A father survived but unfortunately, his 26-year-old son was killed in a collision on Friday morning on the North-South Expressway.
According to Rembau District Police Chief Deputy Superintendent Hazri Mohamad, initial investigations report that two cars collided before one of them skidded and slammed another vehicle.
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The locally-assembled Honda City Hybrid (model year 2021) and Civic Sedan (model year 2022) are being recalled by Honda Malaysia to rectify two issues. While these issues have not caused any injuries or accidents, the company is being proactive as a precautionary safety measure.
Honda Malaysia apologises for the inconvenience caused to owners of the affected and reassures that other current production and selling models are not affected in this product recall. The company believes this product recall is necessary as customer safety is Honda Malaysia’s top priority.
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When Honda Malaysia first announced the pricing of the top of the line Honda City RS, many thought that the company had lost the plot.
The Honda City is a loved car in Malaysia. Many swear by it for its practicality and simplicity. It’s a fuss-free car that offers a good ownership experience.
The latest generation City though takes it all a notch up and includes spaciousness and impressive build quality into the mix.
But to ask RM108,000 is just borderline absurd.
The RS model is the top of the line model and features an impressive powertrain designed for fuel economy and power offered in a handsome package that also features space and quality that can rival some European marques.
Many were floored when Honda Malaysia first announced the price.
The Honda City has always been the cheap sedan that you bought if you wanted a reliable means of transport for you and your family. And you can still get that with the “lesser variant” such as the S-Spec that only costs a little under RM76,000.
But that’s also what some would call “taxi-spec”, referring to a model that only offers the bare minimum.
The RS is the model you truly want if you are the type that appreciates all the bells and whistles and the cattle they hang from.
But a Honda City at RM106,000? That’s like asking people to pay RM50 for a ‘Ramly Burger’.
Lets get metaphorical and imagine this – instead of the mass produced two millimetre thick patty that we usually get in a ramly burger, imagine that same burger but with a wagyu beef patty cooked in virgin olive oil with blue cheese and premium organic vegetables and condiments placed in between soft bread sprinkled with sesame and chia seeds.
And instead of being served in a sloppy piece of wrapping paper, you get it properly wrapped in a premium paper box placed inside a woven tote bag. And best of all, it is hand delivered to you within 30 minutes of ordering.
That RM85 does not sound so bad now does it. I know that referencing a burger against a Honda City is also absurd, but you get the point.
So that’s basically what Honda has done. Taken a well known and much loved product, plonked in a cleverly engineered powertrain, increased the quality of everything and made the interior a very nice place to be in.
And then there is the Honda City RS hatchback.
It is basically all of the above but in a hatchback body. And at RM108,000, Honda wants RM2,000 more for it. Why? Because it has something called Ultra Seats, which gives the hatchback a level of practicality that you do not get in the sedan variant.
The Ultra Seats is basically a fancy word for seats that can either fold up to let you store tall items, fold down for long items, and amazingly can fold in such a way that you can basically create a bed which makes the City RS hatchback perfectly suited for all you ‘glamping’ lovers.
The City RS Hatchback is also powered by the same 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain that powers the sedan.
It puts out a mere 98hp and 127Nm of torque. But it has an electric motor that pushes up the torque figure to an impressive 236Nm.
This gives the car a fun character around the corners. I imagine that weekend warriors will love the urgent response and nimble front end the hatchback offers while their parents will appreciate the spaciousness and the fuel economy.
The only thing though is that there is a setback in terms of top speed, while the regular combustion powered variants max out at 194km/h, the RS has a top speed of 175km/h. But while the other variants need 10.7 seconds to reach 100km/h, the RS needs just 9.7. And best of all, according to Honda, the other variants will need 5.6 litres of fuel to reach 100 kilometres. The RS though needs just 3.6 litres, which with today’s fuel prices puts it at just under RM10 to travel 100km.
But it’s not just the powertrain that makes the RS model stand out from the rest. It is also the interior that works a charm for me.
