Honda Stream RSZ Now Available In Malaysia

Honda claimed that their new MPV is a 7 day coupe clearly highlights the Sportiness of the vehicle. The biggest challenger to the Stream MPV in Malaysia is the Toyota wish but the latest incarnation that looks very much shrunken estima/previa has not arrived on our shores yet. This will perhaps give Honda Malaysia to attract customers yearning for a fresh product in that segment.

Back to the new Stream RSZ which is powered by 1.8-litre i-VTEC engine pumping out maximum power of 140ps (103 kW) at 6300 rpm with maximum torque of 174 Nm coming at 4300 rpm. The RSZ features drive by wire technology & the engine is paired with a 5-speed transmission with paddle shifters.

The front suspension is the usual Macpherson Strut with what Honda call Reactive Linkn Double Wishbone at the rear for better comfort & handling. Safety wise the Stream RSZ has Dual-front airbags, vehicle stability assists (VSA), Electronic Brakeforce distribution (EBD) & Traction Control.

Honda Malaysia is asking for RM 154,714.10 (w/o insurance)for the Stream in the Peninsular which is quite high considering a full size MPV Mitsubishi Grandis goes for RM 160,557.80 sans insurance. I have included the brochure in pdf format.











Stream

Renderings Of New Mitsubishi Compact Crossover

Mitsubishi has release an official sketch of a Compact Crossover Model set to go on sale in japan around early 2010. The sketch is based on the Concept-cX show car that was revealed at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. The Compact Crossover will be build upon Mitsubishi's mid-size global platform which also spawned the Outlander and Lancer models. It will feature all-wheel drive capability and a new 1.8 liter diesel engine with 134 bhp and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) of torque. The vehicle is set to debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show next March.










Source: Mitsubishi

2010 Toyota Mark-X

The revamped Toyota Mark-X is here and it is definitely better looking then the Sai anytime. The Mark-X is a rear wheel drive car that is powered by either a 314 horsepower 2GR-FSE 3.5-liter V6 engine or a 200 horsepower 4GR-FSE 2.5 liter V6. Both are mated to a six speed Super ECT transmission with the 2.5 liter version returning 13.0km/l (10-15 test cycle) & the thirstier 3.5 liter at 10.2km/l. Toyota claims the 2.5 liter engine managed to pushed the Mark-X from static to 100km/h in 8.4 seconds.

Toyota claims that by offering a wide range of diverse lineup, drivers get to flaunt their identity hence the Mark-X will be available in the standard type, sports type and premium type. (Yeah so much for identity when most of their cars they make now puts one to sleep). The Mark X also has Sport, Snow and Eco driving modes, Variable Gear Ratio Steering system (with electric power steering) which controls the angle of the front wheels according to vehicle speed, Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management and an Adaptive Variable Suspension for models kitted with the sports package.

To keep drivers & occupants safe Toyota has equipped the Mark- X with host of safety features such as seven airbags including SRS side airbags, SRS curtain shield airbags and a driver’s seat knee airbag, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), TRC (Traction Control) and Active Headrests up front to reduce stress on the neck in a rear-end collision. If this is not enough Pre-Crash Brake Assist system,Pre-Crash Seatbelts, Intelligent AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System), Radar Cruise Control system equipped with a brake-control function and a Hill-start Assist Control function will significantly reduce the chance of you passing to the next world if you are damn unlucky.

The Mark-X will be yours for as low as 2,380,000 yen in Japan with the most expensive version fetching a price tag of 3,800,000 yen.











Source : Toyota

Toyota Sai Hybrid

Toyota 's new Compact Luxury Hybrid is inspired by the Japanese word sai—which means "talent" when written as "" and "coloration" when written as "". These words may appear as an item together to great artist like Michelangelo & Leonardo Da Vinci but it is an unlikely pair to describe cars. To be honest with you I find the Sai to be another conventional Toyota which fails to excite the eyes. There is not enough distinction to set the Sai apart from the crowd and risk being eclipsed by the Lexus HS250 H. In fact both the Lexus and Toyota share the same 2.4 liter Atkinson cycle combustion engine that produce 110kW (150PS) at 6,000rpm with maximum torque of 187N-m (19.1kgf-m) coming in at 4,400rpm. The engine is paired with a 105kW (143PS) electric motor to give a combined performance figure of 140kW(190ps). Nickle-metal Hydride batteries are used to store energy in the Sai.

For all the technology Toyota put into the Sai, the car returns a fuel efficiency of 23.0km/l which Toyota claims to be on par with 660cc minivehicles. The 10-15 test cycle of Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT); under MLIT's JC08 test cycle, vehicle rates the Sai's fuel efficiency at 19.8km/l.

Fuel efficiency is only one of the many aspects of a green car hence, steps are taken by Toyota to ensure that the impact on the environment is minimized in the process of building the Sai besides using 'green' materials such as plant-based Ecological Plastic. Price of the Sai starts at 3,489,000 yen with sales commencing in the land of the rising sun come December 7 2009










Source : Toyota

Honda Skydeck Concept

The third and the final installment of the Honda Trio that is going to garner attention for Honda at the Tokyo Motor Show (if you don't consider Honda's version of a Segway Sans one wheel U3-X). The 6 seater Skydeck MPV has a 2 + 2 +2 seating which is different from the now discontinued Honda Edix which is a 3 + 3. I can guess why Honda named it the skydeck by looking at the apparently 'floating' seat you see in the second image to add to that, the interior was design to the tune of an airy minimalist room theme giving a feeling of zen. Like the previous two concepts , details of the drivetrain has not been disclosed by Honda. The Skydeck stands out among the crowd of MPVs due to the fact it has a Scissors door up front (mommy & daddy can relinquish their younger days of just being alone in a sports car).


Source : Honda