The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N continues to undergo development, and the Korean manufacturer has released teaser footage of the high-performance EV running alongside the i20 N WRC, its current World Rally Championship entry.
In this recently released video on its YouTube channel, Hyundai shows the all-electric hatchback going for a spot of tandem drifting with the i20 N WRC, which itself is electrified and its 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol combustion engine is aided by a 134 hp/180 Nm motor generator unit (MGU) for a combined output of up to 500 hp in short bursts.
Selected members of Australian media outlets which were offered the opportunity to test the Ioniq 5 N prototype reported a larger battery to the tune of around 80 kWh, slightly more power than the Kia EV6 GT (which is no slouch at all, with 585 PS/740 Nm propelling the Kia from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds).
As such, this would make the Ioniq 5 N even more powerful than the WRC entry; the Ioniq 5 N will also get electronically controlled variable dampers, e-LSD, variable torque control, and a drift mode.
Onboard the Ioniq 5 N will be the “N e-Shift” programme that aims to replicate the sensations of a dual-clutch transmission shifting gears in a combustion-powered Hyundai N model, while “N Sound +” aims to deliver gearbox and engine sounds.
From earlier details previously revealed about the upcoming Ioniq 5 N, the carmaker has revealed that it will come with a selection of features to give the battery-electric car some characteristics of a traditional ICE-powered vehicle with a dual-clutch transmission.
What do you think of a sportier, even more potent Ioniq 5 that is already on sale in Malaysia? How much more beyond the Ioniq 5 Max’s price tag of RM270,408 do you think the Ioniq 5 N will be priced?
If you’re interested in the latest Subaru WRX but wished it offered a little more practicality, maybe the wagon version is what you need. Without further ado, here’s a full gallery of the new WRX Wagon, which is essentially the second-generation Levorg with the WRX’s powertrain and name.
Priced at RM285,245 on-the-road without insurance, the WRX Wagon is cheaper than its sedan sibling that starts at RM286,245 for the six-speed manual version and peaks at RM296,245 if you want a CVT and the EyeSight suite of driver assistance systems. Each purchase is accompanied by a five-year/100,000-km warranty.
For the money, you’re getting a FA24F 2.4 litre turbocharged flat-four petrol engine rated at 275 PS (271 hp or 202 kW) at 5,600 rpm and 375 Nm of torque from 2,000 to 5,200 rpm. The WRX Wagon is only offered with a CVT (dubbed Subaru Performance Transmission) that is accompanied by Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and Active Torque Vectoring system.
The wagon body style means you get 561 litres of boot space instead of the sedan’s 354 litres, and that figure is inclusive of the 69 litres of underfloor storage. It should be noted that the 60:40 split-folding rear bench in the WRX Wagon can be reclined or fully folded down for an unobstructed storage space. You’ll also notice there’s no black body cladding around the wheel arches like there are on the WRX sedan.
In terms of equipment, the WRX Wagon mirrors the top-spec WRX sedan and comes standard with steering responsive LED headlamps with High Beam Assist, 18-inch alloy wheels (with 225/45 profile tyres), LED front and rear fog lamps, keyless entry and engine start, a 10-way powered driver’s seat, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, selectable drive modes and an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
To continue, the kit list includes an electronic parking brake with auto brake hold, seven airbags (front, side curtain and driver’s knee), autonomous emergency braking, autonomous emergency steering, reverse automatic braking as well as blind spot monitoring. The WRX wagon also comes with has an eight-way powered front passenger seat that is absent in the WRX sedan.
Given the pricing, would you pick the WRX Wagon over its more expensive sibling? You get the same features as the WRX sedan with CVT and EyeSight, but with the added advantage of increased practicality and at RM1,000 less. While it may be called the WRX Wagon here, the model goes by other names depending on where it’s sold. In Japan, it’s called the Levorg, while in Australia and New Zealand, it is the WRX Sportswagon and WRX GT respectively.
