The Autobot...Chevrolet Sonic

The Chevy Sonic RS is one of the Autobots in Transformer 4...and it is named Rollbar!  The Sonic is available in Malaysia via Naza Quest, with 2 models, which are the Notchback sedan (RM80k) and the sportier hatchback (RM82k).  However, both share the same powertrain, with a 1.4-litre Ecotec engine, that produces 73hp/130Nm of power, mated to a 6-speed gearbox.  Although the Sonic could be the cheapest hatchback...with some Autobot styles, it just couldn't attract the mass at this competitive segment where other offerings are much better equipped.  A fun car should be available in fun colours, such as bright green and orange, not those standard lousy and boring colour such as Blue, White, Grey, Silver and Black.

Some will be attracted to the motorcycle inspired meter cluster, with a rpm meter and digital speedometer.  After looking at the show car, one would definitely agree the Sonic is not worth the money for all its basic equipment, with only 2-airbag and ABS as the standard safety features.  The weirdest thing is the RPM meter is giving faulty sign for vibrating backward even with the car switch off.  Yes, it is moving and the car is possess. 

One could totally forget about notchback sedan, as it looks ugly.  If you really want one, the hatchback is the one that would get you near to owning an Autobot.  For peace of mind, 5-year warranty is included in this Korean made car, which churn out most Asian Chevy car from the old Daewoo's factory.  Unless you are so much into Transformer, I can't find a good reason for getting any Chevy car in Malaysia.  Except still seeing some old Aveo and Optra on the road, there seems to be almost near to non existent for most other recent models.  Naza has a lot to do with this brand, and it is too far from Honda, Toyota, Ford, Hyundai and Kia which give much better choices!

The 3rd-Gen Ultraseats Honda Jazz

Finally, the 3rd generation Honda Jazz has arrived at our Honda's showroom and as always, it shares all the familiar colour scheme that roll out from the Pagoh factory and blue is Honda's default demo car colour.  I would love to see more funky and fun colours for the lively Jazz ... especially the bright yellow, light blue and eco green which could brighten our road instead of all the white, silver, grey and black.  The new Jazz shares the same platform and powertrain with the City, thus 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine mated to a torque converter CVT makes its way into the car, producing 118hp/145Nm of pulling power.  However, the Jazz's Grade V which is priced at RM88k on-the-road could swing most buyer into rethinking of pay RM3k more for for Honda City instead, which add the ECON mode and cruise control features, but minus the Ultraseats.  But for those that are looking at alternative brand, such as the Myvi Extreme at RM62k, then the Jazz Grade S at RM73k make all the sense instead, when the Honda name will land the buyer a lower interest rate, up-to-date technology and good resale value.  Even comparing to other Korean's model at this price range, the lower end model of Jazz would beat all of them in the market segment.  Adding 5-year warranty and 6 free labour services provided, the Jazz now could make its way to many new homes.

With a centre-mounted fuel tank, the Jazz is the only car from Honda that enable it ever popular Ultraseats, which provide a Tall mode for your big bonsai plant, Long mode for your Ikea furniture, Utility mode that fold all rear seats to get your exercise bicycle in and a Refresh Mode for both front passengers to get some good rest ... just remember to off the car and roll down the windows for safety sake.  If Honda were to equipped the Jazz with a Panoramic roof, it would be perfect to refresh in the presence of moonlight and starry sky.  The new Jazz has finally got rid of the ugly, outdated one-way pull-type door handle with the modern 2-ways handicapped friendly type.  However, the designer made a big mistake in having the key hole at the door panel instead of the handle, which looks weird and give the Jazz door panel an imbalance look.

The highest specifications Jazz is equipped with all the standard safety features similar to the City, which are the Vehicle Stability Assist, Emergency Stop Signal, Hill Start Assist, 6 Airbags and ISO FIX.  Yes, the rear wheels brake are drum instead of disc, and again, is well enough for this size of car.  The engine compartment is huge, with lots of working space for easy servicing and a safety distance from the firewall.  If this Jazz were to be equipped with Honda direct injection unit, then it could make this the perfect utility hatch to have.

