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What car can you buy for less than RM100k these days? Let’s look at the Japanese first. The City is the only Honda with a five-figure price tag. Nissan gives you two options, Latio and Sentra. Toyota offers the Vios and Avanza, and let’s not forget the Suzuki Swift. Most pick-up trucks also dip comfortably below the RM100k mark as well.

Those open to the possibility of continental motoring have the Peugeot 308 VTi available as an attractive option, but if looking east remains your policy, all you have left are the Koreans. The bonus with going Korean is that their prices are comparatively lower than the Japanese. For the price of Japanese B-segment econo-boxes, you get full-fledged C-segment specification sedans with the Koreans.

With Chevrolet in a transition period between distributors, offerings from kimchi-land are now limited to only Hyundai and Kia. And, in case you didn’t notice, Hyundais no longer come cheap these days. The i30 2.0, which we recently tested, goes for RM113k though it’s well worth the money. The 1.6-litre versions dip only slightly below the RM100k mark.

That, then, leaves us with Kia, who does have quite a few options available, though models like the Spectra are getting a little long in the tooth. Not any more. Their latest model, the Forte, looks the part, drives the part, and comes with an unbeatable price tag to match. With this car, Naza-Kia has effectively re-written the rules of the market.

How’s the public taking it?

Pretty good, I’ll say. Naza-Kia were coy when pressed for specifics, but they did reveal that for 2009, the Forte has accumulated 1,100 bookings. Bear in mind that order taking only began on 23 Nov 2009. That translates to a little more than 28 orders being picked up daily. For a brand not prominent in people’s considerations, that’s excellent.

We were also told that, should you decide to head to a Naza-Kia showroom today and sign on the dotted line, you can expect a waiting period of around two months, though this can vary between variant, colour, and in some cases, even the salesperson who took your order. Threads on the Forte have also become something of a hot topic in our forums, so much so that we’ve decided to start off a new forum section for fans and owners of the Forte.

In a written reply to our query, Naza-Kia further elaborated that majority (in the region of 70%) of the 1,100 bookings that they received was for the 1.6SX, which we recently brought back for extensive testing.

Initial Impressions

Shortly before its launch last November, Naza-Kia carted a group of motoring journalists to Penang to drive the Forte back from the island to the Klang Valley. Only the 1.6-litre versions were available, and we sampled both the EX and SX variants.

To recap, we found the 1.6SX to be the value for money preposition between the two. Paying a premium of RM6k over the 1.6EX, you get stability control, 17″ alloys, auto climate control, and push start. Heck, it even switches its lights for you. Which car at RM80k switches its lights on for you?

However, the better car to drive was actually the base-line 1.6EX, the crucial difference being its smaller rim and tyre size. Now, the Forte has a very well-sorted chassis to start with, so ride and handling was top notch. However, the 1.6SX, shod with 215/45 R17 tyres, was so stiff that my internal organs were probably rearranged beyond recognition.

The 1.6EX, in 195/65 R15 tyres, had a much better ride and handling balance. It was more responsive too, probably too responsive. You need only very minimal throttle application to get the speedometer pointing east. In contrast, the 1.6SX, while not feeling underpowered, needed more effort to get going.

Just How Much Value for How Much Money?

In the Peninsula, the Forte 1.6SX can be yours for RM81,800.00 inclusive of insurance. That, on its own, is attractive enough. Then, factor in the stuff mentioned above – stability control, 17″ alloys, auto climate control, push start, and auto headlamps – on top of reach & rake adjustable steering, dual airbags, heated side mirrors, dimming rear view mirror, auto climate control, and disc brakes all-round, it’s unbeatable. Handsome good looks and excellent driving dynamics simply seal the deal.

Nested up front is the all-aluminium four-cylinder 16-valve twin-cam Gamma engine which also sees action in the Hyundai i30 1.6. Displacing 1,591cc, the version used in the Forte is tuned to produce 122hp @ 6,300rpm and 156Nm @ 4,200rpm. Sending power to the front wheels is a 4-speed automatic transmission with manual override. It shares the same set of ratios with the Forte 2.0, but with a shorter final drive ratio – 4.375 (1.6) against 3.681 (2.0).

As mentioned earlier, you get disc brakes all-round with the Forte, but not independent suspension. It uses MacPherson struts up front, but at the back, we get what Kia calls the Coupled Torsion Beam Axle, which even has an officially quoted acronym, CTBA. Kia justifies the ditching of multi-link rear suspension by quoting weight saving, space saving, and also added protection for the fuel tank in a rear impact. Sorry guys, my preference is still with multi-link. I’ll live with extra weight and less space.

Kia has persisted with good old-fashioned hydraulic rack & pinion power steering system for the Forte. Well, not too old-fashioned, because it’s speed sensitive, and weighs up at speed. No complaints from us there, nothing delivers steering feel like a properly setup hydraulic power assist.

In the interests of safety, Kia has bundled in an array of safety features in the Forte to give occupants maximum protection. Three-letter acronymed safety features include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist System (BAS), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). An impressive and useful array of stuff, but remember, these things don’t cheat the laws of physics, and certainly do not make you invincible in treacherous conditions.

The Test Car

The 1.6SX test car loaned to us by Naza-Kia happened to be the very same unit which I was assigned to in Penang and which my drive partners and I surreptitiously swapped for the lower-spec but more comfortable 1.6EX at the halfway point.

When we set off from Penang during the media drive, the car had just a little more than 100km on the odo. Less than two months on, it has since clocked in excess of 3,000km in the hands of a number of different journalists.

Additionally, it was also since discovered that during the media drive, tyres of the demo cars were incorrectly inflated. The specified inflation pressure is 220kPa, but the tyres were pumped to 300kPa at that time, which explained the shockingly bone-jarring ride this car had. Sidetracking a little, 300kPa is the pressure that tyres are inflated to in the showrooms, so that display cars all have perfectly round looking tyres.

