Which would you rather drive on the Federal Highway in Kuala Lumpur at 6pm on weekdays?

Hmmm...another Toyota Prius (3rd gen) versus Honda Civic Hybrid IMA shootout?

Look closer...the Civic unit above is a plain vanilla Civic 1.8 i-VTEC, a perennial top seller in its segment for these couple of years in Malaysia. The comparo is unintentional but makes for delectable food-for-thought that for RM115k versus RM175k (no prize for guessing which is which), many of us 'smart' consumers and motorists alike would be better off saving the RM60,000. More than enough for petrol costs for over say, the 5 - 7 years of motoring/hire-purchasing? I think someone has this base covered with the Civic hybrid versus Civic 1.8 sometime back and he's with a popular online news portal now. Anyway, keep your little calculator stashed away, you can never compute the RM60,000 in savings unless you drive the Prius to Mars and back over 10 years.

I would have totally agreed to the above had it not for the massively unpredictable (or is it unpredictably massive?) traffic jams on our Federal Highway during rush hours. Or after a traffic accident on either side of the highway capable of causing both sides to just choked up! Ironically, sometimes for no noticeable reason at all.

Looking at the rather feminine Prius outlook (especially in pearl white, as above), I was totally taken a back when I found it cool to be caught in traffic jams. Yes totally cool...figuratively and literally. The DC motorised airconditioner compressor totally rocks with its whisper cooling, even when the combustion engine is not running.

Furthermore, if you have tried a DC inverter airconditioner at home you'd realised that there's no off-cycle to the cooling. Say, even if you set at 26 deg Celcius, the air vents will still blow cool air on a cold morning albeit at a lower 'concentration'. No more sticky, stale (occasionally moldy/smelly) or that transient warmer air blowing when the regular crank-belt-driven A/C compressor of an automobile (or regular home alternating current A/C compressor) cuts off. Lovely.

The 3rd gen Prius is mighty impressive at start up. After the Ni-Mh battery pack has warmed up, the vehicle is totally silent as you reverse out of your car porch. Zero emissions for the part of (cold-start) driving that's most polluting. Of course, the Civic Hybrid (2nd gen) has a part-time electric A/C compressor that works in stationary condition - at traffic lights - but once you get moving again, the engine has to restart. That's what termed as soft-hybrid i.e. with a small electric motor. Not for the latest Prius when you do say 10 km/h - and most of the period in a bumper-to-bumper crawl - dependent on load and state of battery charge of course. It's a great feeling to see the onboard computer reading 0l/100km/h of fuel consumption in a traffic snarl!



For those interested (who's not these days?) in fuel efficiency facts, the Prius' on-board computer displayed an average figure of 5.6l/100km. With some hard driving, mostly calm cruising, the tripmeter was reading 514.7km + another 136km to go before empty. Isn't this so darn cool too?

Now you can't chill out so much in a regular Civic 1.8, can you? :)

Coming soon: Civic Type-R vs Lancer Evolution (X)

A shootout between a RM199k Honda Civic Type-R and the RM323k Mitsu Lancer Evolution? Possibly a mismatched duo or perhaps a comparo bordering on insanity, you may wonder.

Well, both of them are top-drawer, high performance halo models of their respective range, yes? One wears the the much-revered Type-R 'talisman' while the other has the iconic WRC-bred Evo heritage.
Coincidentally (seriously!) both of them have ended up on the test platter of this writer over the last weekend. And the findings are rather baffling and outcome not as straightforward as A, B, C.
Watch this space for more details soon...

In the meantime, you may want to read this:
First Drive: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with TC-SST

On Test: Honda Civic Type-R

I have always loved Honda's K20A engine for what it represents: smooth, willing and sweet to the redline; having owned the 7th gen Accord for quite a while back in 2004.
However, I didn't quite subscribe to the early understeer tendency and easy chirping/squealing of its front tyres - which I blamed on the FWD dynamics (and maybe poor OE-grade tyres) - and decidedly switched to a rear-wheel drive sedan ever since.

In addition, my first car back in the 1990s was a Proton Wira 1.3GL manual, which was incidentally also in white. Thus, it was with a tinge of scepticism that I took out an 8th gen Civic Type-R (sedan) for my NST-CBT Car of The Year (COTY) 2008 review. Yep! It's another front wheel driven car equipped a stick shifter, albeit a 6-speed 'box.
Also, having driven the Golf GTI Mk5 (DSG) countless times, I swored that this has to be one of the best FWD car around. Now I guess that the crown - in my book at least - will be taken over by the Civic Type-R, with another accolade added to it: the best front-wheel-drive AND manual tranny car I have ever driven so far!



Watch out for the full test report coming up soon and possibly a mini shootout with the new Lancer Evolution (X) :)

Is Honda's all-new City coming in December 2008?

