OPINION PIECE: FEATURE – Why Our Malaysian Road Tax System Should Have Died Along With The Dinosaurs

I’m getting ready for a massive hit soon. Well, not to me physically per se, but more toward my bank account, and it’s all because of our ridiculously archaic road-taxation system for private registered vehicles. But first, let’s take trip down memory-lane shall we?

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy… well, right here actually, cars, and more to the point, large capacity cars with big engines, were seen as ‘luxury goods’. Ownership of these ‘big-engine-big-body’ cars were seen as items that only the wealthy could afford. I’ll give you an example, in 1982 a Mercedes-Benz 280SE (above) cost a whopping $90,000. I’ve used the ‘dollar’ symbol because back then the designation ‘RM’ for our currency didn’t even exist yet. To put that price into perspective, my old family house in Kelana Jaya (then known as Ladang Seaport) at the time cost $47,000. Yes, you could technically buy two houses for the price of one luxury Merc.

As such, the powers that be levied a hefty road tax on any privately registered car above a certain cubic-capacity (cc), like the gargantuan Mercedes W140 S320 above, its owners had to shell out more than RM3,000 for road tax every year. Road tax is somewhat liveable up to 2,000cc, and it gets a bit more painful up to 2,499cc. It’s anywhere above that mark when things go from painful to downright suicidal, especially in this day and age. Above 2,499cc, the cost of annual road tax for privately registered cars goes up exponentially, and is calculated per cc.

So now you know why typically in the past (and even till today), luxury carmakers, or rather any carmaker in the D-segment would always try to keep their cars’ cubic-capacity below 2,500cc, for example the Toyota Camry 2.4 (above). For that engine displacement, the road tax is a somewhat liveable RM879 per annum. However, increase that cubic-capacity to just 400cc more, and the road tax is a whopping RM1,630 a year.

Does anyone remember the Honda Accord 3.5 V6 (above) that was sold here for a brief spell a decade or so ago? I do. I loved it. It was the ultimate sleeper. It also came with a yearly road tax of RM4,380! I’ve purchased whole, complete, running cars for less than that. No wonder it’s all but disappeared over here. Shame really. And that leads me nicely into the crux of this triade…

Automotive technology has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last few decades, and collectively carmakers the world over have unceremoniously dispensed with the old adage of “No replacement for displacement” in lieu of smaller engines with forced-induction in the form of turbochargers and superchargers. It was now possible to achieve better power and better fuel-efficiency without the need for big cc engines. Case in point, the new Mercedes-Benz C200 (<–link) C-Class (above & below).

It’s capable of producing 184bhp and 280Nm of torque from a 1,500cc, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. Let that sink in a while. Here’s the clincher: it’s a luxury car with the cubic-capacity of a Toyota Vios that’s going to cost owners a paltry RM90 a year in road tax. Let that sink in even further.

While on this subject, how about a supercar that pays the same? None? Have you forgotten the BMW i8 below? With its hybrid-powertrain, technically the i8 only has a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder ‘engine’, and thus… it has the same yearly road tax as the aforementioned Vios. How ridiculous is that?

Now price wise, the Mercedes C200 costs RM249,888 and the BMW i8 retails for more than ONE MILLION Ringgit. So let’s rewind a bit now, back to 1983 actually, when the Mercedes-Benz W126 280SE (below) was brand spanking new, a car that I personally own today. It cost circa 90k Malaysian dollars in 1982, big money in the 80’s, and perhaps it was justified back then to call it a big-ticket luxury item. However, that was 36-years ago.

Fast-forward to 2019, and in a few weeks I’ll be shelling out a whopping RM1,630 for a year’s worth of road tax for the W126 above, which is enough to keep both the BMW i8 and Merc C200 on the road for the next eighteen years. So yeah, owners of newer luxury cars – with smaller force-fed engines – that cost many, many times more than my W126, will be laughing. Hysterically. To say that our Malaysian road tax system is overdue for a revamp is a major understatement.

