Honda Jazz price in Malaysia goes below RM100k

Honda Malaysia just launched a new variant of the Honda Jazz for Malaysia, the 'Jazz S' with a selling price of just below RM100k. This is a move much needed to restore the competitiveness and popularity of the Jazz here in Malaysia. The previous 1G Jazz was a huge seller here. It was a superb overall package with a good engine, incredible utility and huge interior space. Recently when I had the new 9G Civic Hybrid for review, passengers who was in the rear actually commented that they thought the rear interior of the 1G Jazz was slightly more spacious than even the 9G Civic, a thought probably heavily influenced by the generous headroom in the Jazz.

The 2G Jazz sought to continue on the strengths of the 1G Jazz. But it was hampered by a critical disadvantage - price. The cost of import from the Thailand factory forced Honda to price the 2G Jazz at a level that was significantly higher than when the 1G Jazz was introduced, in fact quite close to that of the 8G Civic 1.8 i-VTEC. In addition, those (1G Jazz'es) were actually from Japan which made the price differential even more glaring. Consequently, for much of its lifespan, sales of the 2G Jazz, in the words of a Honda Malaysia marketing person was 'hardly moving'. The deletion of the CVT gearbox also had a minor impact as the CVT is considered by the more knowledgeable auto fan to be a more advanced technology. Unfortunately the bout with the 'start clutch' fiasco and the lack of appreciation/technical knowledge of the general auto buyer prevailed. Honda Malaysia had continuously sought to push the price of the 2G Jazz down to make it more appealing. Finally, with this new variant and a price tag below the crucial 100k level, the 2G Honda Jazz finally looks set to regain back some of its success.

The basic mechanical specifications of the Jazz remains for the Jazz S, with the same 120ps 1.5l i-VTEC engine and the 5AT gearbox. Still no return of the CVT for the Jazz. Features and furnishings will be the main areas that are changed in order to drop the price by such a large margin. With this new pricing, it is hoped that the 2G Jazz will start to regain back some of its past success. Not a moment too soon as the new 3G Fit/Jazz is expected to hit the JDM next year.

The full Honda Malaysia press release for the Jazz S is below.

HONDA MALAYSIA INTRODUCES THE JAZZ S
 

Petaling Jaya, 8 August 2012 – Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd today introduced the Honda Jazz S variant. The practical and stylish Jazz S maintains the essential features of the popular 5-door compact hatchback.

The Jazz S is a Completely Build-Up (CBU) unit from Thailand. With the original concept of “Man Maximum, Machine Minimum”, the Jazz S continues the legacy of maximizing the space available for humans and minimizing the space occupied by mechanical components. This is aimed at creating an ideal compact car that combines spaciousness, utility, fuel efficiency, refinement, comfort and safety all into one attractive package.

Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yoichiro Ueno said, “We are pleased to offer the S variant of the Honda Jazz to Malaysians. The Jazz has always been well received in Malaysia and we are delighted to introduce another version of the stylish compact car to Malaysians. We believe the Jazz S will appeal to young professionals who are interested in a compact yet practical vehicle that caters to their fun driving and active lifestyle. It is also targeted at young urban families who demand a
spacious interior for their daily lifestyle needs.”

Exterior wise, the Jazz S comes with a 15” alloy wheel and a new dynamic front and rear bumper with 3-tier tail lights. The black mesh grille maintains the stylishness while the fog lights ensure better visibility during misty conditions. The Jazz S is also equipped with front and rear mudguards for additional protection. The Jazz S is powered by the 1.5L i-VTEC engine, Honda’s signature technology. The 5-speed Auto Transmission combines with the signature i-VTEC engine to offer excellent drivability, performance and fuel efficiency. The Drive-By-Wire (DBW) technology controls the engine with the 5-speed automatic transmission to give smoother shifting and reliable acceleration and linear driving performance at regular speed range.

The Jazz S retains the key features of the Jazz such as the Ultra Seat and a large boot space that emphasizes great practicality and space. The ever-dynamic Ultra Seats, which is now in blue-black, can be folded in one swift action. It can be transformed, flipped and adjusted easily to different modes for different purposes. Additionally, the unique central fuel tank layout, which is located underneath the rear seats, creates a larger legroom for both
front and rear seat passengers.

The Jazz S is not only geared to deliver exciting performance, but also capable of keeping its driver and passengers safe while minimising harm to pedestrians outside. The G-force Control Technology (G-CON) helps to disperse crash impact. Its Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) controls unexpected situation and stabilises the vehicle. Additionally, the Dual SRS Airbags, 3-point Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) safety belts, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electrical Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA) are featured in the Jazz S.

