Clutch - Feb 24, 2012

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FEBRUARY 24, 2012 Y OU R

B I - M ON T H L Y

M OTO R I N G

G U I D E

WITH

YOU R

COPY

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OF

Welcome to your new world of freedom

Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Clean, fluid, harmonious design lines

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TESTDRIVE

TESTDRIVE

TESTDRIVE

Ssangyong Actyon SUV

New Hyundai Elantra

HONDA CR-Z

Slick-Looking SUV

Global Automotive Awards Recipient

Best Hot Hatch/Coupe Money Can Buy

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FRIDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2012

CLUTCH

THE MALAY MAIL

FIRSTGEAR

Family Motoring At Its BEST

By Aswan Yap

At the heart of this MPV is the same turbocharged 1.6 litre engine found in most of the models in Citroen’s lineup. The engine is capable of producing 156 horses and 240 Nm of torque from a mere 1400 rpm, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the Picasso. You have to bear in mind that this car has a gross weight of over 2 tonnes- so that extra kick at the low end is reduced to a more manageable push, letting you pull away from traffic lights in a moderately quick manner. This spritely engine is mated to a 6-speed automated manual gearbox. In Citroen’s defence, the gearbox has come a long way since its dark beginnings- the engine and transmission software's now work hand in hand to provide a smoother, jerk free drive.

But that’s not what the Picasso is about. It’s not about a powerful engine or a quick gearbox- it’s about the practicality and functionality of a large, 3-row, 7-seater MPV. A prime example of this is the steering wheel, which rotates around a fixed centre. The fixed centre plays host to almost all the controls required for the driver, from volume controls to cruise controls, without ruining the ergonomics. A centralised speedometer and instrument cluster allows for a large storage bin, hidden away in the dashboard on both the driver and passenger sides. And of course, placing the gear selector on the steering column means

that there is space between the two front seats to put things like handbags.

It’s all these little adjustments that optimize this MPV as a people mover, but the most important feature of all is the ability to arrange the rear seating as you desire. Instead of having a 60-40 split folding seat like most cars would, each of the three seats in the second row are capable of folding flat individually, allowing for a very large number of variations in storage and seating.

There will be times when you might be in a rush, or just want to enjoy a bit of driving when you take the long way home. The Picasso is capable of meeting those demandsthe engine spools up at a very progressive rate allowing you to roll along with increasing intensity. The steering, while not as sharp as say a hot hatchback or sports sedan is still quick enough to let you thread your way through twisty roads or avoid the occasional mindless driver who strays into your lane.

And like all well designed and built European vehicles, the Picasso is loaded with loads of quality features. Sexy looking 17” alloy rims are standard, as are front, side and curtain airbags. To keep the young ones entertained in the back are dual 9” multimedia screens/players, attached to the headrests of the front seats. Electronic safety aids (ABS, EBD, traction control) are present as well as ISOFIX points.

So the next time you feel like going from a family sedan to something that can transport

your kids, bikes, pets and furniture, don’t forget the Grand C4 Picasso. At RM138,990 (OTR without insurance), it’s certainly bang for buck or Ringgit, considering the size and functionality present and not forgetting the high level of safety features.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 4-cylinder petrol turbo Displacement: 1598cc Max power: 156bhp Max torque: 240Nm 0-100km/h: 9.6secs Top Speed: 196 km/h Transmission: 6-Speed Semi-Auto Price: RM138,990.00

PICTURES BY Aswan Yap and DSF

THE MALAY MAIL

FRIDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2012

CLUTCH

III

FIRSTGEAR

Ssangyong Brings A Class Act SUV To Malaysia

By ASWAN YAP

The Actyon, or Korando as it is known in other markets, is Ssangyong’s latest entry in the mid-sized SUV market.

When you take a first look at the Actyon, it doesn’t seem like a very big car. This is partly because of the styling with its large grill and gently sloping roofline, looking more like a scaled up hatchback than an SUV. But if you look at it in terms of dimensions, the Actyon is similar in size to the Nissan X-Trail, so you can expect a generous amount of interior space. While this is true of the first and second rows, I feel that the Actyon would have benefited from more boot space, and possibly a lower floor.

