Peugeot 208 - The Little Car than Can

If you've just started out in life and money doesn't come easy, a little pocket-rocket like the Peugeot 208 would be out of the question. But give it a few more years and, God Willing, this little beauty would be within reach.

Priced at just above RM80,000++, the Peugeot 208 is designed to meet the trendy needs of the young (young at heart). It's fast, it's stylish and it's jammed packed with electronics or as I'd like to call it "drivertronics".

Right from the get-go, the Peugeot salesperson will tell you to test drive the 208 hard and I mean really hard; rev it up high and quickly, zip it around corners and fly it over humps, so that you instantly feel how nippy and sturdy the car feels for a one-point-something-litre-engine small thing.

And I must admit, for someone who really isn't a Peugeot fan, the experience was exhilarating.

Not for the first time, Peugeot has produced a great little small car. But in the 208, Peugeot has outdone itself.

"This car was built for you to drive with your body," said the salesperson.

I didn't get what he meant at first. But after the test drive, I got it. I really got it.

The sheer thrill of driving the Peugeot 208 made me feel like I just had to keep driving the little thing. But alas, I already have enough good cars under the porch. So, I won't be buying the 208 any time soon...sigh!

Just so that no one gets the impression that the Peugeot 208 is only a driving enthusiast's wonder of a car, inside, it has many of today's life-comforts e.g. fully digital in-car entertainment system with a reasonably large touch-screen display, comfortable bucket-like seats, and a spacious cabin with enough headroom, leg-room and elbow-room to make you feel like you're in a compact class car (instead of a sub-compact).

This means that the passengers you bring along would be in for an entertaining and comfortable ride, provided they have the stomach for your fast driving (and not throw up half way through). And believe me, in the Peugeot 208, all you want to do is drive fast most of the time.

In a nutshell, the Peugeot 208 makes other small hot-hatch/hatchback cars appear to be less than value-for-money.

Then again, if you're not a Peugeot fan like me, you'd think twice or even three times.

Why? Well, personally, I don't really like Peugeot's styling choices. To me, they look really odd.

The one thing in particularly that really turns me off about the Peugeot 208 is its front grill design. It's "carved" out of the front bumper, making the 208 look like it's sticking out its lower lip in grim sadness.

It's like the little thing is complaining, "Help! I'm being driven hard and I don't like it!"

Oh! Well. Peugeot can't please everyone with its design choices, I suppose...

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.

Thanks for Your Kind Support

Dear readers of Grinner's Cars Malaysia (including my old friends from school and college),

Thank you for your kind support thus far. I'm heartened to see that although I haven't blogged for a few months, I still get people visiting my Cars Malaysia blog and leaving messages of encouragement.

I've been away for some experiential learning, as a way to review my life-long career as a writer, trainer and public relations practitioner. I've connected with some good old friends in the process, who have given me valuable insights to life.

And I've done some soul searching.

I've concluded that life is too short to be worrying about things that make me unhappy; that now is not the time to chase after pipe-dreams. In short, I should go on doing what I do best and let the rest take care of itself.

So, I'm going to focus on my current passion, which is writing, training and public relations. And I'm going to enjoy all the little things in life that I've been taking for granted, because I was too busy chasing after the "big" things in life.

Moving forward, Grinner's Cars Malaysia blog will have more frequent postings again, God-willing. It would also have a mirror blog-site that I hope would help me monetise my blog entries on cars - the latter is the result of your continuing support by coming to my blog-site and leaving words of encouragement, even though I had stopped blogging for quite some time.

Again, thank you all for your continuing support.

Grinner

Addendum: The Mazda 626 above is the same model as my old red Mazda 626. I chose that picture as a symbol of my return to the simpler times in the my life; before things got overly complicated because I was chasing after "big dreams" and leaving most of the little things that make life meaningful on the sidelines. While I can't reclaim the past, I can make things better from this point on.

Lexus GS350-250 - Luxurious Comfort with Old School Styling

Lexus has been described by BMW as a real contender for the luxury car segment. That was indeed high praise. With quality and design that rivalled leading European marques, it was not surprising for Lexus to be viewed as such.

Today, Lexus continues to produce high quality luxury cars that are remarkable, such that no one would ever doubt the status of its owner as a high income earner with a taste for high quality, if we see a Lexus like the GS350/250 driving by.

But then, one can't help but ask, "Can't he or she do better?" This is not simply a question of affordability. People who are rich enough to buy a Lexus can buy just about any other luxury make.