 
The Jazz S is available in Brilliant White Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic and Crystal Black Pearl. It is now available in all Honda Malaysia showrooms. Honda Malaysia targets to sell 210 units by the end of this year. 

The practical, stylish and compact Jazz S comes with an affordable on-the-road price tag of RM 99,800.00. Customers can test drive and place their booking for the Jazz 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.

Honda to build Jazz (Fit) Hybrid in Malaysia

During the grounds breaking ceremony that I attended last week, Honda made the announcement that they will be building the Jazz (Fit) Hybrid in Malaysia. This means Malaysia will be the 2nd country after the U.S. to build hybrid models outside of Japan. Production of the Jazz Hybrid will begin on the current "No. 1 Line" and work is going on to prepare the production line for the assembly of the model. Currently Jazz Hybrids sold in Malaysia are fully imported from Japan in what is called CBU or Completely Built Up form. 

The price of the Jazz Hybrid is fairly attractive at around RM95,000 and this local assembly promises to help keep the price at this level even when the special Malaysia tax exemption for hybrid cars expires at the end of next year (2013). It is however unlikely that the price for Malaysia will change even after the production has changed to local production, due to the need to protect the investments of customers who already owns the Jazz Hybrid. Of course this is just my own guess.

The Jazz Hybrid is fitted with the same powerplant and battery unit as the Insight, 1.3l IMA with around 100ps max power. The Malaysian units comes only with the CVT 7-speed.

How strong is a Honda ?

Every manufacturer makes big boasts about how tough and safe their cars are. Occasionally, things conspire to put their claims to the test. In this case, the Honda CR-V definitely lives up to the boast. A bizarre accident caused a 18-wheel trailer weighing well over 13 tons to roll on top of a CR-V. And yet the driver came out totally untouched. Links to the news article plus TOV discussions are available at 

http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-message?message_id=1080835&page_number=1#1080835.

Honda expands Malaysia assembly plant (TOVA coverage)

On July 19th 2012, Honda made the announcement that they are expanding their Malaysia assembly plant located in Pegoh, Melaka. While this expansion have been talked about for many years now, it has been an 'off again/on again' affair AFAIK, due to the development of the automobile industry in Malaysia and how Honda perceives it. However unforeseen and uncontrollable situations last year clearly made Honda decide to expand and spread out their operations and this is one of the outcome.

The expansion of the plant includes three new additions: an assembly plant which Honda calls the "No. 2 Line", a new PDI or Post-Delivery-Inspection, and a new test track. The new "No. 2 Line" is slated for the assembly of 'entry level' models, which I believe is meant to be the City and Jazz. An intriguing thought would be the possibility of Honda Malaysia assembling the new Brio mini-car here as well.

The PDI is where cars rolling off the assembly lines are sent for preparation for delivery to customers. It is here where the accessories, including things like the wheels and alarm system, are added to the car. This two stage process is necessary to manage the cost of duties which Honda has to pay for each car assembled and sold. Finally, the new test track is 2.1km long and is meant to allow Honda a more comprehensive testing to ensure the QA of their cars. This track is located right at the back of the plant grounds and includes a very long straight section and has a 'speed limit' of 140kph (around 80mph).

The photo above is of a model of the plant including the new 'No. 2 line'. The new buildings are at the back, greyish in colour while those in white colour are the existing buildings for the 'No. 1 line'. For those who have visited the factory before, the main entrance which is flanked by the visitors carpark on the left and the football field on the right is at the bottom middle of the photo. The PDI (post delivery inspection) area is on the far right. The 'main straight' of the 2.1km test track can just be seen right at the edge of the model in the back.

Work is actually already in progress for this expansion and at the grounds laying ceremony, I can see heavy vehicles working on the expansion grounds. At the moment, construction is mostly complete for the PDI and for the No. 2 Line, around 18% of the piling works has been completed. The PDI will be opened for operations soon while the new No. 2 Line is scheduled to be completed in a year's time, around July 2013, in time for a two-months trial run and then full production planned for October 2013.

Honda says the new line should allow annual production of the plant to reach 100,000 units or 800 units a day which is double the current output. This is timely and very important as Honda's annual sales target have now begun to exceed the 50,000 units mark and they have to depend on the not entirely certain availability of CBU (full imported) models to make up the sales target.

The photos below are wall charts that accompanied the model display above which provides more details of the plant expansion. 

