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Volkswagen Updates Tiguan Allspace with IQ.Drive – Level 2 ADAS Features Standard

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) seems to have taken to heart years of criticism of their lacklustre fitment of active safety features. After updating the Golf GTi and Arteon to feature their IQ.Drive suite of technology, the marque has taken to their volume-seller Tiguan Allspace and done the same across all three models.

Available as the Allspace Life, Allspace Elegance and Allspace R-Line, the Tiguan has served as VPCM’s most profitable current model in the local lineup. By offering IQ.Drive advanced driver assist systems as standard on all variants, VPCM has effectively ensured the continued success of the Tiguan Allspace locally. 

IQ.Drive is Volkswagen’s moniker for their active safety features. Beneath the IQ.Drive umbrella are features like autonomous emergency braking (forward facing, with cyclist & pedestrian detection), adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with Side Assist (actively intervening if a driver manoeuvres into a vehicle in their blind spot), rear cross-traffic alert, and Lane Assist (or lane-keep assist). 

In addition to IQ.Drive, the 2023 Tiguan Allspace lineup also gains a wireless smartphone charger as standard, working perfectly with the wireless Apple Carplay & Android Auto that the Tiguan Allspace has always offered. 

The updated Tiguan Allspace lineup now starts at RM174,590 for the Allspace Life, rising to RM203,590 for the Allspace Elegance. The range-topping Allspace R-Line will set you back RM257,073.60 for its larger engine, all-wheel drive and improved specification, and all prices include Volkswagen’s Assurance Package (5-years unlimited-mileage warranty, 3-years scheduled servicing, 5-years roadside assistance), though all cars can be had with the standard 2-year warranty for added flexibility and savings.

Prior to the inclusion of IQ.Drive, we were among the first in the country to sample the facelifted Tiguan Allspace lineup locally, and you can watch our video review here

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

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

Porsche Begins Assembly In Kulim, Kedah

First ever assembly facility outside Europe.

A landmark event for Porsche and Malaysia, the German marque today opens the doors of its first assembly plant outside Europe, with the cooperation of Sime Darby’s motor division.

“A testament to the long-standing and trusted partnership built for well over a decade, Sime Darby & Porsche are connecting more Malaysian Porsche fans to their dream sports car, while at the same time empowering futures by unlocking the potential of the local community and workforce,” said a statement by the brand. 

The launch was officiated by Kedah’s crown prince, DYTM Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Ibni Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin, along with Kedah menteri besar Dato’ Seri Sanusi Md. Nor, as well as the Board & Management of Sime Darby Berhad, and Executive Board & Management members of Porsche AG & Porsche Asia Pacific. 

“Today we have reached a new milestone, rolling out the first locally-assembled Cayenne and fulfilling the sports car dream of even more Malaysian Porsche fans. Our growth strategy underlines the importance of Malaysia for Porsche as we look to expand our presence in the ASEAN region. And it demonstrates our confidence in Sime Darby, as a strong partner on our side.” – Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales & Marketing, Porsche AG

– Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board (Sales & Marketing), Porsche AG

The assembly plant in Malaysia, operated in partnership with Sime Darby, is staffed by a team of 100% highly-skilled Malaysian talent, all of whom have been comprehensively trained by Porsche. This is further supported by a network of local suppliers & service providers in the area, empowering the future of the local community with job opportunities, upskilling prospects, and potential for further expansion. 

This facility in Kulim, Kedah will assemble the Cayenne, seen as a simbol of Porsche’s broadening horizons, appealing to new customer segments by combining an elegant interior and unparalleled comfort with the robust dynamism that Porsche is famed for. 

The locally-assembled RHD Cayenne comes with an elevated and enhanced standard equipment range specified exclusively for the Malaysian market, with a specially-curated Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur option package and a special Porsche Design timepiece for more personalisation. 

At present, the facility will only assemble the Cayenne base model, with more expensive Cayenne variants remaining fully-imported units for the time being. However, we have reason to believe that the assembly plant will most likely be closely monitored by Porsche AG for future expansion, as an ASEAN base would be hugely beneficial for the Zuffenhausen brand to tackle other price-sensitive markets in the region. Add to that the insatiable demand for the Taycan EV here in Malaysia and the expiry of tax exemption on fully-imported EVs come December 2023, and it seems likely that Sime Darby and Porsche AG will look to add onto the Kulim plant’s capabilities in due course.