It's a question of contemporary design. Compared to other makes/models in its class, the Lexus GS350/250 is a little behind or "old school" - save for the Autobot-looking front bonnet and grills.

Of course, there is really nothing wrong with old-school, unless you put the Lexus GS350/250 side-by-side with, for example, the new Mazda 6.

Then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Someone who prefers the Lexus GS350/250 would probably think that the new Mazda 6's Shinari Design is a little too funky.

Personally, I prefer the new Mazda 6, but I've always been a Mazda fan. So, I'm a little biased...

Hyundai Elantra - Just Gets Better with Time

When I first saw the concept car for Hyundai's Elantra, I almost regretted buying the Kia Forte. As much as I love my Forte to bits, I must admit, the Elantra looks better.

And the thing is, the more I look at the Elantra, the better it seems to look - like it grows on you.

Also called the Avante, the new Elantra looks good in all colours, and despite its mid-range price bracket, the car looks grand.

Just buy and drive. No need to put in bigger rims or tyres. No need to add more bling.

Just buy and drive - proudly.

Thumbs up to Hyundai for getting things right with the Elantra.

New Kia Forte - Leading by Design

Kia makes good cars, but for the longest time, it lagged behind its competitors because of its "so-so" Korean design approach.

Then, it decided to do something radical. It hired Audi's former Chief Designer to design a new Kia that would take the world by storm.

Out came the Kia Forte, the first ever Kia designed to compete against European marquees in terms of good looks but still carry a price tag of an average Korean car.

The result was instant success worldwide.

2013 is just around the corner. What has Kia done for the Forte? Make it look even better but without detracting from the current Forte, such that Forte owners old and new can still take pride the good looks of their favourite Kia.

Well done, again, Kia. Well done, indeed.

New Malaysian Traffic Laws by Decree of the Stupid

By Decree of the Stupid, the following are new traffic laws in force in Malaysia.

1. Slow drivers are to drive on the fast lane at all cost. While it is not a legal obligation for slow drivers to cause traffic congestion on the fast lane, it is highly encouraged.

2. Slow drivers on the fast lane are to drive even more slowly if there is an accident on the road. This is to allow other drivers to have a good look at the accident, especially if it is on the opposite side of the road. While it is not a legal obligation to cause accidents, slow drivers are encouraged to brake erratically while others are watching a road accident, so as to cause other accidents.

3. Slow drivers are to remain oblivious to fast drivers who need to overtake on the fast lane, especially those fast drivers who "flash" slow drivers using the high-beam.

4. Slow drivers are to leave just enough gap between them and other cars on the middle or slow lane, so as to entice fast drivers to overtake from the left, but slow drivers are to accelerate just then to close the gap, denying fast drivers the ability to actually overtake.

5. Slow drivers are to drive on both the fast and middle/slow lane when a fast driver approaches from behind. This is to give the illusion that the slow driver is about to give way, but without actually doing so. At the same time, by driving on both the fast and middle/slow lanes, the slow driver is to prevent the fast driver from overtaking.

6. Both slow and fast drivers are prohibited from using the indicator lights when switching lanes or turning.

7. Fast drivers are prohibited from overtaking slow drivers, unless they do so from the left. Fast drivers on the fast lane are encouraged to high-beam slow drivers, but must not expect slow drivers to give way.

8. Fast drivers are to weave in and out of traffic, and are prohibited from using indicator lights while doing so. Fast drivers are encouraged to overtake using the emergency lane.

9. Fast drivers are prohibited from following slow drivers in a queue and, must, instead, cut queue at all available points. Use of indicator lights when cutting queue is also prohibited.

10. Fast drivers are prohibited from slowing down when overtaking slow drivers, so as to shock slow drivers when fast drivers zoom pass. This shock is a necessary thrill for slow drivers who cannot drive fast.

Drivers who do not observe these Decrees by the Stupid are to be punished by all stupid drivers on the road, both slow and fast, by any means available.

Nissan Almera - What the Heck's Got Into Nissan?

Nissan makes great cars. They're extremely reliable and trendy, generally speaking.

The Nissan GTR is one of the best super cars around, followed by the 370Z, etc.

Then there's the ever popular Nissan Grand Livina and its derivative, the X-Gear, and the superbly powerful Navara SUT (or sports utility truck).

And then there are Nissan's silly looking cars, which I don't get (or understand). I mean, why? Why have these silly looking cars when they go against Nissan own styling trend that could easily stand up to other leading marques?