Now don’t get me wrong, I personally think that smaller force-fed engines in luxury cars is a brilliant move. They’re less polluting and more efficient, but long-gone are the days when a luxury car was defined by the cubic-capacity of its engine, that much is very evident with the current crop of luxury cars for the masses, like the BMW 1-Series above. It only needs a 3-cylinder 1,499cc engine to produce a healthy 136bhp and 220Nm of torque. Not too long ago you’d need an engine in excess of 2-litres and 4-cylinders to do the same. And again, this BMW only costs RM90 a year to keep road-legal.

What can we do for older cars still on the road?

One idea I came up with some time ago when the ill-conceived blanket end-of-life “scrapping-policy” idea for cars over a certain age was mooted, was a yearly inspection for all cars over 20-years of age, to ensure that they were all still roadworthy. And to compensate owners for this mandatory yearly inspection, a reduction in annual road tax could be implemented, i.e. a 50% immediate reduction in annual road tax for all privately owned cars 20-years and older that pass this yearly inspection, 75% reduction for cars 25-years and older. Not only will this eradicate cars that are too badly maintained from entering public roads, but it will also inspire owners to take care of their cars better, ensuring they are roadworthy. How’s that for a start? – Chris Wee.

UPDATE: My good friend Bobby Ang of EVOLTN saw this article today and made a very good suggestion! Base road tax on the cars’ value as mandated by INSURANCE paid yearly on any privately owned vehicle. “You need to buy insurance, it is mandated, and you have your insured value against your loan amount, or how much you think it’s worth, and this value goes down yearly. Thus following insurance price (a.k.a. insured value) is the best method for road tax .” – Bobby Ang, EVOLTN.

This is actually quite brilliant for newer cars, and might I add: As an incentive, discounts on yearly road tax for new cars can be given based on NCD / NCB as well. No claims, slightly lower road tax. This will ensure motorists drive safer too. Since nobody likes losing their NCD, now with no claims they can benefit from lower road tax as well. Nice one Bobby! – Chris Wee.

Quick Road Tax Guide…

CC RM

1,500 = 90

2,000 = 380

2,499cc = 879

2,500 = 880

2,800 = 1,630

3,000 = 2,130

3,500 = 4,380

For more road tax calculations, click this link.

Mercedes-Benz GLB Spotted Testing, Part Of 15 New / Facelifted Model Offensive For 2019-2021

Looking for a smaller and more refined G-Wagen of sorts? Well, say hello to the upcoming all-new Mercedes-Benz GLB, which was spied testing by AutoExpress recently. It’s part of a massive new-model offensive by Mercedes-Benz, which will see no less than fifteen new models emerge before the end of 2021.

“Mercedes is in line for a bumper 2019 and will reveal a host of new models this year, plus its first all-electric cars under the new EQ nameplate. Continuing the most rapid product offensive in the company’s history, a total of 15 all-new, new-generation or facelifted Mercedes products will emerge before the end of 2021. They will range from commercial vehicles and new SUVs to electric models and a flagship hybrid-powered hypercar.” – Auto Express.

Slated to fit somewhere in the grand scheme of Mercedes-Benz’s expanding range of SUVs and Crossovers, the GLB will complement the upcoming GLS (below), which is expected to debut at this year’s New York Autoshow. For the FULL article from Auto Express, click this link.

Photo Gallery (all images courtesy of AutoExpress.co.uk)

Perodua Aruz SUV Now Open For Booking! OTR Estimated Prices Start From RM72,200

Perodua Aruz, the national carmaker’s much-awaited three-row seven-seater Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), is now open for booking with estimated prices of between RM72,200 and RM77,200 (on-the-road before insurance in Peninsular Malaysia).

“The Perodua Aruz is our fourth transformation model, setting new standards for us in quality, space, fuel efficiency and safety – the latter bolstered by a 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating. With these qualities and more, the Perodua Aruz is among the best-value SUVs in Malaysia,” Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad said, adding that the vehicle comes with a five-year/150,000 km warranty (whichever comes first).

