead they went with making a celestial magical school girl anime. Basically think about it as a
Sailor Moon
 anime, except with a WRC-winning carmaker behind it.

Titled
Wish Upon the Pleiades
, the clues to its link to Subaru might not be so apparent. Watch the opening title sequence and try to spot the influences of one of the world's most renowned car makers.

Aside from the main character’s name being Subaru, and Pleiades being the star cluster from which Subaru derives its logo, the most notable hint at this strange collaboration are well, their shiny staffs which aren’t reflective, but made to look like the headlights of Subaru’s current model line-up in Japan.

For most of us who grew up in Subaru’s WRC halcyon days, making an anime on magic and school sounds like the people in Subaru had been spending one too many days locked in their parent’s basement. But in Japan, this sort of anime is just the right medium to reach out to the young adult male demographic.

As it turns out cute sells in Japan, especially the sort of cute you would find in Japanese anime. Japanese refer to this phenomenon as ‘moe’, which is described as a strong sense of emotional attachment fans of the genre feel towards their favourite characters. Since the 1970s, corporations in Japan had used this medium as a form to communicate information to the public. By the 1980s, nearly all state-sponsored institutions have used the Japanese manga art form as an official communicative medium.

One of the least likely places to find the usage of
moe
 is seen in Japan’s Self-Defence Force, the JSDF, who has started to adopt this art form in their communication since the end of the Cold War. Instead of communicating the expected archetype cool and macho persona as seen from movies such as Michael Bay’s
Transformers
 franchise and first-person shooter games like the
Call of Duty
 series – both being made in collaboration with the American military industrial complex and the Pentagon – the JSDF’s preferred method is, shall we say, a little less threatening.

photo credit:
Monsieur_Ashiya

In 2011 the JSDF’s Fourth Anti-Tank Helicopter Squad decked out one of their AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters in the imagery of an anime character, and even gave it a name, Aoi-chan. By the following year the helicopter was joined by three more, each with their own individual anime character. Despite the dichotomy, all four helicopters proved to be a hit amongst young males in Japan.
As reported in Vice
, the usage of
moe
 in JSDF recruitment posters is also said to have increased recruitment, as is the case of the Okayama Provincial Recruitment centre seeing a 20 per cent increase in volunteers in 2013 after the debut of three adorable anime mascots.

Looking from Japan’s unique cultural context, the idea of a magical school girl anime does make a lot of sense, especially for a brand that is trying to build their presence back in their home land where car ownership amongst young adults is declining. WRC served its purpose in building Subaru as a maker of performance cars, but moving on into the 21st century where car buyers are drawn in by other interests - such as fashion and gadgets - Subaru needed to move on to a new medium in order to tap into a new audience.

For the rest of the world however, that WRC connection is still very much present, and as we have observed twice at the Tokyo Motor Show, Subaru has gained a strong reputation as as a maker of cars that are hugely popular with Eastern Europeans where its robustness is prized.

Speaking of which here are some tough and robust
Subaru cars
 that are available on sale on
Carlist.my
.


2016 New Volkswagen Jetta Launched in Malaysia, From RM 108,990 to RM 128,990

Despite only being in the market for 5 years, the Volkswagen Jetta is a car that has long been overdue for a facelift. That model is finally here, and its available in 3 different variants: the entry level Trendline variant goes for RM 108,990, the mid-range Comfortline goes for RM 117,990, and the top-of-the-line Highline is priced at RM 128,990 (all prices on the road, without insurance). For the first time ever, the Jetta comes with a number based designation (280 TSI), which has nothing to do with the torque output (which in the Jetta's case, is actually 250 Nm), but is rather heirarchical in the way the BMW 330i no longer has a 3.0 litre engine, and neither does the Mercedes C300.
It’s fitting as well that this is the first new model to be launched by Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia, as it officially begins operations this month. This follows on from the 5-year manufacturer warranty that they started offering from the beginning of September, which contrasts the 2+3 year warranty that was previously offered. VPCM says that they will be looking to launch the new Passat as well in the coming months, and aim to repair Volkswagen's relationship with its customers.
Being one of Volkswagen’s more popular models, it made sense for them to offer it with multiple different specification levels. All variants are powered by a newer 1.4 TSI powerplant (150 PS, 250 Nm from 1,500 rpm to 3,500 rpm), which it shares with the current generation Golf TSI as we explained in our earlier report. It’s paired with the DSG 7-speed dry clutch gearbox, which VW says is an improved version and delivers power to the front wheels. Zero to hundred takes just 8.6 seconds, while the long gear spread allows for a fuel consumption of 5.0 litres per 100 kilometres, also making it the best in class and valid Energy Efficient Vehicle certification. Automatic Start-Stop and a coasting function for the gearbox also help to reduce fuel consumption.
The new Jetta is available in 4 colours: Candy White, Platinum Grey, Reflex Silver, and Deep Black. We’ll run through the variants and their specific features.
If you pick the entry level
Trendline (RM108,990)
, you will enjoy:
Daytime running lights
Electrically adjusting and folding mirrors with integrated turn signals
Halogen headlamps with manual adjustment
Front and rear fog lights
Front and rear reverse sensors
16-inch alloy rims
RCD 220 head unit with USB, SD card, and Aux-in functionality
Manual air-conditioning
Leather steering wheel, handbrake, and gearknob
Fabric Upholstery
The mid-level
Comfortline (RM117,990)
 tops this with:
Automatic headlights
Automatic wipers
Darkened tail lamps
RCD330G touch-screen head unit, with USB and iPod interface, SD Card, AUX-in functionality, Bluetooth connectivity, and MirrorLink
Climatronic dual-zone air-conditioning system
Cooled glovebox
Multi-function steering wheel
Going for the top spec
Highline (RM128,990)
 gets you:
Bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights
Headlamp washer system
LED tail lamps
17-inch alloy rims
Electric driver’s seat with 12 way adjustment
Leather upholstery
Keyless entry and start
Paddle shifters
Cruise control
Standard safety features across the range include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS), and a hill-hold control system. ISOFIX and 6-airbags come as standard as well, making it a solid contender as a family car.
As before, the new Jetta is locally-assembled at Volkswagen's vehicle assembly facility located within the the DRB-Hicom plant in Pekan, Pahang.


Perodua Says 5 Years Of Bezza Scheduled Maintenance Should Be Just RM 3,095.38

Following the spread of an article last week, Perodua has released an official statement regarding the pricing of the Bezza's scheduled maintenance, and the cost accumulated over five years. The article in question states that a Perodua Bezza is 32% more expensive to maintain than a Proton Persona, but the calculations in this article compare scheduled maintenance costs from the owner's manual in the Proton Persona, to preventative maintenance costs in the Perodua Bezza which are optional and, naturally, higher.
So what's the actual difference when you use the right metrics? Perodua says just 1.4% - or RM 44 - by the end of the fifth year, according to the table above. The price may seem a little high but it's important to remember that the Bezza needs 0W-20 full-synthetic oil which adds to the cost, along with iridium spark plugs. If we're only looking at a three year scope, a Bezza owner would be paying RM 239.55 less than a Persona owner.
And of course, there are the savings that you don't see on paper - but savings nonetheless - and these come from the excellent fuel efficiency of the Bezza. Quoted figures for the 1.0-litre variant are 22.8 km/litre for the manual and 21.3 km/litre for the automatic, while the 1.3-litre variant sees 21.7 km/litre for the manual and 21.0 km/litre for the automatic. Spring for the Advance top-spec model and the eco idle brings it back up to 22 km/litre - which means you can save plenty of fuel if you're a little more disciplined with the throttle.


New Vehicle Sales, April 2017 – Market Tumbles 20 Percent

Following a strong showing for March 2017, new vehicle sales in Malaysia for the month of April 2017 fell short of expectations and dropped 20.4 percent month-on-month.
According to the latest total industry volume (TIV) figures compiled by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), a total of 42,746 motor vehicles (excluding motorcycles) were sold in the month of April, which is 10,971 units less than March’s numbers.
On the upside, cumulative sales for the first four-month of 2017 stands at 183,586 units, which 5.8 percent higher than the same corresponding four-month period last year.
Among the top-10 leading brands, only Mazda and BMW registered a positive month-on-month growth.
Mazda’s results is impressive considering that the CX-5 is already at the end of its lifecycle and an all-new model is due to be launched in Malaysia later this year.
Separately, an investment report by RHB Research attributed March’s strong performance to the rush to complete deliveries before the closing of the financial year, which ends in March for some brands. Bermaz Motor, the distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia, ends its financial year in April, which also explains the positive results for the month.
Mercedes-Benz registered a 37.6 percent drop in sales, possibly due to the transition in sourcing and pricing for its E-Class sedan, a core model for the company.
Earlier in April, the company phased out the fully-imported E-Class, replacing it with a range of
locally-assembled E200 and E250 models
. The locally-assembled E-Class sedans are about RM50,000 cheaper than the previous fully-imported models.
The E300 will remain fully-imported, and will only be ordered upon request (six-month waiting period).
Perodua is holding on to a very strong number one position on the sales chart, despite seeing a nearly 30 percent drop in sales. Difficulties in securing financing for its customers rather than competition from second-placed Honda remains the biggest challenge for Perodua, whose line-up are mostly aimed at entry-level buyers.
Sales of Honda vehicles contracted by 33.8 percent, possibly due to lower contributions from the CR-V, which is due to be replaced by an all-new model soon. Honda’s performance is expected to pick up after Raya, when the
new Jazz
 (including the re-introduction of the Jazz Hybrid) and
all-new CR-V
 are launched.
Nissan continues to suffer from a lackluster model line-up. Sales contracted by 17.7 percent in April but the bigger concern is its year-on-year performance. Cumulative sales for Nissan in 2017 is now 40 percent poorer than last year. In other words, Nissan is now selling almost less than half of what it used to sell last year.
The MAA is forecasting for the TIV to hit 600,000 units by the end of this year. With cumulative sales from the first four-month now reaching 30 percent of the forecasted volume, the market appears to be on track to the forecasted TIV. Sales are expected to improve in the following months as more buyers take advantage of attractive Hari Raya promotions.