GALLERY: PORSCHE BEGINS ASSEMBLY IN KULIM, KEDAH

BUDGET 2020 for Motorists – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

At the time of writing, Finance Minister YB Lim Guan Eng has just wrapped up his presentation on the 2020 Budget, which sees lots of benefits and lots of drawbacks for motorists. We’re going to leave the analysis of the larger portions of the budget (including the near RM70-billion allocated to the Education Ministry) to the news pundits, and we’re going to focus on what matters to our audience.

The 2020 Budget has confirmed, cemented, and put to rest some of the rumours and initiatives that have been floating around of late, such as the reintroduction of GST. It’s also revealed that the Government is making good on its promise to reduce certain motoring costs in stages, due to the current financial strain that the administration is subject to.

We’ll start with the good bits:

  1. The Government will take over the KESAS, SPRINT, and LDP highways, as well as the SMART Tunnel. Upon doing so, the Government will abolish all toll charges on the aforementioned motorways, and replace them with congestion charges during peak and normal hours. These peak & normal rates will see a reduction of 30% over current toll charges, while off-peak hours will see zero congestion charge. This ensures that the takeover of the aforementioned motorways will come at no financial burden to the government, as the takeover will be paid for by the congestion charge.
  2. The Government has negotiated with PLUS Berhad to reduce toll charges on all PLUS motorways by 18%. This naturally includes the North-South Highway, the New Klang Valley Expressway, the Seremban-Port Dickson Highway, the North-South Expressway Central Link, the Malaysia-Singapore 2nd Link, and the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway. This will save motorists RM43-billion by the expiration of the PLUS concession in 2038.
  3. The Government will match the toll rates of the 2nd Penang Bridge to that of the Penang Bridge, reducing current toll charges of RM8 to RM7.
  4. The Government will no longer grant concession extensions to any motorway operator in the country.

These are of course majorly welcomed boons for Malaysian motorists, who will likely find that their daily commute & occasional trips are about to get cheaper come 2020.

There are however a number of cons to the 2020 Budget, which include:

  1. The gradual removal of the fuel price cap system in the Peninsula, which has thus far been responsible for ensuring the stability of fuel prices (and by correlation, the cost of goods and services).
  2. The price cap removal will be replaced with two targeted subsidy systems. The first, for recipients of Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) will see the direct creditation of RM30/month for car owners and RM12/month for motorcycle owners. Those eligible must own a car below 1,600cc (or 1,600cc> if above 10-years of age), or a motorcycle <150cc (or 150cc> if in excess of 10-years of age), and the Government will credit the subsidy directly into eligible BSH accounts.
  3. All motorists that do not receive BSH will be entitled to receive KAD95, which will permit a subsidy of 30-sen/litre for the first 100L/month for car owners, and 40L/month for motorcycle owners. This will, in theory, ensure the continued stability of prices and managed inflation in the face of the return to the open-market float system.

We at MalaysianMotoring feel particularly strongly about the removal of the fuel price cap, as we believe that by removing the price cap, the Malaysian economy is about to be subject to yet another unilateral price increase of goods & services. The Malaysian government has failed to outline how the floated fuel price system will ensure stability for logistical networks, transportation networks and the like, all of which we depend on entirely to get the goods & services we need to survive.

Without wanting to sound like a fearmonger, let’s all take note that on this day, the 11th of October 2019, the price of a Snack Plate at KFC is RM14.95.

Let’s see where it goes after this.

2019 PROTON SAGA LAUNCHED – RM33K-RM40K

After a long wait and numerous leaks, the latest baby from PROTON’s stables has finally joined in the fun. The PROTON Saga is a critical model for the company, being one of the marque’s fastest sellers and marking the entry point into the PROTON lineup. With these latest updates, the Saga is now set to put up an even greater fight than ever before, particularly against its arch rival, the Perodua Bezza.

The 2019 PROTON Saga lineup has been cleaned up, with the removal of the ‘Executive’ variant for this iteration. Instead, the Saga will be available as a Standard in Manual (RM32,800) or Automatic (RM35,800), as well as an automatic-only Premium model (RM39,800). These new prices are a slight reduction over the outgoing model, and PROTON is keen to point out that when combined with the added value that comes with it, the price reductions are rather significant.