“The Perodua Aruz is expected to complement our existing product line-up and based on our value proposition, we expect sales of this new model to average 2,500 units monthly or 31,200 units by end-2019,” Dato’ Zainal added. Two variants of the Perodua Aruz are offered, namely the 1.5 X and 1.5 Advance, with five colours available – Ivory White, Glittering Silver, Electric Blue, Granite Grey and a new Amazon Green.

Contributing to the Perodua Aruz’s 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating are Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Hill Start Assist (HSA), ISOFIX and 6 airbags, which are all standard across the range. Furthermore, the Advance variant debuts an upgraded version of the Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) active safety suite, called ASA 2.0 (above).

ASA 2.0 adds pedestrian detection (up to 50 km/h) to the safety suite and increases the operational speeds of Pre-Collision Warning to 100 km/h and Pre-Collision Braking to 80 km/h. The safety suite continues to incorporate Front Departure Alert and Pedal Misoperation Control. ASA is a driver assistance system that helps to reduce the risk of collisions and is by no means a substitute for safe driving. Always be alert and cautious behind the wheel.

“The Perodua Aruz is perfect for families and those with active, aspirational lifestyles. The elevated driving position affords great visibility all round, while the abundance of space and flexible seating layouts make the vehicle extremely versatile and adaptable to any activity you wish to undertake,” Dato’ Zainal said. The Perodua Aruz’s efficient powertrain, built in Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan, consists of an aluminium-block 1.5 litre four-cylinder engine with Dual VVT-i and an electronically-controlled automatic transmission (E-AT).

These join forces with Eco Idle to give a best-in-class rated fuel efficiency of 15.6 km/l, allowing it to be government-certified as an Energy-Efficient Vehicle (EEV). Featuring bold LED headlamps with follow-me-home function (auto lights on Advance variant), the Perodua Aruz sits on 17-inch two-tone alloys, with a ground clearance of 220 mm. Smart Entry with Push Start/Stop Button is also standard, while the Advance variant adds fog lamps and roof rails for extra style points.

The interior is at once functional, stylish and practical, with the Perodua-developed anti-snatch hook to deter handbag thieves and fold-away utility hooks on the backs of the front seats. All variants get a touch-screen radio with reverse camera display, digital air-con with two memory settings, air vents for the rear passengers and a built-in toll card reader. The second row is split 60:40 while the third row is split 50:50. Both rows can slide, fold and tumble, yielding a multitude of seating and loading configurations to suit every occasion and lifestyle. There are charging ports in all three rows.

Interior equipment exclusive to the Advance variant are leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with call-receive controls, plus an integrated driving video recorder. The top variant also gets HDMI, Smart Link, Bluetooth and Navigation added to its touch-screen system. “For more information on the Perodua Aruz, we welcome the public to speak with our authorised sales advisors at any of our sales outlets nationwide. The Perodua Aruz will appear in showrooms very soon, but don’t wait – book now to elevate your life in an instant and start 2019 riding high!” Dato’ Zainal said.

About the name…

Perodua Aruz SUV Teaser Photo Gallery…

THROWBACK THURSDAY: Our Favourite Photos & Honourable Mentions From 2018! [+Photo Gallery]

2018 was a great year for Piston.my! It was our first ‘full’ year as a bona-fide automotive portal in Malaysia covering both local and international motoring news, as well as attending and covering local events and launches, while producing videos, reviews and features for the site. It’s been a fantastic ‘first-year’ for yours truly, and I’m deeply humbled and grateful for all the support we’ve received from our readers and clients alike, thank you for making 2018 a truly memorable one for all of us here at Piston.my!

And now, in no particular order, I present my favourite photos & honourable mentions from the past year! Thanks again for being here on this journey with us, and do hang around for a lot more to come in 2019! – Chris Wee.

ALFA ROMEO DISCO VOLANTE SPYDER

What would possess anyone to drive to another country to just see, touch and hear a car? Well, if it’s an extremely rare and limited-edition Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spyder, and that country is just next door, why not! So yeah, Bobby Ang of EVOLTN and I took a roadtrip down to Singapore for one day last year, just to view this stunning creation. We didn’t go see a car, we went to see a work of art. Read about it here.