Porsche Brings The Blockchain To Their Cars

We're still not quite sure what all of this is for, but Porsche has announced that they will be implementing blockchain applications for their products in their vehicles, working with Berlin-based start-up XAIN. Some of you may know the term "blockchain" from cryptocurrency, as part of the now infamous Bitcoin and many others, but Porsche feels that there are many automotive applications that the system would be effective for.
The blockchain itself is simply a protocol for data transaction that's decentralized, in the sense that it does need to go through a central system to be verified. By being more peer to peer than requiring a system, it speeds up the process by a great deal - for example, unlocking a car door via an app takes just 1.6 seconds, which is 6 times faster than before. The other benefit of a blockchain is that it documents every action and process, and can be encrypted quickly and efficiently.
In terms of applications, there are plenty that can be implemented for the car of the future - although Porsche and XAIN are setting their sights on the autonomous vehicle. The idea is to speed up car to user and car to car communication, which makes processing and decision making a lot quicker and results in a smoother, more streamlined autonomous vehicle. It would also speed up payment authentication at a charging station, improving the electromobility experience.
But there is an important consideration to keep in mind. Blockchains are tamper proof as a result of their transparency in operation, but as they grow longer with each transaction the speed of processing begins to drop. Even with energy efficient mining processes for the transactions themselves, it may be something Porsche has to consider in the long run. With more and more functionality comes more events and contracts being tacked on to the blockchain, and in turn the time to process will increase.


Tesla Thailand to be officially launched on December 7th

The famed US-based electric vehicle manufacturer will be setting up an official presence in another Southeast Asian country and, of course, it’s not Malaysia. Tesla Thailand will be a real thing now, starting December 7th with their first (temporary) location at Siam Paragon in the centre of Bangkok.

However, in the following months, the EV maker will be migrating to a flagship showroom in the nearby but still upscale Emsphere. The Wednesday brand premiere will definitely get ample foot traffic not to mention general publicity from the press.

It is not confirmed yet what cars will be offered to the Thai public, but it has been strongly indicated that the Model 3
and Model Y will kick things off
 with the larger and pricier Model X and Model S due to enter the fray later on.

The electric vehicle market in Thailand especially is
expected to get rather heated
 in the coming years as portended by the recent Bangkok Motor Expo that had many leading EV brands showcase their most impressive vehicles to woo the market.

Besides European brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, and Volkswagen, Thai buyers already have already had the Ora Good Cat for several months as well as the
recent launch of the Toyota bZ4X
. Right now, the BYD and their Atto 3 is proving to be the Tesla’s most formidable rival.

Of course, we’ll be keeping an ear to the ground on what movements we can expect in terms of a possible Tesla entry into Malaysia, so stay tuned for more.


All Of Penang’s Disabled Parking Lots Will Be Painted Blue For Easier Identification

Parking bays will get colour-coded differentiators in the Penang city of George Town. The move will make the bays themselves easier to identify, so too will those who park there unscrupulously.
Normal parking bays lines will continue to be painted yellow, as they are now, but disabled parking lots will be brandishing new blue coloured lines.  Penang Island City Councilor Chris Lee said there will be now no excuse to abuse handicapped spots.
The parking lots will measure 6.8-metres long and 3.6-metres wide to accommodate and add to the convenience, safety, and ease of access to those that need them.
The Penang Island City Council is expected to finish repainting all the disabled parking lots under their administration (38 locations in total) by the end of November 2015 at a cost of RM250 per lot.
"This is our initiative to make the island more disabled friendly. Drivers can be fined RM100 for the offence and may have their cars towed away which will make them liable for a RM100 towing fee,” said Lee, and added that the Council will take stern action against drivers that park at spots reserved for the handicapped.


Nak ganti cermin kereta ni mahal juga sebenarnya. Bergantung pada jenis dan model kenderaan anda, kos penukaran cermin kereta adalah dari RM1,000 – RM30,000. Tetapi jika anda telah mendapatkan insurans cermin, anda dah tak perlu risau tentang perkara ini.

Kepentingan Insurans Cermin Kereta Dan Cara Membuat Tuntutan

Di negara ini, insurans
cermin kereta (windscreen)
 merupakan perlindungan tambahan kepada
polisi insurans kereta
 anda. Jadi kalau anda tidak menambah insurans cermin sewaktu memperbaharui insurans kereta anda, maknanya kereta anda tiada insurans cermin. Harga cermin kereta bagi perlindungan tambahan ini adalah berbeza dengan harga insurans kereta.

Kos yang anda perlu bayar untuk insurans cermin adalah 15% daripada nilai perlindungan caruman insurans cermin anda. Sebagai contoh, sekiranya anda mendapatkan perlindungan insurans cermin sehingga RM1,000, harga insurans tambahan yang anda perlu bayar adalah RM150 sahaja.

Insurans cermin merangkumi perlindungan, pembaikian, dan penggantian:

Cermin hadapan

Cermin belakang

Cermin pintu

Cermin bumbung matahari

Tetapi, jika sunroof anda merupakan sekadar modifikasi tambahan dan bukanlah asal kilang, ia tidak akan dilindungi. Side mirror juga tidak termasuk dalam insurans cermin kereta.

Dengan perlindungan ini, anda akan diberi pampasan terhadap kos yang diperlukan untuk menukar cermin kereta jika ia pecah atau retak. Pampasan ini termasuk kos cermin, upah, dan/atau
filem penghadang haba (tinted solar film)
 yang telah anda pasangkan pada cermin kereta anda.

Tujuan utama pengambilan insurans cermin ini adalah untuk kesenangan pemilik kenderaan juga. Sekiranya
cermin kereta anda retak
 atau pecah, anda tidak perlu membelanjakan wang yang banyak untuk ganti cermin. Tambahan pula bagi cermin kereta zaman sekarang yang jauh lebih mahal disebabkan teknologi penderia (sensor) yang telah ditambahbaik pada cermin.

Cara Dapatkan Insurans Cermin Kereta

1. Tambahkan perlindungan cermin kereta ketika memperbaharui insurans kereta

Portal Insurans Atas Talian: Anda boleh memilih tawaran ini semasa sedang memperbaharui insurans kereta atas talian melalui portal insurans kereta.

Agen Insurans: Selalunya, mereka akan menasihatkan anda agar menambahkan perlindungan ini dalam insurans kereta anda. Jika tiada, maklumkan kepada mereka tentang penambahan perlindungan cermin kepada insurans kereta anda.

Pejabat Pos:  Maklumkan kepada petugas di kaunter bagi memohon tambahan perlindungan cermin kepada insurans kereta anda.

2. Tambah perlindungan bila-bila masa

Sebenarnya, tambahan ini juga boleh dibeli selepas pembaharuan insurans kereta. Seeloknya, tambahlah perlindungan ini secepat mungkin. Maklumkan saja kepada agen insurans anda bagi mendapatkan sebut harga. Mudah sahaja!

Cara Tuntut Insurans Cermin

1. Hubungi syarikat insurans

Jika anda malas nak buat survey
bengkel kereta
 mana yang bagus untuk tukar cermin, hubungi sahaja syarikat insurans anda untuk bertanya tentang lokasi bengkel panel insurans paling dekat dengan rumah anda. Kemudian, telefon pula bengkel panel terbabit untuk membuat temujanji terlebih dahulu. Ini bagi mengelakkan masalah ketiadaan stok. Penggantian cermin ini digalakkan untuk dilakukan di bengkel panel insurans bagi mengelakkan proses ini menjadi lebih rumit.

2. Sediakan dokumen lengkap seperti berikut:

Salinan Mykad pemilik kereta.

Salinan lesen pemandu pemilik kereta, atau pemandu kereta.

Salinan geran kereta.

Salinan invois dan sijil insurans.

3. Bawa kereta ke bengkel

Apabila segala dokumen dah lengkap, bawa kereta ke bengkel terbabit dan serahkan segala dokumen tersebut kepada bengkel. Pihak bengkel akan memeriksa keadaan cermin dan memutuskan sama ada ia perlu dibaiki atau ditukar terus. Harga tukar cermin kereta ini sudah termasuk dalam perkiraan semasa anda tambah insurans cermin kereta jadi anda tidak perlu risau.

4. Baiki atau Tukar

Retak kecil boleh diperbaiki dengan menggunakan resin istimewa yang memenuhkan ruang udara dalam cermin. Kos membaiki juga jauh lebih murah berbanding kos menukar cermin baharu. Oleh kerana kosnya rendah, anda masih mempunyai lebihan dalam perlindungan insurans cermin anda. Jika anda perlu untuk menukar cermin pada masa hadapan, anda masih boleh menuntut menggunakan insurans cermin yang sedia ada memandangkan amaun tuntutan anda sebelum ini lebih rendah berbanding nilai perlindungan yang ditawarkan.

