Honda Freed to be an ambitious RM118,000 compact 1.5L MPV in Malaysia?

Right this moment, the online automotive news scene is abuzz with Honda Malaysia's latest ambitious Indonesian project worth RM115,000 to RM118,000 a piece. Well, certainly the media has 'just' known about it "as and when they were told so" - the time is ripe since we're already into month of March and soon into Q2 2010.

When this piece of expensive utter rubbish gets on the road, I shall enjoy seeing what press release that specific 'Head' of PR/Marketing will issue, following how good acceptance (blah! blah! blah!) this will be.. since the launch was such a well-kept secret allegedly by Honda Malaysia.

Anyone wants a fancy - but taller, Merc A-Class-like stationwagon - Perodua Alza-esque MPV at almost twice the price? I certainly don't see the point since the Alza EZi drives almost like a Toyota Vios.

Related post:
Honda Malaysia's new Freed to be nudging slightly under RM120k?

2009 Honda City launched in Malaysia

Click on all images to enlarge

Honda Malaysia has announced the price of its 3rd generation, all-new City. Available in two grades, the basic 1.5S goes for RM84,980 while the higher-spec 1.5E can be yours for RM89,980 (on-the-road prices with insurance).

Chief differences on the 'E' grade City are paddle shifters, on-steering remote audio controls, fog lamps, split-foldable rear seats with centre armrest plus adjustable headrests and upsized 16" alloy wheels, among other things. Both are however, only available with 5-speed automatic (5A/T) transmission paired to Honda's 1.5L i-VTEC (12ops/145Nm) engine.



The all-new City is more grown-up and mature looking, which is a natural progression of things, as each successor model adds on more bulk and extra dimensions. However, upon closer scrutiny, the 3rd gen City actually has a rather long snout and lengthy frontal overhang (much protuding front bumper), quite atypical for a compact Honda sedan. Remember that "Machine minimum, man maximum" saying? Not a "Terminator" flick movie script or catch phrase but something of Honda's successful formula in car design - and clever packaging - for decades.



Well, maybe Honda engineers were much bent on avoiding a repeat of the stunted profile that resulted much split public opinions over the 2nd gen City (pre-facelift model). For the negative record, it was much criticised to be looking much like a laundry steam-iron, a loaf of bread or even a toad! For historical record - make no mistake - the 2nd generation City 1.5 i-DSI when launched in 2003, created ripples in the local automotive industry. It ruffled up the non-national segment (also a leading national car manufacturer along the way) when it was announced by then Honda Malaysia's MD/CEO, Seiji Kuraishi to be RM78,888 OTR. Many Honda dealers gave a standing ovation, delightfully taken in by surprise. As such, this all-new City will no doubt be a very important product for Honda Malaysia, as affirmed by the current Managing Director and CEO of Honda Malaysia, Atsushi Fujimoto. It is expected to carry on the volume baton worth some 40% of total sales of Honda passenger cars officially sold locally. Honda Malaysia is aiming to deliver 1500 units monthly of the all-new City starting January 2009, out of a total manufacturing capacity of an estimated 35,000 units annually, from its Melaka's Pegoh assembly plant.



Pop the new City's hood and you could actually see the latest i-VTEC (L15) motor 'hanging' loose (as contrasted with the new Jazz) in the centre of the engine bay, sitting just fore of the front axle. There are ample empty spaces both anterior and posterior of the tranverse engine block, more so aft of it extending until the radiator and that 'Optimus Prime' grille. Somewhat wasted space for a B-segment sub-compact. Or was it because of the A-pillar not as forward biased as the new Jazz (and the previous Jazz/City)? Afterall, the 3rd gen City has a completely different bodyshell than its hatchback 'cousin'. Or perhaps some way of conforming to new pedestrian safety standards?



Admittedly, the all-new City is sleek, youthful and sporty ("arrowshot form" in Honda speak) on the outside. Interior wise, it even succeed in elevating its cabin ambience to something more seriously executive than the Jazz, except for maybe the A/C controls or section of the dashboard.







The common-parts bin steering (Civic, Stream, Jazz et al) still looks and feels great after 3 years of debuting in the 8th gen Civic. Interior space is very commendable for a B-segment sedan. Boot volume while class leading at 506 litres, has more wheel humps intrusion now, though still a capacious rump. Speedometer fonts and dials is typical Honda-legible while taking the latest Stream/Accord cues. Engine coolant temperature gauge is still deliberately omitted, not unlike the last City but there is a multifunction info display now, set within the speedometer. First in class for a Japanese 'budget' sedan is the tilt-and-telescopic adjustable steering wheel. Nice and practical additions indeed.