Honda expands Malaysia assembly plant (official press release)

HONDA MALAYSIA TO BE THE FIRST NON-NATIONAL MANUFACTURER TO PRODUCE HYBRID VEHICLES LOCALLY

•          Honda Malaysia expands its factory with an investment of RM350 million

•          Honda Malaysia to start rolling out hybrid vehicles by the end of this year; this move reaffirms Honda Malaysia’s leadership in being the pioneer of hybrid technology in Malaysia

•          Total production capacity will increase to 100,000 units annually and 800 units daily when No. 2 Line completes in Q4 2013

Malacca, 19 July 2012 – Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd today announced that it would be producing hybrid vehicles locally. The announcement was made by Mr. Hiroshi Kobayashi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd. at the Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony of its No. 2 Line at Honda’s Pegoh Plant in Alor Gajah, Malacca. When the first hybrid rolls out of its plant later this year, Honda will become the first non-national automotive manufacturer in Malaysia to locally produce hybrid vehicles. Currently, Honda produces its hybrid vehicles only in Japan and the US.

The historic ceremony was graced by guests-of-honour, Datuk Seri Haji Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam, Chief Minister of Malacca and Dato’ Sri Mustapa bin Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

In his welcome speech, Mr. Yoichiro Ueno, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia lauded the support by the Malaysian government in promoting green technology among industry players. “Honda’s growth and strong presence here in Malaysia would not have been possible without the partnership and support of the government and people of Malaysia. We have nurtured a strong working relationship with the government, our suppliers, dealers and customers. I would like to reiterate our firm commitment towards our business here in Malaysia as we strive to become a company that Malaysians would be proud to have in this country.”

Honda Malaysia has been manufacturing vehicles locally since 2003. The expansion of its production line to manufacture hybrid models is a natural progression in line with the increasing demand for advanced, clean and fuel-efficient vehicles in Malaysia.

Mr. Kobayashi shared his joy to be able to participate in this significant event. “We will start local production of the Jazz Hybrid at the Malacca Plant by the end of this year. Due to Asia’s fast growth and diverse markets, Honda will accelerate efforts throughout our regional operations to achieve Honda’s 2020 vision. Southeast Asia in particular holds a very important position for Honda’s global business. With a huge population, strong GDP growth and spending power, the demand for passenger vehicles in this region has grown tremendously in the past 10 years. We want to keep on creating products that maximize the joy of our customers, with speed, affordability and low CO²emissions in these markets.”

Honda is the pioneer in bringing hybrid technology to Malaysia, introducing the first hybrid vehicle to Malaysians back in 2007. With the move to produce hybrid vehicles locally, Honda is once again leading the way in the introduction of higher value technologies to Malaysians.

Honda Malaysia is investing RM350 million for the expansion, which includes building, equipment and facilities. The new No.2 Line is scheduled to begin operations by the fourth quarter of 2013 and will be able to produce 100,000 units annually. When both the production lines are up and running, Honda Malaysia will be able to produce up to 800 vehicles per day, double its current output.

Hybrid vehicles will be produced at its No. 1 Line while the new No. 2 Line is specially built to increase Honda’s ability to meet the Malaysian market demand for compact vehicles. Both the current and the new No. 2 Line will have the capability to produce multiple models and to quickly and efficiently shift production as required. In pursuit of Honda’s “Green Factory” concept, the No.2 line will continue to adopt a more efficient and environment friendly manufacturing operation.

The expanded factory will occupy a total space of 8.48 million square metres when it is completed; almost double the 4.32 million square metres of its current size. Mr. Ueno continued, “With this expanded factory, we are making investments to bring in state-of-the-art technologies as well as other investments. There will also be a transferring of technology such as with the installation of the latest state-of-the-art General Welding equipment. This is a demonstration of our commitment to continue providing products of the highest quality to our customers in Malaysia, which is reflected in our achievement of the No.1 ranking in the Initial Quality Study (IQS) award for the past 5 consecutive years.”

Mr. Ueno added that this investment would also be able to create more jobs for Malaysians. When the expansion at the Malacca Plant is completed and begins full operations next year, Honda Malaysia expects to employ 700 new associates.

Honda Malaysia believes that cost competitiveness is critical to success in this country. Together with its plant expansion, it is also widening its local supplier network to increase the parts content sourced in Malaysia. Currently, Honda Malaysia sources about 40% of the completely knocked-down (CKD) vehicles components locally and plan to further increase the local content.

