Just a quick update that my coverage of the Honda City MMC is now up at TOVA (http://asia.vtec.net .)
New variant Honda Freed S launched.
The Honda Freed is one of Honda's newest models and is a well designed and equipped small sized MPV which seats up to 7. When it was first launched a few years ago, sales were hampered by a relatively high price. In the next step to enhancing sales of the Freed, Honda Malaysia has just launched the Freed S, a new variant with reduced specifications and at a much more affordable price, below the magical RM100k mark in fact. The primary change is the deletion of the motorized sliding door, replaced by a manually operated one. Other than this, all the other unique features of the Freed are still retained. The official Honda Malaysia press release for the Freed S is below.
HONDA MALAYSIA INTRODUCES A NEW AFFORDABLE FREED VARIANT, THE FREED S FOR URBAN FAMILIES
Petaling Jaya, 5 July 2012 - Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd today introduced a new Freed variant, the Freed S in Malaysia. The new Freed S is a practical, comfortable and affordable compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) featuring "4 seater + ideas" utilities, making it the ideal vehicle for young professional urban family or couple who appreciate quality traveling time together.
The new Freed S is a Complete Build-Up (CBU) unit from Indonesia. 'FREED' originates from the word 'Freedom' and combines the meaning of "Free" and "Do". As a result, the Freed is a vehicle, which is designed without restrictions of conventional thinking or standard practices. The unique futuristic aerodynamic triangle-shaped front is the result of its design concept. It provides a powerful one-motion silhouette that highlights an energetic sharp character line. It's square-shaped cabin enhances interior spaciousness for greater comfort.
Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yoichiro Ueno said, "We are pleased to offer the new Freed S with the practicality, stylishness, and comfort of a Multi-Purpose Vehicle in an affordable package to Malaysians."
Young modern families will find its flat floor and roof design very practical as it creates more cabin space and head room to allow young kids and elderly to move around easily in it. The design of the flat floor is achieved through the use of an ingeniously built-under-floor fuel tank. The low floor is one step, only at 410mm from the floor. Combined with grip assist, this is a great feature that eases the elderly stepping into and out of the car.
The best in class walkthrough cabin of the new Freed S features four captain seats in the first two rows with a 200mm-wide aisle to ease access. This also increases visibility for all passengers in the first two rows.
The seating of this affordable MPV is flexible and can be configured to accommodate up to seven passengers comfortably or create a more spacious cargo area depending on requirements. The third row seats of the Freed S are foldable in just three steps for extra loading space. This versatile configuration and spaciousness makes traveling convenient and fun as it can easily accommodate different traveling purposes such as "balik kampung" during festive seasons, leisure activities or a family day out. It can nicely fit in a baby pram, luggage and a golf set, with room to spare. The 1,620 mm low tailgate opening makes it convenient to load and unload cargo.
The new Freed S boasts of innovative storage space and holders such as the illuminated centre tray, large door pockets, backrest hook and front seat back pockets. There are 7-cup holders in the Freed S, which means each of the passengers has their own cup holders.
The dual layer dashboard is designed to hold all controls neatly, keeping the centre free of obstruction and is strategically placed for easy reach.
The new Freed S comes with a 5-speed auto transmission, Drive-By-Wire for smoother ride, 1.5L i-VTEC engine that produces maximum power of 118PS/6,600 rpm, which can also reach the maximum torque of 146Nm/4,800 rpm. The manual sliding doors makes getting in and out easier without restriction especially in tight parking situation. The fuel lid auto lock safety system is a mechanism that prevents the manual sliding door from opening fully when the fuel lid is opened.
In the aspect of safety, the new Freed S features with dual front SRS airbags and seatbelt reminders for the driver. It is rated with 6-Stars JNCAP for both driver and passenger seat. The G-Force Control Technology (G-CON) helps disperse the crash impact across the body frame while the Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) gives better crash compatibility with other cars, thus minimising injuries. The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electrical Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and Grade Logic Control are featured in the latest Freed S.
The full-imported new Freed S is available in Brilliant White Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic and Crystal Black Pearl at all Honda dealers now.
The Freed S is the smartest MPV choice, which is sleek, stylish and compact MPV, all in one package with on-the-road price tag of RM 99,800.00. Customers can test drive and place their booking for the new Freed S at any authorised Honda dealers nationwide. For more information, please call Honda Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020, or log on to www.honda.com.my.
The NEW 9Gen Civic is coming !
The new 9Gen Civic will be launched by Honda Malaysia next week. In fact some publications have even published the exact date - July 12th 2012. Advertisements have already been placed in newspapers to attract attention to this new Civic. But at the end of the day, really, what does it hold for us, Honda fans ?