PORSCHE 911 GT3

There are many alphanumerics in the world, but when the letters ‘GT’ and the number ‘3’ are put together, it’s a whole new ballgame. Quite possibly the most lusted-after Porsche 911 ever made, the GT3 & GT3 RS personify the very definition of a sports-car. Largely unchanged design-wise for half a century, I guess there’s really no need to fix something perfect from the start. See more and read more about it here.

FORD RANGER RAPTOR

It was the truck everyone was talking about in 2018. All waited in breathless anticipation at its imminent arrival, and many figured it would cost upwards of RM220,000, making it the most expensive ‘lifestyle’ pick-up truck ever sold in the country. So when the covers finally came off, and the price of less than 200k was announced, we were shocked. Really. I for one didn’t think Ford Malaysia could sell this unbelievably awesome monster truck for anything less than the aforementioned estimate. Watch a video and see more of the Ranger Raptor here.

FERRARI GTC4 LUSSO T

It was one of those days, it was one of those cars. Just an amazing drive with an amazing car on an amazing day. The weather was perfect, the roads were clear, and we had a freakin’ Ferrari. ‘Nuff said. More photos and video on this incredible car can be found here.

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA T

Back in Singapore for a car again, but this time to drive! And not just any car, but the delectable Carrera T of the Porsche 911 lineage. Despite ALL 911’s carrying the decades-old credo of ‘Race on Sunday, Drive to work on Monday’, this Carrera T personified that the most I think. Subdued, subtle and sophisticated most of the time, it transforms into a raging beast so fast you’ll swear you’re driving two different cars. Find out more and view more of the Porsche 911 Carrera T here.

KIA PICANTO

Not a mistake. You didn’t really think this post was all about supercars did you? Hell no. And as a day-to-day runner, there’s nothing else out there that gives you as much bang-for-your-buck as the diminutive and frugal little Kia Picanto. Value-for-money wise, and for what you get stock-standard, I called it the best deal in town. It still is. You can find out more on why that’s so here.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed driving this car. The CTR is just an unbelievably brilliant machine, it’s so well-sorted there’s nothing needed to make it better. The fact that it’s a manual with 3-pedals is of course an added bonus. How Honda are going to improve on this for the next generation Civic Type R is beyond me. Watch a video and learn more about this Nurburgring record-beater here. Well, fret not because if you can’t afford the Type R, there’s still this wild-looking HR-V RS to consider…

MOST BADASS SHOT – BMW SIXER GT BOYS

My favourite post-launch ‘posed’ shot of 2018… are these two BMW Malaysia guys the biggest badasses in town or what? I trembled while shooting it, my hands shivered, I was in awe. This was the 6-Series GT launch event that this photo was from.

MERCEDES-BENZ DREAMCARS

When it comes to dream cars, nobody does it better than Mercedes-Benz. At every one of their multitude of events in 2018, I came away wanting one, but this one…well, this AMG GT C just made me stare. And stare. And stare. But then I drove home in my classic W126, and that was nice too. There’s more in here from the Mercedes Dreamcars 2019 launch event coverage.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI

The alphabets “GTI” in the automotive realm really should stand for something, THEY MUST, and this was (and still is) one of the best GTI-class cars out there, the Golf GTI. So well balanced, so well put together, so rewarding to hoon. Love it. There’s more info, photos and video of the Golf GTI in this feature here.

PEUGEOT 508

A trip to Monaco to drive it notwithstanding, I’m hoping the new Peugeot 508 arrives on our shores soon, because it is a fantastic car. Not only does it look staggeringly gorgeous from every angle, it drives well and has an interior that you won’t believe. It is going to redefine the D-segment when it arrives sometime in the very near future. In the meantime, there’s more photos and videos of the Peugeot 508 at this link.

THE VOLVO GEAR KNOB

What. Why is there a gear knob in here you ask? Well, just looooooook at it! It’s made of crystal, there’s a soft-light below it; it glistens in the sunlight and at night it sparkles like the Hope Diamond. Totally unnecessary, doesn’t do anything to improve the technicalities and drivability of the car, and yet just so, so right. You can read about the latest XC40 launch at this link here.