The seats are the first thing that charm your senses. And the fact that they come wrapped in something Honda calls Ultra Suede makes it nice to touch and even nicer to sit on.
And because this is the RS variant, the side bolstering holds you in place every so gently.
The dash is easy on the eye and to the touch. The steering wheel feels meaty in your hands and the buttons actually do feel like they belong in a RM100,000 car.
On that point, even the tiny weighted clicks of the air-conditioning dial invoke a premium feeling that you would not expect to get in a City.
The entertainment system is accessed through an eight-inch display that also offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also offers smartphone mirroring capability that lets you access your navigational and other favourite applications and mirror those on the screen.
Honda has undoubtedly done a remarkable job with the interior of the new City. During our test drive event, there was a Toyota Yaris available for comparison and the interior of that felt dated and unimaginative.
The final thing that makes the argument for this City costing above RM100,000 is the fact that it comes with Honda’s popular Sensing safety suite.
Honda Sensing is basically a collection of advanced safety technologies that make the City an incredibly safe car, perhaps one of the most laden with safety tech.
Before we dive into what is on offer with Honda Sensing, keep in mind that the City RS hatchback already has LaneWatch, Hill Start Assist, Auto Brake Hold, Vehicle Stability Assist, six airbags, ABS and EBD.
Honda Sensing takes it all a notch higher by further offering Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Colliding Mitigating, Auto High Beam and Adaptive Cruise Control.
Consider for a second that these are exactly the same safety systems also available in the pricier Honda Civic and the Honda CRV. The only omission being that the adaptive cruise control does not offer stop and go function.
Now, is the Honda City RS hatchback worth the RM107,000 asking price?
There is no doubt that it is a fine car with premium feel and a powertrain that balances the holy grail of power and economy. It is also packed with safety tech and has a drive that will put a smile on the faces of the young and not so young.
The simple answer would be yes for those who appreciate the tech. And the not so simple answer would be to consider the V-Spec which is a full RM15,000 cheaper and features all of the above but minus the hybrid powertrain and the Ultra Suede seats with red stitching. I actually prefer the leather seats available in the V-Spec than the fabric seats of the RS, as plush as those may be.
Changing colour choices for new cars may seem like a simple thing for the marketing company – just tell the plant what new colour to paint and it will be done. However, the process of adding or changing to a new colour is actually not as easy, from what we understand from people in the industry. There must be evidence that the new colour is going to be popular and justify the plant or manufacturer doing durability tests, and in some cases, marketing people have told us that when they do try to ask for a colour change, the manufacturer will ask if it will result in more sales than with the current colour. If not, why waste time and money to develop and test a new colour?
But inevitably, colours have to be changed to refresh the range and Honda Malaysia does that periodically. Their latest new colour options are for the best-selling City and flagship Accord models. Both models can now be ordered with a new Meteoroid Gray Metallic finish that replaces the Modern Steel Metallic colour. The City also gets a fresh and vibrant Ignite Red Metallic colour option, replacing the Passion Red Pearl colour.
“The Ignite Red Metallic and Meteoroid Gray Metallic colours are introduced in the All-New City Hatchback for the first time. Both colours have been well accepted by the market and we expanded the new colour options to the All-New Civic. To further excite the market, we are now offering these new colour options in the City and Accord as well. The new colours further emphasise the styling of the City and elevate the sleek profile of the Accord. We will continue to enhance our products to deliver the Joy of Buying to the customers,” said Madoka Chujo, Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO.
She said that sales of the latest 5th Generation City have exceeded 32,500 units since its launch. “It was Honda Malaysia’s best-selling model in January and February this year, with 38% contribution to the company’s overall sales during that period,” she added.
The current Accord is the 10th generation of the executive model and was introduced to the Malaysian market in 2020. It was the first time a Japanese mass market manufacturer introduced a turbocharged engine in a D-segment car. The model received favourable response from Malaysians with more than 2,200 units sold to date.
