Hyundai’s largest model – the Palisade – arrived in Malaysia in December 2021, three years after it made its global debut. Just three months later, in New York, the updated version was unveiled but Malaysia continued with the pre-facelift model throughout 2022. Today sees the updated Palisade being launched by Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) In Malaysia with four variants to choose from.
For the 2023 model, the features and equipment have been commonised so, apart from the powertrains and a few items, all four variants are similar. Incidentally, HSDM is importing the European model which probably best matches Malaysian Type Approval requirements.
The Motorama was General Motors’ own motorshow, an annual event held between 1949 and 1961 which showcased its technologies in special models and futuristic concept cars. One of the concept cars at the 1953 show was the Corvette, a sportscar that excited enthusiasts and persuaded GM to make it for sale.
Exactly 70 years after that Corvette concept debuted at the Motorama in New York City, Chevrolet introduces the first-ever electrified Corvette with all-wheel-drive and a powerful 6.2-litre LT2 Small Block V-8 – the Corvette E-Ray. Unlike that concept car in 1953, this one was developed with the intention of being sold.
Following the launch of the updated 3-Series recently, BMW Malaysia now has another new model to kickstart 2023 and it’s the new M2 which had its global debut last October during BMW M’s 50th anniversary.
Two versions of the M2 are available – the standard version priced at RM598,800 (without insurance) and a sportier upscale version with a Pro Package priced at RM642,800. The pricing for both versions includes a 5-year extended warranty and service. Online pre-booking can be done at shop.bmw.com.my.
After the very difficult time in 2021 and 2020, especially the latter which was severely impacted by the lockdown measures to fight COVID-19, the Malaysia auto industry’s sales rocketed to a record high in 2022. With a Total Industry Volume (TIV) of 720,658 units of new vehicles sold and a total production volume of 702,275 units, the industry hit the highest ever numbers in its history which goes back to 1967 (when local assembly began). It’s also the first time that the 700,000-unit has been crossed in both sales and production, noted the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) which compiles the data annually.
The Kia EV6 is one of those rare cars that seem to have it all, and by have it all we mean great looks, a spacious interior and technology that would make a Tesla seem outdated. So why don’t we see more of them on the road?
These days, you cannot take a short trip to the store without being bombarded with something or other about electric vehicles. Either your neighbour would have bought a new EV or someone on the radio will be talking about it.
But whether you believe in them or not, EV’s are all the rage these days, and it is going to be that way for some time.
So which EV is the best? Since EV’s are not exactly cheap, which should you be spending your money on in case you are interested in getting one.
With global crude oil prices having been fairly stable over the past month (and economists are forecasting that this will continue in 2023), fuel prices have likewise been stable. The Automatic Pricing Mechanism used by the Finance Ministry determines retail prices based on various factors and for the coming 7 days, no change is needed for RON97 petrol. It also probably means that the subsidies for RON95 petrol and biodiesel can be less to maintain them at capped levels.
Even though our petrol prices (except for RON97) are controlled and lower than neighbouring countries, it’s good to try to use less as fossil fuels will eventually be finished on the planet. Here are some ways to reduce the fuel consumption in your vehicle:
Don’t carry unnecessary weight: The less weight your car has to move, the less hard the engine has to work. So whatever you do not need to keep in the boot should be taken out. This includes those golfbags and camping gear.
Plan trips: If you have different places to go on a single journey, spend a few minutes to think about the route so that you avoid congested areas. You may have to travel a few extra kilometres using a less congested route but you will actually use less fuel because the car won’t be stuck in a jam burning fuel going nowhere. Plus you will probably be less stressed out when you reach your destination.
Right tyre pressures: Under-inflated tyres will cause more rolling resistance (not to mention faster wear) which will worsen fuel consumption. Be sure they are inflated to the minimum recommended by the manufacturer and a bit more might also be better.
Service the engine regularly: Engine parts wear out or get dirty over time and reduce the operating efficiency of the engine. Regular servicing ensures that adjustments are set correctly and periodically, parts like filters or sparkplugs need to be replaced.
Switch off the engine more: Many motorists do not fully realize that the engine is burning fuel every second it is running. They will keep the engine running for long periods while waiting for someone to buy things or waiting for their children to come out from school. This is very wasteful and running the air-conditioner at the same time wastes more fuel. Switch off the engine when you are going to be stationary for more than 5 minutes and you’ll find your fuel consumption improving.
Slow and steady: You don’t have to drive at a crawl to save fuel but if you just drive more frequently at 80/90 km/h instead of 100/110 km/h, you could save 10 to 15% in fuel. Keeping a steady speed rather than ‘pumping‘ the pedal will also save on fuel. On the highway, you can use cruise control, if available.