Update : A reader sent in a comment to say that the Honda Civic Hybrid is actually already in Singapore, which is of course RHD. So there should not be any problems with Honda Malaysia launching the HCH. Thanks to the reader.
Which brings me to the intriguing 'coincidence' that 'Honda Global Amity', a Honda dealer located in the Bukit Jalil area sent me an invitation to their own launch of the HCH (at their showroom) next saturday, i.e. the weekend after the launch of the Civic. This suggests to me that on July 12th, Honda Malaysia will be launching the full line-up of variants for the new 9Gen Civic - both 1.8l and 2.0l -plus- the Civic Hybrid !
Update : A reader sent in a comment to say that the Honda Civic Hybrid is actually already in Singapore, which is of course RHD. So there should not be any problems with Honda Malaysia launching the HCH. Thanks to the reader.
Which brings me to the intriguing 'coincidence' that 'Honda Global Amity', a Honda dealer located in the Bukit Jalil area sent me an invitation to their own launch of the HCH (at their showroom) next saturday, i.e. the weekend after the launch of the Civic. This suggests to me that on July 12th, Honda Malaysia will be launching the full line-up of variants for the new 9Gen Civic - both 1.8l and 2.0l -plus- the Civic Hybrid !
Well, if you are a long time TOVA'er, it is certain that you did not come here to read an 'all is well' sugar-coated preview. In any case, with the internet as it is today, there is really no way to hide anything as people will find out by themselves. All it takes really is to type 'google' at the right place.
So let's just get down to the details, the facts exactly as they are. Or rather, whatever is known at this time.
This new 9Gen made its debut in the U.S. and Canada. It was of course also launched in Thailand recently. But this Gen Civic is very unusual in that it is still NOT launched in Japan yet. In fact, check honda.co.jp for the JDM lineup and you will notice the Civic is missing. The Civic had for a long time been synonymous with the Honda spirit. Along with the Accord, it is what defines a Honda car. Rumours are that it is possible that Honda will abandon the Civic altogether in its domestic line-up because the JDM focus is now on SUVs and MPVs. If proven true, this will be very sad.
After a rough time initially, with rather erratic reception from owners and reviews, the 9Gen Civic has since re-bounced to become a top seller in its market segment in the U.S. This is despite criticism from numerous magazines and web-sites. The criticisms centers mainly on an apparent drop in the quality of the interior. Complaints are that the interior materials look cheap and feel cheap. There are also negative comments about its ride quality, supposedly rough and un-refined. The culmination of all these is of course the rather infamous incident (by now) where the supposedly very influential publication 'Consumer Reviews' (CR) decided NOT to recommend this new 9Gen Civic. Given the fact that CR has formally recommended every generation of Civic before this, it was really huge news.
As stated above, all these are available to anyone who have access to the internet. There is no way to hide them or pretend they don't exist. Nevertheless, readers are advised to bear in mind that 'defenders' of the 9Gen Civic have pointed out that the majority of the negative feedback could be due to the fact that the reviewers tested the entry level LX variant. It was pointed out that the EX variant is much better. It is also important to note that there are also quite a number of positive reviews of the 9Gen Civic. So as usual, take all reviews with a pinch of salt and make the final decision yourself, after seeing the car in person.
Nevertheless, personally I still wish to remind readers that it is generally felt that our models seems to get better interior materials than some equivalent USDM models. E.g. our Insight gets the premium interior while the Insight in the U.S. had been getting bashed for its interior quality. This same could hold for this new 9Gen Civic, meaning do not equate what you read in the internet to what to expect from our 9Gen Civic. Again, keep an open mind until you see the actual car. It is a similar advice for the ride quality.
Unfortunately, I have not seen our ASEAN version yet so I can't give you my views on it until its launch next week. I suppose for those who are asking the inevitable question "should I make a pre-launch booking", unfortunately the most prudent answer is that you have to decide yourself as I can't confirm if our version will be better. Perhaps you need to wait until next week when cars are available at the dealers before making the commitment (though this could mean you end up with a longer waiting period).
Nevertheless, the fact is that American Honda Motors (AHM) who markets the Civic in the U.S. has officially admitted to an impending early MMC of the 9Gen Civic - by the end of this year to be exact. So this has been seen by many as an admission by AHM themselves that things are not totally right with the 9Gen Civic. Again, this is something widely written in the internet and is something for you to consider.
