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...

Toyota Avanza 2012 - Not Just a Married Man's Car

You've done up your ride by making it look sleek and fast, and then your mom, dad or siblings ask for a favour - "Can you help me carry all that furniture I bought from Ikea? Can you bring your grandmother and your nephews/nieces around KL for the school holiday, since you're not going anywhere?" etc. In your nicely done up cool mobile? Nuh-uh.

You won't even drive it to the wet market or pasar malam (night market) to avoid dirtying your car, if you can help it. But you really don't want to hurt your parents' feeling, your siblings' feelings or those of your extended family.

So, what you need is a utility/auxiliary vehicle for all the rough stuff. But you seriously don't want to cram your style while catering to as many of your immediate and extended families as possible. What you need is a small 7-seater like the Toyota Avanza.

It's better than a truck because you can cram more than five people in an Avanza. Also, unlike a big-ass MPV, the Avanza is not too big an investment and it does not scream "I'm a boring old married man".

Think of the Avanza as a Toyota hot-hatch on steroids.

It comes in three variants: 1.3, 1.5G and 1.5S. But whichever variant you choose, if you've ever driven a Daihatsu Terios or its local equivalent Perodua Kembara, then you'd be familiar with how the Avanza's driving feel is like.

And that's because the Avanza uses the same chassis as the old Terios/Kembara.

In terms of styling, the new Avanza sports better looking headlights and rear lights, as well as a more stylish bonnet and front grill.

Unfortunately, it still comes with rims and wheels that are too small for its wheel wells. But don't let that stop you, since you can always put in after-market rims and tyres that make the Avanza look really sporty and sleek.

Of course for RM78,000++, you can get a bigger MPV like the Proton Exora. Or you could save some money by opting for the Perodua Alza.

Yeah, but, neither of them would be a Toyota, would they?

The Avanza selling price starts at around RM63,000+, but it would come with only a 1.3L engine and manual transmission, and at that entry level, it won't have ABS/EBD

Toyo-duh! for Show-offs and Fools

Oil prices are going up and up. Yet, some people remain hung-up on big-engine fuel guzzling SUVs, like the Toyota Landcruiser V8.

Why? Oh! Why? They're either show-offs or fools.

"Hey, I can afford it. No matter how high the fuel prices go, I'm rich. See my Toyota V8 and go green with envy!"

Yeah! You wish. All I see is a fool who doesn't know how better to use his money.

Even if you're a millionaire, and especially if you want to remain a millionaire, you're going to have to think more on how best to make your money work harder. This is why it is estimated that 80% of the world's millionaires own and drive second hand cars.

Visit http://www.bloomberg.com/energy and you'll see first hand the oil prices' slow but steady march up to and beyond the USD100 per barrel mark.

And if you're really a smart millionaire, not someone who inherited his daddy's riches or became rich overnight because of sheer luck, you'll know to put money in a car with an engine that's been downsized like any of VW's TSI cars that come with small engines and turbo chargers. Alternatively, you'll invest in a hybrid car and, if you're really rich, an electric car.

What you don't do is squander your wealth on a Toyo-duh! V8 that even Americans who are hung up on SUVs with big engines are no longer into much.

Speaking of which, I came across an idiot who recently bought one. The big ugly thing wasn't just fugly, it was also damn slow for a V8 (perhaps because of its inferior power-to-weight ratio).

Yet, the dick behind the wheel must have thought that he had the divine right to hog the fast lane and the middle lane at the same time. So, I flashed him with my high-beam.

He got mad and got into a pissing competition with me. Not surprisingly, his V8 lost to my naturally aspirated 2.0L Kia Forte SX simply because of my Forte's superior power-to-weight ratio.

That makes buying the Toyo-duh! V8 doubly stupid. Not only does it guzzle fuel, it's not very quick on the roads.

Move aside, slow-coach...

Dual CVVT Corolla Altis for Toyota Lovers Who Hate being Out-Gunned

I don't know why, but a lot of Toyota Vios drivers appear to have dreams of grandeur. They would do up their under-powered cars and tail-gate my Kia Forte 2.0SX so closely, as though they're racer-boys to be reckoned with.