Behind the Wheel

Inflated to the correct tyre pressure, the Forte rides a lot more comfortably through some of our roughly tarred roads. The inherent firmness of the Forte’s suspension can still be felt, but certainly not to the point where your organs take a real battering. In fact, for a firm suspension setup, the Forte absorbs bumps and potholes impressively.

However, my recommendation for you would still be to downsize an inch or two when time comes to change those rubbers. Although correcting the tyre pressure solved the problem of harsh road manners, there were times when the 1.6-litre four-pot up front felt strained twisting those 17″ alloys.

This was especially true when I took the SX up to Genting Highlands, where another issue was exposed – the gear ratios, specifically, second gear. On flat ground, the 4-speed auto’s gearing works fine, but on the way up to the late Uncle Lim’s stomping ground, there were problems. For most slopes, first gear was too short, that’s common for most cars. Unfortunately, it left us in a quandary for the Forte, because second gear was too long and could not supply the wheels with enough torque if we didn’t build up enough speed.

At the twisty bits, and there were plenty along the Karak Highway and the way up to Genting, the Forte demonstrated impressive cornering prowess. Body roll was kept at a minimum, though the nose edges out when pushed hard. However, if you keep your right foot in check when powering through corners, the Forte turns with great poise and precision.

Although brainless drivers are something of a norm in KL, there seemed to be an abundance of them around me when I was testing the Forte. For some reason, several drivers thought it was a good idea to sway into my path without warning when my foot was firmly buried in the throttle. It was a testament of the Forte’s composure that on each occasion, and we’re talking about hair breadth margins here, I was able to negotiate my way around these suddenly appearing and moving obstacles without too much drama.

There’s very little to complain about the Forte’s road manners apart from the slightly misjudged 2nd gear ratio. The firm ride may work for some, and not others, but this can be easily rectified with a change to 55 or 60 series tyres. There isn’t much to complain about the interior either.

While I wasn’t too impressed with the design of its dashboard (another subjective thing), I certainly was with the quality at which it was put together. Yes, the plastics used are hard, but the buttons reek of quality when they are pressed. The classy looking gated shifter also looks the part, slotting into position with solid confidence-inspiring thuds. I have tested more expensive cars with cheaper looking dashes. Our test car did have one dashboard panel loosely fastened though.

One point of concern, though we can’t say for sure if it’s an issue specific to this test car, or the Forte in general, was that the deep storage bins located along the centre console got burning hot as we drove. We have raised this matter to Naza-Kia’s representatives, and we have been promised an answer on this soon.

Verdict

The days of clunky Korean cars are over. Having spent the best part of the last twenty years catching up with their neighbours from the land of the rising sun, Korean car makers are now breathing down the necks, if not already on par with the Japanese.

Working against the Koreans now is still the matter of brand image, with the associated concerns of high fuel consumption, expensive parts, and low resale value keeping buyers at bay. A change of mindset takes time, but at the rate they are going, it won’t be long before people do consider Korean cars not simply because they are cheaper, but that they actually represent a good ownership preposition.

As a product, the Forte is competitively specified and priced. Its list of equipment, even in 1.6EX guise, would shame most cars costing more than RM100k. The best part is that it’s not competing just on price tag and equipment alone. On the road, the Forte is properly good to drive. No doubt, there are cars better than the Forte, but if there’s one with better value for money, I haven’t found it.

Photography by: Kon & Trius Blades

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Ladies, here’s an announcement for you. Swedish Marque, a prominent official dealer of Volvo cars, is now dangling complimentary makeover vouchers from Bobbi Brown for you.

To get one for yourself, all you need to do, is to head to their showroom at Jalan Dua, Sg Besi and test drive the new Volvo S40 Powershift between now and 31 Mar 2010.

s40

For the men, well, this might well be one occasion where your other half actually bugs you to go test drive a car. How brilliant is that?

KON

Also read: Volvo Launches New S40 with Powershift – by YS Khong (16/10/2009)

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This is my second encounter with the Hyundai Starex, and this time, it is the up-market version, face-lifted a little, with a body kit and some minor upgrades, and sold as the Grand Starex Royale. According to a spokesman for the company, this is the only model offered, so it is either take it or leave it.

When I drove the Hyundai Starex last year, I was very impressed – with a 2.5 litre common-rail turbo charged diesel engine producing 170 PS and 390Nm of torque, it really can move, whether fully loaded or not. Coupled to a 5-speed automatic transmission, the power is transmitted smoothly and seamlessly, and despite its immense size, it is nimble through traffic, and responsive to throttle demand. It can be quite fun to drive, and although you may be awed by its pachyderm-ic proportions, it really can feel like putty in your hands

It out-accelerates most cars on the road, and I can almost guarantee the cars that are in the right lane in front of you will move over when their drivers see you in their rear view mirrors. Top speed is around 190 km/h, yet fuel consumption is around 12 litres per 100 kilometres if driven hard. The Variable Geometry turbo charger minimises what little turbo lag we get from diesel engines nowadays, making the Grand Starex a very responsive vehicle at any speed.

The drive train is a traditional front engine, rear wheel drive arrangement which allows the tail end to sit tight and allows you to put the power down when you need the get-up-and-go; around corners, it also feel good, and on hill climbs, you do not get that front wheel scrambling-for-traction feeling. Ride is set on the firm side of comfortable; a little softer would be better. The brakes are ventilated discs all round, and stopping is not an issue. In another report I mentioned that there was no ABS – I looked at the product brochure, and couldn’t find it there; I looked at the photos that I had taken of the engine compartment (this was after I had returned the vehicle) and I couldn’t see any ABS pump, possibly because I had not got the right angle that would show where it was sited; I called the people who gave me the car, an they couldn’t verify it until the article was published, so here I am, making amends to say , yes, there is ABS, which is a good point. Now I wonder if there is an LSD (Limited Slip differential) at the rear; perhaps they will call me after seeing this article. As for airbags, there are two, for the driver and front passenger.

