2023 Kia Niro EV Arrives In Malaysia – 460km WLTP, 201hp/255Nm, RM256k

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BERMAZ has today introduced a new electric vehicle under its Kia brand, with the Niro crossover set to take the fight along to the very hotly-contested sub-RM300k compact electric crossover segment. Combining bold styling, cutting-edge technology and practical flourishes, the Kia Niro EV will go head-to-head with cars like the Hyundai Kona EV and even the Ioniq 5, as well as the Mercedes-Benz EQA and BMW iX1. 

At RM255,800, the new Kia Niro EV is not the most affordable B-segment crossover. In fact this pricing puts it right alongside the more premium players on the market, which has certainly raised eyebrows. We’re not entirely sure what Kia Malaysia’s strategy is with this, but we’ll take it at face value.

With a 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the Niro EV offers a maximum 460km rated range on the WLTP cycle. Motive force comes from a 201hp/255Nm motor mounted between the front wheels, which can propel the Niro from rest to 100km/h in just 7.8-seconds. “Effortless and smooth progress in all conditions,” or so Kia promises. 

AC charging is rated to as high as 11kW, allowing the car to charge from 10%-100% in about six and a half hours. DC fast-charging however is rated at a maximum of just 80kW, requiring 49mins to do the 10%-80% charge that most EV drivers look for when travelling. It’ll also come as standard only with a 3-pin plug – so if you want that faster 11kW AC charging, you’ll have to shell out for your own cable. 

The new Niro marries Kia’s typically-bold styling with an eye for technological detail, as evident from the very distinctive front-end. The upper-fascia is framed by ‘heartbeat’ LED daytime running lights that double-up duties as indicators, within which also sit a set of full-LED headlights replete with automatic high beam functionality. Kia is keen to point out that the large lower grille incorporates active aerodynamics to reduce drag when the vehicle doesn’t require cooling, which work together with the aerodynamic trickery at the rear incorporated into the boomerang taillights in the C-pillars.

The interior of the Niro takes inspiration from the larger EV6, with a multi-level dash design that separates instrumentation & infotainment from the HVAC & shortcut-keys beneath. There are 10.25-inch displays handling instruments and infotainment, which feature Kia’s usual straightforward and intuitive UX. The AC controls sit on their own touch-sensitive panel beneath the AC vents on the centre stack – these alternate between AC controls and infotainment shortcut keys, reducing the number of buttons in the cabin for a clean look. 

Further south you’ll find the centre console, where a rotary gear selector is flanked by buttons for the heated & ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, parking sensors & camera system, as well as the electronic parking brake & auto hold function. You’ll also find a wireless smartphone charger – unfortunately the Apple Carplay & Android Auto that come as standard on the Niro are wired, so we doubt many users will be utilising this feature. 

The seat design is of particular note – lightweight and fully-powered in the front, the seats are similar to what was found from the Kia EV6. This means they should be very comfortable and supportive over longer journeys. The front passenger seat also incorporates the ‘premium relaxion’ function which allows the front passenger to sit in a ‘zero-gravity’ posture that promises great comfort. This is a feature we first saw in the Kia Carnival 7-Seater, which we tested out in a chauffeur test here. 

As standard, the Niro will offer faux leather upholstery for the seats, along with cabin panels and fixtures made out of recycled materials. The headliner is made of recycled wallpaper apparently, while the cars’ doors are painted with BTX-free paint to minimise its environmental impact. 

Practicality is handled by a 475L boot with the seats up, while with the rear seats folded you can access up to 1,392L of space. There’s also a 20L front boot which is perfect to store charging cables and the standard vehicle-to-load adaptor, which is just inches away from the Niro’s nose-mounted charging port (just like the Hyundai Kona EV – what are the odds). 

Kia has not shied away from filling the Niro will its full gamut of safety features. There are 8-airbags as well as two ISOFIX mounts at the rear, which work together with the Rear Occupant Alert system as to prevent parents from forgetting their kids in the back. Active safety is dealt with by things like high-beam assist, blind-spot monitoring with collision assist, rear cross-traffic alert and braking, lane-keep assist, forward autonomous emergency braking (with pedestrian & cyclist detection), as well as lane-follow assist and adaptive cruise control. 

The Kia Niro EV will be available in 3 hues, being Cityscape Green, Mineral Blue, and Snow White Pearl. Prices will start from RM255,888 and include a 5-year/150,000km warranty for the entire car, whereas the battery pack is warrantied for 8-years and 160,000km. BERMAZ thus far has remained mum on its 5-year free-service packages that it normally bundles with its ICE vehicles, but we expect an update on the matter in due course. 

GALLERY

BYD Delivers Its First 100 Malaysian Cars

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With 500 more units on the way.

Chinese new-energy vehicle brand BYD, distributed and represented in Malaysia by Sime Darby Motors, has delivered the first 100 units of its Atto 3 electric crossover to customers at a special event to mark the occasion. This marks a major milestone for the brand, which was launched in our market just last month. 