THE WHITE KNIGHTS – VOLVO & ASTON MARTIN

It was one of those weird coincidences; two launches, two months apart, two very different vehicles, both black and white, both extremely appealing in their own way, and both would look really good in my driveway next to each other…. Here’s the launch coverage on the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and the launch of Volvo XC40 below.

THE ALIEN BMW 8

Really don’t know how and why this photo turned out this way, but it’s definitely one of my faves. I swear the 8-Series was saying “take me to your leader…” I didn’t, but you can read the coverage here.

THE LAST PORSCHE OF 2018

It was a good year for Sime Darby Auto Performance, and at one of their numerous events, as I was leaving I arbitrarily snapped this shot, turned out pretty decent. You can read more about the year Porsche had in 2018 here.

HONOURABLE MENTION OF 2018 – RENAULT KOLEOS

Taken somewhere along Felda Nenering up north before Grik, the Renault Koleos was actually quite a delight to drive. It’s very understated, been under the radar for too long and deserves more time in the limelight. I liked it. You can read more about it here.

2018 Fave Photos Gallery…

PROMO: Buy A Nissan & Win A Home! Plus New CNY Colours & Roadshow Announcements

Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn. Bhd. (ETCM) is welcoming 2019 by rewarding Nissan customers a chance to own a brand new 2+1 rooms serviced apartment with 2 car parks in the ‘Buy Car Win Home’ grand contest*. This contest is a unique collaboration between ETCM and JKG Land Berhad, where Nissan customers stand a chance to win a serviced apartment worth up to RM 665,000* in The ERA, Duta North Kuala Lumpur, when they purchase and register a Nissan vehicle from 1^st December 2018 to 31^st December 2019. Adding to the New Year excitement, ETCM is also offering attractive rebates up to RM 12,000* for selected Nissan models.

In conjunction with Chinese New Year, ETCM also added the new Imperial Red colour to the ever popular Nissan Serena 2.0L S-Hybrid Premium Highway Star, (below) featuring a two-tone theme with distinctive black floating roof, rear spoiler and side door mirrors. The Serena 2.0L S-Hybrid offers best-in-class fuel economy of 14.2 km/L (NEDC R101), and comes with innovative features such as the Hands-Free Dual Power Sliding Door, Dual Back Door, 7 USB-Powered Ports, Intelligent Around View Monitor (I-AVM) with Intelligent Moving Object Detection (I-MOD), and Smartphone connectivity with Apple CarPlay™.

Additionally, ETCM continues the introduction of Nissan X-Trail X-Tremer (below) in Passion Red and two additional colour options, new Brilliant White and new Tungsten Silver, with blacked-out componentry including black silhouette roof, roof rails, rear spoiler, door mirrors and gloss black 5-spoke 17” alloy wheels. The X-Trail X-Tremer also comes with a bold front X-Face cladding, chrome rear bumper protector and luxurious black Nappa leather seats.

The new Imperial Red Nissan Serena 2.0L S-Hybrid and X-Trail X-Tremer will make its appearance at the upcoming 2019 Nissan Test Drive Carnival at selected showrooms over two weekends of 5^th to 6^th January and 11^th to 13^th January, starting from 10am to 8pm. Members of the public are invited to visit the carnival to enjoy attractive deals and a series of fun-filled Chinese New Year activities.

Nissan Test Drive Carnival dates and venues:

Date	Region	Venue
5^th – 6^th January	Northern	ETCM Bayan Lepas
	Central	ETCM Petaling Jaya
	Central	ETCM Cheras
	Southern	ETCM Johor Jaya
	Southern	ETCM Seremban
	East Coast	ETCM Kuantan
	Sabah	ETCM Kota Kinabalu
	Sarawak	ETCM Kuching
11^th – 12^th January	East Coast	AEON Kota Bharu
12^th – 13^th January	Northern	ETCM Butterworth
	Northern	ETCM Ipoh
	Northern	ETCM Sitiawan
	Central	ETCM Glenmarie
	Central	ETCM Jalan Raja Laut
	Southern	ETCM Semabok
	Southern	ETCM Muar
	Sabah	ETCM Sandakan
	Sarawak	ETCM Miri

