A business only exists to profit, which goes the same way for car manufacturers. Fans might have fallen in love with the brand’s philosophy or exciting products but their existence is to make money, not to answer to the whims of fans. In the case of Smart, that profit-making direction seems to be where the brand is heading now. No more small, quirky compacts that can easily fit in tight spaces; under the stewardship of the Geely Group, the Smart cars of the 2020s are bigger and have hints of mor

CY Foong

Sep 18, 2024

As sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in Thailand lag behind expectations, the country’s big manufacturers – largely a mix of Chinese and Japanese giants – are scrambling to buy more time from the government to meet ambitious production deadlines set under a major incentive scheme, reports Reuters. The incentive program, which attracted over USD 1.44 billion (around RM 6.12 billion) in investments from Chinese carmakers like BYD and Great Wall Motor (GWM), was supposed to turn Thailand in

Shaun

Sep 18, 2024

Bermaz Auto, the distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia, is expected to launch the Mazda CX-60 in the fourth quarter of this year, according to a report by RHB Investment Bank. No further details were shared, but we know that the CX-60 has already been launched in Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. As a model bearing a double-digit numeral nameplate, the Mazda CX-60 is an upscale model in the same way the Mazda CX-30 is different from the CX-3 or CX-5. Unlike the CX-5, or even the CX-

Hans

Sep 18, 2024

For family car buyers, practicality often takes priority over style and presence. Budget, space, comfort, and overall functionality are key factors when selecting a vehicle. But if a family car also delivers performance and driving enjoyment, that's a big bonus. The Volkswagen Passat (B8) is a D-segment sedan that meets these needs and more, excelling on long-distance drives, especially on those long balik-kampung trips. Thus, if you don’t need more than a spacious 5-seater, the VW Passat is a g

Arvind

Sep 16, 2024

I stepped into the Kia EV9 with pretty high expectations, but what I didn’t see coming was just how enjoyable it would be behind the wheel. However, there’s one issue that could be a serious drawback – and we’ll get to that soon enough. Overview: Kia EV9 GT-Line 7-seater Price RM 369,668 Powertrain Dual-motor AWD Battery capacity 99.8 kWh Charging 11 kW AC, 210 kW DC, CCS2 Range 505 km (WTLP) Power 380 PS Torque 700 Nm 0-100 Km/h 5.25 seconds (as tested) Origin CBU, South Korea Looks Like Nothin

Shaun

Sep 13, 2024