My only problem with the vehicle is probably its size, being so huge that my other half said a definite no to my buying one, because she does not and cannot imagine herself parking this ‘monster’ (purely her opinion, and not mine, because I actually like it), and neither does she think it is possible to drive it into Kuala Lumpur and back without touching another vehicle. In reality, the Starex has a very tight turning circle of 5.6 metres, and is easy to handle, but she chose to have ‘selective deafness’ to all my rationalizing statements, and that was that. Perhaps the importers would consider a short wheelbase version, maybe a seven or eight seater later.

The Grand Starex Royale is a more luxurious version of the Starex. It remains the same size, but comes with additional trim and features for the retail price of RM145, 081.80 (on-the-road without insurance).

There are some minor changes to the front grille, and the Grand Starex Royale comes with a body kit that makes it look more low-slung. One minor problem with the side body kit is that it is attached to the doors, and you have to be careful when opening the front doors when parked next to a high kerb. The rear doors are sliding, so they do not pose a problem. What they could have is a power-sliding mechanism, a feature that would be really helpful as the sliding doors can be heavy if you are on a slope. A friend who happened to come by while I had the Starex commented that this version actually looks good, and if it had a power sliding door, it would make a great and pocket-book-friendly alternative to the Alphard.

Inside, the seats are luxuriously bound in leather, and there are altogether four rows of seats, with jump seats in the centre-most two rows, making it an 11-seater. A thoughtful feature is a reverse camera.

The air-conditioning is great, with front and rear blowers, and the rear vents are ceiling-mounted, with enough vents for all occupants. A DVD player comes standard, and the screen is mounted on the ceiling for the rear passengers to enjoy movies on the go. Inside, there is room for the driver and front passenger, and obviously a great deal of thought went into planning the ergonomics and cabin space for the front occupants. Even up to the second row, it is still pretty good, but if you load up the vehicle to its full capacity of 11 people, you will find, firstly, that there is no space for any luggage, so at best, it can be a ‘commuter’ for short hauls. For longer hauls, it might make sense to remove one of the remaining rows of seats to give more luggage and ‘breathing space for the rear occupants. Thus, if it was up to me, I would sell the Starex as an eight or nine seater; however, it is my understanding that there are some import duty concessions for 11-seater vehicles – you pay less tax, but end up with more seats than you need. The message then, is quite clear – take out the additional seats yourself, and make use it at home to play with your PlayStation GT4 game.

All in all, I would say the Grand Starex Royale is a good buy, offering a real value for money proposition, especially if you need the space and the carrying capacity.

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These days, the paths of most people’s lives have the tendency of following an eerily fixed pattern. You’re born. You grow up. You go to school, tuition, college, and eventually university. After three to four years in university, you are then expected to come away with a degree, printed in some fancy cert and presented in some fancy ceremony. With that degree cert, you then go hunting for some nice desk job, climb the corporate ladder, retire, and wait to die. Of course in the midst of all that, you would also need to find your other half, get married, have children, and raise them to go through exactly that same cycle you went through.

It is a vicious cycle, and if you just so happen to drop out of it anywhere along the line, your are almost automatically deemed a failure. If you score say four As from nine subjects in SPM, that’s no longer an achievement. You are asked what happened to the other five. Every Tom, Dick and Harry goes into university these days, and the saying is that, if you don’t have a uni degree, you don’t get a job. As a result, people no longer go to university these days for knowledge, they go for the sole purpose of getting a degree, just so they can find a job when they graduate.

This has led us into a very unhealthy culture. Educational institutions serve no longer as alcoves of knowledge, but as factories of graduates. A degree is no longer a prestige, it’s a necessity. During my father’s days, an SPM graduate can walk into any job. These days, you’re not guaranteed a modest living even if you’re a degree holder. I do not view this as a positive development, as it sidelines too many people whose talents are present, but simply not inline with the rigours of academia. Due to our overwhelming need to conform to the system, we often narrow our sight and fail to see the big picture when it comes to charting our paths in life. There are routes to success that do not involve a bachelors degree in law, or medicine, or engineering.

PYTP

Though certainly not as glamourous as a place in university, the Perodua Youth Training Programme (PYTP) offers SPM school leavers an alternative in their education options. Yearly, some 40 students are inducted into a six-month in-house training course under the programme, and are coached with basic technical training which would enable them to pick up the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia 1 (SKM 1) cert.

Just recently, a batch of 25 students completed the programme. Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the 25, Perodua MD En Aminar Rashid Salleh said, “The youths armed with the SKM 1 certification are now certified semi-skilled workers. They can either opt to work or continue their studies.”

Aminar further added that most graduates of the PYT Programme receive offers of employment from Perodua to work as assistant mechanics, assistant body repairer, or assistant spray painters.

Participation in the programme, when it was first opened in 1999 was limited only to youthsliving in Gombak and Hulu Selangor, though Perodua were finally persuaded to open the doors to youths nationwide come 2007. In total, the programme has seen the graduation of 270 students since its inception.

“We received some 400 applications from youths all over the country to undergo the programme every year. This programme forms part of our corporate responsibility in addressing the socio-economic problems faced by school leavers from relatively poor familers, ” Aminar added.

KON

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My first encounter with the Hyundai i30 didn’t go down all too well, I’m afraid. With only a quick sprint up and down the highway during the media test drive in August, I was able to gain only precious little impressions on both the 1.6 and 2.0-litre versions, and had to fashion out a full-fledged test drive report from what little driving time that was available.

