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Kia EV9 Launched in Malaysia – GT-Line AWD, 505km, 7-Seats, RM370k

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BERMAZ, the official distributor for Kia in Malaysia, has today unveiled the new EV9 flagship electric SUV, offering unparalleled levels of practicality in the EV space for a very competitive price. Available as a sole GT-Line AWD with either 6- or 7-seats, the EV9 will start from RM369,668 on-the-road (without insurance).

The Kia EV9 is the largest EV by Kia thus far, and is arguably one of the largest vehicles produced by the brand. It’ll slot above the Kia EV6 and Niro EV, and is among one of very few large-size EVs that offer three rows of seating. The nearest competitor now is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, which comes in at a whisker under RM700k.

The EV9 will only come in a single GT-Line variant, and therefore only one powertrain option. Motivation comes from a pair of motors (one on each axle) with 385PS (combined) and 700Nm. Fed by a 99.8kWh lithium-ion battery, the EV9 can go from rest to 100km/h in just 5.3-seconds, and top out at 200km/h. 

Built off of Kia’s 800V platform, the EV9 offers DC charging at up to 350kW, allowing the car to go from 10%-80% in just 24-minutes. AC is limited at 11kW, so dead-to-full takes a little over 10-hours. And as per usual, there’s a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) system available too. 

Standard features are aplenty with the EV9, befitting its flagship status. All cars ride on 21-inch alloy wheels, while lighting all-around is managed by full-LEDs all around. You get automatic headlights & wipers, keyless entry and go, an electric tailgate, 360º camera and parking sensors. In addition to that we also get (as standard fitment) a pair of camera-system side mirrors in place of traditional glass – the feed is displayed on a pair of screens inside of the car, and also improves aerodynamics. 

Inside you also get the usual Kia digital displays, with twin 12.3-inch screens doing duty for instrumentation and infotainment. There’s also a small digital screen between them to handle HVAC controls. The rear-view mirror is also a screen, displaying a feed from the rear of the car, presumably to aid visibility when the car is fully-loaded with passengers. You also get a drive-mode selector, paddle shifters (for regenerative braking settings), a full-colour heads-up display, three-zone climate control (dual front, single rear), Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, and leatherette upholstery (yes, no real leather). 

Safety is very well catered for too, as expected from a large family car. The EV9 comes as standard with High-Beam Assist, Park Collision-Avoidance Assist (from all directions), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert with brake intervention, lane-keep assist, lane-tracing assist, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, driver-attention warning, and collision avoidance assist (front, and blind-spot). 

Passive safety systems include 7-airbags, that 360º camera system mentioned earlier, ABS, EBD, traction control, brake assist, electronic stability control, tyre-pressure monitoring, rear-occupant alert, safe-exit assist, brake auto-hold, and 4 ISOFIX mounts for the second and third row.

The only key differentiator between the two models is the seating arrangement: The 6-seater offers a pair of Relaxion captains’ chairs in the second row that offer power adjustment, ventilation, and heating, as well as massage functionality. The 7-seater offers a more practical bench, with a 60:40 split to expand on space. 

Again, the Kia EV9 starts at RM369,668 for the 7-seater, and RM374,668 for the 6-seater. All cars come with a 5-year/150,000km warranty as well as an 8-year/160,000km battery & powertrain warranty. Colours offered are Ocean Blue, Snow Pearl White, Pebble Grey, Aurora Black Pearl, and a very fetching Iceberg Green.

GALLERY: 2024 KIA EV9

Peugeot Returns With 408 – 3 Variants, 1.6T, From RM146k

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French marque Peugeot has made a re-entry into the Malaysian market, after parent company Stellantis took back control of the brand from its second distributor in three years. Marking the local relaunch of the brand is the 408, which has gestated from a 308-with-a-boot that it used to be into a standalone fastback crossover.

Three variants make landfall today in the form of the 408 Allure, 408 Premium and 408 GT. All three models are built in Gurun, and will command pricetags of RM146,055, RM166,055 and RM196,055 respectively. 