Anda boleh lakukan tuntutan seberapa banyak kali selagi had maksima caruman tidak habis digunakan. Sebagai contoh, untuk perlindungan RM1,000, nak claim RM250 sebanyak 4 kali pun tak ada masalah. Namun jika cermin anda rosak teruk dan tidak lagi selamat untuk digunakan, pihak begkel akan menasihatkan supaya tukar sahaja cermin kereta. Proses ini biasanya memakan masa sehingga 1-2 jam.

5. Selesai!

Setelah selesai tukar cermin kereta, anda akan menerima nasihat daripada bengkel mahupun pakar cermin supaya tidak menjemur kereta selama 3 jam bagi melengkapkan proses menguatkan gam.

Jadi tak susah pun jika anda nak tuntut insurans cermin kereta ini. Yang penting, cermin kereta dah dilindungi insurans dan anda tak perlu pening kepala sekiranya cermin retak ataupun pecah. Untuk mengetahui berapa nilai yang perlu anda bayar berdasarkan model kereta, anda boleh membuat semakan
disini.

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JPJ Pasang Kamera Badan, Kongsi Video Saman Di TikTok

Anggota JPJ Pulau Pinang kini aktif berkongsi beberapa video aktiviti saman terhadap pemandu yang degil memotong barisan dan menggunakan lorong kecemasan.

Rakaman video yang dikongsikan melalui akaun TikTok
@enforcementjpjpenang
 diambil menggunakan kamera yang diletakkan kepada anggota JPJ yang bertugas melakukan rondaan menaiki Kawasaki Versys 650.

Berdasarkan video tersebut, antara kesalahan utama seperti memotong barisan serta menggunakan lorong kecemasan bagi mengelakkan kesesakan jalan raya telah dikenakan
saman
serta merta.

Kamera Badan Anggota JPJ

Pada tahun lalu, anggota Unit Penguatkuasaan Bermotosikal JPJ telah pun dilengkapi dengan alat perakam video mudah alih berteknologi tinggi bagi merakam kesalahan pengguna jalan raya.

Perakam video yang diletakkan di bahagian topi keledar anggota JPJ itu bertindak merakam pelbagai kesalahan jalan raya untuk dimanfaatkan oleh sistem JPJ bagi urusan saman.

Namun ada juga kejadian saman secara langsung yang dapat disaksikan hasil daripada perkongsian JPJ Pulau Pinang di TikTok. Antaranya seperti sebuah
BMW X5
 yang memotong barisan di lampu isyarat yang ditegur anggota JPJ yang ingin mengirimkan ‘surat cinta’ kepadanya.

JPJ Pulau Pinang Dipuji

Dengan perkongsian video tersebut, rata-rata orang ramai memuji tindakan penjawat awam tersebut yang tegas. Buktinya, ada video potong barisan yang telah mencapai 2.7 juta tontonan dan 633 perkongsian di TikTok.

Memandangkan ia merupakan kesalahan yang sering berlaku di jalan raya di Malaysia. Rata-rata pengguna di media sosial berpuas hati dapat melihat sendiri pengguna jalan raya yang pentingkan diri menerima hukuman yang selayaknya.

Ada juga yang mahu JPJ di negeri lain supaya mengikut jejak langkah sama JPJ Pulau Pinang untuk berkongsi rakaman video yang menunjukkan pemandu yang melakukan kesalahan jalan raya ini dihukum.

Aplikasi e-Aduan@JPJ Terima 245 Aduan

Bagi anda yang ingin melaporkan sendiri kesalahan jalan raya yang berlaku di depan mata anda, gunakan sahaja aplikasi
e-Aduan@JPJ
.

JPJ telah merekodkan 245 aduan yang dilaporkan orang ramai melalui aplikasi e-Aduan@JPJ sepanjang tempoh Kempen Keselamatan Jalan Raya dan Op Bersepadu sempena Aidilfitri yang bermula 29 April lepas.

Menerusi aplikasi itu, orang ramai boleh mengemukakan aduan kesalahan jalan raya kepada JPJ berserta maklumat seperti gambar dan video untuk di ambil tindakan.

Aplikasi e-aduan boleh dimuat turun melalui Google Play untuk pengguna telefon pintar jenis Android sahaja buat masa ini. Harap-harap aplikasi ini akan turut ditawarkan bagi pengguna iPhone supaya lebih ramai dapat mengemukakan aduan secara langsung kepada JPJ jika terdapat sebarang kesalahan lalu lintas dilakukan.


Honda Strengthens Its East Malaysian Efforts With New Logistics Hub

Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd has just announced that it has established logistics hubs to serve Sabah and Sarawak. Collectively referred to as the East Malaysia Centralized Distribution Centre, the duo are located in the state capitals of Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.
Aimed at easing the operational activities of
Honda
 dealers, these logistics hubs are together the first step in the company’s expansion roadmap into East Malaysia and will reduce vehicle delivery periods for those areas from nine days to only three days.
Together with wait times being slashed, the quality of the cars that go into customer’s hands will be free from the issues encountered due to logistical transportation and prolonged sun exposure while waiting for delivery such as minor scratches and other paint imperfections.
Honda’s new East Malaysia Logistics Hub will be run by Giga Shipping Sdn Bhd, an established shipping and logistics management company. They will also handle the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) Management which includes standard key management, stock management, washing bays, anti-theft security, and parking lot management – all to ensure vehicles remain in top condition while in storage.
The company has set itself a target to increase total sales in East Malaysia to over 600 units per month by 2016 and these Logistics Hubs will certainly play a key role in ensuring supply meets demand. Between January and April 2015, Honda Malaysia sold 45% more vehicles compared to the same period the year prior, prompting a plan to strengthen its operations in that region.
To further support dealers and customers there, Honda Malaysia is also in the midst of establishing a regional office, training facilities and parts warehouses in East Malaysia. By March 2016, they expect four new 2S dealers to be opened, complementing the current network of ten 3S dealers within Sabah and Sarawak.


Review: 2021 Mercedes Benz GLB 200 - A Small SUV That Is Big On Practicality

The GLB 200 might be the entry-level GLB, but it doesn't feel anywhere entry level in my opinion.

Just as you think that Mercedes Benz cannot produce more SUVs, they come out with another one, filling yet again another small void in their expansive SUV line up.

Sitting between the GLA and GLC, the GLB is Mercedes' new smallish SUV that is probably more practical than the two Mercedes models it is sandwiched in between.

There are
three variants
 of the GLB available in Malaysia, the GLB 200 Progressive Line, GLB 250 4Matic AMG Line and an AMG model, the GLB 35 4Matic.

Mercedes-Benz
 Malaysia gave us the entry-level GLB 200 Progressive Line for a review, and it really did provide us with the opportunity to see why MB thinks that we need this car in the world.

Many have said that the GLB is a baby G-Wagon, but we beg to differ because its more of a baby GLS than anything else. It looks like it's a direct descendant of Mercedes' biggest SUV but just a miniature version.

Who is the GLB for? People who love the idea of owning a smallish Mercedes SUV that can carry more than five people yet it won't cost them an arm and a leg to buy one. How did Mercedes get the price to be so low? Well, despite its rugged SUV styling and looks, it is built on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the GLA, which is actually a platform that is heavily borrowed from Mercedes' most entry-level car, the A-Class hatchback.

Platform aside, the GLB is longer than the two models mentioned as it is 10cm longer between the front and rear wheels, to make space for that third-row of seats that sits flush into the floor when it is not needed. Looking at the dimensions, the GLB is nearly as big as the GLC thanks to its height and squared-off styling.

No matter what your opinion on the size is, there's no denying that the GLB is one handsome car, even in the entry-level GLB 200 form. The exterior styling does project strength and ruggedness while the interior just oozes class and sophistication.

The cockpit of all smaller Mercedes-Benz's is mostly identical, but the GLB has this added touch of SUV machismo to it. A combination of shiny metal looking trim and heavy-duty looking plastic flanks the steering wheel and widescreen infotainment/meter cluster display. It's pretty futuristic to look at, and the controls are all quite intuitive.

Saying that however, there's just nothing special about the cockpit, but then again, we have been spoilt by the suaveness and luxury its bigger brothers provide.

The front seats are supportive and comfortable while the second-row seats are best used by two passengers instead of three - as the hump in the middle is really not suitable for adults on long journeys. But of course, the piece de resistance of the GLB is the third-row seats so what are they like?

In all honesty, they are more for kids than anyone else. You can fit adults back there sure, but you'd have to play a bit of border control to get the legroom just right between the second (it can be adjusted forward and backwards) and the third-row. For us little Asians, headroom is adequate in the third row, but taller adults might hit their head on the headliner if it gets bumpy. But then again, despite its small misgivings, the two extra seats at the rear is a useful feature, something that a family person like me would hold dear to his heart.

Driving the GLB 200, you'd think that the SUV would have a typical 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, but the GLB 200 is powered by a 1.33-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 163 hp and 250 Nm of torque, paired to a Getrag seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Power is sufficient even when the car is fully laden, but it is a bit jerky during initial acceleration - an inherent dual-clutch character. Once it gets going though, it's as smooth as any Mercedes. Mercedes' turbocharged engines are superb and this one is no different despite its smaller displacement.

Seeing that the GLB 200 comes with comfort suspension, you'd think that the SUV would handle badly, but it's quite alright, you know. The car feels tight, doesn't wallow as much as I thought it would and has a good planted feeling. The steering feels a bit light, but you'd probably love that when manoeuvring around town when it has to navigate through tight parking spots and city streets.

Since it is an SUV, what is it like in the rough? Despite not having the GLB 250's all-wheel drive (4MATIC) and Off-Road Engineering package, which adds an additional drive mode to the Dynamic Select system, it does pretty much handle itself.