For more information on the City, Accord or other Honda models in Malaysia, visit any authorised Honda dealership. The locations of dealerships can be found at www.honda.com.my.
Honda Malaysia aims to sell 80,000 units in 2022 and introduce Certified Used Car business
When Honda Malaysia announced the flagship model for the new Honda City, mouths were left agape with the torque figures and good looks of the City RS e:HEV.
No surprises there because that’s what a flagship model is all about – a showmanship of what’s possible for a particular model by the manufacturer.
But more often than not, the second model in the line up would be equally as good, but with a different set of features and a watered down design. And a cheaper price tag.
Take the newly introduced and second in line to the City throne Honda City hatchback petrol, or officially known as the V variant, for instance.
It is expected to cost as much as the sedan variant, which puts it in the eighty something thousand league. And for that kind of money, you get a car that feels as well built as an early 2000s BMW. Which is a good thing.
But what’s not a good thing though is that we can’t show you photos of the interior until after it has been officially introduced. But we can tell you that it feels great and is similar to the City sedan.
The seats are more suited to comfort and luxury than the sportier ones in the RS. And that’s not a bad thing either because the seats are fantastic.
We got to drive one recently together with the Honda City RS at Sepang Circuit. You can read about how well the RS accelerates by clicking here.
The drive took place at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), where Honda Malaysia was keen to show off the acceleration and handling of the two top of the line variants.
The acceleration test took place at Turn 10 of SIC – a shallow gradient uphill climb that flows into Turn 11. This was a great spot to test out the power delivery and handling of the City because Turns 12 and 13 are fast flowing corners that tend to upset the balance of a car.
No upsetting the balance of the City though. But of course we weren’t really pushing them as hard as you would on a track. We were told to keep on the slower side of 110km/h.
But just as mentioned in the previous article, handling was accurate and body movement was as minimal as an everyday car could muster.
I had jumped into the competing car before any of the new Hondas though. One that was provided to establish the baseline feel of what the competitors could do.
But you don’t bring a competitor car to your event unless you are sure you can mop the floor with it, and that’s what the petrol variant of the Honda City did.
The 1.5-litre engine that is powering the V variant produces a class leading 118hp and 145Nm of torque.
These figures are not exactly what you would call powerful, but in a lightweight car designed to move people and their belongings comfortably – it is not all that bad.
It is still capable of shoving you back into your seat, no matter how little.
Exterior wise, the V variant may not be as exciting to look at because it doesn’t have the glass piano black front grill, the blacked out wing and black door mirrors. In place you get a chrome grill and a very subdued overall design.
But just like the RS, the V variant too gets the all-important LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED fog lamps and LED rear combi lights.
The V variant also gets 16-inch alloy wheels. Thought the wheel well looks like it could easily take on a set of 18 or 19-inch wheels. Modification ready perhaps?
Just like the RS, the V-variant also gets Honda’s famous ULTRA seats that first made its debut in the Jazz.
The ULTRA seats allow the seats to either be folded down in what Honda calls the Utility mode, folded up (Tall mode), lay flat (long mode) and even lay the front passenger seats flat (Refresh mode) for a total flat out format that mimics a daybed. Excellent for a weekend by the beach, if you are so inclined.
But the V-variant loses out on the Honda SENSING safety suite – but expect that to trickle down the line to other models as the City hatchback goes through its product life cycle. Or perhaps there would be a City 1.5L Hatchback V SENSING, just like how there is a City 1.5L V SENSING for the sedan model.
All in all, the Honda City hatchback has made an excellent case for itself.
Fans of the Jazz were left aghast when Honda Malaysia announced that the Jazz will be replaced with the City hatchback. But after driving it, the Jazz simply doesn’t make sense anymore when the City hatchback is able to offer so much more.
Honda Malaysia has not mentioned anything about the price though, but an introduction is due to take place any day now, and expect prices to be not that far off the sedan versions.