Needless to say that the i30 didn’t do at all well in my initial review. Insufficient kilometres behind the wheel meant that too little of what’s good were able to stimulate my senses. It felt pretty ordinary then. So, when Hyundai Sime-Darby Motor offered a car for an extended review, I accepted it, but not exactly with arms wide open.

The Test Car

Greeting me at HSDM’s office during the pick up was the 2.0-litre version, the same unit which I drove last year, but with two crucial changes made – one which I liked, and one which I didn’t. The one that didn’t go down quite well with me was the M-Sport (I kid you not) bodykit – the all-round skirtings worked well, but not the black plastic addenda on the bumpers. For my tastes, the i30 looks good enough on its own.

However, the change that worked, was brilliant. Somewhere between then and now, HSDM swapped the 225/45 R17 Yokohama A-Drive R1 tyres for a set of Dunlop Formula D01 doughnuts of the same size. Having experienced the abilities of the D01 on the Nissan Sylphy Tuned by Impul, and I can tell you that this is one bloody impressive tyre. Tyrepac Malaysia quotes the same price for both these tyres – RM381 per piece.

Prices for the i30 start at RM92,388.00 for the 1.6 manual, going up to RM112,888.00 for the 2.0-litre version (all OTR with Insurance for the Peninsula). Opting for the M-Sport bodykit you see on our test car adds RM8,000, though the first 50 buyers for the i30 this year will get it for free.

When the keys were handed to me, the test car had already clocked in excess of 13,000 kilometres in the hands of various members of the media. So, it was a testament of Hyundai’s much-improved quality that it has held itself together without so much as a hint of squeaking or rattling anywhere.

Getting Started

Those of you still living with the impression of dodgy Korean cars would be pleasantly surprised with what Hyundai has done with packaging the i30’s cabin. Materials used feel upmarket and good to the touch. Panels are aligned with consistent gaps from one another. Control switches are also well-positioned and easy to understand. Nothing in the cabin encapsulates the overall feeling of quality quite like the gated gear shifter, which slots into positions with unmistakable solidness.

For some reason, however, the instrument panel appeared too dark to me during daylight, thus requiring me to keep the lights on at all times. This is, of course, a minor thing, and does not quite amount to criticism. Definitely not, when you compare it to the Pioneer-supplied audio head unit that sorely lacks user friendliness. I needed all of ten minutes just to be able to programme my five favourite channels into its memory.

That aside, there is little wrong with the i30’s well-designed and roomy cabin. Indeed, for a hatchback, rear headroom is excellent, and when you remember that the i30 runs on multi-link rear suspension, the 340 litres of boot space that Hyundai managed to squeeze into the rear overhangs is impressive.

The rear seats feature 60:40 split folding, allowing you to expand cargo volume to 1,250 litres with a flat floor from aft of the B-pillar all the way to the tailgate. Operation of the folding mechanism is painless and easy, though Hyundai did not quite leave us with means to elegantly store the three headrests and parcel shelves.

On the Go

Let’s quickly revisit the i30’s specs sheet before we continue. Under the i30’s hood is the 1,975cc 16-valve twin cam Beta engine with variable valve timing (CVVT in Hyundai-speak). Quoted output figures were 140hp @ 6,000rpm and 186.3Nm @ 4,600rpm. Not exactly class leading, but just on par with the competition nonetheless. Paired with the engine is a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Keeping the engine’s power in check are disc brakes all round, the front pair being ventilated. The front wheels are held in place by MacPherson struts with heavy duty gas-filled telescopic absorbers. At the back, where everybody else is taking a step backward with torsion beam suspension, Hyundai has thankfully pressed on with independent multi-link rear suspension. Good.

So how did all these lines from the brochure translate to the road? Well, let’s just say that for something not wearing an Alfa badge, it takes hard driving rather well. In fact, I would say that this thing actually loves being driven hard, which in truth, you’ll need to.

That’s because, say when you’re cruising with the tacho hovering somewhere between 3,000 and 3,500 rpm, you floor the accelerator to overtake the vehicle in front, you get… nothing. The revs don’t move, the transmission does not kick-down, you get no acceleration. There is a clear and obvious flat spot in the torque curve at those revs which blunted mid-range progress, which is certainly not helped by the kick-down-lazy 4-speed auto.

So, to get any meaningful acceleration, you’ll need to push it hard, with some manual overriding of the transmission in the process. And, guess what, the i30 obliges. At above 4,000rpm, the engine comes to life, and happily revs its way to the redline, letting out almost a roar of approval egging you to step on it more. At times, it felt as if as there was a black hole behind the accelerator sucking my foot into it.

It corners just as hard too. The chassis effectively keeps body roll in check, with the four D01 tyres working in tandem, clinging on to the ground with unrelenting grip. This results absolute confidence when sweeping bends or cornering, once you trust the slightly artificial feel of the electric power steering.

Over less than well-maintained surfaces, the i30 further demonstrates the impressive credentials of its chassis engineering. Make no mistake, surface conditions make their way to the cabin, but you certainly can’t expect a magic carpet ride with 17″ rims, 45-series tyres, and a naturally firm suspension setting. You feel the firmness, but it’s not bone jarring, as the potholes are felt as nothing more than light thuds. I kid you not, the ride and handling of this car is properly sorted out and it feels properly sophisticated.

The overall driving experience of the i30 was very positive. While the 2.0-litre engine isn’t exactly the most sophisticated motor around, it easily makes up for that with an eagerness to rev. In real world driving, nothing entertains more than a willing engine, and a well-sorted chassis – which, believe me, is what the i30 has. This is a properly fun car to drive.