According to a report by Sin Chew Daily, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will be detaining and issuing a fine against local influencer Gatita Yan’s boyfriend, Tay Wee Shen, for falling asleep after putting a BMW iX on “autopilot” while driving on the highway.
In series of Instagram stories posted on March 28, 2023, Yan showed off her boyfriend fast asleep in the driver’s seat with both his hands and feet off the steering wheel and pedals. The posts have since been deleted but not before they were reported to the authorities that are currently on the hunt for the driver.
Perak police chief Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri told the daily that drivers are allowed to engage automated driving systems in cars, but they must remain awake and ready to take over control for their safety.
The police have announced in the past that it has banned motorists from using automated driving systems to drive hands-free in Malaysia. This is after videos of a Tesla Model 3 owner demonstrating the functionality of the car’s Autopilot system by driving certain sections hands-free from Singapore to Penang went viral.
At the time, Bukit Aman Traffic Investigations and Enforcement chief assistant director Superintendent Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin said, “from the PDRM’s perspective, Malaysia currently has no rules or laws against automated driving systems, but these systems do not help drivers keep their full attention on driving – the system can’t even be sure if there is a driver sitting in the vehicle.”
“This will probably cause the driver to pay less attention to the traffic around them, instead spending their time on other distracting things, such as using a mobile phone while driving,” said Bakri, who added that even the United States prohibits the use of autonomous vehicles, despite carmakers and tech companies testing such vehicles in the country (having obtained the necessary permits, of course).
The “autopilot” feature in some cars today is typically a semi-autonomous driving feature that is rated at SAE Level 2, which still requires the driver to pay full attention and prepared to take over when required. Even Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta), despite the marketing, is still only a SAE Level 2 driver support feature.
For Malaysia’s ASEAN neighbour Vietnam, the 2023 Honda Blade gets an update, with local pricing at 19.25 million dong (RM3,617). There are three model variants if the Vietnam market blade offer – Special, Sports and Standard.
Differentiating the three models are the brake, with the Standard getting mechanical drums brakes on the front and rear wheels. Meanwhile, the Sports and Special come with a single hydraulic disc brake on the front wheel.
Wheels are also different between the Blade variants, the Standard coming with spooked wheels and tubed tyres while the Sports and Special get alloy wheels and tubeless tyres. A minor detail is the brake calliper and shock absorber spring on the Blade Sports is painted red while the Special gets silver callipers and springs.
Power comes from a 109.1 cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine producing 8.3 hp at 7,500 rpm and 8.65 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm. With both electric and kick starting the Blade comes with a four-speed rotary gearbox with centrifugal clutch and chain final drive.
The Blade carries 3.7-litres of fuel in the tank and other equipment includes an instrument panel with gear position indicator and halogen headlight. Overall weight of the Blade is 98 kg while the seat height is set at 769 mm.
The Kia EV9, first unveiled earlier this month, has been given a full world premiere, albeit online. The electric SUV is currently on display at the 2023 Seoul Mobility Show and will head stateside next month for the New York International Auto Show. There are quite a lot of firsts here, so it’s more than just another EV SUV, but a landmark model and flagship for the Korean carmaker.
“The Kia EV9 transcends all aspects of traditional SUV thinking and represents the pinnacle of Kia’s design and engineering capabilities. Created to meet the needs of all family members, the EV9 also spearheads Kia’s rapid transition to a sustainable mobility solutions provider, not just by its advanced EV architecture, but also through the numerous recycled and sustainable materials used in its creation,” said Kia president and CEO Ho Sung Song.
Kia says that with the EV9, it is bringing fresh thinking, design, and technology to the sector. It “pushes boundaries of what an EV can deliver” and “comfortably exceeds the benchmark of SUVs and EVs,” declared Chang Sung Ryu, Kia’s head of global brand. Sounds like a big deal all right. Let’s dig deeper together.
Previewed by a concept of the same name in late 2021 and based on Hyundai-Kia’s flexible Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the three-row SUV measures 5,010 mm long and 1,980 mm wide, with a wheelbase length of 3,100 mm. The EV9 is very big family car with a footprint that’s larger than even the US-market Kia Telluride, which wheelbase is 200 mm shorter. Maximum wheel size, as seen here, is 21 inches.