On the other hand, two things that I missed very much in the new City are the split-level, dual glove-boxes and get this: Honda's wonderful ULTRA-seat. I spoke to the Chief Engineer for the all-new City, Takeshi Nakamura and he mentioned that for the overall sleekness and space of boot(?) of the successor, it has been omitted. When I pressed on whether it can be re-introduced in say, the City facelift model after 2-3 years, Honda Malaysia's MD & CEO, Fujimoto-san chipped in to say there are no plans to swap the split-folding back rest (1.5E) with full ULTRA seat capability. I was impressed with their candid replies, pleasantly obliging, especially coming from the head honcho himself, unlike a particular prestige German car manufacturer which has dumb 'protocols', dementious-like persona and snooty attitudes. And I happen to be still driving around in one of their "famed" automobile.




Back to the new City, I feel that the repositioning of the fuel tank to the front (under the front seats) resulting in a usable capacious void under the rear seats aren't well utilised anymore, unlike the last City and the latest Jazz. Pity. Or course there are nice trays and compartments under these seats in the 1.5E model but upon closer inspection of the base 1.5S variant, the rear bench is actually still being supported by tubular frames that are permanently fixed to the floor by fastened slot-in sockets. Remember the ULTRA seats being junked for the 2nd generation City VTEC after its first facelift exercise? Honda Malaysia was quick to reinstate this feature for the VTEC during the subsequent 2nd or 3rd facelift exercise, after consumers of even the VTEC variant wouldn't mind having these useful feature, which will fold out or assemble upright, out of sight, not affecting its interior aesthetics.



During the press conference, many members of the media were quick to ask about the new 5 A/T box in place of the smooth, efficient and refined CVT. Towards this, Nakamura-san (pictured above, seated far right) was equally quick to justify that 5A/T is better suited to the taste and driving habits of fellow Malaysians preferring a "more balanced" performance. While I couldn't really catch what that meant exactly, I guessed Honda Malaysia probably wanted to a better balance between performance, durability and cost, both of manufacturing and maintenance (warranty).

Afterall, it's an open secret among City owners/Honda SCs that the 'old' CVT 'box had some juddering/vibration issues circa 70k - 80k kms of service life, more so with the 2003 batches. Not a big problem as some used car dealer would have you believe e.g. needing RM20k to replace the whole 'gearbox'. Just a starter set (clutch mechanism of some sort) replacement (for less than RM2k) but nevertheless still some monetary cost incurred and possibly, more so, the cost of reliability reputation somewhat dented. I happen to know because I am responsible for the maintenance aspect of my wife's other city runabout, a 2003/04 City i-DSI.

In a larger overview, I reckon that RM2k is worth it over the 5 years of ownership, with excellent fuel efficiency, space, versatility, practicality and flexibity of carting and hauling stuffs that even my last 7th gen Accord 2.0 VTi (or even my current Teutonic executive) can only dream of! Bring back those City moments-defining ULTRA-seats Honda Malaysia!!!





Additional premium features in the new City 1.5E- pictorial highlights:










For more details on the colour schemes, detailed specifications, brochure literature and videos...
go here: www.excitementinthecity.com.my :)

2008 All-New Honda Jazz: Details and more pictures

The premium All-New Jazz struts out on a specially made �car-size� runway on 20th August 2008 in an exclusive fashion presentation inspired by the car�s features and image, and created jointly by Malaysia�s top fashion designers and stylist Melinda Looi, Jonathan Cheng, Khoon Hooi and Cris Yong. In an original car unveiling that is possibly the first of its kind here, the 2^nd Generation Jazz made its entry into the Malaysia market with a strong statement about its class-leading performance, space and style.

When introduced in 2001, the 1^st Generation Jazz quickly won over fans around the world as an unconventional car that exceeds customers� expectations of a compact car in terms of its stylish design, reliability, practicality, fuel efficiency and drivability. The global Honda model made an impressive cumulative sale of 2.3 million units worldwide with Japan and the Asia & Oceania region accounting for half of its sales. In fact, it opened a new 5-door hatchback segment in the Asia and Oceania region�s automotive markets, and bagged numerous awards from acclaimed research houses and automotive media in Europe, South Africa, Japan and Southeast Asia.

�The 2^nd Generation Jazz presents one of the toughest challenges in the development of a car of its kind as its predecessor already set a high benchmark in the compact 5-door hatchback segment,� said Mr. Atsushi Fujimoto, Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in his speech at the unconventional launch of All-New Jazz.

He continued to describe the All-New Jazz development as an �evolution� that takes the class-leading and well-received elements of the first generation and improves on them within the limits of price and size. �This is much more challenging than changing a car�s total design; but it pushes us to innovate further so that our customers get even more value out of the similarly compact All-New Jazz,� he said.