We had the opportunity to take it on some gravel tracks and some horrible old roads. Despite slipping a little bit on an incline on the gravel path, traction control did its job and provided good grip. The suspension also seems to handle big holes in the road well and never really caused any concerns when going through old secluded laneways.

To be honest the best bit of the GLB 200 on top of all the good stuff it already has, is its fuel consumption. With a fuel economy of  7.2 L/100km, it just feels that the fuel is going to last forever. We went everywhere fully laden and it still sipped fuel despite carrying all that weight around.

With all of that being said would we recommend the GLB to anyone? If you're a family person who might need to occasionally ferry extra family members around on top of your own, then yes, the GLB is a perfect SUV for you.

If you're just a normal person who likes a brutish looking car and likes a lot of space so that your car can be practical when called upon, then yes, the GLB is for you.

But if you plan to carry seven adults everywhere, then there are more spacious cars out there. If budget is also a problem, then there are cheaper cars out there than can probably deliver the same if not better results.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Price: RM 269,118.15 OTR (5% Sales Tax) w/o Insurance

Engine: 1.3L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine

Transmission: 7G-DCT 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission

Horsepower: 163

Torque: 250 Nm

Fuel Consumption: 7.2L/100km (combined)

Safety and Assistance: Reverse camera, Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC, Active brake assist, PRE-SAFE® system, HANDS-FREE ACCESS, KEYLESS-GO, Kneebag, TPMS, EASY-PACK Tailgate, Anti-theft alarm system, TIREFIT, Rear selt belt status indicator


Meet The Malaysian Chief Engineer Behind Honda’s SH-AWD System

You never expected this didn’t you? Yes, as mentioned in the title above, the chief engineer behind Honda’s award winning Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system is a Pahang-born Malaysian – 41-year old Nor Hairuddin.
We managed to caught up with the soft spoken Hairuddin on the sidelines of the 2015 Honda Meeting, an upcoming products presentation event, in Tochigi, Japan.
Hairuddin has spent more than 20 years of his life in Japan, 14 of them with Honda, He is a world renowned expert in all-wheel drive (AWD) drivetrains and has several patents to various AWD designs submitted under his name with Honda.
Hairuddin, who speaks fluent Japanese and English, is the first non-Japanese chief engineer at Honda Motor.
He oversees the development work for many of Honda’s AWD drivetrains, except for those fitted on hybrid AWD models.
Ironically, few Malaysians have ever experienced for themselves how well Hairuddin’s SH-AWD system works, as it is fitted mostly on Honda’s upmarket Acura branded models in the US, Canada and China.
Acura is to Honda what Audi is to Volkswagen, or Lexus and Infiniti is to Toyota and Nissan respectively. However, Acura models are only available in left-hand drive configuration and Honda has no plans to expand Acura’s presence beyond USA and China.
Honda’s SH-AWD first debuted in 2005, in the second generation Acura RL, also known as the Honda Legend in Japan. It was the world’s first AWD system that was able to divert torque not only between the front and rear wheels, but also up to 100 percent of the engine’s torque to either the left-rear or right-rear wheels.
Over the years, various variations of the SH-AWD system have been developed for different Acura models, with different levels of performance, complexity, and of course cost. The latest and most sophisticated of them is the one fitted on Acura’s three-motor petrol-electric hybrid models – Acura/Honda NSX, as well as the latest Acura RL (Honda Legend).
Hairuddin was directly responsible for a mid-range variation of the SH-AWD – a multi-clutch electronically-controlled system used in the Acura TLX and MDX.
Hairuddin explained that the AWD system used in the TLX and MDX SUVs are very different from the ones used by the Honda CR-V, the only AWD model sold by Honda Malaysia.
“The system used in the CR-V has only one clutch, and can only transfer torque between the front and rear axle. The SH-AWD system uses multiple clutches and is able to transfer torque not only between the front and rear axle, but also between the left and right side of the rear axle. While it offers better performace and is fitted only on Acura models, mostly to those sold in cold weather regions, where the advantage of the SH-AWD system can really show itself on snow covered surfaces,” explained Hairuddin.
Hairuddin is currently working on a next generation of SH-AWD system that is lighter and more fuel efficient than the current generation system.
Apart from SH-AWD, Hairuddin also oversees development work of electromechanical 4WD systems used in Japanese market mini and compact cars. These low-speed only 4WD systems are usually fitted only on Japanese market models.
Many compact models like the Honda Jazz (also known as Fit in Japan) are available with a 4WD option in Japan.
“A fully mechanical and electromechanically-controlled 4WD system is fitted on the rear differential. It delivers enough torque to accelerate the car away from a snowy surface. This feature is commonly fitted on compact cars sold in the Northern region of Japan, which sees heavier snow fall,” said Hairuddin.
When asked about his journey to his engineering career at Honda, Hairuddin credited his father for instilling in him an interest for all things mechanical.
His father used to run a motorcycle workshop in his hometown in Jerantut, Pahang.
Like Soichiro Honda, Hairuddin spent his adolescent years working on motorcycles.
“Since my primary school days in Jerantut, I have been helping out at my father’s motorcycle workshop. He no longer works now,” he said.
After finishing his secondary school, Hairuddin secured a JPA scholarship from the government, and furthered his studies at Kyoto University. After graduating, he briefly worked at another company before joining Honda as a junior engineer.
Like many Japanese companies, foreign staffs are not common at Honda.
When asked about his experience as a minority at Honda, Hairuddin said it has never been an issue for him.
“I worked my way up from junior positions, and have spent so many years at Honda. So I am very familiar with Honda’s culture and had little difficulties in gaining the trust of my superiors,” he said.
Hairuddin has no plans of returning to Malaysia. He has settled down comfortably in Japan and has no intentions of leaving his rewarding career there with Honda.
So what does a chief engineer at Honda drives? A Honda Odyssey is Hairuddin’s personal car.
His message to aspiring young Malaysians – “You must maintain a strong focus on what you want to pursue in your life, and work hard towards it. I believe that Malaysians are capable of becoming experts in a foreign land, leading in a field that is dominated by other countries. Global companies like Honda appreciate talented people, irrespective of their background, nationalities, race or religion. You just need to prove that you have the right talent.”


Highway Teammate Is First Step To Automated Driving Technologies In Toyota Vehicles By 2020

The concept of automated driving vehicles is being pursued by many carmakers and Toyota is no exception, as they’ve introduced their new test vehicle dubbed ‘Highway Teammate’ that represents the interpretation of the evolving driver-car relationship in the age of artificial intelligence.
According to the Japanese carmaker, it believes that “interactions between drivers and cars should mirror those between close friends who share a common purpose, sometimes watching over each other and sometimes helping each other out”, which is refers to as the Mobility Teammate Concept, and the Highway Teammate test vehicle is its first step to develop the concept.
Like
Audi’s A7 piloted driving concept
, the test vehicle is based on an existing vehicle found in Toyota’s luxury brand lineup. In this case, a standard Lexus GS is modified to be fitted with various sensors that powers its automated driving capabilities. This includes a milimeter wave radar, video cameras, and LIDAR, each cleverly tucked away to make the car nearly indistinguishable from a standard GS.
The systems work together and enables the Highway Teammate’s automated driving on highways from the on-ramp all the way through to the off-ramp. On-board technology is used to evaluate traffic conditions, make choices, and take action during highway driving. Manoeuvres including merging onto or exiting highways, maintaining or changing lanes, and maintaining inter-vehicle distances, are all within the capabilities of the test vehicle.
After passing through a toll gate, the driver can engage the system, where the Highway Teammate employs its external sensors to pinpoint its position with the aid of highly accurate road map data. The sensors also enable it to identify nearby vehicles and hazards, allowing it to select appropriate routes and lanes depending on the destination. It then executes its calculated move by operating the steering wheel, accelerator, and brakes.
Highway Teammate is a culmination of Toyota’s automated driving technologies that has been researched and developed since the 1990s. It’s also a part of Toyota’s Mobility Teammate Concept where three types of intelligence are considered crucial to its success – Driving Intelligence (advanced recognition and predictive decision-making functions), Connected Intelligence (vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication), and Interactive Intelligence (recognition of driver status, transfer of control between driver and car, etc.).
By 2020, Toyota aims to launch products which are based on the technologies developed on the Highway Teammate.


Honda Motors Pairs Up With GM For Next Gen Battery Development

When it comes to hybrid and electric vehicle technology, neither GM nor Honda have been the posterchild - and yet they still produce and sell numerous hybrid models that are quietly successful in numerous markets. They may not be as outright popular as say Toyota or Tesla, but they definitely have some attractive electrically-assisted products.
But to go further, both companies have decided to pair up to develop next-generation technology for batteries in order to accelerate their individual plans for electric cars. New advanced chemistry battery components, including the cell and module, will allow for higher energy density, smaller packaging, and faster charging capabilities.
The agreement states that Honda will be doing the battery module sourcing while GM will be providing the battery sytem. With the combined scale of production of the two companies, it should help to greatly reduce the unit cost of the items. For now the end hybrid and electric products will mostly be aimed at the North American market.
This isn't the first partnership between the two companies, as Honda and GM already have an agreement to produce an advanced hydrogen fuel cell system by 2020. For now, the integrated development teams are working on making the technology more affordable in terms of both the fuel cell and the hydrogen storage system.


2023 Toyota Corolla Cross GR Sport launched at RM142k - best looking C-Segment SUV?

Looking for a sportier-looking Corolla Cross? Take a look at this 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 GR Sport. The exterior as well as the interior has been given the proper GR treatment in terms of look and feel.