The EV9’s design is guided by the brand’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy and is fronted by a ‘Digital Tiger Face’, the latest iteration of the brand’s ‘tiger nose’. The face features a ‘Digital Pattern Lighting Grille’ and vertical headlamps, along with two clusters of small cube lamps adjacent to each headlamp. The ‘Star Map’ LED daytime running lights create an animated lighting pattern that we’ll also see on Kia’s future EVs. The three-branch rear signature is very unique too.
Kia’s head of global design Karim Habib gave an example of the ‘Opposites United’ design contrast at the virtual launch. The ex-BMW designer pointed to the EV9’s aggressive fender flares, which sport very sharp lines, triangular shapes and a precise look. On the opposite end is the car’s ‘fuselage’, which is very simple – the space between the wheels has only two surfaces.
Habib said that the clean sides work well with the low beltline, which is unusual for an SUV, but deliberately chosen for good visibility and a great impression of space. Actually, a low beltline (and big windows) on an SUV reminds me of the BMW iX, although the EV9’s long body and proportions are much easier on the eye. Also deliberate is the straight roof; again, this is to maximise space for all rows.
The EV9 may be a big, squarish SUV, but its aerodynamic coefficient is impressive at 0.28. The Cd figure was achieved through the several features such as Kia’s first-ever 3D-sculpted underbody cover – which features a convex shape at the front and a concave shape at the rear – aerodynamic wheels and air curtains integrated into the front bumper.
There’s also a GT-line variant of the EV9, which gets unique front and rear bumpers (more prominent lower grille with vertical vents), wheels, and roof rack. You’ll also find more black trim and the above-mentioned ‘Digital Pattern Lighting Grille’.
Moving inside, the EV9’s can be had with six or seven seats in three rows. There are four seating options for the second row, including a three-seater bench, basic-type, relaxation-type, and two swivel-type independent seats. The latter swivels 180 degrees to enable face-to-face conversations with those in the third row, who also have charging points and cup holders.
Front occupants get relaxation seats, as seen locally in the Hyundai Ioniq 5. If specified with second row relaxation seats, four occupants can recline together while the SUV is charging – the EV9 has enough space for that.
The wide and minimalist dashboard features what Kia calls a ‘Panoramic wide display’, which combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 12.3-inch infotainment system display. Between these two screens is a little one, a 5.0-inch segment display. More screens come in the form of digital side mirrors, giving you live feed of the exterior cameras at the edges of the dashboard.
A neat touch is the row of hidden touch buttons under central screen. For the start/stop function, infotainment system and climate controls, the buttons are integrated in the dashboard, possibly giving the best of both worlds between physical buttons and a clean look.
The EV9’s infotainment system has a new EV mode, which allows drivers to check and control all EV-specific information and functions on a single page. The feature also allows one to freely edit and configure the interface in a widget-style manner. Finally, notable user-friendly touches include a large base compartment at the centre console and mesh headrests for the front seats, which Kia says improve comfort and child monitoring.
Sustainability is a major focus for Kia, and the EV9 – as both the brand’s flagship model and flagship EV – is the carmaker’s first product to walk the talk, so to speak. Sustainable mobility goes beyond an EV’s zero tailpipe emissions, but also encompass the materials used in the vehicle’s construction.
The EV9 is the first model to embrace the Kia’s three-step Design Sustainability Strategy, initiated to phase out the use of leather, apply 10 ‘must-have’ sustainable items to all new Kia models and continuously increase the use of bio-based materials such as corn, sugar cane and natural oils. Kia’s target is to increase the proportion of recycled plastics it uses to 20% by 2030.
Marília Biill, Kia’s head of CMF Design (that’s colour, material and finish), said in the virtual press conference that the EV9 cabin is leather-free, and that its plant-based (corn extract) leather replacement offers the same durability and quality as hide. She added that each EV9 has 70 PET bottles worth of recycled plastic, and the total can go up to 100 bottles, depending on variant. The ultimate goal is biofabrication and Kia growing their own materials.