As always, Honda interior is simple and elegant, which could immediately shame the Toyota's designer.  Even the manual dials from the Grade S and E are downright nice and high quality.  For Grade V Jazz, it uses the similar touch sensitive screen and control panel from the Honda City.  In summary, the Jazz is the best B-segment hatchback, and when comfort and space are on the priority list, this is the car to put your money into.  Now...9 cupholders...could be useful for those lazy driver to only approach the trash once every week.  This Jazz is not going to fit 9 people legally!

Finally...looking familiar...the rear after awhile...feel like a mini Honda Stream!  Here are some comparison of hatchback in similar segment.

	Jazz 1.5	Swift 1.4	Rio 1.4	Sonic 1.4	Polo 1.6	208 1.6	Fiesta 1.5
Engine Power	118HP/145Nm	94HP/130Nm	108HP/137Nm	99HP/130Nm	104HP/153Nm	120HP/160Nm	111HP/140Nm
Transmission	CVT 7-speed	4-speed	4-speed	6-speed	6-speed	4-speed	6-speed
Airbags	6	2	6	2	2	6	2
Traction Control	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Price	88k	76k	80k	79k	91k	81k	87k

The Stormtroopers love the Nissan Juke

Now...you wanted a funky car, which you could dress up as the Star Wars' Stormtrooper, and look cool in it, a car that could turn every head it passes by, a car that could attract attention from not just the chick, but also the uncle...here you have the Nissan Juke.  Don't expect it to be available from our conservative Nissan's distributor Tan Chong...where you get only all the practical yet ugly cars like Almera and Livina.  Some parallel importers are bringing the Juke in to fill the niche.  Back in Japan, Nissan uses the Stormtroopers in its Juke's advertisement, as this car looks as if it were born from Star Wars!

Two powertrains are available to move the Juke, where the standard version get the Almera's familiar 1.5-litre engine which is capable of 99hp/139Nm of power.  This model is popular in our neighbour country, the Indonesia!  For those that want a Juke with power that make you feel like you are on a spaceship, the 1.6-litre Direct Injection Turbo engine is a must, and with 188hp/240Nm of juice, it sound like a GTi here!  Just slot in a Star Wars music CD...could really make you feel like you are in outer-space...when you drive during the starry night...without any street lights!  Who told you only European makes turbo engine?  In fact, the same turbo engine this Juke uses is the one available in the Renault Clio RS...which has been tuned to provide a rocket 200 horsepower!

Interior of the Juke is as simple as a Nissan, and due to these units are JDM (Japan Direct Market) unit, most texts are in Japanese, which could be a deal breaker for those that hated to read Japanese.  Push start button is standard in the Juke, and when press, both the rpm and speedo meters perform a full sweep...which is cool.  The audio player is all in Japanese and could be quite useless in Malaysia, especially the FM frequency is limited from 76.0 to 90Mhz only!  The only thing useful is the rear view camera here.  Wonder if you change the audio unit, the rear view camera could be re-used or not?  Setting of the car could be done from the tiny screen beside the aircon control.  The read colour scheme on the meter cluster make it sportier, especially the red accent on the turbo model which get red splash of console and fabric!

Whatever model it is, the Juke uses Nissan's popular CVT, which seems to dominate most of their models now except for lower end cars.  The turbo Juke get a Manual mode shifter, thus making the drive more interesting.  But...a CVT is a turbocharged car?  Nissan could do better using a standard torque converter gearbox or follow the Renault Clio RS footstep in having a dual clutch unit.  So could the Juke be Nissan's inoovation that excites...you decide...I would want one if not for the costly unit of almost RM140k for a 3-year-old re-conditioned unit, or RM110k for a 4-year-old unit!

Balik kampung with the Peugeot 5008

It's almost Hari Raya, and this shall be the month when a lot of Malaysian start their car shopping, as deals get better before the festive season and families will need a good reliable car for their balik kampung celebration.  Even the car rental business during this period goes up for those that only need the mode of transportation during this period.  If you were shopping for a MPV, and our local made Exora is not your taste, the Japanese sounded too common, then the continental could be your choice.  Aside from the Citroen C4 Grand Picaso HDi, the Peugeot 5008 is yet another brilliant choice to be added to the shopping list, where both share similar markets and both from the French's PSA Peugeot Citroen.  