Hearsay from the grapevine seem to suggest a possible 3rd week of December 2008 launching period for Honda Malaysia's all-new City. Possibly one the industry's best kept secret - with no clear spy-shots or detailed scoop to date - this may indeed be the most significant automobile launch before the year wraps up.

Is this the all-new 2009 Honda City?

Spotted on the front cover of Autocar India mag, is a picture of the purportedly next generation Honda City. It is expected to be launched before the year end in India, with a pre-production test unit currently undergoing on-road testing.

Honda's frugal 1.5L twin-spark i-DSI will no longer be seen in the 3rd generation (sedan) Honda City, with possibly 1.3L or 1.5L i-VTEC as available options in Malaysia by Q2 2009. Honda's power efficient CVT will also take a break from the ASEAN market' Jazz/City, with a 5-speed torque converter taking over the tranny job. However, Japan Domestic Market (JDM) Fit will still spin on CVT, albeit now with a torque converter in place of a starter 'clutch' for initial take-off duties.

Wonder what will the Japanese 2009 Honda Fit-Aria (City) have as its driveline?

All-new 8th Generation Accord in Honda showrooms now!

By Dr Long

After having hired (as in hire-purchase) three previous generations of Accord i.e. the SM4, CF9 and the 7th generation Accord, naturally I was excited to see what Honda Malaysia has to offer with its locally built (assembled) 8th gen model.

Here is a pictorial summary of what I observed at a local Honda dealer just this morning:
(Note: there was no 3.5 V6 model on display at the showroom.)

Click on all images to enlargeModulo-kitted Accord 2.4 VTi-L as tester unit. Note grille is of cleaner design and likely more desirable to many.

Side profile more expansive than 7th gen predecessor. Lines fussier but lends more solidity to form.

Headlamps curvy and large, less traingular now. Best seen in 3-D to appreciate bulging lens cover. HID (Xenon) items only for 2.4 VTi-L and 3.5 V6.

Whoever says the 8th gen Civic has taken over the Accord in terms of size, presence and prestige?

16" alloys for the entry-level 2.0 i-VTEC Accord. Goodyear Excellence rubber replaces NCT5.

Larger alloys (17") look more convincing on the 2.4 model now, unlike before (similar sized 16" but more cluttered design for the previous 2.4).

2.4 DOHC i-VTEC (K24A) carried over from the 7th gen Accord. Power output hiked to 180ps @ 6500rpm and torque now boosted to 222Nm @ 4300rpm.

Looking messy here is the 'new' SOHC 2.0L i-VTEC engine from the new CR-V. Power output is acceptable on-paper with figures of 156ps@ 6300rpm while torque is 189Nm @ 4300rpm. Likely tuned for economy than outright sweetness on the rev, unlike the DOHC K20A it replaces.


Full grey trim for the interior of the Accord 2.4. Leather seats standard.

Dashboard double-tiered like the 8th gen Civic but gets regular instruments cluster with twin analog dials.

Leather-wrapped gear lever with faux-metal base and fake wood surround. 5 speed A/T carried over from 7th gen Accord, standard even on the 2.0 VTi. Still truimphs over Camry 2.0's 4-speeder!

Lots of switches to play with here. Honda reputed for its tactile switches, knobs and operating stalks. No GPS Sat-Nav yet even though centre LCD panel displays A/C and audio control parameters.

Ah! Finally rear A/C vents are here. After 7 generations of skipping the Accord genome!

Chunky outer door handle in chrome looks and feels the part of an executive saloon!
Entirely different story told by the inner door opening (painted-plastic) handles though.

Boot space pear-shaped at its base. Obstrusive rear wheels and suspension humps eats up usable luggage space.

Modulo grille a worth-paying option, can be purchased singly (list price: RM920).

Two-tone with beige cloth upholstery for the 2.0 Accord. Dash top appears deceptively soft touch. NOT SO! What's happening Honda? Going back to the days of the CF9 Accord? Door opening levers made of light-weight cheapo spray-painted plastic, much like Civic. A mismatch for a sedan of this class!

Steering design a bit too Volvo-ish to me. Has Honda cured the ills of idling steering vibrations of its 7th gen Accord (more so 2.0 and 2.4 models)?

8th gen Civic or 8th gen Accord? Take your pick...

Standard spec 2.0 VTi Accord. Single tail pipe look a little lonely with the lower apron sculpted for twin.

More presence from the 8th gen Accord from this angle...no?


Confirmed prices for the all-new Accord (on-the-road with insurance) are:

2.0VTi RM141,800
2.4 VTi-L RM171,800
3.5 V6 RM249,800

All-New Acura TSX for U.S. market (Euro Accord)

Click on picture to enlarge

The second-generation Acura TSX will debut at New York International Motor Show 2008. The 2009 Acura TSX is larger but is claimed to be more agile, with higher performance and more luxuriously equipped than before. Marketed as a world-class sports sedan, the new TSX has significantly evolved to offer more comfort, convenience, driving performance and safety.

Honda's all-aluminum 2.4L DOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder produces 201hp and 233Nm, with five percent more torque further strengthens the engine's pulling power at mid-rpm range. This allows the 2009 TSX to be more responsive off the line and out of corners, and stronger in the middle of the rpm range where the engine operates most of the time.

This newfound performance and flexibility is due in part to a higher compression ratio, revised valve timing applied to i-VTEC, and improved intake and exhaust gas flow. Two transmissions are available, both as standard equipment – a 6-speed close- ratio manual with new performance-oriented ratios for 2nd through 6th gears, and a Sequential SportShift 5-speed automatic with a new lock-up torque converter assembly. The manual transmission features a short-throw shifter with a precise, light action that makes it highly rewarding to use, while the Sequential SportShift automatic permits fully automatic operation with intelligent features such as Grade Logic Control and Shift Hold Control, which make driving the TSX on hilly or winding roads more enjoyable. If the driver desires, the automatic transmission can also be operated manually via new steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters.

Related post:

http://for-wheels.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-euro-honda-accord-for-200809.html

New Euro Honda Accord for 2008/09

Click on all images to enlargeSet to debut at Geneva 2008 will be Honda’s new Euro Accord (also Accord Touring /Wagon) for 2009 model year. Interestingly, this new Honda is rebadged as the new Acura TSX over in the U.S., with shield plus mesh grille treatment - in place of the multi-louvred item - applied to Acura's new sport sedan.

The Euro Accord will have three engines options, all Euro-5 emission standards compliant. Significant to the Europen market is the second generation i-DTEC diesel producing about 148hp and a twisty 350Nm of torque at a low 2,000 rpm. The petrol motors include the carried over 2.0L i-VTEC churning out 154hp and 192Nm; with another 2.4L i-VTEC 4-pot good for about 200hp and 233Nm. Transmission options are 5 A/T or 6-speed manual ‘box.

As always, no Euro Accord ever made in to Malaysia officially, so be on a lookout at parallel importer's showroom only in 2009/2010.

Related posts:

http://for-wheels.blogspot.com/2008/01/2008-honda-accord-spotted-in-bangkok.html

http://for-wheels.blogspot.com/2008/01/honda-inspire-accord-modulo-concept.html

http://for-wheels.blogspot.com/2007/08/2008-all-new-honda-accord.html

2008 Honda Accord spotted in Bangkok, Thailand

Picture by: Peter Lee

This will likely be the new (ASEAN) 8th generation Honda Accord coming soon to Malaysia this Q1 2008. It appears that the hexagonal 3-D grille will remain, as is the toned-down headlamps (as compared to the current 7th gen Accord). However, much of the current Accord styling elements are still deja-vu in front, as evident from the front fenders plus the associated wheel arches' bulge and border. The pedestrian-crash friendly hood bulge also lives on, albeit having been pared- down for a slimmer profile.

Having said that, For Wheels correspondent Peter concluded that the new Accord is much alligned to the current 5-series - at least aesthetically - from the sides and rear. He reckoned that the whole design package gels quite convincingly and definitely looks the part of a more luxurious executive sedan, compared to the outgoing 7th gen Accord.

All three variants of the new Accord is expected to be introduced by Honda Malaysia soon i.e. 2.0 i-VTEC, 2.4 i-VTEC and 3.5 V6 i-VTEC - with the flagship likely to be imported (CBU) in limited numbers.

Related posts:

http://for-wheels.blogspot.com/2007/08/2008-all-new-honda-accord.html

http://for-wheels.blogspot.com/2008/01/honda-inspire-accord-modulo-concept.html

Honda Inspire (Accord) Modulo Concept

Here’s food for thought (Inspire-ation?) for future 2008 all-new Honda Accord owners: a dressed-up Japan Domestic Market (JDM) Inspire 3.5 i-VTEC V6, reportedly good for 280bhp.

Known as the Inspire Modulo Concept, this Honda large-sized executive features heavily sculpted bumpers, more aggressive-looking headlamps and bleached-out LED tail-lights. Thicker tri-louvred grille with bolder chrome highlights and seven-spoke smoked-alloy rims also add to the visual sweetening. Its interior has leather stitched trims encompassing the gearknob and even the handbrake lever.

Interestingly, the Inspire comes with rear A/C vents (apart from the easily after-market accessorise LCD monitors). Will we see this elusive climate control item in our garden varieties of - 2.0L and/or 2.4L Thai-sourced – 8th generation Accord in Malaysia?

The 8th generation Accord is due soon - anytime now in Q1 2008 - to be marketed officially by Honda Malaysia.

Related post:

http://for-wheels.blogspot.com/2007/08/2008-all-new-honda-accord.html