Yesterday, we broke the news of Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) and Tan Chong Group signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to assemble Subaru vehicles in Malaysia, making our country the regional production hub for the brand. Production will start in October 2012 at 5,000 units per year, and the vehicle in question will be a “compact SUV”. We figured that Subaru wouldn’t have categorised its Forester as “compact”, so it has to be another model.
Well, we can now confirm that the compact SUV in question is NOT the Forester, but the production version of the Subaru XV Concept. Making its debut at this year’s Shanghai show, the XV Concept is billed as a crossover “blending exceptional SUV practicality with a fashionable form”.
While the XV’s shape looks similar to the Impreza hatchback’s at a glance, its front and rear styling is unique. The Shanghai show car measured 4,450 mm long and had a 2,635 mm wheelbase, figures that are 35 mm and 15 mm longer than the Impreza hatch, respectively. Not sure if the production car will stick to this, but we see similarities between the XV’s relationship to the five-door Impreza and Suzuki’s SX4/Swift models.
The CKD XV is part of FHI and Motor Image’s big plans for the ASEAN region. While Subaru doesn’t have much of a presence in Malaysia at present with just two sales and distribution outlets, that’s going to change with 18 outlets planned through 2013. This means that by 2014, Malaysia will have 20 Subaru outlets if all goes to plan.
Following the same timeline, Indonesia will get 20 new outlets while Thailand will have 22. Both these right-hand drive countries will be importing the Malaysian assembled XV under AFTA rules.
Motor Image, which is part of the Tan Chong Group, sold 2,300 Subarus in ASEAN last year, but will be targeting much higher figures from next year – the company expects to increase revenues by over 10 fold within the first year of introducing the XV in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
Full gallery of the Subaru XV Concept is after the jump. Watch this space for updates.
[zenphotopress number=999 album=2167]
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Waiting patiently for them to announce impreza CKD… All the best to scoobie malaysia~
lampu belakang tiru lampu persona R
haha syiok sendiri, who will tiru the master of tiru?
Proton and Perodua are the master of copycat. They loved to steal the car designs. The Inspira is an example.
yosh! impreza will be cheaper then (cross fingered) ..
Impreza? Nah Kia Sorento worth for money.
other opportunity to automotive graduation like me…congrates n thankz a lot…
good appearance for this SUV..
Possibly it's just a rebadged Perodua Kembara?
Subaru already rebadges the Myvi as the 'Subaru Justy': http://paultan.org/2009/02/24/subaru-justy-rebadg…
This is a light crossover something like Peugeot 3008 and Mitsubishi ASX.
Yup, but with AWD of course
HI Danny,
Need your help and comments. Since you are very familiar with Malaysia car scene. Can you please tell me which is the best car I can get ib term of quality and reliability. Under MM2H I can get import tax concession (import tax examption) but the car has to be assemble in Malaysia either CKD or fully manufacture in malaysia. My budget is max 150k. Please advice.
thanks
Albert
Choices aplenty, depends on your priorities
Not really. This is an Impreza XV, build on Impreza chassis, and roughly the size of an Impreza hatchback. This XV is not a rival to 3008 nor ASX, it's competing with VW CrossGolf.
Hi Paul, can you please advice me which car I can get which is reliable and good quality. Under MM2H I can get import tax concession but the car has to be build or assemble in Malaysia. My budget is under 150k. thanks
regards
Albert
Subaru Impreza will be CKDed in Malaysia… Haha, but CKD versions will be Impreza hatch first, then the Impreza sedan will come as CKD… This car in the pictures would be the new Impreza.
Good job Danny !
mmm…..The japs are really losing to the koreans…..the engine aside…design wise the koreans beats them by miles
I think the CKD crossover SUV is Impreza XV as in Japan.
http://www.subaru.jp/impreza/xv/
http://www.goo-net.com/catalog/SUBARU/IMPREZA_XV/…
Not that one, but a new one. Production version will get international debut Q1 next year
Not that one, but next generation XV. Production version to debut in Q1 2012
Looks like a Mazda CX-7 – not original at all
Then again, the CX-7 has always been a very nice car :)
wow.. i want one!-
Shld ckd the NA impreza 1.6 and sell at arnd 80k…with AWD, it wud b the only one in it's class…and offer STi bodykit it'll b hot as hell…best part is the boxer growl after u install Genome or Blitz Nur Spec R!
sounds good…
FT-86 Subaru version, please & thanks
Subaru Impreza Sedan CKD plssss…. manual 6 speed
Subaru Impreza sedan will be also assembled in Malaysia…
where are the center air-cond ducts ???
Exterior wise, very muscular, solid look
hmmm… very nice concept design. Love the interior panels n the front grille. P1 need to really quickly come out with their crossover (sic lekiu concept) to join in the segment. Come to think of it they look to have almost the same form factor. Subaru got it right with a much more aggressive look but then again its just a concept rendering for now. Wait and see how it turns out. Maybe P1 could do the same n finetune with a slightly more agressive look. Fingers crossed.
nice rims…
this looks much nicer than the "new" Kia sportage.
Hai Japs fag I couldn't see any good on this car. Only greenthingy thing with flower rims. Gurly I guess… Real Man buy Kia Sportage.
with the recent Tucson and Sportage launch, end 2012 for this model seems a bit too late… and this is just concept and yet to get real car specs…
Why change back to this old comment system? I like the “Sort by Popular/Likes/Date” feature of the previous Comment system. Possible make a Fusion of both system? I like the Thumbdown button in the old system though, very Fun to press LOL.
Like it…best price please!
hopefully the car,especially the interior will be like the one displayed here
notbeen downgraded just like our hyundai sonata
center panel looks mighty interesting… looks like the entire thing is a digitial instrument touch panel. the lower part even looks like the instrument panel on an aircraft. xD
Here in JB , Imprezzas , Foresters and those Legacys are a plenty, both heavily moded and plain jane stock. I'll say 99% of them are singaporean . Ive seen drivers range from blond haired Chinese to kopiah wearing Malays. Singaporean love them so much!
Ill hope we discover it soon why? better quality? better performance? better overall ? well, im just happy that there another brand to compete with H , T and N! and Subaru seem to be revamping, big time!
Subaru is belong to TOYOTA !!! eat your heart out. :-p
and many of them are of the 1.6 version with super large exhaust pipes. will the 1.6 version do well here?
Every Subaru has a lot of fun not found in any Japanese cars, such as 4WD, Boxer4, 5-star Euro NCAP, and decades of rallying experience.
well, its beautifull….only if the price is acceptable
Niceee…..i love it
Hello, Mr Danny
Some minor discrepancies but tot I’d point it out just as well.
Your headline says:
“CONFIRMED: CKD Subaru model will be based on the XV Concept”
But your yesterday’s story only implies that it will not be the Forrester. There was no mention of the XV.
Also, usually when the term “broke” the story is used, it implies more than just being first to post it online based on a press release.
Thank You.
nice…
like in singapore, subaru is everywhere!
Tan Chong…WE WANT IMPREZA !!! WRX Better!!
It's that Honda Accord?? lol…js kidding…;)
Design looks like come from China lah.
model ni nti dah guna enjin siri FB (timing chain) yg baru tu kot.
First time to see green color one , very beautiful , I have orange one , custom design bonnet in http://www.suspart.com/stock/carbon-fiber-car-parts/carbon-fiber-subaru-xv-bonnet-hood-1/
plan to open 18 outlets before year end 2013? i think that plan has failed