As always, Peugeot in Malaysia survives with a single engine which is tuned differently, and the Twin Scroll Turbo High Pressure Prince unit make its appearance again in this facelifted 5008, which now produces 165hp/240Nm of power, mated to the AL6 (6-speed) gearbox.  With NCAP 5-star rating, this MPV is equipped with 6-irbag, Hill Start Assist, ESP, ABS, EBD, EBA, ASR (Anti Skid Regulation) and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control).  As a family transportation, ISOFIX points naturally make it to the list of safety to proper mount any child seats that are needed.

For those comparing the Citroen and Peugeot, putting the engine aside, the 5008 could be the real value for money 7-seater.  It is loaded with a very important family feature, which is the 7" LCD screen built into the back of the front seat headrest, which could take 2 devices input.  So if you have a daughter that like to watch the Frozen cartoon during the roadtrip, and a son who will not want to join the balik kampung team without his Sony Playstation, with the 5008, you can be assured your trip will be enjoyable to all members of the family, who could indulge in their favourite activities to keep your concentration on the road!  Not to mentioned all seats and individually adjustable and very comfortable.  When the sun starts to set, the panoramic roof will welcome the starry moonlight to calm those that need a restful sleep.

So what about the driver, you may ask...The Peugeot 5008 does come with 7" colour screen with navigation to guide you on track if you planned to detour for some scenic routes before reaching back home.  It is also equipped with a rear view camera to ease those with worrying parking skill, and a tiny central child monitoring mirror above the rear view mirror.  The colour HUD (head Up Display) that pop up of the dash means a straight forward view of all information needed while the car is in motion.  You will definitely like the leather 8-way power seat on the driver side and the cruise control for your long highway trip...though massage function is not available.  Biggest concern here is the lack of a spare wheel, which a lot of us might start to worry as the concern of Malaysia's lousy road surface could means waste of time if you need a quick repair of the wheel.  Now, let's hope the puncture repair kit works like a magic in time of need.  All everything of the 5008, the dash design and layout is showing its age now, screaming for a total renewal, especially on the single din audio unit and aircon control.  Well...a Peugeot is not a Citroen...it always has a conservative roadmap for the general public.

If you were ready to balik kampung with the Peugeot 5008, it is priced at RM160k with insurance...Do however note that the interest rate could not be as attractive as before after Bank Negara just increased its OPR to 3.25% recently.

Chevy Colorado...the torquey & noisy pickup

The many trips to the Transformer movie will definitely make one adore the Chevrolet range of vehicles, especially the Camaro bumblebee which is only available in tiny toy model for our market.  The brand under Naza Quest is still struggling to gain a decent market share for it to survive as we still do not see a lot of Chevy on our road.  Most models are the result of GM-Daewoo merger, thus the mass market Cruze, Captiva and Sonic are pretty much very Korean instead of American.  Most of our childhood dream include owning an all American pickup, that is tough and could tow away our kampung house easily, and this Colorado, with its 2.8-litre turbo Diesel Duramax, which produces 193hp and 500Nm of torque is the best choice, though could be noisy when pitching against our pickup truck.  But, hey...500Nm of torque, all of a sudden, the short truck bed does not make sense here...thus...let's hook up a big picnic basket at the rear and start partying.

One must spend about RM112k to get the unit with 500Nm, from the latest Duramax  XLDE28 engine, which is equipped with the VGT system (Variable Geometry Turbo).  The good of all Colorado range is the 6-speed transmission, for it be the basic 2.5-litre Manual, 2.8-litre Manual or the VGT 2.8-litre Auto model.  Of course, only the Auto version provides all the features a normal car could ask for, which include Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Traction Control System (TCS), Cocrnering Brake Control (CBC), Hydraulic Brake Fade Assist (HBFA), Hill Descent Control System (HDCS), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Trailer Sway Control (TSC)......wow those are a good list to provide the best safety in a pickup truck.  All models get the standard dual airbags, ABS, EBD, PBA (Panic Brake Assist) and HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist).  