As for the cabin’s colour palette, Biill and her team drew inspiration from nature’s four core elements, namely light, air, earth, and water, to establish a connection with nature’s beauty. There are six different combinations, from a light modern grey to elegant natural tones and of course, a darker and more sporting theme for the GT-line.
The EV9 will be available in three variants – RWD Standard, RWD Long Range and AWD. The RWD Standard gets a 76.1 kWh battery while the other two are powered by a 99.8 kWh battery. The RWD Long Range comes with a 201 hp (150 kW)/350 Nm electric motor that pushes the big SUV from 0-100 km/h in 9.4 seconds. The same motor, in a more powerful 215 hp (160 kW)/350 Nm tune, gives the RWD Standard a 0-100 km/h time of 8.2 seconds.
The dual-motor AWD variant has a total power output of 380 hp (283 kW) and 600 Nm of torque, reducing the century sprint time to six seconds flat. That’s plenty fast for a big family SUV, but there’s more in the store, literally. Kia says that an optional Boost feature will be available for later purchase at the Kia Connect Store – with 700 Nm of twist, the 0-100 km/h time is slashed to 5.3 seconds.
The Korean carmaker wants EV9 customers “to spend as much time as possible on the road and as little as possible at the charging station, inspiring complete confidence in families to undertake lengthy road trips”. The RWD Long Range with base 19-inch wheels offers an estimated target range of over 541 km in the WLTP cycle. With a fast 800V charging system, the battery can be replenished with charge that’s good for 239 km in around 15 minutes, it’s claimed.
Speaking of road trips, the EV9 is a giant power bank with its vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, dispensing 3.68 kW of power for laptops or camping equipment.
One main highlight of the EV9 is its Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) system, which Kia describes as “a significant step towards full autonomy”. That means conditional Level 3 autonomous driving, powered by 15 sensors, including two LiDARs. That army of sensors scan for and detect objects in a full 360-degree field of view, enabling the EV9 to detect and react to the road and other users to prevent collisions.
By providing intelligent, proactive, real-time assistance across a wide range of conditions, HDP will meet the criteria required to deliver SAE Level 3 autonomy in certain areas of the world, Kia says, adding that the EV9 enables the driver to temporarily take a break from controlling the vehicle. HDP will only be available with GT-line models. Further details will be revealed nearer to market availability.
Kia is touting over-the-air OTA updates and purchases. Besides the extra torque of the Boost feature, owners can also enhance the EV9’s Digital Pattern Lighting Grille with patterns from the Kia Connect Store. Another example is the Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) 2 feature, along with content streaming through the vehicle’s AV, navigation and telematics system.
RSPA 2 gives the EV9 ability to park itself without the need for driver intervention, whether in or out of the vehicle, with the driver initiating the procedure via a smart key called Digital Key 2. The key utilises ultra-wide band (UWB) technology and allows users to open and start their car via smartphone. A full ADAS suite and 10 airbags protect occupants.
The EV9’s frame incorporates the world’s first patent-pending B-pillar connection structure technology, which features an extended overlap between the crash barrier and side sill. Pre-orders for the Korean market will start in Q2 2023, and the EV9 will go on sale in selected global markets from the second half of the year. Kia is working on a high performance GT version of the EV9, which CEO Song says will be released in early 2025.
The Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition is now available in Malaysia after first making its debut back in 2021 to celebrate the brand’s return to Formula 1. Available as a coupe or roadster, the sports car starts from RM978,000 before taxes, duties and other options.
Developed based on the official safety car used in Formula 1, the Vantage F1 Edition comes with a more powerful 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 that makes 535 PS, which is 25 PS more than a regular Vantage.
Meanwhile, peak torque remains unchanged at 685 Nm from 2,000 to 5,000 rpm, although it can be sustained for much longer to increase tractability and in-gear urgency. In terms of performance, the zero to 100 km/h sprint is completed in 3.6 seconds for the coupe (3.7 seconds for the roadster), while the top speed is 314 km/h (305 km/h for the roadster).