Also at the launch event was Mr. Kohei Hitomi, Chief Engineer from Honda R&D in Japan, whose team took the demanding task of developing the 2^nd Generation Jazz. He explained that the development concept was focused on three areas: to develop a model that can be placed in the centre of compact car category; to offer strong product competitiveness; and to deliver new values to customers.

The result is a premium and class-leading compact 5-door hatchback with further improved and evolved �DNA� from the 1^st Generation Jazz, which includes its design, utility, drivability and fuel consumption.

Mr. Fujimoto added that the All-New Jazz will continue to appeal to both female and male, aged 25 to 39 years old, determined young singles and families who seek to be discerned and unconventional, and yet enjoy a car that is highly practical and reliable.

Key highlights of the 2^nd Generation Jazz are its dynamic exterior styling, best-in-class spaciousness and comfort, class-leading performance and drivability with good fuel efficiency, and advanced safety features � all befitting of its new and PREMIUM image.

The front pillar of the All-New Jazz has been moved forward to create exhilarating effects on both exterior styling and interior space. Externally, the advanced super-forward form enhances the aerodynamic and energetic appearance of the car. Internally, the cabin features an ingenious layout that increase spaciousness equivalent to an average medium-sized sedan, providing passengers a natural feeling of comfort. It also makes way for an extended and larger wind shield which provides better visibility for the driver.

Another noteworthy achievement in the 2^nd Generation Jazz is its enhanced utility. It provides a variety of seating and trunk utilities that maximise seating flexibility and cargo space. This includes extension of space and usage via the enhanced ULTRA Seat, which operates in the Utility, Long and Tall modes. These three modes enable car owners to load objects of different sizes into the car, enhancing the practicality of the car for today�s car owners and drivers.

The All-New Jazz is powered by Honda�s newly enhanced 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine, which combines with 5-speed Automatic Transmission (5AT) to offer excellent drivability, performance and fuel efficiency. It comes in the 1.5-liter i-VTEC Grade S and Grade V variants, both of which command a power output of 120 PS, which is the most powerful in its class. While the Grade S offers essential features of the All-New Jazz, the Grade V variant offers additional features such as paddle shift, and exclusive fittings that gives the car a sportier look. In terms of environmental friendliness, all variants have been designed to meet the EURO 4 emission level.

The safety performance of the All-New Jazz comes with the revolutionary G-CON Technology with body structure designed to spread out and disperse collision impact so as to limit cabin intrusion to effectively minimise driver and passengers as well as pedestrian injuries. It is also fitted with Dual SRS Airbags and ABS system.

According to Mr. Fumihiko Ike, President & Chief Executive Officer of Asian Honda Motor Co. Ltd in Thailand, the All-New Jazz maintained the number one market position in Japan for the ninth consecutive month in July 2008 since its introduction in October last year. Its cumulative sale in Japan alone has achieved more than 140,000 units as of July this year, which surpassed the sales record of the 1^st Generation Jazz. It also received Japan�s �Car of the Year� award, making history by winning the same prize as the first generation model.

Within the Asia & Oceania region, the All-New Jazz has already launched in Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore with notable sales record. As of July this year, three months following the launch in March, the bookings of All-New Jazz in Thailand have reached an encouraging 10,000 units.

�Based on these successes as well as strong acceptance of the 1^st Generation Jazz in Malaysia, Honda believes that the All-New Jazz will deliver even greater joy to our customers here in Malaysia,� expressed Mr. Ike.

In Malaysia, the All-New Jazz is available in four colours: the Cerulean Blue Metallic; Alabaster Silver Metallic; Taffeta White; and Crystal Black Pearl (available from November 2008 onwards).

In addition to introducing the All-New Jazz via a thematic fashion show, Honda Malaysia is reaching out to its target audience via an Internet portal at www.defyconvention.com.my. To create a buzz and excitement leading to the launch, visitors of the site could subscribe to the weekly e-newsletter to get latest updates and information on the All-New Jazz, such as interviews with the creative team behind the launch and fashion show and its themes. Starting today, visitors will also get to see first-hand the television commercial of the All-New Jazz on the website, before it broadcast on TV on 27^th August.

To reward the first 300 customers of the All-New Jazz, Honda Malaysia has also commissioned the three designers, Khoon Hooi, Melinda Looi and Jonathan Cheng, to design 300 pieces of exclusive polo t-shirts. Each piece will have its own unique design.

Starting today, customers can visit all authorised Honda showrooms nearby to view and test-drive the All-New Jazz. For more information, please call Honda Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020, or log on to www.defyconvention.com.my.

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All-new Honda Jazz defies conventional pricing in Malaysia