It's not like I can't get out of the way or that I can't speed up. Traffic up-front won't allow me to go any faster.

So, as soon as I can, I speed off, leaving the Toyota Vios driver behind in my exhaust fumes.

"Come on, catch up then," I would say out loud. But by then, the Vios would be far behind, struggling to close the distance.

Why do these Toyota Vios drivers even bother? Perhaps they don't know that my Forte is the 2.0L, 155Bhp variant and not the underpowered 1.6L variant. Certainly, there are no markings on my car to indicate as such.

Perhaps it's just the way they are. Having spent so much on a Toyota, they can't help but feel the need to push their cars as hard as they can.

I suppose this is why Toyota came up with the Dual CVVT Toyota Corolla Altis, which is mainly for those Toyota racer boys who want a little more power, so that they don't get left behind in other people's exhaust fumes.

But really, even with the improved torque of 187nm at 3,600 RPM, the Dual CVVT Corolla Altis is largely pointless. With only about 145Bhp, the Dual CVVT Altis would still be out-gunned by the Kia Forte 2.0SX and the Honda Civic 2.0, which are among its major rivals.

Worse still, the Dual CVVT Altis is about RM40,000 more expensive than the Forte 2.0SX.

If you really have about RM132,000 to blow on a car, you're better off with a Honda Civic 2.0. Otherwise, save your RM40,000 and settle for a Kia Forte 2.0SX.

What's more, with so many exciting new options to choose from, including hybrid cars, something like the Dual CVVT Altis is so passe - it simply does not give enough bang for your buck.

I won't go into detail on the Dual CVVT Altis' looks, simply because the matter is relative (although if you ask me, the design is not very exciting and somewhat pointless).

On the balance, the Dual CVVT Altis is like a passing blip on the 'new car' radar - unremarkable and forgettable.

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Addendum: Toyota Priuses are being recalled the world over - about 650,000 of them. The problem? faulty water pump that causes bubbles to build up, preventing proper flow of the radiator coolent, which could result in engine overheating.

Hmm... so much for Toyota's vaunted "quality and reliability" image held high by Toyota fans.

Monkey See, Monkey Do, the New Sonata a Camry, Too

The new Hyundai Sonata is here in Malaysia. At first glance, its flowing lines make it look cool and contemporary.

Then, after a while, I started seeing the Toyota Camry underneath the new Sonata. All of a sudden, the new Sonata resembled a Camry-made-ugly.

Maybe it's just me. I tend to prefer cars that are curvaceous but more slanted with angular lines.Maybe it's because I've seen the precursor to the new Sonata, code-named the YF, and I prefer the YF.

Maybe it's a combination of both.

Whatever it is, Hyundai is not shy to compare the new Sonata to the Camry. Obviously, it's the executive saloon market that Hyundai is targeting with its new Sonata, a market segment in which Toyota's Camry is the current leader.

So, monkey see, monkey do. What works for the Camry should also work for the new Sonata with a few extra bells and whistles thrown in, like moon roof, larger-than-Camry interior and bold (and somewhat over-the-top) styling.

I suppose the deliberate intent to make the new Sonata like the Camry has tampered the bold "flow" styling, such that it looks a little too much. Also, the need to retain aspects of other Hyundai cars, like those of the X20, also limits the "flow" styling.

Bottom line, people like me would not be too impressed with the new Sonata. But if the new Sonata is at least as good as the Camry, I suspect many among those who like the Camry and are looking for a little more "boldness" would probably like the new Sonata enough to buy one for themselves.

For more details, see http://www.hyundaiusa.com/sonata/exterior.aspx

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Addendum: The following are pics of the Sonata YF, which I think is so much better looking than the new Sonata (2011).