Check out the latest addition to Nissan's long line of silly design cars - the new Almera. One look and you know this car is meant to appeal to the Toyota Vios fan, but it doesn't even come close to the Vios' cute appeal.

If, by definition, cute means "ugly in a nice way", then the Almera is extremely ugly with just a dash of nice - not much or rather, it has too little of "nice".

To put it differently, labelling the Almera "cute" would be too generous a description.

It does have its winning points though. The Almera's cabin space is larger than the Vios', albeit the Almera remains a baseline-class or B-class car like the Vios. This means that there's quite a bit more legroom for rear passenger comfort, which one usually finds in compact-class or C-class cars.

The Almera's boot space is also on the larger side, which is good for mega-store grocery shopping and holidaying with the family, albeit the car's practical boot space is not all that bigger than the Vios'.

The engine is pretty standard, but it has been configured, not for power like the Vios, but for best fuel economy, which is reportedly 14.9KM per litre of RON95 fuel. Of course, the downside to this is that the Almera would feel rather sluggish, like the Sentra.

In short, the Almera would probably sell like the silly looking Silphy and Latio. But I seriously doubt that it would win over significant market share from Toyota just because it tries very hard to appeal to Vios-loving car owners.

By the way, the new Almera is actually the latest variant of the Sentra, but it's not called Sentra probably because Nissan Malaysia wants to keep selling the Sentra.

VW Jetta - An Odd Little Magnificent Car

The new VW Jetta is not a compact or C-class car, although it looks almost big enough to be one. It's a people's car that is supposed to compete against the likes of Japanese and Korean sub-compact or B-class (baseline-class) cars of the likes of Toyota Vios and its ilk.

But this makes the Jetta extremely odd, because it is not within the price range of a Vios and performs way better too. Yet, it's not a C-class car.

Priced around RM150,000++ with insurance and road tax, the Jetta comes with a 1.4L dual turbo engine that can churn upwards of 150BHp, but without leather seats. At this price range, it competes directly against E-class cars like the hugely popular Toyota Camry, Mazda 6, Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima.

So, one can hardly consider the Jetta a B-class car. If anything, it is a sports enthusiast's car because - wowiee! - the Jetta can really fly.

In short, the Jetta is truly an odd little magnificent car.

Mazda SHINARI Concept - New Mazda 6

If you think the new Volvo S60 is beautiful, then check out the Mazda SHINARI Concept car, which is rumoured to be the template for the upcoming new Mazda 6. It's far more beautiful and stylistic.

In anticipation of the launch of the new Mazda 6, Bermaz is clearing stock of the outgoing Mazda 6 with a RM20,000 discount promotion. According to one of the sales persons who has seen the new Mazda 6, the new version has smaller headlights and sleeker looking front (pretty much like the SHINARI Concept).

Price? Don't know yet.

But for those who want to see what the new Mazda 6 could look like, check out the similarities between the SHINARI Concept and the new CX5.

Volvo S60 - Wish I may, Wish I Might...

There's something about a Volvo car that makes you want to go "Wowiee!" the first time you see it. And when you get into one, you feel like you're encased in a solid, safe and comfortable ride.

That's how I felt when my late father brought home the Volvo 144 station wagon for the first time and, over a decade later, the Volvo 244 GL sedan.

Fast forward some 30 years later, the new Volvo S60 still has that effect. It looks great, feels great and even smells great.

So much so, car lovers the world over can rest assured that when you cruise about in the new S60, you're going to be such a head-turner that, when you imagine or find yourself in "lesser" cars, you can't help but think of them as "cheap". As pompous as this may sound, that's the kind of effect the new S60 had on me when I went about my monthly test-drive rounds, never mind that the S60 I drove didn't come with 18-inch sport rims but 17-inch ones (which I think is a shame for such a beautiful car).

Anyway, the moment I stepped out of the S60 to test drive the Honda CRZ Hybrid, I felt like I was about to get into some poorly designed Japanese car that not only looked cheap but felt cheap as well. And the thing is, I really like the Honda CRZ Hybrid.

Sigh!

I suppose if you can already afford a luxury model like the S60, you shouldn't really be comparing it to cars that are beneath its class. That wouldn't be fair.

Interestingly though, when I compared the S60 to the Mazda6 and KIA Optima, I didn't get the feeling that I was comparing a luxury model to cheapo ones. That's probably because the latter two can really stand up to the S60 in terms of attractive contemporary design.