Style-wise the Saga has only been given a small nip and tuck. The front sees the incorporation of the Infinite Weave grille pattern that is now part-and-parcel of every new PROTON model, as well as a revised front bumper with a more pronounced air intake. The Premium model loses its front foglights though, with PROTON offering up LED daytime running lights, a first for an A-segment saloon.

Down the sides there are new-design alloy wheels (14-inch for Standard models and 15-inch for Premium cars), while the rear sees the logo deletion in favour of the wide PROTON script we’ve seen on their newer cars, as well as a new boot-lip spoiler and more sophisticated rear bumper design.

Inside there are more significant changes, starting with the seats. They remain a fabric-only affair, but they’re now wrapped in a higher-quality and softer cloth that should serve families quite well. There’s also new headlining and soft-operation roof-mounted grab handles for passengers, as well as a new LED-lit cabin dome light that sits just above the driver’s central mirror.

But up front is where the biggest changes have taken place. The top-half of the centre stack is now completely new, housing a free-standing 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with the aircond vents moved below (Standard models get a non-touchscreen radio instead). Between the two sits a plastic panel with ‘PROTON’ lettering across it, which looks rather swish. The 7-inch touchscreen isn’t the fully-fledged GKUI infotainment system like in other PROTONs, so no 4G connectivity and ‘Hi PROTON’ voice command here, but it does offer Android smartphone mirroring. Standard across the range is Bluetooth connectivity, while the Premium model gets things like a reversing camera and four speakers thrown in as well.

There’s also a new instrument cluster sitting ahead of the driver, with two new white-backlit dials flanking an information display that’s now capable of displaying average fuel consumption, opened doors, distance to empty, and others. It’s not a full-colour screen like you get in say an Iriz or a Persona, but it’s not half bad, and is a marked improvement over the outgoing car. You still get a multifunction steering wheel with rake adjustment, though reach adjustment remains a luxury the Saga does not afford.

Under the bonnet there have been some updates, but not to the engine itself. The Saga continues to offer a 1.3-litre VVT petrol engine with 95PS at 5,750rpm and 120Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. This engine is now paired to either a 5-speed manual in the base-model as before, or a 4-speed automatic gearbox sourced from Hyundai. This is a significant change for the Saga, addressing some of the biggest bugbears with this model. The 4-speed automatic promises improved noise, vibration & harshness (NVH) levels and responsiveness – there’s even a Sport mode, should the mood take you.

The new Saga has also been treated to a brake upgrade, with larger discs in the front and bigger drums in the rear, taken off the PROTON Iriz. Critically, all cars now benefit from anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution, and brake assist, previously unavailable in Standard models. The Premium offers additional front parking sensors, TCS, ESC, and Hill-Hold Assist, though all models continue to offer two airbags.

The 2019 PROTON Saga is now available in five colours, namely Snow White, Jet Grey, Armour Silver, Ruby Red (the ‘hero’ colour), and Rosewood Maroon.

Although PROTON has chucked a whole bunch of new kit into the Saga, the value proposition has gone up significantly. The new Saga is available with very attractive packages, like the free 1st year (or 3-time) servicing, attractive financing rates (from 2.98%p.a.), and a comprehensive insurance package (betterment cost waiver for up to 10-years, agreed value coverage for up to 12-years, key-care coverage of RM1,000 value, flood relief allowance of up to RM1,000, and even personal-accident coverage for the policy-holder for up to RM15,000.

Not bad eh for an entry-level car?

We absolutely cannot wait to sample the 2019 PROTON Saga, and pit it head-to-head with the Perodua Bezza in the near future. We commend PROTON on these massive improvements for their most affordable model, in keeping with the same goals to mobilise the masses and offer the best bang-for-buck, just like the original Saga did back in 1985.

For the best deals on a new car, be sure to hit up our Facebook page, and we’ll put you in touch with one of our verified dealers to ensure that you get the best deal at the best price on your brand-new ride.

Perodua Sets New H1 Sales Record – Up 4% Year-On-Year

At a small media event held in the nation’s capital, Malaysian automotive heavyweight Perodua announced that it had performed splendidly over the first half of 2019, delivering the highest number of new cars yet for the manufacturer. This historic milestone was contributed to by the ‘tax holiday’ period that came about after the General Election, which served to grow the total industry volume (TIV) by some 2.4%.

Also contributing to Perodua’s successes was the arrival of the Perodua Aruz, the model’s first SUV since the ill-fated Nautica and warmly-received Kembara, which has served to breathe new light into the entry-level sub-RM100k SUV space. 

Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad, President & CEO, PERODUA

“The increase in demand for our vehicles in the first six months of 2019 has had a positive impact on the automotive ecosystem as a whole, with parts purchases amounting to RM2.7-billion during this period. Based on our forecast for the second half of the year, we expect to purchase a total of RM5.4-billion with of parts for the whole of 2019. We have reached a stage in our history where we are earnestly seeking to build our brand abroad in a sustainable manner. However, this is on a long-term scale as brands do need time to build. Our hope is to make Malaysia proud,” said Perodua President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

As a result of the positive performance, Perodua will be revising its annual target – previously set at 231,000 vehicles, Perodua will now aim to sell 235,000 vehicles in 2019, marking a 4,000 unit increase over earlier estimates. 

When looking at the individual model breakdown, the Perodua Aruz looks to retain its position as Malaysia’s best-selling SUV, with 15,000 sales recorded in the first half of this year and “a few more thousand by the end of next month” according to Dato’ Zainal. The Perodua Alza at 8,000 units sold in the first-half of this year represents Perodua’s slowest-selling model, though it’s still not a number to be scoffed at. When asked, Perodua’s top-management unanimously answered that there’s been little cannibalisation between the two models, and whatever cross-shopping has occurred are perfectly within Perodua’s original estimates that they calculated prior to the release of the Aruz SUV. 

They would also not comment about a new Alza, which is heavily rumoured to come about late this year or early next year. To that end, Dato’ Zainal remained coy, but hinted that at “current capability,” the company is capable of producing “one minor model change and one full model change per year.” Based on that comment, you can extrapolate when we can expect to see the next new model from Perodua.

It isn’t all smooth sailing though – last year’s sales figures, Dato’ Zainal noted, were inflated somewhat thanks to that tax holiday we mentioned earlier. To that end, Dato’ Zainal said that they “believe that the second half of the year will not be as healthy as what was recorded last year. The momentum of the first half is likely to reduce in the second half.” 

Perodua forecasts internally that Malaysia’s total industry volume for 2019 will remain at 600,000 units, though the Malaysian Automotive Association’s official numbers have yet to be released. 

PROTON X50 Coming August 2020? – Report

While PROTON runs on a high with a whopping 61% increase in sales in the first half of this year, Malaysians are keeping their eye on the horizon. The ‘X50’ is set to be the next SUV model from the marque, offering all of the appeal of the larger X70 with a more approachable pricetag. The X50 will be based on the Geely Bin Yue, a car that has been spotted testing on local roads several times already by eagle-eyed spotters.

An article on The Malaysian Reserve, citing an insider source, says that the company is indeed in the process of getting the X50 out to market, but it’ll take a little bit more time than for the X70. For the larger car, the first phase (which is still ongoing) saw the full importation of the car from China, where it’s built in right-hand drive alongside its left-hook brethren. This made the most sense at the time of the investiture agreement between Zhejiang Geely and PROTON Holdings as one of the clauses was that PROTON had to produce a Geely-based model, on sale, within one calendar year.

Also considering the sheer volume the base Geely Boyue enjoys in its home market, it wouldn’t have come at considerable cost to them to tool it for RHD. Furthermore, the Malaysian government had agreed to give PROTON a special tax allowance for the CBU X70, as to permit a faster turnaround time and competitive pricing.

However, the X50 will employ a different route. With the upgrading works at PROTON’s Tanjung Malim plant on schedule, the X50 will be a fully-CKD model, assembled here in Malaysia. That move will purportedly save PROTON & Geely some RM200-million in required changes to the plant in China to produce the X50 in RHD, and by tooling Tanjung Malim to produce the car in such a configuration, would also allow PROTON to engage in export activities to the right-hand drive markets that they compete in.

It is speculated that the X50 will carry a pricetag between RM70k-RM85k, which would make it a very attractive proposition indeed, particularly considering that the (larger & more utilitarian) Perodua Aruz tops out at RM78k.

It’s clear that the gentlemen’s agreement between Malaysia’s two local automakers, who now sit as the 1st and 2nd best-selling marques on local shores, is turning out well. There will always be a Perodua for those looking for no-nonsense zero-hassle motoring, and a PROTON for those keen on more sophistication, dynamics, and luxury.

2019 GEELY BIN YUE SPORT – GALLERY

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