What about for us in Malaysia ? As was pointed out with previous generations, what we get will be almost exactly the same as the Thailand model. In this case, we will be getting two variants - a 1.8l and a 2.0l, just like the current outgoing 8Gen model. However this time both engines will be the SOHC i-VTEC 'R-Series'. I.e. the 1.8l will get the R18A and the 2.0l will get the R20A. Honda points out that the R20A will be the engine 'from the Accord' and not from the CR-V, though the two engines are really just slightly different variations of each other.
More intriguingly is that the R18A used in the USDM 1.8 Civic although bearing the same engine code is different from the previous engine on the 8Gen. As covered in TOV, this 'new' R18A engine no longer opens the intake valves into the compression stroke in an attempt to avoid pumping losses and thus reduce power loss. It is just 12V/16V implementation for 'normal' and 'hot-ish' cam profiles. Whether or not this will be the case with our R18A Civic I hope to find out at the launch or at the media drive event.
Again, the R20A will be the 155ps engine from the 2.0l Accord. So once again, soon we will no longer have a twin-cam VTEC Civic. Nevertheless, this R20A will not lose out to the K20A of the outgoing 8Gen 2.0l Civic. Their power rating will be the same. Even their red-line will be the same (6,800rpm). But the R20A will deliver better low end torque due to its under-square configuration (the K20A is a square configuration). So in theory, the new 2.0l Civic should be better to drive. Unfortunately this will only be 'on paper' and the intangible factor - i.e. the appeal of a 'twin-cam VTEC' engine has been ignored. Do note that the USDM don't have a 2.0l Civic but the much more desirable 200hp K24 Civic Si instead (though even this variant received lots of complaints from enthusiasts over there).
Transmission will continue to be 5AT only, no manual option is expected. The more interesting question is whether Honda Malaysia will also add the Civic Hybrid variant to the Civic line-up at a later date. But at the moment the HCH is only available in the U.S. and Canada which are LHD. This means if Honda Malaysia wants to have a Civic Hybrid locally, they will have to made a special case for it as we are RHD.
Finally for pricing, do expect the price to creep up a little. Still I expect both variants to keep within its price bracket, i.e. the 1.8l should continue to be below RM120k while the 2.0l should continue to be below RM140k. Given the yen rate today, a price increase is really unavoidable.
The photo of the dashboard above was provided in Honda's press release for the launch event.
Honda CR-Z CVT is here !
Honda Malaysia launched the CVT variant of the sporty hybrid CR-Z yesterday. The CR-Z was originally launched with only the 6MT as Honda Malaysia rightfully considered that a proper sports car should come with a manual gearbox. Nevertheless at the press conference during the original launch, I witnessed with some amusement how several media journalists commented negatively that the automatic gearbox is not available for the CR-Z. I could actually see bewilderment on the faces of the Honda Malaysia marketing staff when they received the comments. Nevertheless, they reacted promptly to the comments and has now made the CVT option available as well. Price is RM119,000 OTR. Significantly the CR-Z now comes with a 5 year or 140,000 km waranty for the IMA battery. To read the full Honda Malaysia press release, click on the link below.
THE HONDA CR-Z IS NOW AVAILABLE WITH CONTINUOUS VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT) WITH 7-SPEED PADDLE SHIFT* Honda Malaysia targets to sell 250 units of the CR-Z CVT per month in 2012
* 1,500 bookings received to-date for both the CVT and 6-Speed manual versions
Petaling Jaya, 25 June 2012 - Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd today announced that the award-winning hot-hatch hybrid, the CR-Z is now available with Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) with 7-Speed Paddle Shift in Malaysia.
The CR-Z CVT with 7-Speed Paddle Shift extends the offering option of the sleek hybrid vehicle to a wider audience of car enthusiasts. This new version of the CR-Z will captivate independent young professionals who recognise the value of advanced green technology, yet enjoy fun driving elements that cater to their active lifestyle. This hot-hatch hybrid will also appeal to ladies who are looking for a stylish hybrid car that is easy to handle.
Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yoichiro Ueno said, "Being the pioneer of hybrid technology in Malaysia, we are constantly studying the market to fulfill their demands. As the feedback to bring in the automatic version is overwhelming, we are now proud to introduce this CVT version to the Malaysian market. We will continue to bring in more hybrid options for Malaysians in the future. The introduction of the CR-Z CVT adds another variant to the Honda Hybrid Family in Malaysia which has Insight, Jazz Hybrid and the 6-Speed manual CR-Z.
"The market acceptance of hybrid vehicles in Malaysia is growing, largely due to the government's support and effort to promote green technology especially in the automotive sector. As the response to the CR-Z since its launch in November 2011 has been overwhelming, we are confident that this CVT version of the CR-Z will not only reflects as a stylish hybrid but will also appeal to a wider audience and exceed their expectations," said Mr. Ueno.