Toyotas Now Worse Than Protons

Who would have thought that, someday, Toyota's reputation would take such a beating that it would be considered as worse than Proton? Well, with the massive recall of Toyotas because of faulty brakes and accelerators, Toyota is experiencing a massive drop in sales and, more importantly for Toyota car owners, massive drop in the resale value of Toyota cars.

It used to be that people would buy Toyotas if they wanted high resale value. Well, not anymore.

These days, you're better off with - hey! What do you know? - a Proton. At least Proton cars don't face brake failure and accelerator problems on a massive scale. And that's quite amazing, considering that Protons are not the best locally-produced cars in Malaysia.

Industry analysts have been quick to point out that the problem with Toyota lies in its corporate culture, which has reached such a state of complacency that, at the first signs of trouble, it went into a state of denial.

Well, Toyota is the vanguard of automotive quality, is it not? Truth be told, had Toyota been quicker to respond, in terms of reviewing its supply chain and quality control processes as well as responding to negative media publicity, it would not be facing as much trouble as it is facing now.

Sometimes it doesn't pay to be the "low hanging fruit" by responding to every single negative media publicity. Other times, foot dragging makes things worse. Clearly, for Toyota, these are the "other times".

Interestingly enough, there were already signs of trouble way, way before the Press caught on to the problems faced by Toyota. In the first episode of the first season of Vampire Diaries, a Toyota Prius was shown skidding and swerving when a crow hit its windshield.

Well, with ABS working properly, that Prius should not have skidded or swerved at all. In fact, it takes a lot for an ABS-equipped car to skid uncontrollably.

Lo and behold! Today, Priuses are being recalled because of faulty ABS.

Anyway, it would take a lot for Toyota's reputation to recover. Meanwhile, consumers would be making beelines for other marques when buying new cars. At the very least, they won't have to worry about brake or accelerator problems.

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Addendum: I can't help but wonder if Nizar's accident, whereby his Camry overturned, is related to faulty accelerator? Camrys are among those being recalled.

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Addendum 2: When it comes to damage control, the game that companies play is basically "wait and see". It's quite normal to hold back for fear of adding fuel to fire. So, the reputation that I am referring to here, as asked by Anonymous, in the comments section below, is one that is hinged on timeliness.

With so much being said about Toyota's woes in America, the same kind of foot-dragging takes place, as it did in the US, in Malaysia. And I don't think that the back-log in order books for Toyota by one month is truly indicative that its brand image has been unaffected. If anything, the fact that the top producer of cars globally plays second fiddle to Honda in Malaysia is indicative that it is not coming out of the brake/accelerator debacle unfazed (despite the supposed fire-prone nature of Hondas, as alleged by Anonymous).

Of course, for people who have been loyal to the Toyota brand, they'll continue to buy Toyotas. Well, good for Toyota. What would have been better is if it came out strongly in support of itself in Malaysia and quickly at that.

For those who don't really care much for the brand, the beating Toyota is taking is just one more reason to look elsewhere.

Nizar Flips His Car

Former Menteri Besar of Perak Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin flipped his Camry in a road accident recently. He was reported to be lightly injured only.

Some people speculate that he was a victim of the supposedly accident prone Camry. Others suspect it was foul play.

Looking at the TV3 footage captured in the aftermath of the accident, one can deduce that the Camry flipped when Nizar hit the divider in the middle of the road and kept going until it turned onto its side and then turned turtle.

Until Nizar comes out with a Press statement explaining how the accident happened, we won’t know for sure how or why it happened. Still, this is a reminder that big cars with big engines are not for the meek.

Nizar’s Camry is a 2.4L version, which means that its momentum is something to contend with in emergency situations. And while it comes with good brakes and power steering, you need quick reflexes to get it back on all four wheels once you hit something that threatens to flip it to one side or another.