Overall it is rather striking and does put it in contention as the
best looking C-segment SUV
 on sale in Malaysia today, especially when seen in person.

The facade has been enhanced with the two-tone package that also features blacked-out side mirrors, roof, rear spoiler, and radiator grille paired with a new set of LED rear lamps, rear bumper garnish and diffuser, and to round it all off, a lovely set of 18-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels.

Unlike some other markets in Southeast Asia, Toyota hasn’t given the GR Sport treatment
to the Corolla Cross Hybrid
. Instead, for Malaysia, this is based on the 1.8V variant, meaning that this has the naturally aspirated 2ZR-FE four-cylinder with 139PS and 172Nm of torque.

Transmitting that drive to the front wheels, as usual, is a CVT gearbox from the Japanese brand. However, Toyota also says that the front and rear suspension components have been ‘sports-tuned’ with added bracing for added rigidity.

The insides come with a black interior with red stitching that can be found on its leather-wrapped steering wheel, gear shifter, and leather seat covers along with some GR logos on the push-start button, front seat headrests, and carpet mats.

The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 GR Sport is priced at RM142,000 and customers can choose from three different two-tone colour options - Platinum White Pearl, Red Mica Metallic, and Nebula Blue.


Would You Pay RM100k For A Hybrid Honda BR-V e:HEV?

With both body styles of the Honda City and the upcoming next-generation HR-V prominently featuring the company's i-MMD hybrid drivetrain,
what about the 'all-new' BR-V
 and will it be worth it?

Belive it or not, Honda has quietly become one of the most prominent manufacturer of electrified cars in Malaysia following the double introduction of the City RS and
City RS Hatchback e:HEV
 in 2021.

They both pack the Japanese automaker’s innovative i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive) powertrain that, despite using a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated i-VTEC, motivates the front wheels via an electric traction motor that’s both more responsive and more torque-ey than any combustion engine offered in its class.

It crams so much complexity in such a compact package yet presents an experience to the driver that’s seamless enough to require almost no learning curve. Besides the man-hours spent developing and perfecting it, to even arrive at a point where Honda could offer cars with their i-MMD system to Malaysian buyers required huge investment to support new manufacturing processes, personnel training, not to mention the supply chain acrobatics to keep locally assembled output running at an efficient pace.

However, against all this, all Malaysians have to say about these cars are again reduced to the topic of its price. More accurately, a big chunk of the public’s reaction to the launch of these models were focused around the fact that it’s being sold for over RM100,000.

Specifically, the
City RS e:HEV (sedan)
 goes for RM105,590 while the City RS Hatchback e:HEV is RM107,783. Apparently that violates some unwritten rule that forbids a B-segment non-SUV from costing more than RM100k. Why?

I say that because
Honda’s own HR-V
, also technically classified in the B-segment, has a starting price of RM104k, meaning you can own the range-topping, most well-equipped and technologically advanced City sedan for
only
 around RM2,000 more than an entry-level HR-V 1.8E. Are we seriously complaining about that?

If it’s about the gulf in practicality, I can vouch for the City’s versatility and roominess first hand. Honda are pretty much the best in the business with regard to interior packaging and that’s incredibly evident with these newest versions. Inside, they feel as spacious as C-segment rivals from other automakers, leaving
the
actually
 larger Civic
 feeling like it might rival a D-segment vehicle on interior space.

Boot volume, even with hybrid components hidden beneath the floor, stands at 410-litres for the City RS sedan which isn’t far behind the HR-V’s 437-litre advertised capacity. In fact, that’s very comparable unless all you’re carrying are water balloons.

Alright, but if it is about
sheer volume
, there’s no larger B-segment offering from Honda than the BR-V - hence its name. Currently, there are only two variants offered: a 1.5E for RM86,726 and a 1.5V for RM93,420. And of course nobody freaks out because its about RM6,500 south of RM100k.

We already know that a heavily revised version of the BR-V has been launched in Indonesia, meaning a Malaysian debut could be just around the corner. It gains a much-improved equipment list that now includes the
Honda Sensing active safety suite
 but retains the carry-over L15ZF 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol mill with 121PS and 145Nm of torque.

Given that both the City and BR-V share identical underpinnings, it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that the e:HEV powertrain is making its way to the 7-seater crossover. Such a transplant would be an easy procedure. No doubt this move will nudge its price window beyond that feared and foreboding RM100k mark, but so what? Will the i-MMD finally be justified in commanding a steeper price, as apparently it wasn't convincing enough in the City RS and City Hatch RS?

One could argue that the BR-V is an ideal candidate for the petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. Even as a thought experiment, lugging a BR-V fully loaded with passengers and luggage sounds like much too great a challenge for a little 1.5-litre engine to meet with any amount of dignity. Expect plenty of high revving, slow moving, and a prematurely empty fuel tank.

That instantaneous 253Nm of torque from the e:HEV’s traction motor seems like the perfect antidote to the BR-V’s struggles. Plus, with the added efficiency of the combustion engine working mostly as a generator to keep the hybrid’s batteries topped-up, a hybrid BR-V could theoretically extract as much as 1,000km on a single tank of petrol from its 42-litre tank since Honda claims the City RS can achieve 3.6-litres/100km in mixed driving conditions.

Given the BR-V’s duties as a daily family commuter and road trip hypermiler, this could be game-changing.

The efficiency, flexibility, and performance benefits between
the i-MMD drivetrain
 and Honda’s conventional atmospheric four-cylinder engines are tangible and become more significant over time. However, access to that technology will cost more money due to the added complexity and raw materials necessary to produce it.

A hybrid BR-V (RS?) e:HEV might well be on the horizon and could be the most impressive application we’ve seen of the i-MMD yet, but will customers pass on a potentially class-leading B-segment 7-seater contender if it’s priced beyond a certain arbitrary number?

Maybe, but that would make no sense.


All-new super sexy Peugeot 408 crossover spotted in Malaysia

The Peugeot 408 has been spotted in Malaysia more than a few times now. Could this sighting be a telltale sign that Bermaz Auto Alliance, Malaysia's official distributor of Peugeot vehicles, is considering bringing it in?

But first, if you're wondering why the 408 looks nothing like the sedan you know it used to be, that's because the
Peugeot 408
 is now a fastback crossover.

The new Peugeot 408 debuted in June last year, seven years after its inception. It took that long to develop the car because Peugeot gave the 408 a blend between an SUV, hatchback and saloon.

It rides on the same EMP2 V3 platform as the third-generation Peugeot 308 and features the now famous new Peugeot Lion Head badge at the front fascia. Its design has a lot of flare, and nothing is typical about its exterior.

Judging by its dimensions, it's closer to the size of the HR-V, but it's slightly longer and marginally thinner.

The Peugeot 408 that was recently displayed at the 2023 Bangkok Motorshow came with a 1.6-litre turbo-engine with an electric motor powering the rear axle for up to 225PS and 360Nm of combined output from a 12.4kWh lithium-ion battery.

The PHEV system is capable of delivering 63 kilometres of pure electric range, and charging the battery will take close to two hours with a 7.4 kW of AC power.

So will the Peugeot 408 be in any of the Peugeot showrooms anytime soon? Well, officially, Bermaz Auto Alliance has never mentioned anything about the 408, but instead, they have confirmed that they would be shifting their focus to an electric vehicle after the LandTrek launch, which means the 408 spotted is probably here for testing purposes.

Who knows, it could all just be a bluff, and they are testing the 408 to debut soon, but till then, the uncertainty around the spotted 408s remains.


2022 Perodua Myvi Facelift Launched - 5 Variants, Perodua Smart Drive-Assist, D-CVT,  From RM45.7k

Following a month of spy shots, rumours and
teasers
, the 2022 Myvi facelift has officially been launched, priced from RM45,700.

Although Perodua's new B-Segment hatchback might at first seem like it only comes with
exterior changes
, the most significant upgrades to the popular hatchback are actually underneath the body shell, where a host of new hardware, software and electrical parts have been added, turning the Myvi into an even more
value for money
 proposition.

With
4,303 bookings collected within a 9-day period, it's already steamrolling its way through the market - and that's even before its official launch.

“We are thankful to our customers and to all Malaysians for the support shown to both Perodua and the New Myvi,” Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad said.

He said that Perodua is expecting to register 6,000 units monthly, which would enable the compact car company to maintain sales interest in the Myvi moving forward.

1.5L

RM58.8k

AV

+ New Leather Seats

+ Glossy Red A/C Trim

+ Red Finish Centre Cluster

+ ACC, LKC, RCTA, BSM

+ 4.2 TFT Screen

1.5L

RM53.9K

H

+ New Front Skirt

+ New Front Grill

+ Glossy Black Side mirror

+ 6.9-inch Infotainment Screen

+ DRL

1.5L

RM49.9K

X

+ Painted A/C Ring

+ Autofold Side Mirror

+ Voice Recognition

+ Power Mode

1.3L

RM47.7k

G PSDA

+ ASA 3.0

+ Auto High Beam

+ LDW, LDP

1.3L

RM45.7k

G Basic

+ New Front Bumpers

+ New Headlamps

+ New Front Grille

+ Black Side Mirrors

+ New Seat Fabric

+ D-CVT

+ Eco Idle

+ Auto Door Lock

The 2022 Myvi is available in five different variants, with each higher variant adding on more in terms of styling and features as we've detailed above. The streamlining of variants also sees the drop of the manual transmission 1.3L G Myvi, as Perodua informed us that it only contributes to 1% of the
overall Myvi sales
 volume.