Conclusion

Although the i30 and I had something of a dull first date, it has more than made up for that in this second encounter, for which I was pleasantly surprised. Despite managing to only cover a mere 250 kilometres with it, they were a very fun and enjoyable 250 kilometres.

When you consider the products that Hyundai were churning out even just five years ago, what they have managed with the i30 becomes even more impressive. It’s now no longer about being the cheapest car with the most goodies, which has been Hyundai’s key selling point for many years.

Now offering proper driving fun and quality into the mix as well, the i30 is now a properly credible alternative against more established opposition. The problem, in this part of the world at least, is that as a brand, Hyundai is still not exactly regarded as on par with the Japanese marques. Which is unfortunate, because, if the i30 is still not good enough to match the Japanese, then I don’t know what is.



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Car one moment, MPV the next. A wonderful premise indeed, even it does sound a little cliched. The Alza, Perodua’s latest model, is the company’s first and eagerly anticipated foray into the MPV market.

The marketing pitch is that, because of its compact dimensions and monocoque chassis, you can drive it around pottering through busy urban traffic like a car. But when your in-laws decide to tag along, the kids can be moved to the rear, and the Alza becomes a 7-seater MPV.

Sounds all good in theory, but we have many examples of things looking all promising on paper only to fail spectacularly in the real world, like cold fusion. Reviewing a car like the Alza involves a process that makes 0-100 timing and top speed testing seem like child’s play. No, a proper evaluation of this car involves something a lot more complicated – the family.

It was, therefore, most fortunate that Perodua offered me the Alza for review on a weekend which coincided with a family trip to Muar. Lump in ad hoc runs to Putrajaya and Ipoh in the midst of all that, I returned the Alza having almost doubled the mileage clocked on its odometer. I kid you not, I was only within 700 metres from doing so.

The Test Car

Perodua loaned us the Alza SXi – manual transmission, premium spec. When I collected it, the digital odometer was reading 1,254km, while the digital fuel gauge indicated the 42-litre fuel tank was filled to the brim.

By the time I returned it, the digital tripmeter which I had reset when collecting the car was reading 1253.3km – so you can see that I have clocked quite some miles with the car, most of them admittedly on the North-South Highway. Oh yes, there are two tripmeters, reading to four digits. Even BMWs only have one that reads only three digits.

My journey with the Alza covered a day-trip to Ipoh with two on-board, then followed by a two-day one-night family entourage to Muar with a passenger count of six including myself. Being a family outing, we spent most of our time on the highway or negotiating traffic in Muar town, although a detour was made to Pagoh via the trunk roads.

The Promise

At the media test drive in November, former Perodua MD Syed Abdull Hafiz was keen to point out that the Alza represents a viable choice for an upgrade from the Myvi. Within Perodua’s current portfolio of models, the Myvi continues to be a runaway success, even if it has been around since 2005. In fact, even Perodua themselves are amazed at how the Myvi just never seems to run out of sales. Replicating that success isn’t going to be easy.

Key to the Myvi’s consistently stellar sales displays has always been how it simplistically meets the motoring needs of average Malaysians. It does not have fancy electronics besides (if you can call these items fancy) ABS, radio, engine control unit, and a trip computer. Its underpinnings are simple and straight forward. Its engine comes from Toyota, which is no different from saying its bulletproof.

Add in space, a comfortable ride, affordable fuel consumption, and a vast availability of parts, we have a car that hits all the right buttons. So what if it didn’t have razor sharp handling? For the Alza, the engineers took this same philosophy, added 200 cubes to the engine, and two extra seats.

Perodua is keen to stress that the Alza is not a seven-seater, but a “5+2″, emphasizing that the rear two seats are to be used occasionally. Clearly, the ethos behind the interior packaging is that this is to be a car most of the time, and an MPV some of the time.

The Mechanicals

Perodua is not breaking any technological grounds with the Alza, and neither are they looking to do so. The chassis follows a straight forward MacPherson / torsion-beam suspension setup. Steering is rack and pinion, while stopping force is generated by ventilated discs up front and drums behind.

Powering the Alza is the 1,495cc 3SZ-VE twin cam engine found in the Toyota Avanza and Toyota Rush, reconfigured for front wheel drive propulsion in the Perodua. Presumably because there’s no lengthy driveshaft to twist, the Alza’s outputs are slightly reduced from that of the Avanza’s and Rush’s – power: 102hp @ 6,000rpm, torque: 136Nm @ 4,400rpm.

Two transmission options are offered – 5-speed manual and 4-speed auto. Our test car uses the former, but, our recommendation is with the latter, due to stick shift’s poor gear change, and weak-biting clutch. Take our word for it, you’re much better off living with the convenience of the slushbox.

The Product

It was a sweatless process settling into the Alza, thanks to its car-like driving position. The central-mounted instrument panel took some getting used to, but it did free up space for a useful storage box behind the steering wheel for my petrol receipts and parking tickets.

Controls along the centre stack were well laid out. Programming my favourite channels into the radio was easy, but I failed to get the unit’s Bluetooth system to work with my phone, which for the record, interfaced well with the Bluetooth set of every test car I’ve received so equipped. Of course, this could simply be an unfortunate malfunction that just happened to plague my test car.

In the urban setting, the Alza was reasonably easy to drive and was very maneuverable. All-round visibility was excellent, aided by a pair of very-well designed side mirrors which seemed to bend light from impossible angles into your field of vision. Its compact dimensions and neat turning circle also ensures that you would be able to safely negotiate most tight corners and spaces.

However, compared to the Myvi, the Alza’s ride is noticeably stiffer. Surface irregularities that the Myvi irons out effectively are filtered only minimally by the Alza. This can neither be blamed nor helped, as I suspect that the engineers have consciously stiffened the Alza’s suspension allowing it to take heavier loads than the Myvi would.