If you would have see a real American truck, you would get annoy by the interior design, which is usually outdated, and fill with big 19-century button, but the Colorado has a very nice and simple dash layout of digital control, which include a dial-type 4x4 control instead of the eye-sore stick-shift type.  The VGT model also comes with a MyLink touchscreen infotainment unit, supporting 6-speaker audio and Bluetooth connectivity.  What else could one ask for?  All Chevrolet vehicles are backed by 3-year or 100,000km warranty.

If the outlook is not Transformer-style to you, the meter cluster would give the additional robotic touch, with dual angular binnacles housing the speedo and rpm meters.  So, is the bowtie a handsome being for some hearts, or a must have for those robots fans?  Just bear in mind, this brand has not proven itself much on our shore, thus used market value, parts availability and long term maintenance affordability could lead to many question marks???  But if you still can't resist the Transformer feel...go get it!

The Mentally Disabled WWQ 7043

Just a note, as a driver, I hate all those that like to cut queue, drive recklessly.  As a human, I hate those that drive luxury brand of vehicles, yet think they have special privileges!

The following is a copy and share to put shame on the owner.  With such parents, you could know what kind of next generation will be cultivated!

Saw the lady driver of WWQ7043 getting down, so I politely told her that it was a disabled parking, and that the one behind her wasn't.

Lady: Yeah, I know. I always park here.
Me: But it's a disabled parking, and you're not disabled.
Lady: I always park here. I'm in a hurry (walks away).
Me: ...

Conclusion? She must be mentally disabled. So I've decided to name and shame. Please share this.

The eco Mitsubishi Mirage, with no real benefit to Malaysia!

The Mitsubishi Mirage is classified as an Eco car in Thailand, as it could meet at least the 5-litre/100km.  The Mirage has a published figure of 21km/litre, where its 35-litre tank could generously run for 735km.  If it were such perfect, it could almost complete the 840km Perlis to Johore journey, though still need a single stopover to the petrol kiosk.  In Malaysia, whether it is Eco, Green, Black, White or Deadly...the Mirage is treated like the rest of the vehicle population, with no special incentive, or any other discount from the authority.  Aside from having a better Japanese brand, slightly more features than a Perodua, and a face that attract most lady owners, at RM66k, this 1.2-litre CVT powered tiny car is really not a choice of the crowd.  Without any incentive, who care whether this car is trying to produce less C02 so that our next next next next next generation will still get to set, touch and climb some trees.  Oh, have I forgotten Malaysia has EEV...which no one know what benefit it is bringing to the car owners.  Bet most car manufacturers that get those EEV incentive will not pass down the discount to us, but reap more profit into their bank accounts.

Besides the extraordinary fuel saving economy the Mirage is bringing, this little car comes with push start button, keyless entry, auto aircon and a 2-din Kenwood player.  Interior is tiny by nature, where seats are too soft to last your 5 - 10 years of ownership.  Dual Airbag, ABS and seat belt pretensioner are the standard safety features of the Mirage.  Nothing fancy, but a basic Japanese made for the day to day home and office travel, and some occasional long trip with your love one on the 78hp/100Nm engine power.  Before you give this car a consideration, look at the Kia Picanto, which has much better specifications, but might face a low second-hand value.

	Kia Picanto	Hyundai i10	Suzuki Alto	Mitsubishi Mirage
Engine Type	1.2-L 4-Cyl	1.2-L 4-Cyl	1.0-L 3-Cyl	1.2-L 3-Cyl
Engine Power	87HP/119.6Nm	87HP/119.6Nm	67HP/90Nm	78HP/100Nm
Transmission	4-speed	4-speed	4-speed	CVT
Airbags	6	2	2	2
Traction Control	Yes	No	No	No
Warranty (Yrs)	5	5	5	3
Price (RM)	60,000	56,988	51,383	65,962

Build quality of the Mirage is not up to standard, as the demo car, which is fairly new, is already showing sign of rust in the engine bay.  The metal clips holding the air duct are rusted, which show the Thailand local contents still need much improvement.  One might also wonder why such a small car need a big battery, since a NS40 size should suffice in this car.

Lastly, ladies, feel free to take it for a spin, similar to the Mitsubishi Attrage, this car is for you if hatchback is your choice.  The Mirage is a no-frill and basic car for city driving!