Instead, they now offer the G variant in two forms, one with
Perodua Smart Drive Assist (PSDA) system (also commonly known as ASA 3.0), Auto High Beam, Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Departure Prevention (LDP), with the other only offering the standard ABS,TRC, VSC and Hill Start Assist. All other variants including the substantially specced AV will also come with these safety features as standard. The base 1.3L variants get four airbags while all 1.5L variants get six.

“This is the first time in Malaysian history that a car company is offering an Autonomous Level 2 technology to a model under an RM60,000 price tag,” Dato’ Zainal added.

Both G variants and the
rest of the lineup
 will get the new exterior look, featuring a new front bumper, new grille, new front skirt with silver finish, new headlights, and new rear bumper with garnish. All variants X and above will also get the new steering wheel with a Power Mode Switch button.

The Power Mode enables an enhanced drive, giving the driver a quicker throttle response.

The top-spec 2022 Myvi facelift, the AV gets a host of new interior and exterior upgrades, making it the most comprehensive Myvi ever built. On top of the new exterior features that we mentioned previously, the AV also gets some vertical DRLs at each end of the front bumper as well as a new front skirt, which gives the hatchback a more aggressive look. It also gets its own exclusive colour, called Cranberry Red.

The AV also gets a two-tone black and red leather interior, glossy red a/c vent trims, and a centre cluster with a red finish. The centre screen at the meter cluster has also been upgraded from LCD to TFT, giving drivers a sharper and more vibrant experience. The infotainment system is also now bigger than before, growing from 6.2-inch to 6.9-inch. The system's interface has also been updated and now features the same interface as the Ativa.

One of the biggest headlines for the 2022 Myvi facelift is in the form of its
safety features
, which now see it utilising Perodua's ASA 3.0 (Perodua now calls it
Perodua Smart Drive Assist (PSDA), just like in the
Ativa
. Only the AV variant will get the whole host of Advanced Driving Assist System (
ADAS
) features, which include:

Pre-Collision Warning

Pre-Collision Braking

Pedal Mis-Operation Alert

Lane Departure Warning

Lane Departure Prevention

Lane Keep Control

Blind Spot Monitoring

Adapative Cruise Control

Rear Cross Traffic Alert

The other big update for the 2022 Myvi facelift is in the mechanical department, where the 4-speed automatic transmission has been replaced with a Dual Mode CVT transmission (D-CVT).

According to Perodua, the D-CVT has given the Myvi a 5% increase in fuel efficiency (+1km/l) and a 20% increase in performance. The 1.3-litre Myvis can now do 0-100km/h in 11.5 seconds, while the 1.5-litre Myvi can now make the sprint in 10.2 seconds.

The 1NR-VE 1.3-litre engine with 94hp/121Nm and 2NR-VE 1.5-litre engine with 102hp/136Nm soldiers on in the 2022 Myvi facelift.

We didn't get a chance to try out the new drivetrain in the 2022 Myvi, but we'll give you some feedback as soon as we do. Judging from the D-CVT in the Ativa, it should be smooth, refined and responsive.

Meanwhile, Perodua is also introducing another value-added all-inclusive vehicle subscription service called Perodua EZ MOBi - this service will assist companies in managing their vehicle fleet from the time of procurement, servicing and fleet replacement.

“In essence, EZ MOBi represents Perodua’s value contribution towards its customers’ growing mobility needs. The overall package includes vehicle registration, insurance renewal, servicing cost, part replacement cost, courtesy car, vehicle disposal and replacement under one subscription plan,” Dato’ Zainal said.

“The value offering of this service is that Perodua EZ MOBi provides end-to-end convenience to our customers as various packages are available to fit each client’s mobility needs,” added Dato’ Zainal.

One of Perodua EZ MOBi’s uniqueness is that its subscription plan factors in all costs of owning and operating vehicles except fuel usage.

For now, this new service is currently available in the Klang Valley and only for business entities and government agencies.

Just as a recap, here are the prices for the 2022 Myvi facelift:

1.3L G Basic - RM45,700

1.3L G PSDA - RM47,700

1.5L X - RM49,900

1.5L H - RM53,900

1.5L AV - RM58,800

Prices are OTR without insurance but with the SST exemptions.

Perodua is also offering their GearUp accessories for the 2022 Myvi Facelift. For a price, you can add on accessories such us Ace Seat Covers, LED Scuff Plate, Floor Lighting, Luggage Tray, Door Visors, Magnetic Sun Shades, Coil Mats with Mesh Top, Perodua Care Seat, Wheel Lock Nut, Digital Video Recorder and GearUp Smart TPMS.

You can also opt for a package type deal, where the Illumination package entitles you to LED Scuff Plates and Floor Lighting, or the Utility package, which adds on Door Visors, Luggage Tray and Coil Mats.


ROAD CLOSURES: LDP Slip Road Diversion Announced, Effective Now Till Oct 18th 2015

Users of the Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong (LDP) headed towards Persiaran Puchong Perdana may want to take note of the following road closures and traffic diversions affecting those areas.
To help facilitate the Ampang LRT Line Extension Project, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad has just announced the following:
“The 10-meter slip road from Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong (LDP) will be fully closed for five (5) months from 18 May until 18 October 2015 to accommodate the construction of Station 10 of the Ampang LRT Line Extension Project.
“To help  ease traffic congestion, two (2) alternatives routes for motorists  will be introduced to guide the public to enter Puchong Prima.”
Prasarana also mentioned that the use of heavy machinery and the lifting of materials will be carried out at the location. While road barriers and flagmen are poised to redirect traffic with warning signals etc., all motorists are reminded to be careful in the area.
The first alternative route option for LDP users from Putrajaya en route to Puchong Prima is as the image you see above.
The second suggestion offered by Prasarana is as follows:
For further information, you can contact Prasarana’s Helpline at: 03-7885 2585


Local cars that shouldn't have been made

We have to give a lot of kudos to local vehicle manufacturers for their effort in trying to bring Malaysian people Malaysian made cars. Some have rebadged vehicles, while some have made cars from the ground up using tools and knowledge they acquired.

It has not been an easy journey for these local companies, especially when you consider that they had no real pedigree in manufacturing vehicles.

To be where these companies are now is a significant achievement, but in the past, the lack of experience has at times reared its ugly head. While most Malaysian made or rebadged vehicles have been somewhat popular, some are best forgotten.

The question though is which cars? And should these cars have been made at all?

Naza Sutera

To take advantage of tax breaks, Naza went on a spree of rebadging cars and sold them as their own. Vehicles like the Peugeot 206 based Naza Bestari and Kia Carnival based Naza Ria was a game-changer and gave thousand of people access to good cars at an affordable price.

But in a tree full of good apples, there is bound to be one that is bad, and that lousy apple was the Naza Sutera.  It had all the right eye-catching names attached to it; Lotus tuned chassis, engineered and styled by Pininfarina. Despite all the big shot names, the car at its core was still a Chinese based car (Hafei Lobo) - and this too at the infancy of Chinese car production.

Its unconventional rear end was weird, and its front was uninspiring, but those were the least of our dislikes. There were reports of complaints from owners such as " things were not screwed in properly" or "lepas hujan dalam kereta banjir". Maybe this is why the car was so unmemorable. Just try asking the person next to you if they remembered the Naza Sutera?

Perodua Rusa

Who remembers this Micro Van? On the surface, it looked practical, had space to be utilitarian and was made by Perodua, so what can go wrong? Well nothing really, except for some complaints about its distributor being too low which caused the engine to be damaged when the roads were flooded.

There was nothing terrible about the car, yet the car is as rare as the most endangered deer in the planet, the Visayan Spotted Deer. We can't remember the last time we saw one, and when we did, it looked like it was unfit for the road. But to be fair, this was not the vehicle's fault. Micro Vans never really took off in Malaysia and people who had them eventually traded them in for either a truck (business purposes) or a mini MPV (family use).

The Rusa came at a time when Kei (Japanese for light cars) vans were being experimented on our roads and since Malaysians like space and the ability to travel fast the Kei vans never really had a chance. The nimbler cars from Perodua survived because they were great little city cars, but the uprise in mini MPVs and trucks killed the Rusa.

Proton Juara

Unfortunately, the Proton Juara was an excellent example that Malaysia was not ready for a microvan market. Co-developed with Mitsubishi Motors, the Juara was supposed to be a hit. Mitsubishi even wanted to rebadge the Proton engineered MPV to sell it as a Mitsubishi car for the export market.

The lacklustre sales and poor reception however was not suprising, especially when Proton called it a "niche" product, pushing it to a small corner of an already small market. The Juara's sub-compact Kei car dimensions and design didn't go down well with the Malaysian public either, and this contributed to the micro MPV's relatively short life, selling only from 2011-2004.

The Juara was even kitted out with originally made in Sweden Thule roof racks but even the 'bling bling' of a Thule rack could not help the cause of the Malaysian made micro MPV.

Any other memorable cars you would rather forget? Let us know!