Criticism of the Alza, if any, has to be first leveled against the manual transmission. Its gear change is rubbery and imprecise, so you don’t know whether you’ve slotted it into gear or not. Reverse proved to be a problem to find. The consolation is that this is markedly improved from the Myvi.

The clutch, meanwhile, was weak in its bite, meaning you need to pile on the gas on standing starts to avoid killing the engine. Additionally, there was almost half an inch of free play in our test car’s clutch pedal. So, once again, the wise money is on the auto version.

On the highway, the Alza proved itself to be an adequate performer. Noise insulation isn’t the best, and it isn’t helped by the transmission’s low gearing forcing the engine to spin at higher revs to keep the car at speed. Nevertheless, things are sufficiently suppressed for you and your companions to carry out conversations without having to raise voices.

An engine spinning at 4,000rpm at 5th gear doing 110kph isn’t the best news for refinement, but the upside is that the Alza has very good in-gear acceleration. As long as the road stays straight, it is very unlikely that you would see the need to drop a cog for highway overtaking.

You would of course, need to alternate between 3rd and 4th along the trunk roads. Even with seven on board, I was able to overtake confidently a dual-lane single carriage road. Oh yes, the engine has enough reserves to properly haul the Alza at full seating capacity, though I concede that the auto version might struggle a little more.

Truth is, the Alza has no problems getting going with seven on board. The problem lies with getting the seven on board in the first place. Because the middle row of seats lack tumble folding, getting in and out of the third row requires some gymnastics on the part of the passenger.

Then there’s the issue of luggage if you are fetching the seven on an overnight outstation trip, like I did. With the third row up, available luggage space is negligible. For my trip, I had other cars driving together with me. Will you have that luxury each time you travel?

When Perodua facelifts the Alza, I would suggest that they re-look into the third row. While I understand that the single-folding bench is probably a lot cheaper, split folding would give the occupants a lot more options. Perhaps this can be offered as a cost option? A luggage shade for the rear area would be useful too.

Does it live up to its promise?

It would seem that the answer is yes, in the eyes of most Malaysians. In an official reply to our query, Perodua informed us that they anticipate the total number of bookings for the Alza to hit 20,000 by the end of Jan 2010, with a three month waiting list for anyone who books now.

Whether this car makes sense to you, that depends on how you look at it. If a car like the Myvi appeals to you, compact yet spacious, and economical to run, the Alza offers itself as a slightly bigger alternative, and having extra seating capacity to call on if needed.

However, if you’re looking for a full-fledged seven-or-more-seater MPV, you need to look elsewhere. It offers some versatility, but it’s always more comfortable making the urban run rather than the outstation adventure, where a bigger MPV would be better equipped.

The Alza is a good product, little doubt about that. It’s selling well, and will continue to do so until Perodua pensions it off in favour of a replacement model. It takes all the best qualities of their best product, the Myvi, and puts them all in a bigger package. But, if you ask me, the Myvi is still the more convincing model in Perodua’s lineup.

Interact with owners of the Perodua Alza at MyAlza.com

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I was refueling at the BHP station along Jalan 222 in Petaling Jaya when I spotted a silver-coloured unregistered unit of the Mazda2 at the station’s car wash. This particular unit has automatic transmission, but does not have a finished dashboard in place. The front passenger seat has also been removed, although the body panels appear brand spanking new.

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Last October, YS was among a contingent of Malaysian media members who went to Rayong to witness the rolling out of the 2 from Mazda’s plant there. From what he was able to find out, the 2 coming to our shores will be powered by a 102hp 1.5-litre twin-cam engine with the option of a 5-speed manual (yay!!) or 4-speed auto transmission.

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The 2 is slated for launch in our market this year in both sedan and hatchback form, and word has it that it will be priced to rival the Honda City and Toyota Vios. Is this the signal of an imminent launch?

KON

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Last year, the Sylphy marked a credible return for Nissan into the C-segment long smothered by the stranglehold dominance of the Civic and Corolla. Indeed, the N16 Sentra was having a tough time holding the fort as Honda and Toyota moved the game on with all-new models. Old as it might, the N16 still adds up to what is a robust mechanical package, though it now serves a different market segment altogether.

With the Sylphy, Nissan is now firmly back in the frame for C-segment buyers. Offering comfort and refinement as its key selling points, the Sylphy is a very credible alternative to the Toyota Corolla Altis. However, the Sylphy’s existing design lacks a certain element of excitement to attract members of the younger crowd, and lure them away from the likes of the Honda Civic and Mitsubishi Lancer GT.

Someone in the upper echelons of either Edaran Tan Chong Motors (ETCM) or Nissan Motor Co probably heard that, and decided something needed to be done. Hoshino Impul Co, exclusive maker of Nissan aftermarket parts, was commissioned to do some work on the Sylphy, and out came the Nissan Sylphy Tuned by Impul.

The Impul Bits

After the Latio and the Grand Livina, the Sylphy is the third car in Nissan’s Malaysian stable to get the Impul treatment. The Impul kit consists of five different items with a combined value of RM13k, offered to the customer at RM10k.

First of the five items you would notice is the Aerokit, which features a new Impul-badged grille, skirtings all-round, and a tall spoiler. Purely cosmetic enhancements never quite had have any effect on me, but if it tickles your fancy, well, it’s better looking than the standard Sylphy.

Further aiding the visual transformation are the quartet of 17″ Impul Aura rims shod with 205/45 Dunlop Formula D01 rubber. They replace the standard Sylphy’s 15″ alloys, which get the much higher profile 195/65 Yokohama Aspec tyres. ETCM’s official press materials claim that the Aura wheels, made from Impul’s New Super Cast process, are a good 30% lighter than a conventionally manufactured rim of the same size.