The Honda City hatchback is now available for booking at your nearest dealer.
The announcement by Honda Malaysia that it was discontinuing the much loved Honda Jazz was met with shock, sadness and a little anger on the social media sphere.
Since its introduction in 2003, Honda Malaysia has sold over 120,000 units, showing that Malaysians really loved the Jazz.
It is undoubtedly true that the Jazz provided the perfect answer to those looking to commute in an urban environment and to some extent, even inter state travel.
Back in university days, those from regular families would perhaps arrive in a Proton, or opt for public transport. Those from better to do families would arrive in a Jazz. It had that kind of appeal. It not only provided mobility solutions, but defined segments of the community as well.
Enter the all-new Honda City hatchback.
What was Honda thinking you might say. Why discontinue a product that has obviously been selling well and offered bang for the buck?
The Jazz does live on in spirit with the new City hatchback. Simply put, the all-new Honda City hatchback builds on the already proven formula of the Jazz, but switches it up a notch or two more to make an already good product even better.
We got to drive the new City hatchback at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC).
Before you think that the car would undoubtedly perform well around the smooth tarmac of Sepang, the venue was chosen because it offers privacy as the car has not been officially launched in Malaysia as yet.
And we were limited to 110km/h, tested the acceleration, the handling in a slalom course, and the high-tech Honda Sensing technology. Simply put, SIC was transformed to offer as close to real world conditions as possible.
And of course, we also got to spend time in a competitor car, just to see how much better the City hatchback really is. And of course, the new City is leaps and bounds better than the competitor that shall not be named.
We cannot show you photos of the interior of the new City hatchback due to an ongoing embargo, but let’s just say that owners of the current Honda City sedan would find some refreshing updates.
The Honda Sensing technology is also integrated into the City hatchback and performs the same while offering the same slew of technologies like Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning and Auto High Beam.
But what is new for the City hatchback is the addition of the Honda LaneWatch system (for the RS and V variant only). This is not new tech as we have seen it before in the CRV, HRV, Civic and Accord.
But it now uses a wide angle lens that offers a more complete view of whatever is on your left. We tried it and can confirm that it works great. Honda Malaysia had a CRV follow us on the left to prove its effectiveness.
Then came the acceleration test at turn 10 of SIC, which is an uphill climb.
The competitor of another Japanese make suffered here with the engine droning and struggling to lay down power. There was no shove into the seat, just a lot of waiting around for power to be delivered to the tarmac.
We first tried the V-Spec petrol variant, and that too had a little droning, but power was laid down more urgently.
The petrol variant is powered by a 1.5-litre engine producing 118hp and 145Nm of torque. Which is decent for daily commutes and highway driving.
The RS though was something else.
It too is powered by a 1.5-litre engine but this offers something called Sports Intelligent Muti-Mode Drive (i-MMD). This tech utilises two electric motors that are located at each side of the front wheels that are electrified by a battery pack located at the rear of the car.
We all know what a combustion engine paired with electric motors can do. This has resulted in a powertrain that offers a class leading 253Nm of torque.
Honda Malaysia will not reveal the combined power figure but instead will only tell us that the City RS hatchback produces 106hp. This horsepower figures are from the electric motors alone, and not from the engine. Now imagine what a combined power figure might be like.
Back at turn 10 of SIC, the City RS hatchback had that reassuring shove into the seat, a testament to its power, and power delivery was linear with no loss during shifts.
For a car to replace the much loved Jazz, it had to offer versatility and spaciousness. And the City hatchback has a lot of that because it offers something call ULTRA seats – a feature first seen in the Jazz.
Ultra Seats offer different configurations to keep up with the many demands of life. There’s the Utility mode which folds the rear seats flat to expand on the boot space. A rather regular feature.
Then there is the Long mode that folds just one part of the rear seat as well as the front passenger seat to store long items – a regular feature as well.
