Editor’s Note: March 2023

Greetings, readers!

The first quarter is about to end, and what an eventful quarter it has been. With the holy month of Ramadan approaching fast, things haven’t peaked as high as it did in February in terms of launches and events, but there’s plenty to note still.

But before I digress further, I’d like to welcome the latest addition to our Editorial Team. This month, CariCarz.com welcomes Mukhlis Azman into its stable. Having briefly interned with us prior, Mukhlis is evidently no stranger to our nature of work, and you’ll also soon see him presenting on our video contents besides writing daily.

Tesla Superchargers will soon be a common fixture in Malaysia, according to YB Tengku Zafrul at least...

On to the industry, the outlook remains positive, especially on the electric vehicles (EVs) front. In fact, it’s set to grow further following semi-official confirmation by YB Tengku Zafrul about Tesla entering Malaysia. The minister touts that the renowned EV marque will also set up its Supercharger network, though how this, as well as Tesla’s unique way of selling EVs, will be implemented remains to be seen.

Much has also been said about how the local EV charging infrastructure growth is progressing, though I will note that independent parties such as our friends over at ChargeSini are spurring the development further. In fact, they’ve just opened the first publicly accessible 22 kW AC charging station in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

The new fourth-gen and now DNGA-based Toyota Vios (AC100) is poised to stir up the local B-segment sedans space.

Bermaz (and its BAuto subsidiary) brought forth both the new Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-30 CKD.

Moving away from the electric mobility, things on the combustion front have developed rapidly too, especially in the B-segment saloon space. I say this simply because Toyota will finally introduce its new fourth-gen Vios (AC100), making it the fifth Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA)-based offering to hit our market besides the Veloz, as well as Perodua’s trio - Axia, Alza, and Ativa.

There’s also plenty of activity over at Bermaz and BAuto, the former just launching the localised (CKD) Mazda CX-30 earlier today, in fact. This follow up from the latter subsidiary’s introduction of the new Kia Sorento SUV last week, and we’re told another launch from their side will take place later this month. By the way, both those SUVs mentioned roll off of the Inokom Assembly Line in Kulim, Kedah, so kudos to Bermaz for keeping things on that front busy too.

Further up the market, Bentley Kuala Lumpur will introduce a posh new variant of its Bentayga SUV soon, so look out for our report on which. Speaking of posh SUVs, we also welcome the Maserati Grecale into the local market space. This Porsche Macan-rival has got sporty chops indeed, as well as the distinct Italian styling to match. Further down the line, we’ll also likely see the likes of Proton and Honda expand their models ranges with new additions. I cannot say much other than 2023 being a pivotal year for both popular mass market brands.

We finally get our go in the new Perodua Axia this month! Look out for our take of this budding supermini very soon.

Speaking of popularity, we finally got our hands on the new Perodua Axia for road-testing and, unsurprisingly, its arrival halted almost our entire office to come down to check it out in our parking lot. This is perhaps a testament to Perodua’s appeal, more so given its knack for producing ‘cost-optimised’ cars for the masses. Look out for Mukhlis’s take of this budding supermini very soon.

On the subject of road tests, I hope you enjoyed our takes of the BYD Atto 3, Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 AMG Line and, more recently, our twin-test of the Peugeot 3008 and 5008. More are on the way this month, so stay tuned for them through our Reviews section.

Before parting ways, I’d also like to remind all of you, our loyal readers, once more that your feedback of our efforts are welcomed, be they in the comment section below right here on our website, as well as all our social platforms. If you haven’t followed us through the latter, then please don’t hesitate - [Facebook] [Instagram] [TikTok].

That’s basically it for this month’s note. On behalf of the team, I wish you Selamat Berpusasa in advanced for those fasting through the upcoming Ramadan month and, as always, stay safe on the roads.

Sincerely,

Thoriq Azmi

Senior Editor, CariCarz.com

E: thoriq@caricarz.com