The three values of EMOTION look and feel; EXCITEMENT and joy of ownership, and SMART driving remain the core propositions of the CR-Z. These core values can be further enjoyed through the 7-Speed Paddle Shift that increases the fun-to-drive factor while at the same time retaining the joy of a performance hybrid. With the paddle shift, it increases the enjoyment of sporty driving with fingertip gearshift control on the steering. The Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) also provides a smoother drive with high torque for rapid performance, better engine braking and quieter ride.
Powering the CR-Z CVT is a 1.5L i-VTEC engine coupled with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) Hybrid System that gives a combined power of 123 PS. This efficient combination enables drivers to have a responsive and exciting driving experience. The overall engine performance provides exceptional fuel economy and a fun-to-drive performance.
The CR-Z CVT retains the versatile 3-Mode Drive System, which allows the driver to switch the mode to SPORT, NORMAL and ECO depending their driving style and road conditions. This makes the CR-Z CVT an ideal hybrid vehicle for car enthusiasts who not only seek a performance responsive driving experience but would like to be environmental friendly at the same time.
Honda Malaysia targets to sell 1,800 units of the CR-Z CVT by the end of 2012. To-date, Honda Malaysia has received 1,500 bookings for the 6-speed manual and CVT versions of the CR-Z.
"Honda will continue to provide more quality products and services to uphold customer satisfaction. CR-Z CVT customers can enjoy a 5-year or 140,000km warranty, whichever comes first, for the IMA battery," said Mr Ueno.
The CR-Z CVT is available in four stylish colours of Premium White Pearl, Storm Silver Metallic, Milano Red, and Crystal Black Pearl. The on-the-road price tag of the latest CR-Z CVT with 7-Speed Paddle Shift is RM 119,000.
Customers can view and test-drive the responsiveness and fulfilling driving experience of the CR-Z CVT at any authorized Honda dealers and showrooms today! For more information, please call Honda Toll Free number at 1800 88 2020, or log on to www.honda.com.my.
Honda City MMC
Next gen Accord, insider infor
Someone in our TOV forums posted this in a thread. It contains some important information on the new Accord which is expected to debut early next year in the U.S. For Asia, it is expected the new Accord will debut either end of next year or early 2014. The asian Accords should be getting variants of the engines fitted to the U.S. Accords.
(On Tuesday of this week, AHM's president, Mr. Iwamura addressed all American Honda employees via teleconference. He basically talked about the difficult times Honda has been through this past year (with the earthquake and floods). Near the end of his speech, he addressed some topics that we see raised here at ToV quite often. I thought you would like to see what he said. Here is an excerpt from his talk.)
"For the Honda brand, this fall we launch the most critical model in our lineup an all-new Accord. The 2013 Accord will again be the unquestioned leader in the mid-size segment. And by the end of this year, we will introduce a minor model change of Civic. Despite the negative comments from media, Civic is the best-selling compact car over the past six months. But our goal is not only great sales, but true leadership in the compact segment. So, we pulled forward the MMC to make some key changes, including interior and exterior design refinements and ride and handling issues.
There also has been concern that Honda has lost its leadership in engine technology. But with the new Accord, we will begin to roll out our new Earth Dreams Powertrain Series over the next 3 to 4 years. This will include new direct injection engines, and a series of new transmissions that will result in both higher performance and higher fuel economy to improve our competitiveness. For example, the new CVT transmission for the next Accord will have a very sporty feeling.
Over the past 18 months, we have invested more than $1.7 billion dollars in our existing operations. That also includes adding second shifts and installing new equipment. As a result, during the next three years, we will significantly increase production volume in North America.
Importantly, in the coming years we will centralize the critical leadership role in our North American auto plants. This means our local plants will mature certain production processes and then share this know-how with Honda plants around the world. Up to now, this leadership role has been conducted in Japan. But we will challenge to do it in North America.
Finally, based on the larger S-E-D leadership role in North America, our Export Sales Division will be ramping up auto exports. This fall, we will reach the one million mark in total U.S. vehicle exports. And we will celebrate this achievement with great pride.
In short, Honda associates in the U.S., Canada and Mexico are developing additional capabilities to take even greater responsibility for meeting the needs of customers in North America and around the world.
This is an exciting time to be at Honda. And I am proud and happy to be with you to lead American Honda into the future.
Thank you."
New Accord spy photos
Autoevolution website has purchased and published a set of very clear next generation Accord spy photos. Click on the link below to go to the website where you can view the photos.
http://www.autoevolution.com/news-g-image/spyshots-2013-honda-accord/77782.html
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