After that there is the Tall mode and this is where things get interesting because in this mode you can fold the rear seats upwards to create more floor space. This is to store tall items, and you don’t see this feature in other cars.
What is even better is the Refresh mode which turns the interior of the City hatchback into two small beds. You read that right – you can turn the interior into two beds! This is perfect for those with an active outdoor lifestyle as you can go camping and such with the City hatchback.
So you see, the City hatchback continues the legacy of the Jazz and takes it up a few notches. In fact it sprinkles in some refinement and quality as well because the interior feels brilliant and well thought out. Quality is fantastic as well.
There is no indication on pricing as yet as Honda Malaysia will only disclose that once it is officially launched. But bookings are already open, and if you want something that is good for the family and can do just about anything that life demands except for race camels in a desert, then give the new Honda City hatchback a good hard look. As for pricing, don’t expect it to be too far off the price of the sedan.
Even with just two months remaining of a difficult year, Honda Malaysia continues to surprise with new variants being introduced and the latest one to be announced is the City V-SENSING. This is the second variant of the latest City generation, introduced in 2020, to have Honda SENSING after the City RS e:HEV. The new variant is priced at RM90,212.36, without insurance and without sales tax (the exemption has been extended till June 30, 2022).
Honda SENSING + Honda LaneWatch
Honda SENSING, introduced with the CR-V four years ago, is an integrated suite of active safety systems which help the driver to avoid an accident, prevent or reduce the effects of a collision and also generally reduce driving stress. The systems in Honda SENSING are: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM). Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Auto High Beam (AHB).
Honda LaneWatch (shown below), a camera-based blindspot system, is also standard for this variant. It uses a small camera on the left door mirror to capture images of the area along the side of the car. The imagery is displayed on the infotainment screen in real-time, providing the driver with a clear view (even at night) of the blind spot so that any approaching vehicle can be spotted.
“Safety is predominantly Honda’s priority and the City has always been the forerunner in offering safety features for both drivers and passengers using advanced technology. We are delighted to introduce this new variant to the Malaysian market, enabling them to now have more options to choose from in the City line-up with a total of 5 variants available,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Madoka Chujo.
“The City V-SENSING appeals to more targeted audiences such as young families or young working adults who seek for ample performance as well as advanced safety features for their daily commute. It has the most complete advanced safety features in the B-segment with an attractive pricetag that is below RM100,000. We believe this model will continue to receive much recognition for its overall package of class-leading advanced features, space, comfort and unparalleled performance,” she said.
1.5-litre i-VTEC engine
The City V-SENSING has a 1.5-litre DOHC i–VTEC engine – the most powerful in its segment – coupled with Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT). The engine output is 121 ps with maximum torque of 145 Nm, enabling the car to travel up to 18.5 kms per litre or around 750 kms per full tank.
Standard exterior features include LED Headlights and LED Day Running Lights (DRL), LED foglights, LED taillights, and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Premium materials inside
As with the other City variants, the interior has premium high-quality textures. The combination leather upholstery for the seats has ivory highlights for a touch of class. The infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity so many of the smartphone apps can also be brought to the dashboard and used from there.
For the driver, who has a 7-inch TFT meter display, there are paddle shifters to use when manual shifting is preferred and the Remote Engine Start allows the engine to be started from outside the car so the air-conditioning can be activated to cool down the cabin first. Rear occupants also enjoy more comfort as there are vents behind the centre console box to bring cool air to them.
“Since we launched the 5th Generation City in October 2020, we have recorded total sales of more than 23,300 units. To date, the City has contributed 34% to Honda Malaysia’s total sales between January and October 2021, making it the best-selling model in Honda Malaysia,” Ms. Chujo added.
For more information on the City V-SENSING or to test-drive Honda models in Malaysia, visit any authorized Honda dealership. The locations can be found at www.honda.com.my or by calling Honda Malaysia’s Toll-Free number at 1-800-88-2020.
New vs Old Honda City: Why current City owners should trade up!