BMW Confirms X7 Production, Will Rival Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, Range Rover

We’ve heard rumours of its coming and seen several test mule spyshots of it, but nothing beats the news straight out of the horse’s mouth. Yes, folks, the
BMW
 X7 is coming (codenamed G07), and it will be made in Spartanburg, in the US.
Unfortunately, that’s the only bit of official information that BMW’s Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Harald Krüger has shared for the moment. In his most recent statement, he said:
“Spartanburg is receiving an investment of one billion U.S. dollars between 2014 and 2016. By the end of 2016, we will be able to produce over 450,000 vehicles per year at the site. At that point, Spartanburg will be the largest plant in our global production network. The expansion is also a response to the continuing trend towards SUVs.
“At present, the X line-up accounts for almost one in three BMWs sold. With new models such as the X7 we are going to expand our offering “made in Spartanburg”.
There have been, however, several other reports in the past, rumours acquired through hearsay and insider information, that do give us a few more details to expect. Here’s a quick list of what’s been said:
Three-row seating is a fact:
 no surprises really, when you consider the sheer size of the coming BMW X7 SAV.
More legroom in the middle row:
 One promise that our friends over at Motoring.com.au has managed to uncover is that the X7 will feature significantly larger middle-row legroom than the X5, and it plans to do so from the get go, by being a much larger vehicle itself.
More luxury than a 7 Series:
 This one sounds a bit sacrilegious of the sanctity reserved for the flagship 7 Series, but yes, it is believed that despite the G11 (latest-gen 7er) featuring out-of-this-world tech, the X7 is building up to not only be a bigger vehicle, but to deliver to luxury features than ever seen before in a BMW – it has to, if it wants to do battle with a Range Rover.
More new engines:
 Unsurprisingly, BMW may very well rely on their 3.0-litre six-cylinder BMW TwinPower engines for their base versions of the car. But up top, it has been rumoured that their next-gen versions of their V8 engines will be a feature of the all-new X7. Not one to rest on eight cylinders, even a 6.0-litre V12 engine has been rumoured to come.
That’s about all we can tell you for now, and do keep in mind that apart from the fact that the X7 will come and will be made in Spartanburg, the rest of the facts we’ve shared here are nothing more than rumours, albeit very reliable ones from very reliable sources.
Stay tuned to Carlist.my for more!


Cycle & Carriage Unveils Revamped Mercedes-Benz JB Autohaus

Cycle & Carriage
, together with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, has officially opened the doors to its newly upgraded Johor Bahru Autohaus. The new facility has been thoroughly upgraded in line with the latest ‘
Mercedes-Benz
 Brand Presence’ architecture and promises to offer a luxurious automotive retail experience that puts the customer first.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Claus Weidner, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, said, "The future of automotive retail represented here is a concept that weaves the key elements of our design philosophy – sensual purity and spaciousness; it is more than just architecture. It creates an experience that seamlessly blends simplicity and craftsmanship that are unique to the brand."

Cycle & Carriage Johor Bahru is the largest
Autohaus
 in the southern region, with a built-up area measuring a massive 142,000 square feet over a land area of 224,000 square feet.

Designed with a large open space and supplemented with custom daylight-emitting spotlights that allows the customer to experience the true colours of the cars, all intentionally arranged in an arc to maximise visibility of every model displayed. Various seating and discussion locations in open, semi-private or private areas help facilitate individual consultations, whether it’s for sales or service.

Another highlight of the Autohaus is the ‘Black Box’ - the vehicle delivery room is designed to offer a memorable experience of the handover process when a new Mercedes-Benz vehicle is unveiled to its owner for the first time. Apart from the enhanced showroom, the Cycle & Carriage Johor Bahru Autohaus is also home to the only accredited and authorised Mercedes-Benz Certified Body & Paint Centre in the Southern region.

With the ability to service 850 cars a month from 35 work bays, coupled with their Drop & Go and Door-to-Door servicing, customers can expect convenience and quick turnaround time in getting their Mercedes-Benz serviced. The newly enhanced Cycle & Carriage Johor Bahru Autohaus is located at No. 102, Batu 5 1/2, Jalan Skudai, Tampoi, 81200 Johor Bahru.


New 2015 Kia Rio 5 Door Launched In Malaysia: Just 1 Variant, From RM79k

Surprise, surprise… Here is the new 2015
Kia Rio
, right in Malaysia. Yes, the third-generation Korean hatchback has rather sneakily popped-up on
Naza Kia
 Malaysia's website, with prices fully revealed prior to its official unveiling at the 1 Utama Shopping Centre.
LIVE GALLERY: Check Out The New Kia Rio In 1 Utama
It’s been two years now since the third-gen Rio made its local debut at The Curve, and now, it’s the updated model’s turn to take the stage, starting with a local website debut, prior to its roadshow debut on-going Kia On Tour roadshow will be on for the rest of the week (13
th
 to 17
th
 May), so best you hurry on down if you want to catch a glimpse of the new models here.
But even if you can’t, fret not: here’s a full look at the new 2015 Kia Rio (stay tuned for a full LIVE gallery from the on-going roadshow).
So what’s new?
For starters, Naza Kia’s previous line-up of a high-spec SX and a lower spec EX has now been reduced to just the one high-spec version – which means that its previous entry price point of RM76k is no longer. RM79,080 is what is asked for the sole 1.4 SX (unchanged from before), and that’s OTR with insurance and GST.
POWERTRAIN:
 Logically, Naza Kia aren’t fiddling with the feisty hatchback’s powertrain, leaving in the 1.4-litre MPI engine, and continuing to pair it with a four-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Resulting power is a retained 109PS and 137Nm of torque, while consumption figures are still rated at 6.0-litres/100km.
EXTERIOR
: The 2015 Rio’s front-end bears lots of key visual changes that ought to help you identify new from old models on the road. While the headlamps have been left completely unchanged (still projector types with LED daytime running lights), the ‘Schreyer’ Tiger Nose grille has been slimmed down.
A little lower from there, you may notice that the fog lamps are exactly where they’ve been before, but the plastic fittings around it have been reworked and now include two horizontal blades running across. The front bumper is also relieved of the honeycomb mesh design beneath the plastic bar in favour of more horizontal lines.
Around the rear, a large plastic insert has been fitted to sort of resemble a diffuser, and is another key marking of the facelifted model. The rest of the rear-end, including its LED combi taillights, rear spoiler and more, have been left untouched.
There’s nearly no other changes on the car’s exterior, but for the new alloy wheel designs, which are also kept at their 17-inch dimensions.
INTERIOR:
 Some new treatment has been applied inside the cabin, with new chrome trim décor, and a minor restyling of the centre stack. Unfortunately, the seven-inch audio-video navigation (AVN) display screen we saw at the global unveiling of this model at the Paris Motor Show 2014 isn’t something we’ll be getting here in Malaysia – that’s a feature reserved for European markets only.
The Motor-Driven Power Steering (MPDS) is maintained, along with the fabric upholstery, single DIN radio unit, six-speaker Arkamys audio system, full-auto air-conditioning, and more.
Here's a list of key interior features and highlights:
Fabric seats (Black)
Radio with CD, MP3, Aux, USB and Bluetooth connectivity
Steering wheel with audio control and Bluetooth connectivity buttons
Arkamys six-speaker audio system
Keyless entry with engine push-start button
Sunroof
288-litre luggage compartment
60:40 split folding rear seat
SAFETY:
 Not that it really needed much more, but the new Rio’s safety features have been left untouched. This sees the car feature:
Six airbags
ISOFIX child seat anchors
Rear Parking Assist System
Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
Electronic Stability Control
ABS + EBD + Brake Assist
Hill-Start Assist
Impact Sensing Auto Door Unlock
Other Information:
Inclusive with the RM79,080 price is Naza Kia Malaysia's five-year, unlimited mileage warranty.


Honda Civic Type R Mugen Concept Showcased At The Malaysia Autoshow 2019

Honda Malaysia has unveiled a very special product at the ongoing Malaysia Autoshow 2019, the Civic Type R Mugen Concept.
Clad in a striking Carnival Red colour, the Civic Type R Mugen Concept can be spotted from a mile away in the exhibition hall, featuring a wide range of unique exterior and interior cosmetic enhancements such as:
Exterior
Carbon grille garnish
Front lip spoiler
Rear under spoiler
Side garnish
Mugen LED tail lamp
Mugen 20-inch wheels
Mugen body sticker
Wheel nut set
Mugen carbon fibre wing mirrors
Interior
Sports steering wheel
Red leather gear lever
Mugen sports mat
Mugen scuff plate
Mechanically, there are no enhancements to the Civic Type R Mugen Concept. The car is powered by the same powertrain package as the base Civic Type R, comprising a 2.0-litre VTEC turbo engine kicking out 310 PS and 400 Nm of torque.
As exciting as it looks, the Civic Type R Mugen Concept is only being previewed by Honda Malaysia, and will not be going on sale.
So, if you want to have a closer look at the car, head over to the Malaysia Autoshow happening at the MAEPS Exhibition Centre this weekend (12th to 14th April).
Besides the Civic Type R Mugen Concept, Honda Malaysia is also showcasing other models like the CR-V Mugen Concept, Jazz Mugen, BR-V Special Edition (SE), as well as the new HR-V RS and the HR-V Sport Hybrid i-DCD.


2023 Mazda CX-8 facelift unveiled - to go on sale this December, comes with CTS and new driving feel

The Mazda CX-8 has been given a facelift in Japan and will go on sale there next month. The three-row SUV comes with several exterior changes, new colour, tweaked suspension and is now equipped with Mazda's intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive).

Exterior

The 2023 Mazda CX-8 adopts the
latest Kodo: soul of motion design
,  which brings it closer to the design of the current Mazda CX-5.

The front grille has been replaced with a grille that has a thicker chrome finish, along with a mesh pattern inside. The bumper now sports a more simpler design, with a single centre air vent at the bottom and a redesigned decorative skid plate.

The front lights are also new, featuring twin L-shaped LED daytime running lights just like the
CX-60
. Although the lights still utilise adaptive LED technology, it now comes with 20 light elements, compared to the 12 on the current model.

At the rear, the taillights also feature a similar L-shaped design, joining the look of the car together. The rear bumper is new too, designed to emphasis the width of the car.

There's also a new colour for the CX-8,  Rhodium White Premium Metallic.

Interior

There's
no major changes when it comes to the interior
, but the front seats have been bolstered to improve body holding.

USB Type C ports are now available, as is wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity and Mazda has decided to equip the CX-8 with Mazda's intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive), which adds off-road mode added alongside normal and sport.

CTS, suspension and powertrain

The 2023 CX-8 has been given Cruising and Traffic Support (CTS) which automatically operates the acceleration and braking system to maintain a proper trailing distance to the vehicle in front. It also assists with steering operations to keep the car in the correct lane.

The suspension setup for the CX-8 has also been tweaked to improve body control on bumpy and undulating roads.

Although it looks like that the CX-8 will soldiers on with unchanged engines, models fitted with the 2.5-litre turbo will come with a punchier feel as Mazda has tweaked the accelerator pedal mapping and changed the transmission shift timing.

In Japan, the CX-8 is offered with several engine options, including a 2.5-liter NA four-cylinder with 190 PS/252 Nm, 2.5-liter turbo engine with 230 PS/420 Nm, and a 2.2-liter turbo four-cylinder with 200 PS/450 Nm. All engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Japan will be getting the facelift CX-8 in December 2022, Australia will be getting theirs in March 2023, so perhaps we will get ours by Q4 2023.


First Peek At BMW’s First Proper Electric M Car (Based On An i4)

BMW M have been pretty transparent about their intention to go fully electric, or at least electrify, their mainstay performance cars.
Cars like the i4 M50
, for example, can be seen as a first stab, but a ground-up model is very much already in the works.

And this is it. Behind all that confusing camo-wrap is supposedly BMW’s first zero emissions M car, a real one this time. Though referred to as merely a concept, the car itself can be seen in the video embedded below very much in motion.

The first BMW M EV?

They say it uses the aforementioned i4 M50 as a basis, though this could just be some misdirection as very little besides a similar-looking outer shell might be shared between them. At first glance, it looks to boast a significantly wider front and rear track than its supposed donor car.

There aren’t any further details as to what exactly this new M car entails except that it is revealed to be driven by a quad-motor electric powertrain, one on each wheel hub much like the
individual wheel-drive found on the Rimac Nevera
.

Not only does this promise some potentially massive power outputs, but it should allow BMW engineers to deliver a much more finely tuned performance profile as torque vectoring, braking, power delivery, and maybe even steer angle, can be individually and dynamically altered.

In its reveal video, the car is shown to perform a ‘tank turn’, which is basically spinning within its own length as a tank would by rotating its tracks in opposite directions simultaneously.

The BMW concept/prototype chose to perform a superfluous 360-degree turn as it smoked each tyre and it all looked very CGI, so we remain in doubt if this is actually possible as it’s definitely not practical. Perhaps BMW will charge you a monthly fee to unlock it.

In terms of the production car this car will actually spawn in the future, much is left unclear. It is possible this is a test bed for a dedicated high-performance EV platform, but which M car could this possibly be replacing - M2, M3, M5, or M8? Perhaps all of them, perhaps none. Perhaps this could be a new numbered designation all to itself.


All-New Toyota Rush Indonesian Prices Revealed, Thai Debut Next

Toyota Astra Motor (TAM) recently introduced the new generation Rush, a new model that aims to challenge the Honda BR-V and Mitsubishi Xpander. The latter is currently only available in Indonesia.
When TAM previewed the car late last year, they withheld the prices, stating that they will announce the price in January 2018.
Prices start from IDR 239.9 million (~RM 67,500) for the base Rush G MT, while the G AT costs IDR 249.9 million (~RM 71,500). As for the Rush TRD Sportivo, the manual will cost IDR 251.3 million (~RM 74,900), while the automatic retails for IDR 261.3 million (~RM77,900).
Compared to the earlier model, the all-new Toyota Rush is generously equipped, boasting 6 airbags, LED headlights, ESC, Hill Start Assist and seat belt reminders.
To recap, the
all-new Toyota Rush
 is powered by a 1.5-litre 2NR-VE Dual VVT-I four-cylinder petrol engine that is paired to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual.
Elsewhere, Bangkok Post reported that the all-new Toyota Rush will be headed to Thailand later this year in CBU form.


New Mercedes-Benz S-Class Facelift Teased For Malaysia, No More S400h

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia is expected to host a double-launch for its flagship Mercedes-Benz S-Class models in the coming weeks; the S-Class sedan and the ‘Dream Cars’ range S-Class Coupe and S-Class Cabriolet.
Two teaser images have since been uploaded to the company’s official Instagram page, one showing the headlamp of the new S-Class sedan and the other showing the rear of the new S-Class Cabriolet.
While the updated S-Class is technically a mid-lifecycle facelift, changes are quite extensive. Assuming that our local models will share the same petrol engines as the European market models, the new S-Class will feature a new M256 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, replacing the previous model’s V6. In Europe, the six-pot engine is available in two different states of tune.
The base model S450 is tuned deliver 367 hp and 500 Nm while the S500 pushes out 435 hp and 520 Nm. Both engines are micro/mild hybrids, utilizing 48V electrical systems to power an intergrated starter/alternator to assist the engine, the keyword being ‘assist’ as the motor is not powerful enough to independently drive the vehicle. The turbocharger's turbines are spooled not just by exhaust gases but also by electric power, spinning it to 70,000 rpm in just 300 milliseconds for a seamless engine response.
However in some right-hand drive markets like South Africa, Singapore, and Australia, the S450 uses a 3.0-litre twin turbo V6 from the 43 series AMG models. It is left to be seen if Malaysia will be getting the latest inline six-cylinder or the existing V6.
The full-hybrid S400h from the pre-facelift model has since been dropped, replaced by the S560e plug-in hybrid. However we understand the S560e has been pulled out from quite a number of markets, for reasons that we can’t quite confirm yet.
There’s also the 4.0-litre twin turbo V8-powered S560 and 6.0-litre twin turbo S600 but these are unlikely to be offered in Malaysia. Of course, money solves everything and Mercedes-Benz Malaysia have in the past, arranged for special orders for their more discerning customers so we don’t expect things to be any different this time around.
Highlights of the new S-Class include Intelligent Drive semi-autonomous driving functions, and an expanded/improved range of advanced driving assistance features. The latter now features an improved adaptive cruise control that utilizes GPS navigation data for improved efficiency.
As before, the S-Class sedan will be locally assembled (likely to be only the S450) but since it's no longer a hybrid, it won't enjoy the same amount excise duty rebates as before, which would also mean that the new S-Class is likely to be a lot more expensive than the outgoing locally-assembled S400h's price of RM598,888. Prices are rumoured to be slightly below RM700,000.
The S-Class Cabriolet was never officially sold here and as for the S-Class Coupe, the pre-facelift model was previously priced at RM1,493,888, for the S63 Coupe, the only variant available.


MITI Mulling A National Automotive Council

While officiating a joint press event between MITI and the Malaysian Automotive Robotics and IOT Institute (MARii), Deputy Secretary YBhg. Dato' Sri Norazman Ayob announced that it's mulling the setup of a National Automotive Council to better facilitate discussions between government ministries and members of the automotive industry and public sector.

Norazman said, "This council will be having a series of meeting regularly - we hope that it can be held at least twice a year, if not every quarterly - to get feedback and suggestions from the members of the industry, as well as the government,"

He added, "This will also be a platform for the industries to raise their concerns and issues that they may face. Not only issues that are under the purview of MITI, but more importantly, issues that may concern other ministries."

Since last year, MITI has been organising the MITI Consultative Dialogue which encourages industry associations (including from the automotive sector) to discuss challenges faced within their respective industries.

Norazman further stated with the establishment of the Council, automotive companies would not have to wait for the annual dialogue and instead use the Council to facilitate faster discussion and/or reporting regarding matters related to the industry.

This isn't the first time the idea of a National Automotive Council has been mooted. A "Malaysian Automotive Council" was
first mooted in 2015
 by the then Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad to "provide a platform for policymakers to interact, so can have an improvement for the industry and a clear direction".

However, little materialised afterwards. Though noble in its intentions, it remains to be seen if the new Council will facilitate faster discussions and improve collaboration between the Government, its ministries, and automotive industry players.


Perodua Aiming For Aruz To Be Top Selling SUV In East Malaysia

For a segment that Perodua has been absent from for the longest of times, they are making a surprisingly strong comeback with their Aruz SUV. With over 4,000 units delivered with another 10,000 units on order, they are now turning their sights to East Malaysia - which is perhaps the real litmus test for an SUV, as the market predominantly favours them. As of now Perodua has a 40% market share over the whole of East Malaysia, but the Aruz is likely to tip the scales a fair bit in their favour.
This news follows on from the flagging off of the Perodua Aruz TransBorneo Convoy, where six units of the compact SUV will be making their way from Kuching to Tawau, across 1,500 km over the next few days. The convoy will be stopping at major cities including Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, Kota Kinabalu, Ranau, and Sandakan to let the public get up close and personal with latest and greatest product from Perodua. For the East Malaysian market, the Aruz is priced at RM 74,900 for the X variant and RM 79,900 for the top-spec AV variant.
Some of you may be wondering why the Aruz may succeed where other compact SUVs have failed, and the answer to that is simply in the construction. Some may mock the fact that the Aruz (and sister Toyota Rush) run on a body-on-frame, live axle platform - but these are important for durability and reliability when going through rough terrain. This is what makes it especially appealing to an East Malaysian market, where the more popular choices would usually suffer.