Back in July the WR-V received 2,500 orders and in August, Honda Malaysia delivered 2,200 of them. The WR-V quickly became Honda’s second best-selling model for July 2023.
The Honda WR-V is gaining popularity in Malaysia despite a slightly higher starting price compared to the City variants. While Honda aimed for 1,400 monthly sales, they’ve already delivered over 3,300 units of the WR-V within two months of launch, with total orders reaching 7,300 units. The RS trim is the most popular choice among customers.
When it comes to Honda, the most talked about models are the NSX, Civic and S2000. However, one legendary model is always left out -the Honda Prelude.
1987 Honda Prelude
The Prelude has been produced over five generations from 1978 to 2001. It was inspired by the Honda Accord and became the first Honda car to have a moonroof, which was included in all its models over the years.
In a recent update, Honda Malaysia has reported delivering 2,200 units of the all-new WR-V in just a single month following its official launch in July 2023.
The corporation additionally marked the first customer who placed a reservation for Honda’s compact SUV in Malaysia. This was observed through an official handover event held in early August at Accord Auto Sdn. Bhd. As a token of gratitude to mark this significant occurrence, the customer was granted Honda accessories, ultra glass body coating, and official merchandise, with a combined value of RM5,000.
During the launch of the new facelifted Honda City, one of the messages that Honda was keen to talk about is the new and improved Honda Connect App. It has been around for a while already, but it is not at its most matured form.
You may or may not have heard of the Honda Connect App, but either way, it is one of those applications that is worth having for your Honda these days.
It if offered as standard on selected Honda models, but for those who want to purchase it, it costs RM1,500. But before you dismiss it as exorbitant, it is an application that is worth considering.
The Honda Connect App predominantly focuses on three areas:
Safety
Security
Convenience
Safety
Under the safety part, the application is designed to be able to alert you or a loved in the event of a collision. This is important especially if the driver is unconscious. The app will detect that a collision has happened and a call centre will be alerted. The operators from the call centre will first try to reach out to the driver of the vehicle, and if the person does not answer, the call centre will then try to reach out to a second number provided.
In the event that the second person too does not answer, the call centre will immediately dispatch emergency services to the last known location. This is especially helpful when driving in a remote area.
The app is also able to inform the driver in the event that the alarm goes off. Alarms are great theft deterrents, but chances are the owner of a car will not be able to hear the alarm if the car is parked in a basement car park or somewhere far off. This is where the Honda Connect App is quite good because it alerts the driver when the alarm goes off, giving the owner precious minutes to rush to the car to see why the alarm went off.
Besides that, the owner of the Honda is also able to set a speed limit of the car, and will be alerted if the car goes beyond the set threshold. Perfect for parents who do not want their children or loved ones to be speeding, or even companies who need to implement health and safety policies, thus assisting to promote safety.
Security
Ever wondered around a car park wondering where you parked your car? We have all been there. This is where the Honda Connect App is especially handy because it has a “Find My Car” feature that is able to assist you to find your parked car. This is also great if your child has taken your car without informing you. If you are a parent, you’re welcome on the tip, if you’re a child, you may not like this feature.
One of our favourite features is something called Geo Fencing Alert. This allows you to set a paremeter of a few hundred meters or a maximum of 160km. And if the car goes beyond the set parameter, the application will alert you. This is especially handy for companies that need to keep track on where their cars are going.
But on a personal level, there’s a feature called Emergency Call. This feature connects the phone to the national emergency number – 999 – and when pressed, will immediately call the emergency number. This is great in parking lots, shopping malls or even in dark alleys at night. You don’t even need to be walking to your car but can use it anytime you feel threatened.
Convenience
So the app is more than just safety, security and controlling measures, it also allows incredible ownership convenience. It allows the owner to check on the car’s status, such as fuel level, battery level and everything about the car that an owner needs to know.
One interesting feature though is the Remote Vehicle Control. This allows the owner to remote start or stop a car, which is great if you need to be away for a few weeks and don’t want the battery of your car going flat. Yes, you can start the car and warm it up even if you are in a different country.
Does your wife need to get something from the car, but you accidentally took the keys with you and the spare key is dead? Yes, you can remotely unlock your car and no this does not mean she can start the car and drive away.
