The Japanese firms possess enormous experience in manufacturing, quality control and supplier development. Combining these strengths with Perodua’s ambitions could create something genuinely valuable.
Asia’s collector car scene has plenty of passion, but buying and selling a classic has often meant scattered networks and unclear valuations. Heritage Motor Exchange Asia (HME Asia) is a new event built to fix that. Its inaugural edition runs from 23 to 25 October 2026 (Friday to Sunday) at Merdeka Hall, World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. What Is HME Asia? HME Asia calls itself “The Asian Collector Car Marketplace.” It combines the emotional side of automotive heritage with the structure of a formal exchange. The organisers plan it as an annual anchor event for the ASEAN classic car market,…
UMW Toyota launched the GR Corolla automatic in January 2026, some three years after the introduction of the manual GR Corolla. Complete with a boost in maximum torque from 370Nm to 400Nm. Here are my observations of the GR Corolla 8 A/T versus the manual 6-speed version. Both powered by the same 1.6-litre turbo, similar 300 PS, identical GR-Four permanent all-wheel drive. However, these two GR Corollas deliver quite a different driving experience. Undoubtedly, the 8-speed automatic is the easier car to drive fast. In traffic, it offers easy convenience: no clutch work, no constant shifting – just step on…
Chinese cars are still something of a novelty in Malaysia, so there are always people curious to know what they are really like to own — especially an electric one. I was curious myself. So a year ago, I bought a pre-registered Proton e.MAS 7 for RM103,000. Twelve months and 14,000km later, I think I have a reasonably good idea of what living with an EV in Malaysia is really like. We have made about 10 outstation trips in the e.MAS 7, including drives to Penang, Muar and Kuala Terengganu. But my biggest conclusion after one year is quite simple: in Malaysia today,…
Hyundai Motor Malaysia has launched the Stargazer, a 7-seater MPV built in Indonesia and designed for ASEAN markets. Three variants are offered, starting at RM99,800 and topping out at RM121,800 for the six-seater X. Launched on 22 September 2026, the Stargazer gives Malaysian families a Korean-badged MPV that starts below RM100,000, a price point where the segment has long been dominated by Japanese and national models. The entry-level Style is RM99,800, the mid-range Prime is RM109,800, and the range-topping X is RM121,800. All three use the same powertrain: a 1,497 cc four-cylinder Smartstream petrol engine producing 115 ps and 143.8…
Proton has added an entry-level variant to the S70 range. The 1.5 i-GT drops the turbocharger of the 1.5TD and starts at RM59,800, making it one of the cheapest C-segment sedans on sale in Malaysia. Proton Edar launched the S70 1.5 i-GT on 22 September 2026. There are two variants: the Lite at RM59,800 and the Prime at RM62,800. Both are built in Malaysia. The i-GT uses the same 1,499 cc four-cylinder petrol engine family as the S70 1.5TD, but without the turbocharger. Output is 120 ps and 150 Nm, sent to the front wheels through an 8-speed CVT. The…
Jetour Auto Malaysia has added a plug-in hybrid to its T2 line-up. The T2 i-DM pairs a 1.5-litre turbo engine with a single electric motors and an 18.4 kWh battery for over 100 km of electric driving and up to 1,200 km on a full tank and charge. Jetour Auto Malaysia launched the T2 i-DM PHEV on 19 September 2026, priced at RM162,800. Imported from China, it is the plug-in hybrid version of the T2, part of Jetour’s T-series of off-road SUVs. The i-DM name stands for Intelligent Dual Mode. It combines a 1,499 cc four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine (136…
As one of the media invited to participate in the 9th Sarawak International 4×4 Jamboree from September 1–5, I had planned this little adventure months ahead. I enlisted my familiar travelling mates Joey Jong and Tay G Lim as co-drivers in my 30-year-old Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series. The plan was simple: take a leisurely 600km-plus drive from Kuching to Bintulu before joining the Jamboree. What we hadn’t factored into our calculations was the haze. The super El Niño had brought exceptionally dry weather, and much of Sarawak was covered by haze. But plans are plans, particularly when you have…
Volvo Car Malaysia has added a ruggedised, all-wheel-drive version of its locally assembled EX30, pitched at RM218,888 and good for 0–100 km/h in 3.7 seconds. The Cross Country carries a badge Volvo has been using since the 1990s, when the V70 wagon was given raised suspension and body cladding for rougher going. This is the first time the treatment has been applied to a fully electric model in Malaysia, and it arrives a year after the standard EX30 went on sale here in September 2025. Like that car, the Cross Country is assembled locally. The key mechanical difference is underneath.…
This article was originally published by FMT and is republished here with permission. Malaysia’s next automotive strategy should be less obsessed with the nationality of the badge on the bonnet and more interested in the value created underneath it. I’ve been watching Malaysia make cars for more than 40 years. As an motoring writer, I test-drove the Proton Saga when it was launched in 1985, and saw it become the centre of attention. The narrative then was that Proton marked the beginning of Malaysia’s journey towards becoming an automotive nation. Four decades later, perhaps it is time to ask an…