This Actyon is powered by a

EDITORIAL NOTE

2.0 litre turbo diesel engine, putting out 175 PS and 360 Nm of torque from 2000 rpm.

These figures are pretty solid when compared to other SUV models on the market, so power and pick up is no real issue. The engine certainly has the grunt required and it delivers admirably. The diesel engine manages well with Euro2M fuel and power delivery is very progressive and smooth.

With the Actyon, you get a 6-speed conventional automatic transmission with the option to shift sequentially (via a small toggle switch on the gearstick, or two buttons on the steering wheel). This in turn channels the power through a front-biased electronic All Wheel Drive system to ensure even power delivery. The power steering in the AWD model is electric instead

PICTURES BY DANIEL FERNANDEZ

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE: Turbo Diesel CAPACITY: 1998cc MAX POWER: 175hp @ 4000rpm MAX TORQUE: 360Nm @ 2000-3000rpm

TOP SPEED: 200km/h as tested 0-100KM/H: NA TRANSMISSION: 6-speed Auto PRICE: RM128,000.00

of hydraulic, helping to combat the lower fuel efficiency of an AWD system thus giving this Actyon class best fuel efficiency.

Looking around the cabin, you’d be hard pressed to find a fault with the materials or the assembly. Panel gaps are consistent and surfaces are firm to the touch. This is

not so high it puts you off balance. The Actyon is the first monocoque SUV produced

by Ssangyong, so one would expect a few issues with a new design. But it seems that they’ve managed to hit the mark right on the dot perfectly, delivering a SUV that handles in a very solid way, without feeling excessively stiff.

one of the few cars where the tan interior doesn’t feel dated or out of place- but for those who still prefer a traditional black colour, the option is available.

From a driving perspective, the Actyon handles like a much smaller car. The driving position is high enough to let you see around the car, but

by Daniel Fernandez

|

Consultant Motoring Editor

Should you consider the Actyon if you’re looking for an SUV? Absolutely. The build quality has come a long way from Ssangyong’s first batches of cars in Malaysia, showing once again that the Koreans are catching up to the Japanese and best of all this Korean has beaten its home town rival also.

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A motoring pullout is a common feature with most newspapers… but Clutch will be different. How different? Well just like the rest of the all new The Malay Mail, Clutch will be informative and true to its editorial integrity. Clutch will be a bi-monthly (every other Friday of the month) motoring pullout that will give straight-to-the-point car reviews and relevant motoring information for the Malaysian car enthusiast in a

Joel Miranda

Jenilyn Alexia

simple language. We will not confuse you or ‘smoke screen’ you with technical terms and instead offer our views on each and every test drive. In this first issue, we at Clutch hope that the car reviews presented will be

General Manager

Executive

able to move you to personally take a test drive of the cars reviewed at the nearest showrooms and see for yourself what we experience in each and every test drive. Your feedback is needed for us to improve in every area.

012-2337394 joel.miranda@redberry.com.my

016-3620331 jenilyn@mmail.com.my

Email us at clutcheditorial@gmail.com.

Please watch out for our next issue on the 24th of February 2012.

IV

CLUTCH

FIRSTGEAR

A Segment Best Just Got Better

By DANIEL FERNANDEZ

With the full given name ‘MD Elantra’, this new Hyundai Elantra carries the ‘fluidic’ design language that has been super successful for Hyundai with the Sonata and Tucson.

From all angles, this Elantra is a stunning sedan. Already a multi award winning car in every country it is sold in, we are quite sure this Elantra will win ‘car of the year’ in Malaysia for 2012.

THE MD ELANTRA CABIN

This new Elantra comes with a larger cabin which is roomy for 5 adults without pinching.

A longer wheelbase and wide body allows for 3 adults in the rear seat to have adequate leg and elbowroom. In front, the driver and passenger get comfy wide power seats. The driver gets great visibility even with a steeply raked windscreen.