“With the delivery of the first BYD Atto 3 vehicles to our market, we look forard to maintaining our momentum with more units slated to reach Malaysia soon. [Sime Darby Motors] strives to cater to the growing demand for environmentally-friendly options among Malaysians, fuelling aspirations towards low-carbon mobility.”

Jeffrey Gan, Managing Director (Retail & Distribution), Sime Darby Motors

Having collected some 1,000 bookings in just 10-days following the launch, BYD’s Malaysian customers were convinced by the marque’s performance in its home market of China as well as across the globe. 

Offering competitive levels of safety and convenience technology coupled with a battery range that goes as far as 450km in real-world conditions on a single charge (for the Extended Range models; 400km is to be expected from the Standard Range variant), the BYD Atto 3 is available from just RM149,800 for the Standard, and topping out at RM167,800 for the Extended. 

You can check out our video coverage of the BYD Atto 3 launch here, and see what it’s like to drive here. 

2020 Hyundai Elantra Launched – 7th-Generation, Smartstream 1.6, RM158,888

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Hyundai Sime Darby Motors, the official distributor for Hyundai vehicles in Malaysia, today launched the new Hyundai Elantra in our market. Now in its 7th generation, the Elantra represents Hyundai’s entrant into the highly-competitive C-segment saloon space, where it will inevitably do battle with the Honda Civic, and the Toyota Corolla among others.

Hyundai’s decision to bring in the Elantra is a commendable one – amidst an environment that clearly favours SUVs, for a relatively small company to offer a relatively-niche product now is certainly a bold & brave decision, though there’s more to it than that. We will get to that a little bit later. 

Compared to the competition, the Elantra fares favourably. For one thing, spec-for-spec, it is now on par with the Japanese stalwarts. Every conceivable modern convenience feature is available – from active safety systems to keyless entry and go, the new Elantra will not be another compromised product from the Korean marque. However, it does dispense of one of Hyundai’s key brand strengths that it’s had for some time: At RM158,888, the new Elantra disposes of the traditional price advantage that we’ve come to expect from the brand, and positions itself as a premium left-field option.

Fortune favours the bold as they say, and ‘bold’ is definitely the word we’d use to describe the new Elantra. Wearing the new Parametric Dynamics design language proudly, the new Elantra offers cuts, creases, and complex surfacing resulting in a truly dramatic design that’s sure to turn heads. The face is dominated by the huge ‘Cascading Grille,’ which is of a size we’ve never seen before on the Elantra, framed by a pair of full-LED headlights and a remarkably-complex bumper design that is somehow not all that fussy when taken in as a whole, despite its integration of the air curtain at the lower corners.

This is evident down the side, where the complex surfacing results in a truly masterful execution of metal origami. It’s clear that Hyundai’s embracing its desire to be bold and different with the Elantra, and it’s likely going to appeal to buyers who want to be seen as a bit left of field. The Elantra rides on 17” alloy wheels with a diamond-cut finish, which admittedly looks a little bit like what we’ve seen on the Honda Civic…

At the rear however, there’s no question what this is and what it represents. The most distinctive rear element is by far are the taillights, with their full-width elements that emphasise the width of the Elantra and make it look more squat. Thanks to the sloping roofline, the rear windscreen tapers off neatly towards the tail, with a little ‘ducktail spoiler’ integrated into the bootlid. The bumper in comparison looks rather plain but to be fair, if it had been as complex as the rest of the design, it may have been too much to take in.

The new Hyundai Elantra is powered by a new powertrain option, the Smartstream G1.6. As the name suggests, the Smartstream mill here is a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated engine, producing 123PS and 154Nm, with power going to the front wheels via a Smartstream ‘Intelligent Variable Transmission.’ The IVT is essentially a continuously-variable transmission with 8 simulated ratios, which makes use of a chain-type transmission belt over a more conventional metal belt, improving performance efficiency by 5%. The IVT is also so-named because of its more natural transmission nature, integrating shift points that change depending on the drive mode selected. All the power efficiency, and no shift-shock.

On the subject of drive modes, the Elantra will provide drivers with a choice between Normal, Eco, and Sport, while the fourth is a ‘Smart’ mode. The first three are self-explanatory, but the fourth mode uses the vehicle’s sensors to detect the driving style employed by the driver and adjusts various parameters around the car accordingly. 

The new Elantra certainly doesn’t skimp on cabin space – with a longer and wider body sat on a longer wheelbase, it feels absolutely cavernous inside. If you feel the Elantra looks sleeker and slinkier than before, that’s owing to the lower roofline – as a result, the new Elantra looks like a much more lithe and agile machine than before.