Eyeing a 2nd Hand Avanza

The Toyota Avanza is without doubt one of the most popular 7-seaters on Malaysian roads. Reasonably priced at around RM70,000+ for the 1.5L variant (without ABS and airbags), the Avanza is the kind of family mover that's bound to remain popular well into the next decade.
When cleverly done up, it can look really attractive, as can be seen from the featured Avanza.
Not surprisingly, Avanzas can still fetch a reasonable resale value.
Nonetheless, as with all second hand cars, one of the main things to look out for is engine trembling caused by damaged engine mounting. The most obvious tell-tale sign is rough idling, which is audible enough to be discerned and can even be felt right through the steering wheel.
When in good condition, a car shouldn't vibrate so badly that it sounds rough and shudders at the steering wheel. So, regardless of the "tip-top" assurances by used car sales persons, walk away from an Avanza that feels rough to the touch. Otherwise, use that as a leverage for further discounts.
Another thing to look out for is the smell of cigarette ash in the passenger compartment. Experience shows that people who smoke in their cars don't really have much regard for them. So, you can imagine how "well" they have taken care of their cars.
As a result, cars that used to be owned by smokers tend to fetch lower prices. Again, either walk away or use this as a bargaining chip.
Yet another thing I like to look out for are worn out shocks. Test drive the Avanza you're eyeing over humps and potholes, and feel how well the car responds.
If it gets too bouncy, then you know the shocks would need changing out soon. Again, use this as a bargaining chip or simply walk away.
And of course, test out the aircon through and through. Old cars tend to develop aircon blower problems - you can't turn it up without causing the blower motor to overheat.
Look out for visible condensation. This is a sure sign that there's something really wrong with the aircon blower.
And if the passenger compartment doesn't cool down quickly enough, then it could be a compressor problem.
Personally, I don't know when I'm going to get an Avanza, if at all I'm getting one. The wife doesn't like it, albeit my assurances that it's pretty good.
What I do know is that, aside from the things mentioned above on 2nd hand car buying tips, the Avanza I buy would have to be equipped with anti brake locking system (ABS) and airbags. The former would help greatly in avoiding accidents, whereas the latter, well, would or should be useful in an accident.
Also, I hope I get a 7-seater soon (whatever it may be) because ferrying my wife, two kids, two dogs and my mother in-law can take quite a toll on my Ford Focus S2.0. Although this doesn't happen very often, the Focus is a pocket rocket for goodness sake, not a heavy load hauler :P
(The Avanza featured is courtesy of Siakap at http://www.flickr.com/photos/29621479@N02/3068883263/)

My Car, My Style - Don't Laugh!

Sometimes, I can't help but be amused by the confused styling that some car owners give to their rides. Take the Avanza above, for example. It has step-ups usually installed in a 4x4 but also uses what looks to be 13-inch rims with low profile tyres.

So, what's it supposed to be? A ground hugging 7-seater with 'tiny feet' that has step-ups to help people get in the car that's already low?

Hey, to each his own. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Still, I bet if the guy had enough money, he'd put in 17-inch rims with low profile tyres, along with other bling-blings.

How would I know? Well, when I was driving my old Mazda 626 back in the early-to-late 1990s, money was tight. How I wished I had enough money to put in 15-inch rims and low profile tyres.

But since I couldn't afford to, I had to make do with 13-inch rims and tyres so bloated they looked like donuts.

And that's life. We do what we can to get by.

Toyota Altis - An Ugly Car that's Turned Cute

My colleague who would be retiring in a few years time bought the new Toyota Altis 1.8L. This was despite the fact that she initially said it was ugly.

I thought I had convinced her to buy the Honda Civic 1.8L, which is a much better looking car than the silly looking Altis. But no.

She said, her mechanic said that Altis is the best car in the mid-range segment. It has good resale value and 'good handling'.

Well, it has been said that if you put the Toyota badge on just about anything, people would think that it's a good thing because it's Toyota.

As for 'good handling', it has been said that the Altis feels like a 'sampan' or little rowboat.

But I suppose, for a soon-to-retire person, the Altis is good because it's soft and floaty - fit for an old person. And in case she needs to sell it, it would be able to fetch a better-than-average resale price.

Last but not least, she now thinks that the Altis looks OK and by that I think she means it looks cute, which is ugly in a nice way.

Oh, well....