At the tail end, you see a shining new exhaust pipe, the tip of an RM1,800 stainless steel exhaust muffler. It does nothing for the outputs – quoted figures remain unchanged, but it gives the customer a sportier sounding exhaust note.

Inside, the standard Sylphy’s beige seats are removed, and replaced with black coloured leather, with a set of five black Impul carpet mats to boot. While black interiors are the universally accepted signature of sportiness, it does not quite work on the Sylphy, not least because other elements of the interior, including the seat belts, still have the original beige finish. The black seats instantly look like an aftermarket addition.

Of course, the main agenda of this whole Tuned by Impul business comes at the four corners, where the standard coils and shocks are replaced by new Impul-issue units. It is said to lower the Sylphy’s ride height by 25mm, although the official specs sheets quote identical height measurements for both. The promise here is that the new suspension set up enhances raction, improves steering response and demands minimal compromise between sportiness and comfort. Receiving a test car from ETCM, I set out to test that promise.

The Test Car

Our Sylphy Impul (let’s adopt this short form from now on) test car is a half-year old demo unit which clocked just a little over 20,000km when I collected it. Everything was in working order, though there were a few barely visible scratch marks inside and out, expected from life as a media test car. Our test car, in Comfort trim, was worth RM123,980.00 brand new.

Facts & Figures

Whatever fuss you might want to make of the Impul tuning badge, the Sylphy’s technical highlight is its renowned powertrain combo, mating the 1,997 cc MR20DE four-pot twin-cam engine with Nissan’s X-Tronic CVT to send power to the front wheels.

For a start, 131hp @ 5,200rpm is hardly an exciting figure even for 1.8-litre engines, let alone 2.0-litres. But, what the MR20 excels at is torque, twisting out 191Nm @ 4,400rpm. As I would discover on the road, the CVT’s efficiency in transmitting all that torque to the front wheels more than made up for the deficit in published numbers.

Suspension follows the standard MacPherson / torsion beam setup. In recent years, manufacturers are increasingly keen to go for torsion beam rear suspension citing the reasons of cost & space. Whatever reasons they may put out, at this price, I still prefer to see a car with all-round independent suspension, especially one with sporting pretensions.

While the engineering nightmare of the task makes it understandable for Impul to leave the torsion beam alone, I wished they had at least replaced the rear drums with disc brakes. Though the drums stop just as effectively, the intended visual drama just isn’t complete without disc brakes at all corners.

On the equipment front, the Sylphy isn’t a skimpily equipped car, but it is a curiously equipped one. It gets sensor-activated head-lamps with leveling adjustment, electric boot release, auto climate control and power folding side mirrors, but bizarrely omits the water temperature gauge and steering-mounted audio controls.

Aesthetics

If looks are all that matter to you, then your rewards for picking the Impul kit would have been reaped by simply looking at it. The skirts might be a little too flamboyantly designed, but it gives the looks of the Sylphy a useful lift.

Aside from black leather seats and carpet mats, Impul left the Sylphy’s cabin untouched. It is hardly an exciting place to be in, but it’s very functional. I had some issues in getting the integrated audio HU to display the on-board clock, but the other controls are user-friendly and very well laid.

I have never been a fan of foot-operated parking brakes, but somehow, in the Sylphy, it felt very appropriate. The absence of a handbrake in the centre console freed up precious space aft of the gear lever to make a storage compartment large enough to swallow two DSLR cameras. An illumination lamp for the compartment, which activates when the headlights are switched on, is also provided. Very useful, though Nissan might want to consider installing a lid for it in the facelift.

The functional theme of the cabin continues in the rear, with ample leg room for the backseaters, enough for a stretch. Cabin spaciousness is definitely another strong selling point of the Sylphy.

The Drive – Do the Impul bits work?

If you show it some twisty roads, and the Sylphy Impul will immediately show you what it’s made of. The over-assisted steering will rob you of some confidence initially, but if you give it some faith and put your foot down, you will be astounded by the stupendous amounts of grip available.

I drove the Sylphy Impul for more than 600 kilometres, through a variety of roads and weather conditions, and those four Dunlops never seem to run out of answers. Wet or dry, it just grips and goes. Even in treacherous thunderstorm conditions, it never broke traction. It does skid with sand on the ground, but, hey, what doesn’t skid on sand? The Sylphy Impul’s cornering abilities are impressive.

However, there’s a price to pay for that – comfort. In order to achieve the handling prowess I described above, Impul had to make major sacrifices to the refined ride that the Sylphy is renowned for. The sheer stiffness of the Impul suspension kit makes for a very bone-jarring ride. Let’s just say that, at its price, the Sylphy Impul makes for a very impressive topographic machine.

Straight line acceleration is also impressive. It doesn’t pin you to the back of your seat, but don’t be deceived. If you don’t monitor your speedo, you can quickly find yourself far on the wrong side of the national speed limit. The booming sound of the Impul exhaust gives you some indication of speed, but the way the engine and transmission combine to deliver smooth and seamless acceleration is amazing.

Though we may hold our heads in dismay at the absence of four disc brakes, the disc/drum set up stops the Sylphy effectively. The brake pedal on our test car was shockingly loose, but when pressed you get firm stopping force.

While the Sylphy Impul’s unerring grip at corners impressed me a great deal, little else did. The suspension sends too much of the road’s harshness back into the cabin for my liking, sacrificing the main selling points of the Sylphy – comfort and refinement. So, when I returned it to ETCM’s HQ, I instantly requested for the standard version.

How about the plain jane Sylphy 2.0 CVTC?

In one word: better. Because there was no retuning of the ECU, the straight-line performance is unchanged. You still get the same silky smooth and relentless acceleration. And because we are back to the standard suspension, most roads now feel smooth again.