The AMG-sourced mill drives the rear wheels though a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with an optimised torque cut during upshifts to reduce shift times and increases the feeling of directness and precision.
The car’s chassis also gets some tweaks in the form of a stiffer front structure for better steering feel and response. The adaptive dampers also get reworked internals to enhance their effective force range, with Aston Martin saying this enables a noticeable improvement in vertical body control – both through high-speed compressions and over crests – without any deterioration in low-speed compliance.
Other revisions include an increased rear spring rate and lateral stiffness to sharpen turn-in, increase traction and ensure compliance with the front-end’s rate of response, along with a recalibrated steering system. This version of the Vantage is also the first to get 21-inch wheels paired with bespoke Pirelli P Zero tyres.
To mimic the F1 safety car, the celebratory Vantage also comes with a comprehensive aero kit that delivers 200 kg more downforce than the standard car. The kit includes a full-width front splitter, front dive plans, underbody turning vanes and a large rear wing. To complete the look, there’s a vaned grille as standard, carbon-fibre exterior detailing, unique graphics and quad exhausts.
An Aston Martin Racing Green paint colour is a good fit to match the race car, but you can also option Jet Black and Lunar White – all complemented with a Solid Matte Dark Grey racing graphics. Inside, you’ll find Obsidian Black leather and Phantom Grey Alcantara upholstery and trim, with a choice of Lime Green, Obsidian Black, Titanium Grey or Spicy Red contrast stripe and stitching.
Arriving towards the end of last year, the 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric joined the Swedish brand’s range of fully electric models in Malaysia which was led by the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric which was facelifted in November 2022.
Priced at RM288,888, the C40 is on sale in Malaysia solely in dual-motor all-wheel-drive form, producing 408 PS and 660 Nm of torque combined, and this enables a 0-100 km/h time of 4.7 seconds, or 0.2 second quicker than the equivalent XC40 Recharge Pure Electric.
Power comes from the 78 kWh battery (75 kWh usable) that provides up to 450 km of range based on the WLTP test cycle, which is slightly improved over the 438 km managed by the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric with the same battery pack and powertrain.
DC fast charging can be done at up to 150 kW, which yields a 0-80% recharge in just 28 minutes. Meanwhile, 11 kW AC charging via the Type 2 connection takes 7.5 hours for a full charge.
The C40 is certainly quick on the road, though there are drawbacks as the sloping, 70 mm-lower roofline that gives the C40 its distinct look – and improved drag – also brings compromise in rear headroom compared to the XC40 that shares its width (1,863 mm) and wheelbase (2,702 mm). The roof itself has a panoramic glass panel which does without a shade and is therefore permanently uncovered.
Infotainment is handled in the C40 by a nine-inch Android Automotive OS-powered infotainment display, while compatible phones can be charged on the Qi wireless charging pad. A 600-watt Harman Kardon sound system with 14 speakers brings the audio, while further conveniences come courtesy of the hands-free powered tailgate, a 30-litre ‘frunk’ (front trunk) and ambient lighting.
Active safety kit as standard in the C40 includes the City Safety suite (collision avoidance & mitigation with intersection support; pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection), front and rear collision warning and mitigation support, Driver Alert Control, Lane Keeping Aid, Run-Off Road Mitigation with Road Edge Detection, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Steer Assist and Cross Traffic Alert (CTA) with Autobrake.
What do we think of the Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric here in Malaysia? Watch the video here as Hafriz Shah puts the EV through its paces.
According to deputy finance minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, this is because the government believes that the cost of constructing the loop line can be lowered, and has requested that the matter be looked into further, Berita Harian reports.
“There is a view that it can be lowered to RM45 billion, so we are waiting for a proposal on that. The MRT3 distance is 50.8 kilometers to complete the urban rail network. If we don’t build MRT3, we won’t be able to carry out the entire journey,” he said during the winding-up session of the Supplementary Supply Bill (2022) 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Click to enlarge.