Did you know that Honda introduced a solution to traffic jams in the 80s?
This involved a foldable mini motorcycle that could be placed at the back of the Honda City Turbo.
It was Honda’s solution to urban mobility back when it was not even an issue. Talk about fore sight.
In this video we drive the Honda City Turbo 2 then we ride the Honda Motocompo and try folding and unfolding it to see what it was like.
With a full lockdown Movement Control Order (MCO) to run from June 1 to June 14, 2021, many businesses are required to stop operations and these include car companies. In connection with this directive, Honda Malaysia has announced that its main business operations will remain closed for the period.
The business operations involved are the company’s assembly plant in Pegoh (Melaka), sales office and authorised dealer showrooms nationwide. However, aftersales services are permitted so owners can send their vehicles to authorised Honda service centres nationwide. Aftersales services available are preventive maintenance, Body and Paint (BP) and towing assistance.
Honda Malaysia encourages owners to use the HondaTouch application to make their appointments at the service centres. They should not just go to the service centres without a prior appointment as this will not be entertained so appointments must be made in advance. It should also be noted that there is a restriction on the range that they can travel which is 10 kms from their home, so they should locate the nearest authorised service centre.
All Honda dealerships strictly adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) specified by the health authorities for the safety of Honda customers and company associates as well as to provide customers peace of mind when visiting the dealerships.
To locate a Honda dealership near you, visit www.honda.com.my/dealers.
Honda Malaysia today concluded its ‘1 Million Dreams’ campaign celebrating the achievement of 1 million vehicles sales with the presentation of the final three ‘1 Million Dreams’ Special Edition models to the lucky winners. The presentation ceremony was done together with the brand partners for the campaign – CUCKOO, Shopee and Watsons.
“Thanks to the excellent leadership of my predecessors, the strong commitment of our Honda associates and dealers as well as the support from the Malaysian government has led Honda Malaysia to achieve many remarkable milestones. Today, I am very privileged to be here celebrating this outstanding achievement with all of you and presenting the final three ‘1 Million Dreams’ Special Edition models to the lucky winners from our brand partners,” said Madoka Chujo, Honda Malaysia’s new Managing Director & CEO.
The three exclusive models
The three exclusive Honda models were the BR-V, HR-V and latest City and the winners were Mohd Aisamuddin bin Mohd Azilah, Muhammed Faisal Adnan and Megawati binti Affendi, respectively.
Additionally, Ahmad Sirwan Bin Mat Tuselim who was the customer who made the 1 millionth vehicle purchase – a Civic – was presented with a token of appreciation worth more than RM8,000 from Honda Malaysia together with the three brand partners.
Exclusive features inside and outside
Four other models – the Civic, CR-V, Accord and Jazz – were presented to winners earlier at a Grand Finale held at the Bukit Jalil Stadium outside Kuala Lumpur. Each of the models had exclusive features such as a Dual Tone Exterior, Front Fascia with Red Highlights, Sporty Red Line Side Mirrors, Black Painted Alloy Wheels with Red Highlights and ‘1 Million Dreams’ Signature Emblems on both front fenders of the cars.
Inside the Special Edition models were ‘1 Million Dreams’ Embossed Leather Headrests on the front seats as well as a Leather-wrapped Steering Wheel with Red Stitching and Centre Mark. Each winner also received a ‘1 Million Dreams’ Special Edition Leather Key Pouch.
The ‘1 Million Dreams’ campaign, which included a number of activities, started on February 25, 2021 and submission of entries closed on March 24. Members of the public were invited to participate in the activities to obtain entry forms and those who had registered on the Honda Touch app got 5x more entries. Besides requesting for a test-drive at any authorised Honda dealership, there were 5 other ways for them to obtain entries. According to the company, over 155,600 entries received in just one month.
To know more about Honda products and services in Malaysia or to locate a showroom for a test-drive, visit www.honda.com.my.
Honda stays at No.1 position in Non-National segment for 6th year
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