Some cornering speed is lost, but the standard Sylphy is a decent handler, even if it isn’t overtly exciting. Body roll is noticeably less contained, but considering the vast improvement in comfort, I’ll live with the body roll.

No doubt the trick suspension would allow the Sylphy Impul the corner a lot (and I mean A LOT) faster and flatter than the CVTC, the latter would quickly make up for the lost ground along the straights, especially when the road gets harsh. Because while the Impul fidgets over bumps and potholes, the CVTC will just gracefully glide past with minimum fuss.

Which is the Sylphy for you?

In the competitive battlefield of the C-segment, the Sylphy’s key selling points are comfort, refinement, practicality and space. It may not be exciting, but that’s not the point. It performs what’s asked of it very competently, and it’s a car you simply would not get tired of driving.

On the contrary, you would with the Sylphy Impul. Because in the name of ‘excitement’, the Sylphy Impul sacrifices what are actually the Sylphy’s core strengths. Now, going all stiff may sound like the cool and macho thing, living with the harshness on a day-to-day basis can be very demanding.

If you’re in the market for a car that offers space, economy, practicality, reliability, refinement, and comfort in one package, you need to look at the Sylphy. I’ll have mine in standard trim.

Pictures by:
* Sylphy Impul – Trius Blades
* Sylphy 2.0 CVTC – Kon

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Lexus Malaysia wasted little time to get 2010 going with the introduction of facelift variants of the Lexus LS 460 luxury sedan yesterday. Dubbed as just a ‘minor change’ in official press materials, Lexus continues to sell the LS with a choice of standard or long wheelbase.

The long wheelbase LS 460L, together with the GS 300, marked the official entry of the Lexus brand into Malaysia in December 2006, following years of parallel imported used examples by private importers. As the brand experienced steady growth in our market, Lexus then saw it fit to follow up with the standard LS 460 in August 2008.

For the 2010 facelift, the standard LS 460 now becomes the LS 460 Sport, with more aggressive design touches, sportier suspension tuning, and paddle shifts to justify the new suffix. The 4-seater long wheelbase LS 460L now does away with the individual rear seats to become a 5-seater, a feature which Mr Harry Loo, newly-appointed Director of Lexus Malaysia, noted ‘is the preference of the Malaysian market’.

Loo further added, “We also have transformed the LS 460 with a standard sport package for an enjoyable drive. It is designed for those who want to experience an exhilarating drive that is performance oriented, with racing-inspired design that offers luxury and yet maintains the comfort while driving under challenging road conditions.” (ed: Wow!)

Aside from most mainly skin-deep changes, technical alternations made to the LS for this facelift has been minute, with the exception of self-leveling air suspension (Adaptive Variable Air Suspension in Lexus-speak) introduced for this facelift. In the LS 460 Sport, the air suspension is tuned with a higher spring constant (i.e. stiffer) for sportier handling characteristics. For the suspension arms, the all-round multi-link design is maintained, with extensive use of aluminium for the simultaneous benefit of unsprung weight and rigidity.

Power continues to come from the Toyota 1UR-FSE all-aluminium V8 engine. It displaces 4,608cc, but Lexus claims that it rivals 5.0-litre engines in power, but consume fuel at 3.5-litre levels. Quoted figures of this motor are unchanged, with max power at 380hp @ 6,400rpm, and max torque at 492Nm @ 4,100rpm. The 32 valves are managed by a dual VVT-i system, with the intake valves electrically controlled, and the exhaust valves hydraulically operated.

Sending power to the rear wheels is the AA80E automatic transmission, the world’s first 8-speed slushbox. It features sequential mode manual overriding, with the LS 460 Sport getting steering-mounted paddle shifts – dubbed M-Mode Control.

Because of its ‘Sport’ suffix, the shorter of the two LS 460s will receive bigger wheels. Going into the arches of the LS 460 Sport are 19″ x 8J BBS alloys shod in 245/45 tyres. It also gets 6-pot vent disc aluminium anchors all-round from Brembo to boot. The larger LS 460L, while also getting four vented discs, will not be receiving Brembo-branded versions. Its rims are also smaller, 18″ x 7.5J aluminium alloys shod with 235/50 tyres.

Aiding in parking the massive LS is the Lexus Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA), which helps the driver reverse the car into a side-parking bay. The system helps maneuver the steering wheel while the driver only needs to operate the brake pedal. I can think of a few people who could use this in smaller cars, so this is definitely useful.

The new Lexus LS 460 Sport and LS 460L are available for viewing and ordering at Lexus Centers immediately.

Price (OTR with Insurance, Peninsula)
* LS 460 Sport: RM738,275.50
* LS 460L: RM851,135.50

Lexus in 2010

Also at the launch of the Lexus LS facelifts was Mr Kuah Kock Heng, President of Lexus Malaysia. In his speech, Kuah announced that in 2009, official sales of Lexus vehicles exceeded 300 units, with the RX 350 accounting for 226 cars.

From the date of its arrival in December 2006, Lexus Malaysia has put over 700 Lexus vehicles on our roads consisting of the RX, LS, GS, and IS. Seeking to continue strengthening its brand presence, Lexus Malaysia now enters the second phase of its business development strategy.

Commenting on plans for 2010, Kuah announced that a new Lexus 3S centre has just been opened in Penang, with another partner already identified for the opening of another in Johor.

Kuah said, “With the expansion plans set-out, we hope to achieve our target of around 400 units, hence grow our market share in the premium market segment.”

After the launch concluded, Kuah embarked on a discussion of the National Automotive Policy, specifically noting that, “The Hybrid incentive announced in 2009 National Budget has made the Toyota Prius Hybrid commercially viable for introduction in Malaysia. I hope these incentives will be extended beyond December 2010.”

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