Cabin quality is a few notches up over the previous model with a nice mix of tactile feeling knobs, levers and panels filing the cabin. The instrument display are traditional round gauges behind the steering wheel with an additional blue

hue illuminated digital gauge for driver information. There’s also a digital transmission gear indicator, and odometer.

The display in the centre dash provides radio station and band, outside temperature, and the digital clock sits high on the centre.

The standard audio entertainment player has four speakers with reproduced sound quality to be quite good. The air conditioning functions are also a simple to use and just like in the Sonata and Tucson offer easy viewing on air flow direction on a LCD panel.

Hyundai offers voice-activated Bluetooth phone option. This allows you to sync your Bluetooth phone with the handsfree, voice-activation system, providing easier, safer handsfree calling while driving. Illuminated audio and cruise control buttons are also found on the steering wheel. Between the front seats are two cupholders and just behind that is a hard plastic armrest with a small storage bin. A folding rear seat armrest has two cup holders. Split folding 60/40 rear seatbacks are standard.

The MD Elantra’s fully lined boot is wide, deep and with a low load sill.

THE MD ELANTRA DRIVE

This new Elantra has 2 versions, but Malaysians will get the new 1.6-liter D-CVVT 4-cylinder engine and the 1.8-liter will come later. From the keyless ignition start it was quiet and smooth, rarely letting itself be heard at anything less than half throttle.

The new 6-speed automatic fitted to our test car was smooth and refined with barely perceptible shifts at light or moderate throttle. Acceleration was spirited from standstill making it easy to merge with moving traffic at roundabouts. In fast sweeping corners its body control is very good providing a flat sturdy feel around corners with negligible body roll and this is thanks to the taut front and rear anti-roll bars and the new suspension set-up. Dive and squat under heavy braking and acceleration are both very well contained, too. On the open highway, illegal speeds are easily reached with little wind and road noise filtering into the cabin at speeds past 140km/h. At legal speeds the situation is better as only the rough tarmac returns road noise. The MD Elantra offers fuel economy of 8.2 L/100 km (34 mpg) in the city; and 6.0 L/100 km (47 mpg) on the

highway, which is very frugal and averaging about 40mpg as tested in North America.

American and European buyers have already voted the MD Elantra as the top most fuel efficient vehicles in its class segment.

THE MD ELANTRA PURCHASE DECISION

This new Elantra has won many awards since its launch and with a strong 5-year warranty in Malaysia its makes good sense to visit a Hyundai Sime Darby showroom to test drive one before making a final decision on what car you should buy.

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE 4-cylinder 16v DISPLACEMENT(CC) 1599 POWER BHP AT RPM 128@ 6300 TORQUE NM AT RPM 157@ 4850 GEARBO 6-speed semi-auto ACCELERATION 0-60 MPH S 11.6 secs ACCELERATION 11.6 secs TOP SPEED KM/H 195km/h

FRIDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2012

THE MALAY MAIL

V

FIRSTGEAR Hyundai Genesis

J.D. POWER Says The Hyundai Genesis Is Most Dependable

PICTURES BY DANIEL FERNANDEZ

The Hyundai Genesis sedan is the highest-ranked model in the midsize premium car category in the 2012 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). Released recently, the study also shows that Hyundai finished ninth overall, demonstrating that the company’s commitment to quality translates into long-term dependability for owners. The Genesis sedan launched in the 2009 model year and earned Hyundai’s first-ever North American Car of the Year honor. J.D. Power and Associates surveys original owners three years after their vehicle purchase, so 2012 was the first year Genesis was included in the VDS, and it was the only category award recipient in its first year of eligibility.

Genesis sedan tallied more than 20 top honors from the most prominent media outlets and automotive organizations in North America upon its launch as a 2009 model year. The trophy case includes awards from J.D. Power and Associates, Motor Trend, AutoPacific, Cars.com and leading consumer publications in addition to its North American Car of the Year honor.