These are just some of the many features that the app has to offer, and some of the more notable ones include being able to locate the closet petrol station, ATM and even book a service appointment.
with all of the features on offer, the RM1,500 asking price suddenly seems like a good deal as it is not just an application, but consider it an automotive personal assistant.
Honda Malaysia has just introduced the 2023 Honda City facelift into the Malaysian market with the e:HEV RS being the top-of-the-line variant, priced at RM111,900.00.
Just last month, Honda Malaysia announced that the City facelift was available for reservations at all Honda dealerships in Malaysia. And now, the covers are off, marking the official launching of the facelifted City.
Honda has sold more than 10,000 units in the first half of 2023, while the 5th generation City has sold more than 68,600 copies since its release. These numbers make it clear that Malaysians love the Honda City, and would select it over its competitors.
During the launch of the new facelifted Honda City today, Honda Malaysia made a shock announcement regarding the fate of the Accord.
Honda Malaysia CEO, Mr Hironobu Yoshimura, announced that the Honda Accord will no longer be offered for sale in Malaysia.
The news comes as a surprise, but one that is not exactly unexpected.
Honda Malaysia has refocused its efforts towards its SUV models in recent times, and this was obvious with the recent discontinuation of the BRV, which was replaced by the WRV.
The launch of the WRV made Honda Malaysia the first non-national car maker to explore the small SUV segment.
And judging by the sheer number of bookings (2,500 bookings) Honda Malaysia received before the launch, the company is on track for success in the new segment.
Even globally, the demand for SUV’s continues to rise while the demand for D-segment sedans like the Accord has dropped considerably.
So it comes as no surprise then that the Honda Malaysia has pulled the plug from the Accord, marking a sad but necessary demise of a car that offered a spaciousness and comfort in a handsome package.
Few cars define the passion for driving like Honda’s iconic Type R. Some of the cars that can be put into the same category include creations by BMW’s M division, Mercedes AMG, Audi’s RS, Nissan’s Nismo, Toyota’s GR, and a few others.
While all those brands mentioned above might be fierce competitors, the one thing that all of them share is the ability to stir emotions. While their parent companies create cars for general transportation, the sub-divisions are more than just a means of transport, they are meant to create a connection between the car and one’s soul.
The Type R started off life as just that, a division meant to make one of Honda’s most iconic models into something that would seize the world – the Honda NSX Type-R. Or otherwise known as the Ferrari killer.
Back in the 80s and 90s, Ferrari made cars that were amazing to look at, but not so great to drive and worse to own (besides the F40). And it is quite safe to say that the NSX shook up the Maranello based establishment (with due credit to Nissan’s GTR of course).
Honda had the legendary Ayrton Senna on their side when the late Brazilian raced for the Mclaren-Honda Formula One team, which whom he won three World Championships with.
Senna had his way with the NSX and helped to improve the handling and overall dynamics of the car, most notably at the Suzuka circuit in Japan, which is owned by Honda.
Honda later created a wilder version of the NSX, christening it the Type R, which made the NSX Type R the first of its kind. This was the beginning of what would later command a cult like following of the Type R brand.
Type R models are generally treated to a distinct weight loss program that includes a lack of sound insulation. The entire air-conditioning system will also be removed for earlier models (Honda realized this was not practical and re-installed it in later year models), as well as the complete removal of the power steering system. The glass around the car was also generally thinner for specific Type R cars. This resulted in lighter cars that were a joy to drive.
Some of the icons from the Type R family includes the NSX Type R, the Integra Type R and of course, the Civic Type R.
But not all of them were greats though. Honda thought it would be a good idea to offer an Accord Type R but that turned out to be the least exciting of all Type R models. There is also the Civic FN2R which is considered quite ‘soft’ when compared to other JDM and Asia specific models. Good thing then that those two were only offered for the European market.
One of the greatest Type R’s is the Civic FD2R. With a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine producing 225PS and 215Nm of torque, the car came with a slick-shifting short-throw 6-speed manual gearbox. This combined with an 8,400rpm rev limit and semi-slick Bridgestone tyres, made the car feel like a race car for the road.
The FD2R is a true icon of the Type R family and one that will always be remembered with affection. Honda faced an uphill task to create a successor. With the rising demand for efficient and cleaner engines, it simply was not feasible to continue to build naturally-aspirated engines.
So, Honda had to step into the world of forced-induction and created a turbocharged successor to the FD2R, much to the dismay of Type R fans around the world since a naturally-aspirated engine was considered a hallmark of all Type R’s.