The expanded Pegoh Plant in Malacca will assemble (CKD) models such as the City, Civic, Accord, CR-V and the first hybrid model, the Jazz Hybrid.

The expanded factory is complemented by the recently built RM40 million Pre-Delivery Inspection Centre (PDI) and Vehicle Quality Test Course which was commissioned on 7 July 2012. The new Vehicle Quality Test Course is designed with different dynamic testing zones and road conditions, which will be able to fully test two new vehicles per session. Earlier this year, Honda Malaysia officially opened their new warehouse to provide better support to its dealers.

Mr. Ueno added that parallel to the expansion and introduction of new models, Honda Malaysia is also looking to increase its dealer network throughout Malaysia, to up to 90 dealers by the end of 2015.

With the newly expanded factory, Honda Malaysia reaffirms its commitment to deliver its products on time and continue to excite Malaysians with an exciting line up of advanced models, for both the petrol and hybrid range.

Interior quality of the 9G Civic

There seems to be some disagreement amongst TOV/TOVA'ers about the interior quality of the 9Gen Civic, between the ASEAN and USDM versions, and even between the previous 8Gen and the new 9Gen units. While it is never possible to judge correctly, nevertheless I was very concious of this issue and I -did- take close up photos of the material of the cabin. 

In this first supplementary post, I have put up three photos of the inside of the 1.8l Civic below for readers who might want to, or are able to make more informed judgements. The first photo on the top is the driver's seat, the one in the middle, the driver's door and the third the top of the dashboard on the front passenger's side where the front airbag cover is. 

I am sure any and all comments here will be of great interest to others.

9G Civic launched in ASEAN

The 9G Civic is now making its debut in ASEAN and was launched here in Malaysia yesterday. To Honda, this launch was a much awaited event is it marks the resumption of their full operations after the rather disastrous flooding in Thailand last year.

Three variants were launched for Malaysia :- Civic 1.8, two types of Civic 2.0 - with and without the NAVI option, and finally as suspected before the launch, the Civic Hybrid as well. Prices are extremely competitive, with the Civic 2.0l non-NAVI for e.g. seeing a price increase of only RM1k. Meanwhile the Civic Hybrid makes its return and is now going for just below RM120k on the road with full insurance.

I will be putting up a full coverage of the ASEAN 9G Civic very soon on TOVA. In the meantime I wish to cover a couple of questions I raised during the press conference, which I believe should be of great interest to TOV/TOVA'ers and so should be given priority in answering.

The first question I clarified about this new ASEAN 9G Civic was about the interior. As regular TOV/TOVA'ers will now be familiar with, when the USDM 9G Civic, it received some quite polarized comments and some of the most negative ones centered around its interior. They were primarily targeted at what was perceived to be low quality materials used in the interior. I asked the chief engineer who was present at the launch about this. He was surprised I knew about this issue as it is related to the USDM models but he very readily admitted to knowing about the comments/concerns. He replied that the materials are not identical. Obviously the suppliers are different which means the materials are different. However, the actual specifications of the materials are similar. Nevertheless, there are detailed changes to the interior including more padding for the seats. 

As I have not seen the insides of the 9G USDM Civic up close, I am unable to make a personal comparison. What I can offer is a photo of the dashboard of the 1.8 Civic. For direct comparison, the 1.8 Civic variant should be used as it is the only common variant between the USDM and ASEAN line-up. The other common variant in both line-up is the Civic Hybrid but the one launched by Honda Malaysia comes with a leather interior so may not be a fair comparison. Both 2.0 Civic types comes with leather interior as standard. In any case, there is no 2.0l variant in the USDM line-up. Nevertheless, I also put up a photo of the dashboard of the 2.0 Civic for those who might be interested.

The other major question I directed at the chief engineer during the press conference concerns any specification differences between the suspensions of the AEAN and USDM Civics. To this he confirms that the settings are different. Apparently Honda perceives the expectations of US and ASEAN drivers to be different so the suspensions are tuned differently. US drivers are thought to prefer 'sharp response' which I believe means a preference for better handling. This probably entails compromises in ride comfort. ASEAN drivers on the other hand is perceived to want 'stable ride' which I believe means a soft, cushy comfortable ride. Given this information, the infamous complaint made by the US Consumer Reviews magazine, about the 9G Civic having 'choppy ride', can probably be put into proper perspective by ASEAN TOV/TOVA'ers who are interested in the 9G Civic but are concerned about the CR review.

I will have a more complete coverage in the proper TOVA article.