He added that the government will also carry out a comprehensive study of the effectiveness of implementing the MRT3 project compared to Bus Line Transit (BRT), taking into account the suitability of locations, traffic volume and overall cost. “This matter will be discussed further with the transport and finance ministries,” he said.
He was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH-Kuala Selangor), who asked if the finance ministry would conduct a comparative impact study between MRT3 and BRT, taking into account the factors of service use and cost.
The MRT3 Circle Line is set to be the last piece in completing the urban rail network in Kuala Lumpur, running along the perimeter of the city and linking areas that aren’t connected at present. It will go around Kuala Lumpur through high-density areas, including Setiawangsa, Titiwangsa, Mont Kiara, Pantai Dalam and Pandan Indah.
Porsche will unveil the new Cayenne on April 18 at Auto Shanghai in China, but before the main event, the company is giving us our first look at the SUV’s overhauled interior. Called the Porsche Driver Experience, the design draws inspiration from other cars in the company’s line-up like the Taycan and 911.
Digital screens are aplenty inside the living space, starting with a freestanding 12.6-inch curved instrument cluster display that is joined by a 12.3-inch central display for the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system.
Unlike other carmakers, Porsche opted against fully integrating the climate controls into the middle touchscreen. Much like the current Cayenne, there’s a dedicated control panel with physical switches to quickly adjust things like the temperature and fan speed, while other functions are linked to touch-based buttons with haptic feedback on the glass surface.
One major difference is the centre console no longer accommodates a gear selector or even controls for the vehicle’s drive modes. The former is now just a toggle-style switch – like in the 911 – located between the two main screens, while the drive modes (Normal, Offroad, Sport and Sport Plus) are accessed with the rotary dial on the steering wheel.
The button to disable the stability system has also been relocated to between the centre air vents, and in keeping with tradition, a new engine start button (no longer a key insert) is to located close to the driver’s door. A redesigned control lever for the driver assistance system is also found directly on the steering wheel.
Taking another page out of the Taycan, the new Cayenne can also be ordered with an optional 10.9-inch passenger display, which allows your co-driver to operate the navigation or select a media service. Porsche says a special foil ensures the display can’t be seen from the driver’s seat, so the front passenger can watch videos from Screenhits TV without creating a distraction.
The German carmaker adds that the increased horizontal emphasis of the dashboard makes the interior appear even wider, and there’s also a cooled smartphone storage area with a wireless charger capable of delivering 15 watts.
Elsewhere, there are two new USB-C ports in the front storage compartment and another two USB-C ports in the rear section of the centre console, all with a fast charging function. A QR code also makes it easy to pair your phone to PCM, which supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while also having integrated apps such as Spotify and Apple Music.
With the launch of the official Recaro Kids Malaysia online store, it’s now even easier and convenient to get your hands on world-class products that are specifically designed to keep your little one safe and comfortable.
As a premium brand with over 110 years of experience in child safety products, Recaro offers a comprehensive range of child car seats are suited for children aged from newborn to 12 years, or up to weight of 36 kg. There are also various child strollers that are developed with practical features in mind to make their daily usage a breeze.
All these products are easily purchasable at the Recaro Kids Malaysia online store, with discounts offered for several items. This includes the Namito Mix & Match Bundle, which allows you to take home both the Recaro Namito and Easylife Elite 2 at up to 40% off.
Available from now until April 30, 2023, the Namito Mix & Match Bundle is the perfect companion for the upcoming balik kampung trip to celebrate Hari Raya. Spending certain amounts on Recaro products will also earn you complimentary gifts, including a limited edition Recaro T-shirt worth RM129, a Recaro cap worth RM129 and even a Recaro backpack worth RM300.
Your child deserves the best, and with quality products that are designed in Germany to meet the highest standards, Recaro’s range of child car seats and strollers are the perfect fit for your parenting lifestyle. To find out what’s available, head on over to the Recaro Kids Malaysia online store.