Genesis is built on Hyundai’s performance-driven rear-wheeldrive architecture which offers three powertrains: the Lambda 3.8-liter direct injection V6 engine producing 333 horsepower; Hyundai’s Tau 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 385 horsepower; and the new Tau 5.0-liter direct injection V8 engine producing 429 horsepower, available on the Genesis 5.0 and Genesis RSpec models. With technology rivaling more expensive luxury sedans, convenience features like push-button start and navigation system, and five-star safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study measures problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of three-year-old (2009 model year) vehicles includes 202 different problem symptoms across all areas of the vehicle. Overall dependability is determined by the level of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality. Hyundai has shown consistent improvement in VDS, reducing problems per 100 vehicles by 75 points over the past five years.

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THE MALAY MAIL

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FRIDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2012

THE MALAY MAIL

TESTDRIVE

This Is Not Just A Hybrid, Its A Fun Hot Hatch

By DANIEL FERNANDEZ

This is Honda’s answer to ‘GREEN’ fun motoring. Honda has already sold more than 900 units of this eco-friendly coupe which retails for just RM115,000 as you read this and we wanted to find out why it is so popular. This CR-Z reminds us of the 1988 Honda CR-X Si. It is compact, well built, quick and lots of fun.

Using a 1.5 i-VTEC SOHC engine it delivers 112 hp and it has Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system from the very popular Honda Insight. This combination gives the CR-Z very fuel efficient motoring. The electric motor adds 13.8 hp at 1500 rpm and a useful 58 lb–ft of torque. Acceleration from 0

to 100km/h is in 9.9 seconds and reaches a top speed in access of 210km/h while delivering an estimated fuel efficiency of 45+mpg. The CR-Z is also the first-ever hybrid with a six-speed manual gearbox, which is borrowed from the 1.8-liter Civic. Now comes the fun part, how does it feel behind the wheel?

Slipping into the stylish bucket seats of the CR-Z sure does feel good. They also do a remarkable job of holding you snuggly in place. Ignite the engine and be dazzled by the blue luminescence that is around the entire dash after the 1495cc i-VTEC engine fires. The layout of the large speedometer and tachometer suggest that this is indeed a sports coupe, which is further reinforced when you prod the accelerator pedal as

NEWS

NEW Porsche 911 Carrera Arrives The all-new generation Porsche 911 Carrera is ready for bookings at Sime Darby Auto Performance Sdn. Bhd in Temasya Industrial Park, Glenmarie. Final pricing is yet to be announced but judging from recent Porsche launches and pricing we can safely say that almost all possible buyers will book this new model without bothering to know its final pricing which should be announced in the coming weeks. Meanwhile here are some tasty details for you.

Two new Porsche 911 versions will be sold here in Malaysia, The 911 Carrera: 350 hp, 3.4-litre boxer engine; rear-wheel drive, 7-speed Porsche (PDK); acceleration 0 - 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and top speed 289 km/h.

The 911 Carrera S: 400 hp, 3.8-litre boxer engine; rear-wheel drive, 7-speed Porsche (PDK); acceleration 0 - 100 km/h 4.3 seconds; top speed 304 km/h.

it loves to rev.

With 124bhp on tap, and what is a very flexible sixspeed manual transmission, the CR-Z gets about very rapidly. On the road we enjoyed driving the CR-Z where it held on to the bitumen at high corner speeds as the suspension, in combination with a responsive chassis returns fairly low levels of body roll. It is so easy to drive, just point and shoot. Torque steer does creep in at times, but it is negligible. The 16-inch alloy wheels are shod with 195/55 R16 rubber, providing solid levels of grip even on damp roads. Driving the CR-Z around town is a doddle: The well-weighted power steering feels reassuring, and large or small inputs are handled with aplomb at urban speeds and it does what you expect

it to do without protest. When pushed, it tends to understeer, but this is to be expected of a sporty front-wheel drive vehicle.

Still, our suggestion is to look at the purchase proposition of the CR-Z simply as a great value coupe or hot hatch that has no rival at all in its price segment of RM115,000.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine 4-cylinder i-VTEC SOHC + IMA Power 124 @ 6000 Torque 174 @ 1000-1500 Capacity 1497cc Transmission 6-speed manual Top Speed 210km/h ACCELERATION (0-60 mph) 9.9secs Price RM115,000

PICTURES BY Daniel Fernandez