Nissan Nationwide Roadshow dates and venues:

Date	Venue
3^rd – 6^th January	Melawati Mall, Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
4^th – 6^th January	Ipoh Parade, Ipoh, Perak
7^th – 13^th January	AEON Kota Bharu, Kelantan
8^th – 13^th January	AEON Tebrau, Johor Bahru, Johor
9^th – 13^th January	Queensbay Mall, Penang
9^th – 13^th January	One Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
10^th – 13^th January	East Coast Mall, Kuantan, Pahang
11^th – 13^th January	Kluang Mall, Kluang, Johor
11^th – 13^th January	Imago Shopping Mall, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
18^th – 20^th January	Vivacity Megamall, Kuching, Sarawak

For more information, visit www.nissan.com.my or call ETCM’s Nissan Customer Care Centre at 1800-88-3838.

*Terms and conditions apply

FEATURE: Why 2019 Is Going To Be A Good Year For Trucks & SUVs! [+Videos]

Yes, 2019 is indeed shaping up to be a stellar year for Truck and SUV fans across the nation, and here’s just a taste of what’s to come!

LAND ROVER

Thanks to AutoExpress, we’re getting a first glimpse of the all-new 2019 Land Rover Defender. So who said the LR Defender was dead eh? You just can’t kill a Defender….

“The all-new Land Rover Defender will be revealed within the next 12 months, likely to be towards the end of 2019, and new official images have given us our best look yet at the iconic SUV in development. The latest image shows a prototype of the all-new Defender under going off-road testing in North America as part of its grueling test cycle. The vehicle will be subjected to temperatures as low as -40 Celsius and as high as 48 Celsius and at attitudes as high as 13,000ft.” – Auto Express.

FORD

As we all know, late last year, Ford Malaysia finally launched the much-awaited Ranger Raptor, (<–link) but in addition to that, they also introduced new variants of the Ranger 4×4 in the form of the XL, XLT, XLT+ (below) and Wildtrak. In total there are 9 variants of the new Ranger, including the aforementioned Raptor.

Here’s a short walkabout video of the Ford Ranger XLT+

PROTON

Right. So this SUV is likely the MOST anticipated of the lot. Having subjected us to one of the longest ever “long-lead” ups to its launch, which happened only last month, Proton’s X70 SUV (<–link) has finally hit the road. We’ve already seen a few out there, all CBU of course, with local-assembly only set to begin in October 2019. With more than 12,000 bookings taken before launch and once the order-books were opened, we await word on the official media drive later this month, in the meantime, here’s a walkaround video:

TOYOTA

What a Rush. Sorry, just had to with a name like that. Yes, the new Toyota Rush (<–link) was introduced recently too, and we even managed to get a short test drive in! Set to be officially launched very soon, the price estimate is apparently below RM100k… we’re guessing circa RM92,000 or so. Here’s a quick walkaround video:

MITSUBISHI

All hail the new Triton! Shown at KLIMS 2018, (<—link) this truck is likely the only contender to the Ranger Raptor in terms of ‘wow’ factor. There’s still no word on when it’s going to arrive here, but it’s a stunner! Completely unexpected, it was getting a lot of attention at the show, here’s a video featuring the truck:

PERODUA

So technically it’s still very hush-hush for now, but there’s definitely a new Perodua SUV on the way. Perodua isn’t new to SUVs, having introduced the Kembara many years back, and the short-lived Nautica later on. Largely based on the Daihatsu Terios (above) and Toyota Rush, it’s almost a given that Perodua will have some design input in the finished product, scheduled to be launched in Q1 this year. Here’s a video on the Terios…

ISUZU

And now a surprise. In October 2019, Isuzu Malaysia will bring in the new MU-X 7-seater SUV! We have no solid details about it at the moment, except to say that in typical MU-X fashion, it is huge. Here’s a walkaround video: