Perodua Viva - Tin Can in Motion

Perodua's Viva is a nice car to look at and drive. It's nippy, stylish and economical.

When mated to a 1 litre engine, the Viva can really fly - I once trailed one that was actually going as fast as 145km/h!

But it's one thing to go fast and completely another to stop safely.

Many Vivas we see on the roads don't have anti-brake lock system (ABS). So, if they go fast and run into trouble, they won't be able to stop quickly enough, or worse, when their brakes lock, they won't be able to steer to avoid collision.

And if they crash at high-speeds, well, the picture above shows what can happen.

Like a veritable tin can, the Viva can surprisingly rip apart upon impact, throwing passengers out.

Of course, being a Muslim, I am taught to believe that life and death is in the hands of Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful. So, no matter how good our preparations to live long, safe, healthy lives are, when the time comes for us to die, we will die.

Still, there are lessons to be learnt. Foremost is that, if you are driving a Viva with no ABS, then you really shouldn't be driving more than 110km/h. 

Anything faster would be near suicidal, because chances are, you won't be able to slow down quickly enough before certain impact, let alone steer, making the Viva's 3-Star NCAP rating inconsequential. 

Secondly, not all cars are built equally strong regardless of their NCAP ratings. Minis, for instance, tend to fare worse than compacts or sub-compacts in accidents, albeit they have the same NCAP ratings.

Thirdly, while cars are preferable to motorcycles, when driven by the young or spirited, they can be equally dangerous, if not more so.

Hence, if you are going to drive a Viva with no ABS, or for that matter, any car with no ABS, don't drive like you're on a race track. Keep to 110km/h or slower where appropriate and drive defensively.

On the spur of the moment, you may not have any regard for your life or the safety of your passengers, but think of your loved ones.

If you die because of your recklessness, how will they cope after you're gone?

Hurray for the Kia Rio!

Ever since the Forte, Kia's been on the right design track.

This is evident with the new Kia Rio, which looks stunningly superb for a little hot-hatch/hatchback.

Mated to a mere 1.4L engine, one would think that driving this little dream machine would be boring, but this misconception is quickly put to rest by the Rio's pleasantly surprising torquey engine feel.

And unlike the CBU Forte, the Kia Rio's shocks are suitably stiff for Malaysian roads, especially when hugging corners. So, from the get-go, the Rio does almost everything right.

I say "almost everything" because, well, nothing is perfect. Not even the Rio.

To begin with, the car's bucket-like seats are rather small even for the average-size Malaysian. So, imagine how uncomfortable driving the Rio would be for taller, chunkier Malaysians.

Also, the Rio, while punchy, won't outpace most other hot-hatches/hatchbacks out there in the market due to its 1.4L (only) engine.

So, despite its sporty, contemporary design and punchy feel, this isn't a car that you really want to drive fast most of the time, lest you'd be disappointed by its (under)performance.

Still, if you're in the market for a sporty-looking hot-hatch/hatchback that is not a "national car" and is under the RM89,000 price range, then the Kia Rio is something to seriously consider. 

F1 Secret is Out: Vettel Uses the Jin!

Yes, the big secret it out. Vettel's secret formula to winning almost every F1 race is the Jin.

That Jin is the very same one that helped former multi world champion Schumacher win F1 races repeatedly.

If you look closely at Vettel's race footage, you'll see that he gets a magical speed boost on straights.

And at corners, his tyres don't touch the ground because the Jin carries his car around the corner at great speeds!

If you're not smirking already after reading all that, and if you believe all the above to be true, well, perhaps you need a psychiatric evaluation :P

Mazda Gets the "6" Right Again

Mazda has had its share of detractors, but in my books, when it comes to the "6", Mazda has been getting it right, all the way from the start.

Now in its third edition, the Mazda6 is stunningly beautiful. Check out those sleek lines and curves.

Even the sporty station wagon Mazda6 looks stunning.

The amazing thing about Mazda's "6" is that every edition has been done up right, such that every edition of the "6" is a gem to have.

Right now, someone like me who loves the Mazda6 would be tempted to buy the latest edition, but seeing how beautiful the older "6" is still, I'll hold on to mine just a while longer.

In terms of driving feel, the new "6" is not all that different from my older "6", but the new "6" has a much more powerful engine that's coupled with a slew of hi-tech gadgetry that'll let you conserve energy.

Called Skyactive, the system is designed to reclaim energy from braking as well as save fuel by turning off the engine when the car is stationary at junctions or during traffic jams, among others.

Get the new Mazda6 if you are planning to go into the hi-end of the car market.

Or if you've always been a hi-end conti car user, give the new Mazda6 a go.

You'll be amazed just how good the car is compared to conti cars of the same price range.

Addendum: My old Mazda6 is still a beauty to behold, in my opinion as a die-hard car lover. So, I'll hold onto it just a litle while longer.