The FK8R is the spiritual successor to the iconic FD2R, but in reality, the two are only connected with each other in name and not so much in spirit.
There are things that the two share though, such as the short-shifting 6-speed manual transmission, the large rear wing, and a driving experience that will shake your internals. But the method of delivering that experience is vastly different.
While the FD2R will engage your attention by keeping you fixated as the engine screams, demanding that you bang home every gear ratio until the car reaches its electronically programmed 180km/h top speed. The FK8R on the other hand requires that you pay attention to the speedo meter, because it has a tendency of piling on speed without you knowing it. It is clinical yet refined in its power delivery.
Embracing forced-induction has allowed Honda to offer much more power than previous generation Type R’s. The Civic FK8R produces 310PS and 400Nm of torque. It does the 0-100kmh in just 5.8 seconds and will not stop accelerating until it reaches its 272km/h top speed. That is just about 100km/h faster than previous generation models.
For reference sake, the NSX Type R, which is widely regarded as the greatest Type R ever produced makes just 290hp and 304Nm of torque. Though there are some reports suggesting that those numbers were under declared.
But before you start to think that the NSX Type R is slower compared to the FK8R, it is worth remembering that the project leader for the NSX Type R was once quoted as saying, “the idea behind the R was not to create a swan song rendition with a massive dose of additional power, but to go back to basics.”
And the ‘basics’ in mention means the removal of some of the items that add to the overall weight. As such the NSX Type R was a full 84kg lighter than the standard NSX and this resulted in an impressive power to weight ratio of 220bhp per tone. With the NSX Type R weighing in at 1,274kg, we will let you do the math.
On the topic of the FK8R, it is a sublimely different machine as compared to its predecessors. While the words of choice for older Type R’s would be aggressive, noisy, engaging with a borderline trashy drive character, the FK8R is more refined, friendly yet boisterous when the road allows, and yet as engaging as previous models. To put it simply and in modern language, the FK8R is what you get when a Type R has to take on the responsibilities of an adult.
The FK8R comes with adaptive suspension, which is a first in the history of the Type R. This and the electronic steering allow Honda to offer driving modes, of which the FK8R has three – Comfort, Sport and +R mode.
The +R mode is where the car is at its best, with the suspension set at its stiffest (not so great for passenger comfort), the steering wheel at its chattiest and power is delivered with no turbo lag.
And because of the forced-induction, you can even accelerate in fourth or fifth gear on the highway with the car responding immediately. Even the interior noise is at an acceptable level, while older Type R’s were notorious for being noisy.
This is not achieved by using heavy sound deadening material but with clever trick involving the triple exhaust tips. The two exhaust tips on the sides still work like any other exhaust, but the one in the centre gives the car its sporty sound. At low speed it gives it an aggressive sound which can be heard from the inside and out. But at higher speed such as on the highway, it channels air towards the outer two pipes to keep the interior quiet and comfortable.
This makes the FK8R incredibly well placed as a comfortable touring machine, which is something the other Type R models could never achieve.
The driving modes together with the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine are the defining features of the FK8R. These features give it its character and its general purposefulness. But its four-seats, interior spaciousness and features like Apple CarPlay make it a family friendly machine, like a Doberman that always has the family’s best interest at heart.
Except that this time, that best interest in question is driving pleasure, of which the FK8R offers in abundance, and this singularity makes it a definite future classic.
In order to build a network of 30,000 new EV fast-charging stations, seven major manufacturers have joined forces. The first chargers are expected to be operational in the United States in the second half of 2024 and in Canada at a later stage thanks to a joint venture by BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis.
Both the Combined Charging System (CCS) and Tesla’s exclusive North American Charging Standard (NACS) connections are supported by these chargers. Several manufacturers, like Mercedes-Benz and GM, who are involved in this joint venture, have already committed to use these NACS connections in the near future.
The City, which is Honda Malaysia’s best-selling model, will be introduced with a facelifted version that is now available for reservations at all Honda dealerships in Malaysia. The new City is anticipated to make its debut in Malaysia in Q3 2023.
Since its release, the 5th generation City has sold more than 68,600 copies, and in the first half of 2023, Honda has sold more than 10,000 units. This iconic Honda model has undoubtedly established itself as Malaysians’ pick in its market class.