But it doesn’t sacrifice practicality, not even in the slightest. The boot now measures 474L before folding the rear seats down, which then opens up even more room for the most ambitious IKEA shoppers. And with the seats up, you’ll find plenty of space for four, or five in a pinch. You’ll find two ISOFIX mounts in the rear as well as rear air conditioning vents, but it’s a shame there isn’t a USB port at the rear. 

Up front though you’ll find the biggest demonstration of Hyundai’s new-found maturity – there’s a clear visual separation between driver and front passenger, emphasised further in the light-grey cabin. The driver’s seat is powered while the passenger’s is manual, but both benefit from ventilation and heating (yes, heating). The steering wheel & door mirrors are heated too – when asked, Hyundai Sime Darby explained that as they wanted ventilation for our market, the heating for the seats, steering wheel and mirrors came as part of a singular package, so they had little choice in the matter.

One area where HSDM had plenty of choice, and made the right ones, were in the way of safety. The standard features are all there, with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Management, Hill-Assist Control, and Tyre Pressure Monitoring, along with 6-airbags dotted around the cabin. 

Where the Elantra really pushes the boat out is in terms of active safety: Hyundai SmartSense comes as standard on the new Elantra, and offers things like Autonomous Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Keep Assist with Follow (effectively offering Level 2 autonomy), Forward Collision Avoidance (with vehicle, pedestrian, and cyclist detection), Junction-Collision Avoidance, Blind Spot Monitoring with Collision Avoidance Assistance, Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Rear AEB, Safe Exit Warning, Driver Drowsiness Alert, and Forward Departure Alert. There’s also Rear Occupant Alert too, to avoid those tragic incidences where children & pets are accidentally left in cars. 

It’s clear with the new Elantra that Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors is charting a new course for the brand. No longer a budget alternative to the Japanese institutions, Hyundai is wholeheartedly embracing its image as a brand for the bold and left-of-field, and now its cars fit the description too. Save for the Grand Starex, the Hyundai we see before us is almost entirely reinvented, with its new lineup indicative of their ambition as they move into the future. 

However, there’s no doubt that the Elantra will face quite the uphill battle – at RM158,888, the new Elantra is pegged against more established rivals like the Mazda 3 (RM154,680), and well above competitors like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla which top out at RM139,600 and RM139,888 respectively. That said, Hyundai Sime Darby is targeting a sales figure of around about 2,000 annually, so it’s pretty clear that they understand that it won’t be a walk in the park for them.

The new Hyundai Elantra will be available in 4 colours, namely Polar White, Electric Shadow, Amazon Grey, and Intense Blue. All new Hyundai models come with a 5-year/300,000km warranty, and is available for viewing at showrooms nationwide. 

So what do you think of the new Elantra? Let us know in the comments below.

2020 Mercedes-Benz G350d Launched – 3.0-Turbo Diesel, 286hp, 600Nm, RM1-Million

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The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is widely considered as the mac-daddy of SUVs, arguably one of the most desirable off-roaders available on the market. With its bold design going through few changes between its original debut in 1979, the G-Wagen is loved by almost-all and is considered to be something of a pop-culture icon. 

However, locally, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class was only available as a full-bore AMG63 model, with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. For those who believe that cars like the G-Wagen ought to double-down on its versatility, the petrol-V8 mill was never the best engine for such purposes – and now, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has addressed the call for more versatility. The G-Class is now available as a G350d, which sticks a proper turbodiesel mill up front for maximum capability. 

The new OM656 engine increases the performance of the G-Class while reducing consumption, without compromising the noise characteristics of the thing. Notable points of the OM656 mill include the stepped-bowl combustion process, two-stage exhaust turbocharging, as well as the use of CAMTRONIC variable valve timing. This heats up the exhaust system without impacting fuel consumption. Pair that to the Nanoslide coating on the cylinder walls, and it results in a diesel mill that’s about as smooth as an oiler is ever going to get. 

The 3.0-litre inline-6 mill prepares the G-Class for any adventure. Paired to a 9G-tronic automatic transmission, the G350d can rocket from rest to 100km/h in a sprightly 7.4-seconds before going on to a top speed of 199km/h.

For the transmission of power, the 9-speed torque-converter auto was adapted specifically to meet the needs of the G-Wagen. The developers used a dedicated software application to shorten the shift and response times, making the G-Class more reactive. The wide spread of ratios also help to make driving more comfortable and quiet, while still being able to respond swiftly to prods of the pedal. Especially in first-gear, the G-Class responds to commands noticeably better, which owners will appreciate when pulling away from traffic lights, for example. 

The transfer case is mounted directly to the transmission, and is designed to send 40% of the power to the front with 60% sent to the rear. This is particularly beneficial on the road – permanent all-wheel drive ensures maximum traction on-road. That said, the G can also vary power more considerably during off-road applications thanks to the built-in G-mode.

The G350d is offered locally with the AMG Night Package, which throws in 20-inch AMG alloys, smoked headlights/taillights and indicators, and the exterior protective strip features a black pinstripe. You also get grille louvres, spare-wheel ring, and bumper trim elements finished in obsidian black. This is offset by the standard Stainless Steel Package, comprising of high-quality running boards, a stainless-steel wheel cover (with black 3-pointed star), door sills, and load sills. 

The cabin is finished with the Exclusive interior pack, with combines high-quality equipment items like a leather-covered instrument panel, a DINAMICA microfibre roof liner in black, and a frameless interior rear-view mirror. The cabin features dual widescreens for both instrumentation as well as multimedia, powered by a standard Mercedes-Benz infotainment system. The infotainment system offers navigation and smartphone mirroring as standard, as well as a configurable instrument cluster design. 

Safety-wise, the G350d is pretty well equipped. You get the Driving Assistance Package, which means you get adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and autonomous emergency braking. Of course, you’d expect this at this price point.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz G350d is available at showrooms now from RM999,888, inclusive of the SST deduction as part of the PENJANA economic stimulus program. All new 350d models will be sold with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s comprehensive 4-year warranty, and the current prices will be valid until December 31st 2020. 

GALLERY: 2020 Mercedes-Benz G350d

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB200, GLB300, AMG GLB35 Launched, From RM270k

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We always want more. And whenever one steps into a compact Mercedes-Benz, you can’t help but want a little more space.

Today, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia answers that call with the all-new, first-ever Mercedes-Benz GLB. A member of Mercedes’ compact car lineup, its diminutive size hides its practicality, with seven seats on offer spread across three rows. That’s right – this is now the most affordable premium 7-seater SUV money can buy.

The GLB is available in Malaysia in three guises – the GLB200, the GLB250, and the Mercedes-AMG GLB35. Power starts at 163hp/250Nm in the 200, while the 250 gives you 224hp & 350Nm. Step up to the AMG and you get 306hp & 400Nm, paired to an all-wheel drive system. All cars get an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic as standard and, if it all feels a bit familiar, you’ll know that this is exactly the same spread as seen in the A-Class lineup. 

That also means that the base GLB200 gets its motivation from a 1.33-litre motor, while its bigger brothers use the same 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder. 

“The GLB is the most versatile SUV in our premium SUV range. Its design lends the GLB an unmistakable SUV character, showcasing its classic off-road boxy design from its big brother, the G-Class. With a boot capacity of up to 1805L and a third row of seats, it’s the perfect companion for those who desire a life with more possibilities.”

– Michael Jopp, Vice President (Sales & Marketing, Passenger Cars), Mercedes-Benz Malaysia

The powerful proportions of the GLB underscore the off-road focus of the design: the design emphasises surface, and reduced lines and precise panel gaps. This conveys superior sportiness and modernity. The upright front section with its striking headlamps is clear evidence of the off-road genes, as are the short overhangs at the front and rear. The front apron with visual skid plate emphasises the unmistakable SUV character. Another key feature of the front-end design is the distinctive air intakes in the front apron that are tailored to the contours of the radiator grille. 

On the sides, the GLB is donned with attached panels under the doors and the wheel arches that further underscores the off-road impression and at the same time, protect against stone chips. The muscular and sensuously contoured vehicles shoulder dominated the side view, an effect reinforced by the rising beltline at the height of the C-pillar.

The GLB has a clear rear-end emphasising width with two-piece tail lamps and reflectors relocated to the bumpers. The precise interior design of the tail lamps also ensures a high recognition value at night. The elevated roof rails are made of polished aluminium.

At 2,829mm, the GLB has ten centimetres more wheelbase than the new B-Class, making it the largest of Mercedes-Benz’s compact offerings. Together with the function-oriented greenhouse, it allows the GLB to offer a generous amount of space. The headroom in the first seat row is 1,069mm – “optimum in this segment,” claims Mercedes. And at 967mm, the effective legroom in the rear of the 5-seater is at an especially comfortable level. 

Cargo is rated at a minimum of 570L with all the seats up, but can be expanded to a maximum of 1805L. Backrests can be adjusted as standard, while the second row seats can also be rolled forwards and backwards in order to fully maximise the cargo area. For the third row, the GLB offers comfortable seating for passengers up to 1.68M in height, though the third row can also be used for children thanks to the standard ISOFIX mounts with top tethers. There are also drinks holders for the third row, along with USB charging ports – just to make sure you don’t feel like you’re in the cheap seats. 

The front-half of the cabin is very familiar as a compact Mercedes, with the dual-display widescreen cockpit that was first presented in the A-Class hatchback when that was launched. The GLB will offer both screens in full-size and full-resolution (thankfully), with inputs split between the touchpad on the centre console, the touchpads on the steering wheel, and the central touchscreen itself. The screens run the full Mercedes-Benz User Experience or MBUX suite, with a myriad of display customisations available to the driver. With MBUX comes MercedesMe Connect, which pairs an app up with your car to allow you to remote-start it, pre-condition it, lock/unlock it, and check its status via your mobile phone. 

Safety is something the GLB doesn’t overlook, by offering Active Braking Assist with turning-off function. When the driver intends to turn off across an oncoming lane, the GLB can brake automatically if it detects a potential collision. Braking intervention takes place when the driver hits the turn signal, and the car can be brought to a halt before it passes the lane markings. If you don’t indicate the system doesn’t flick on – so remember to hit that turn signal stalk, yeah.

The GLB also offers active parking assist too, which makes living with the GLB an even easier affair. 

Prices for the new Mercedes-Benz GLB start at RM269,118.15 for the GLB200, while the GLB250 AMG-Line retails for RM318,009.26. If you’re after all-wheel drive or more performance, the Mercedes-AMG GLB35 4Matic will set you back RM363,136.52. All prices are inclusive of the current SST reduction as part of the PENJANA programme, and is effective until December 31st 2020. 

All new Mercedes-Benz GLBs will be covered by Mercedes-Benz’s standard warranty program, which covers your car for 4-years with no mileage cap.

GALLERY: 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB200 Progressive Line

GALLERY: 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB250 AMG-Line

GALLERY: 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLB35 4Matic

2020 Porsche Taycan Unveiled – 4S, Turbo, Turbo S, 340km Range, RM725k Upwards

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German luxury marque Porsche has unveiled its answer to the growing wave of electrified mobility, a car that offers the spirit of the Stuttgart brand while staying on-point at the bleeding edge of engineering innovation. The Porsche Taycan is the brands first-ever all-electric series production vehicle, designed to take on cars like the Tesla Model S and the Audi e-tron GT, as well as indirect competitors like the Mercedes-Benz EQC and BMW iX3. 

The Taycan will most notably be offered in Malaysia with the Performance Battery Plus option as stnadard, which upgrades the power capacity to 83.7kWh over the standard 71kWh. This means that range o the new Taycan will never be an issue regardless of which model you opt for.  

Taycan 4STaycan 4S* Taycan TurboTaycan Turbo S
Battery (net)71.0kWh83.7kWh83.7kWh83.7kWh
Range407km463km412km450km
Power530hp490hp625hp625hp
Overboost530hp571hp680hp761hp
Torque640Nm650Nm850Nm1,050Nm
0-100km/h4s4s3.2s2.8s
0-200km/h13.3s12.9s10.6s9.8s
PriceRM725,000TBCRM999,000RM1,195,000

*with Performance Battery Plus

What we find particularly interesting is that Porsche Malaysia offers an innovative range-predictor function on its site, that you can play around with to show precisely what kind of driving you have in mind. That allows you to more accurately figure out just how much range you can expect to see in real-world conditions – needless to say, all numbers we saw were comfortably in excess of 300km no matter how we fiddled with it. 

As important as range is charging – the Taycan claims to be as fast ‘standing still as it is in motion,’ and thanks to its 800-volt architecture it really an soak up the juice at record speeds. 

Via the Mobile Charger Connect unit connected to an 11kW power point, the Taycan can be recharged to full in about 8-hours. Step up to the Porsche Charging Dock, and weirdly you’ll drop your charging speeds to 9.6kW and your charging time will go up to as much as 10.5-hours. 

With a 50kW DC fast charger, the Taycan can go from 5% charge to 80% charge in just 93-minutes – this is important as these types of DC fast chargers are expected to spring up more readily throughout the country. The fastest charging option is the Porsche Turbo Charger – available at selected Porsche dealerships across the country, 5%-80% charge can be completed in just 22-minutes and 30-seconds, with an average of 100km of range added with every 5-minutes. 

All Porsche Taycans will come with the same complimentary 4-year maintenance & warranty program offered by SDAP, with the battery covered under an 8-year warranty. Customers can option to extend the warranty coverage for both the vehicle & battery for up to 15-years. 

Despite being a full-electric vehicle, the Taycan offers true Porsche performance with incredible traction & handling. The Taycan Turbo S goes from 0-100km/h in just 2.8-seconds, identical to what can be achieved by its Formula E sibling, the Porsche 99X. 

“The Taycan is the first purely-electric sports car from Porsche and marks the beginning of a new era into the field of electromobility. It is still undeniably a Porsche – you can feel the soul of the Taycan the second you get behind the wheel. It feels and drives like a true Porsche.”

– Christopher Hunter, Chief Executive Officer, Sime Darby Auto Performance 

To accommodate charging at home, a full electrical check of parking facilities will be conducted at the homes of all Taycan owners by a certified provider engaged by SDAP. A report will be issued after the home visit to determine the compatibility of the charging equipment and next steps for optimal home charging. Of course, you can always make do with Porsche Turbo Charging with its 175kW DC fast-charging, able to add 100km of range in just 5-minutes. 

GALLERY: 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S

2020 PROTON X50 Announced: 4 Variants, 2 Power Outputs, October Launch?

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After much anticipation, PROTON has finally confirmed the new X50 compact SUV as part of its lineup, after what feels like an eternity of spotting the car on test camouflaged from here to yonder. At a closed-door preview event in Tg. Malim, members of the media were given an opportunity to get up-close and personal with the new baby PROTON SUV and get more specifics around the new model.

The PROTON X50 will be made available in four variants, named Standard, Executive, Premium and Flagship. What’s shared across all cars is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and 7-speed DCT automatic, which has been confirmed to produce a maximum of 174PS & 265Nm in the Flagship model. What will also be standard is the infotainment system – all new cars will run a fully-connected GKUI system, replete with the latest ’19’ software. Screen sizes will differ though, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen for Premium & Flagship models, while the Standard & Executive models will make do with an 8-inch unit. 

The X50 will also be available with 6 colour options – Snow White, Armour Silver, Jet Grey, Ocean Blue, Citric Orange, and Passion Red, with the Flagship models gaining a contrasting black roof. 

STANDARD

  • 1.5-litre turbocharged engine (110hp)
  • 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission
  • 4 SRS airbags
  • Full-LED headlights
  • 17-inch alloy wheels
  • Fabric interior upholstery
  • Rear A/C vents
  • 8-inch infotainment display
  • Reversing camera

EXECUTIVE (over Standard)

  • 6 SRS airbags
  • Leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • Automatic headlights
  • Front foglight 
  • Leatherette upholstery

PREMIUM (over Executive)

  • Tyre pressure monitoring system
  • 18-inch alloy wheels in dual-tone finish
  • Powered drivers’ seat
  • 10-inch infotainment system
  • 360º camera

FLAGSHIP (over Premium)

  • 1.5-litre Turbocharged Gasoline Direct-Injection (High Output, 174PS & 265Nm)
  • Advanced Driver Assist Features (claimed to be “Level 2 autonomous”)
  • Dual-tone exterior finish
  • Panoramic sunroof

At the moment, PROTON has not been forthcoming about pricing of the new model – when asked, PROTONs top-management gave us hazy answers saying that the X50 ‘breaks segment barriers’ and will appeal to a ‘wider audience’ than some of its competitors, suggesting either a huge price range or a more suggestive positioning in the market. 

What we can confirm from one of our sources is that the new X50 is set to be launched sometime in October, with production already commenced at the Tg. Malim plant. PROTON has planned a whole series of events to properly introduce the car to the market, with order books open on Malaysia Day (Sept 16th) and roadshows beginning on the 19th throughout the country. 

Regardless, stay locked onto MalaysianMotoring as we bring you more updates as they come.

GALLERY: 2020 PROTON X50

Peugeot Facelifts 3008 For 2021 – New Looks, Tech, PHEV

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With SUVs still all the rage, French marque Peugeot has unveiled its mid-life update to its popular 3008 SUV which now carries the very latest iteration of its design language as well as its most cutting-edge technological and engineering features. The 3008 now looks more in line with the updated 208, 2008, and 508 models, ensuring that it’ll remain relevant on showroom floors for some years to come.

The biggest update, naturally, is the frames grille – blending seamlessly into the bumper, the horizontal slats cut inward into the bumper itself to make it look properly integrated. This of course blends smoothly into the headlights and air intakes, with the former now featuring Peugeot’s vertical daytime running lights that also double up as indicators. 

Moving down the side you’ll notice that the ‘bonnet vent’ and side trims have now been finished in black rather than chrome like they used to be. This is to lend the 3008 a more youthful appearance, in keeping with its appeal to younger buyers.

At the rear you now get full-LED, fully tinted taillights with sequential indicators rounding off the exterior changes. You can now get the 3008 in various ‘packs’ like the ‘Active Pack,’ ‘Black Pack,’ and the ‘GT Pack,’ with the latter featuring a unique grille and large 19-inch alloys.

Inside there are more changes to be seen. The compact SUV has bundled in the very latest i-Cockpit suite inside, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster now offering the very latest graphics and rendering, while the touchscreen infotainment display now offers 10-inches of digital real estate (which still offers up CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorScreen). 

Standard across the range is the drive mode selector, which allows one to choose between Eco, Normal, and Sport. PHEV models get Electric and Hybrid modes, as well as Sport to choose from. You can have the cabin in a variety of interior upholstery options, though the GT model shown here gets red Nappa leather with faux-Alcantara lining.

You can deck out the cabin with ‘Dark Lime Wood’ trim with contrasting chrome, as well as a frameless central mirror. You can also option on a 515W Focal audio system with bronze speaker grilles as an option, along with things like massaging seats, a dual-pane sunroof, and others.

In terms of motive force, you get two turbo-petrols and one turbo-diesel, with the range beginning with the PureTech 130. The 1.2-litre three-pot puts out 130hp and 230Nm, and can be paired with either a 6MT or 8AT, with power going only to the front wheels. The PureTech 180 and its 1.6-litre engine may be more familiar to us here in Malaysia, with 180hp and 250Nm on offer, mated to an 8AT. The 1.5-litre BlueHDi diesel engine (which we will probably never see here) makes 130hp but a sizeable 300Nm, with either an 8AT or 6MT pairing.

There are a couple of plug-in hybrid options now too, with the newest being the Hybrid 225. This front-wheel drive powertrain produces a total of 225hp and 360Nm by combining the PureTech 180 mill with an 80kW electric motor. The century sprint is dispatched in use 8.7-seconds, while official fuel consumption is rated at around 1.5L/100km.

This accompanies the Hybrid4 300 powertrain which uses the same engine but instead bundles in 2 electric motors (one on each axle to create an e-AWD system). So equipped, the 3008 can hit 100km/h in just 5.9-seconds, thanks to the 300hp and 520Nm on offer. 

Both Hybrid models come with a 90kWh battery pack, which offers a maximum of 59km range on the WLTP cycle. Via an 8A domestic plug socket, expect the battery to be recharged from 0-100% in 7-hours, though a 14A outlet will cut that down to 4-hours. With a 7.4kW wallbox, the same charge can be completed in just 1.45-hours. Peugeot assures that its Hybrid batteries are guaranteed for 8yrs/160,000km to retain 70% capacity.

On the safety front, the new Peugeot 3008 looks pretty comprehensively equipped. It offers adaptive cruise control, 360º cameras with auto-parking function, lane-keep assist, driver drowsiness alert, high-beam assistance, blind-spot monitoring, speed-sign recognition, advanced grip control, night vision, and autonomous emergency braking up to 140km/h. 

What do you think of the new Peugeot 3008? Reckon its latest styling updates are good enough to tempt you out of a PROTON X70, Mazda CX-5, or Honda CR-V perhaps? Let us know in the comments below. 

GALLERY: 2021 Peugeot 3008 GT

GALLERY: 2021 Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 300

The Perodua Myvi – A National Icon

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1.1-million. Big number, right? It’s not until you think about it that you realise just why you see a Perodua Myvi everywhere you turn.

It’s amazing to think that back in 2005 when the Myvi was launched, Perodua thought that their bulbous, cute hatchback would maybe sell in the mid 5-figures annually. Compared to where it is now, wearing the crown as the best-selling new car in Malaysia for over a decade, the humility seems almost cute.

The Perodua Myvi can almost be singlehandedly credited for Perodua’s meteoric rise in the local automotive industry. While they’ve always been a big-volume player, the sheer dominance that the company enjoys today could not be possible with the various transformational changes that have been ushered in by every new iteration of the venerable Myvi.

Three generations have each been an indicator of where the company stood at that given time.

With the first generation, Perodua was an almost-bashful firm with a few good hits under its belt, having successfully moved the masses with the Kancil before moving buyers on to the more sophisticated Kelisa. But nothing could have prepared them for the whirlwind ushered in by the Myvi, which was conceptualised to sit in the market as a niche left-field offering against the ‘saloon-heavy’ Malaysian landscape.

Arriving as a lightly-reskinned version of Japanese domestic-market models, the first-generation Myvi went on to become the mainstream option to beat. It redefined the Malaysian market as not being saloon-heavy but one focused on value – and with the practicality on offer with the original Myvi, paired to Perodua’s already iron-clad reputation for quality and reliability, it proved to be a challenge that its competitors simply couldn’t beat.

With the second-generation, Perodua realised that its customers had become more exacting and with it, even more mature. As such the Myvi lost a bit of its practicality in favour of more style and vigour, featuring even greater degrees of local design flair and parts localisation. The original Myvi had bought Perodua much favour and trust from its Japanese technical partner and as such, they were given greater reign to determine the future of the Malaysian favourite.

If you paid close attention, you could see where Perodua flexed its engineering and design muscles on the second-generation Myvi. The two differing faces for the car for example were something of a litmus test that Daihatsu had devised for Perodua, to see if they could successfully and convincingly execute such an exercise and better align the Myvi to suit local tastes. And then there was the introduction of the 1.5-litre engine which, with the 1.0-litre of the first generation nowhere to be found, clearly demonstrated that Perodua had bigger ambitions for its family hatchback. Even the somewhat extreme designs of the Advance and Extreme models of the time were made to push the envelope and test the market, to see how well Malaysians would react to a more localised product.

These various exercises were conducted at Perodua to determine their readiness, to prepare them to take on the mammoth challenge ahead. So big was the task of developing the first fully localised Myvi that Perodua had to pop its R&D cherry with the Bezza first, ensuring that any kinks in the process were ironed out there first.

And with the Bezza’s rip-roaring success a solid proof of capability, only then were the boys and girls at Sg. Choh given the ultimate mandate: To design the next-generation Myvi.

They had a seemingly-Herculean task ahead of them: It had to be sophisticated in appeal, but simple in its engineering. It had to be frugal on fuel but still decently powerful, and it had to offer a level of refinement that would silence the critics (no pun intended). And above all it had to offer a level of safety at an accessible price point, effectively democratising life-saving active technology for the masses.

And in November of 2017, the Perodua Myvi did just that.

Debuting Advanced Safety Assist, the 3rd-generation Myvi brought big-car features like autonomous emergency braking, pre-collision warning, and range-wide full-LED headlights to the masses. And it came packaged in a car that was designed, developed, engineered and built in Malaysia. While it had long been considered the love of a nation, the 3rd-generation Myvi is the car that turned it from beloved to iconic, to be
forever enshrined as a pillar of Malaysian automotive capability.

Thanks to the Myvi, Perodua has been able to conclusively shift its focus from being an economy car brand to a value-driven one, with a clear vision on offering safety for the masses. And what better way to begin that trend than with the Myvi – a 12-year best-seller, Perodua’s beloved B-segment hatchback has been recently refreshed to offer a striking Electric Blue hue which hides upgrades and refinements like Advanced Safety Assist 2.0 to further improve the appeal of the segment dominator.

So this Merdeka day, let’s show some love for the Perodua Myvi.

It’s more than just the love of a nation; it’s a national icon.

GALLERY: The Perodua Myvi – A National Icon

2020 Hyundai Kona – 2.0L NA And 1.6-Turbo, Hyundai Smart Sense, Other Details Confirmed

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Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM), the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in Malaysia, confirmed a few more details surrounding their new Kona crossover, which is set to debut locally sometime in the fourth quarter of this year. Yesterday, HSDM opened the order books for the new Kona, confirming that its base price would begin at “RM11x,xxx.”

Since then, HSDM has gone on to confirm a few more details. The powertrain question has been answered, with HSDM confirming that there will be a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox (149PS/179Nm, 0-100km/h in 10s), alongside a 1.6-litre Turbo-Gasoline Direct Injection mill (177PS/265Nm, 0-100km/h in 7.7-seconds). The engines will be split across Standard, Mid, and High variants, with the Turbo engine limited for the flagship High model.

With the tree trims, there will (naturally) be a difference in specification. Standard cars will run on 17-inch alloys, while the Mid and High variants will run on 18-inch units. Standard models will also make do with halogen illumination at the front and bulb-type lights at the rear, while the Mid model will add LED headlights and taillights.

The High model will benefit from Hyundai’s Smart Sense suite of active safety kit, which will bundle in autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist, as well as intelligent high-beam.

Further differentiation will be inside, where the Standard model will make do with manually-adjustable front seats and basic air-conditioning, while the Mid and High models will add a powered driver’s seat and single-zone climate control. The Mid and High models also get a heads-up display as standard, though all models will get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, mated to 6 speakers.

In a press release, HSDM has confirmed that the Kona will be arriving as a fully-imported model built in Hyundai’s plant in Ulsan, South Korea. With the Kona, Hyundai’s number of SUV offerings will rise to three, with the Kona joining the Tucson and Santa Fe. They have also confirmed that the Kona is set to go on sale in Q4 of this year. 

Measuring in at 4,165mm long, 1,800mm wide, 1,550mm tall sitting on a 2,600mm wheelbase, the Kona is shorter, lower, but wider than the segment-conquering Honda HR-V which it will have to compete with upon arrival.

Notably, HSDM has gone on to reveal that the new Kona will be offered with LED headlights, as well as a heads-up display projecting key driving information directly into the driver’s line of sight.

“We are excited about the launch of the Kona as it’s an entirely new product for us in this segment and we are reassured of a good response for the Kona. The Compact SUV is in great demand not only in Malaysia, but globally as well.”

Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director, Hyundai Sime Darby Malaysia

Launched in 2017, the Kona has gone on to be a major sales success for the Korean marque, racking up more than 600,000 sales across the globe (excluding Hybrid and Electric variants). With multiple awards under its belt, the Kona is set to shake up the Malaysian market rather substantially upon arrival.

The question of price however remains unanswered. Hyundai has teased on its website that the Kona will go on sale for “RM11x,xxx” which suggests a price between RM110k and RM120k. This would put it above the Honda HR-V price-wise, but below the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota C-HR. That’s a pretty remarkable price-point given that the Kona is set to arrive as a CBU-import – the Toyota C-HR is also fully-imported, and its RM144k price tag doesn’t do it any favours. 

We expect to see the three variants range between RM110k and RM130k upon arrival, but of course, this is merely educated guessing at this point. 

The Hyundai Kona will certainly have a lot to contend with upon arrival. In addition to the Honda HR-V that’s dominated the segment since its launch, rivals like the aforementioned Mazda CX-3, Toyota C-HR, as well as other rivals like the Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008, as well as upcoming rivals like the Kia Seltos and PROTON X50. 

GALLERY: Hyundai Kona Turbo