 

The Many Faces of Toyota Camry

Earlier this year, pictures of the new Toyota Camry were released and made their way onto the Internet. The new Camry looked sleeker and far more streamlined than the old Camry.

But that would not be the new Camry that makes its way to Malaysian shores. The reason is that the sleeker, more streamlined Camry is for the Japan market, whereas the overseas market would get the wider bodied, longer wheel-base version.

From a styling point of view, the new Camry - overseas version - looks more imposing due to its angular lines that make it appear somewhat bigger than the older version. But get inside and it's pretty much a Camry designed for the "senior executive" market - senior as in age and position, though not necessarily wealth.

This is affirmed by its driving feel, which prioritises passenger comfort over sports handling, albeit the VVTI that comes with the new Camry.

For the young and upcoming or the young at heart, the new Camry - like the old Camry - is rather "ho-hum". It's an old man's car that doesn't quite excite.

Ah! Well, that's what the current market wants, probably, which is why the Camry has been the top selling executive or E-class sedan. 

Nonetheless, if you're looking to distinguish yourself without blowing a wad of cash on a higher-end E-class car, the new Camry is not the only good choice around - there's the new KIA Optima, Hyundai Sonata and, of course, the Mazda 6. All you need is to be brave enough to break away from the "pack" that's all into Toyota cars...

Goodbye My Darling Forte

Yes, I did it again. After upgrading the car that I love to bits, I went and bought a new car.

So, now, I have to say goodbye to my darling Forte, because it doesn't make sense to keep two good cars and pay almost twice as much as I have to. After all, I'm driving my new car more - yes, that's me being reasonable :P

What car did I buy? The far superior and far more stylish Mazda6 2.5 S-VT (which I've reviewed before).

I should be so lucky, you think? Why not keep both?

Yes, I'd love to keep both the Forte and the Mazda6, but dear wifey won't let me. "Better spend the money on me!" she says and she's right, of course :)

So, here's me saying goodbye and paying tribute to my darling Forte:

I'll always remember
that rainy Monday morning
How much joy I got
going fast in my new red cruiser
Only to hit a deep puddle and go spinning
"Oh! God. My new car" I screamed
as I saw the concrete divider
Rushing in for a devastating front-ender
But my darling Forte
You kept it away
With your fantastic 180 manoeuvre
Thank God
And thank you...

My darling 2.0L beauty is now for sale at RM78,000 ono.

:)

New Preve - It's, well, a Proton

The Preve. Kinda hard to say much about it, because, well, it's a Proton.

As ride handling goes, if you're familiar with how solid and pleasurable the Proton Waja feels, then you're right to expect the same thing from the Preve.

It's also quite punchy. Without the turbo charger, the Preve manual feels similar to the Proton Waja manual version.

With the turbo charger, it's pickup is kicked up more than by several notches.

This means that, for those who have been waiting for a Proton sedan to have a turbo charger in it, the Preve would be just the thing for you.

But then, we come full circle. In the end, it's just a Proton.

Styling wise, it doesn't quite set the design trend like most Proton cars. The Preve, for all intents and purposes, looks like... well, it looks like the Kia Forte. This is not bad, but it's not refreshing either.

So, it won't quite be the head-turner that Proton may have intended it to be.

The Preve is cheap relative to others in its class, but herein lies a threat. Being protected by government taxes means that it can come up short in quality and value-for-money, and still have healthy demand, encouraging Proton to continue with its tendency to produce cars with poor quality control.

Hopefully, the Preve will prove to be different from many of its defect-prone forerunners (the Waja included). After all, Proton has a new tag line now "Committed to be better".

Yeah, well, it had better be. It's been a looooong time coming.

New Teana - Nissan's Luxyry Liner

I've often wondered how a company that manufactures a super car like the GTR could come up short when it came to designing luxury sedans. None of the luxury models produced by Nissan could measure up to those produced by premium marquees like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, VW and Volvo... that is until now.

Imagine a GTR in your driveway and next to it is the new Nissan Teana - not a Mercedes or BMW but a brand new luxury Nissan sedan. Personally, I think I'd be very, very satisfied.

Unlike the old Nissan Teana, this new one is more contemporary looking and can easily pass off as a top executive car. Nevermind that it's a bit late on the scene.

So, if I were super duper rich and could choose whichever brand for my personal fleet of automobiles, I'd go with the Nissan - from the GTR for weekend driving, to the Teana for being schaufer driven, to the cute little Nissan March for going to the cramp night market, etc.