The new 408 is built on the Stellantis EMP2 platform, and is quite a sizeable machine. Measuring in at 4,687mm in length, 1,859 in width and 1,487mm in height, sitting on a 2,787mm wheelbase and a noteworthy 189mm of ground clearance. This measures up favourably with other C-segment contenders like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla Altis, but Stellantis insists that the 408 sits “in a class of its own.”

The French crossover isn’t holding back in terms of specifications – all cars get full LED headlights & taillights as standard, but only the top-spec GT gets Matrix LED units. Wheel sizes start at 18” Granite Black units for the Allure, rising to 19” Granite Black dual-tone units for the Premium, before topping out with 20” Monolithe Black units for the GT. Notably, only the lower two variants get a spare tyre – the GT makes do with a tyre repair kit. 

Other exterior items include a chrome grille for Allure & Premium variants while GT rocks a body-colour unit instead.

The cabin is also well-specified with standard ‘leather’ upholstery, though the keener-eyed will notice that the Allure packs faux leather, the Premium gets full real leather, and the GT is offered with Nappa leather. Only the two top models get electrically-adjustable front seats (with memory & massage function for the GT), as the Allure makes do with a manual pew for the front passenger. 

Further standard specification includes a 10-inch i-Cockpit display, with the GT offering a 3D Quartz version of the system. You also get a 10-inch HD colour infotainment system as standard but again, the GT upgrades this with an i-Toggle system beneath (essentially a secondary touchscreen with configurable shortcuts). 

Audio is also where the cars differ, with Allure & Premium models making do with 6-speakers while the GT gets a 10-speaker Focal Premium audio system. The GT also sports a cabin air-cleaning system, but all cars offer wireless phone charging and a bevy of USB ports front and rear. 

Stellantis Malaysia says that safety shouldn’t be a luxury, and they’re putting their money where their mouths are with the 408. Standard kit includes autonomous emergency braking, electronic stability program with hill-start, high-beam assist and traffic sign recognition, tyre-pressure monitoring, a 180º reverse camera, active bonnet pedestrian impact protection, and six airbags. 

Step up into the Premium and you gain (in addition to the Allure) things like advanced traffic sign recognition, front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, upgraded autonomous emergency braking (we haven’t a clue what this entails), blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. This is also carried into the GT, which gains the adaptive Matrix LED lights we mentioned earlier. 

The 408 can be had in Obsession Blue, Perla Nera Black, Okenite White, and Artense Grey. It’s a bit of a headache but the Allure doesn’t get Obsession Blue, the Premium gets all four colours, and the GT doesn’t get Artense Grey. Makes sense? 

To combat perception around the brand, the Peugeot 408 will be sold with a 7-year/200,000km warranty. However, only 3-years is a manufacturer warranty and the following 4-years is from Stellantis Malaysia (which crucially will mirror the manufacturer warranty). 

GALLERY – 2024 PEUGEOT 408 GT

Porsche Begins Assembly In Kulim, Kedah

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First ever assembly facility outside Europe.

A landmark event for Porsche and Malaysia, the German marque today opens the doors of its first assembly plant outside Europe, with the cooperation of Sime Darby’s motor division.

“A testament to the long-standing and trusted partnership built for well over a decade, Sime Darby & Porsche are connecting more Malaysian Porsche fans to their dream sports car, while at the same time empowering futures by unlocking the potential of the local community and workforce,” said a statement by the brand. 

The launch was officiated by Kedah’s crown prince, DYTM Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Ibni Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin, along with Kedah menteri besar Dato’ Seri Sanusi Md. Nor, as well as the Board & Management of Sime Darby Berhad, and Executive Board & Management members of Porsche AG & Porsche Asia Pacific. 

“Today we have reached a new milestone, rolling out the first locally-assembled Cayenne and fulfilling the sports car dream of even more Malaysian Porsche fans. Our growth strategy underlines the importance of Malaysia for Porsche as we look to expand our presence in the ASEAN region. And it demonstrates our confidence in Sime Darby, as a strong partner on our side.” – Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales & Marketing, Porsche AG

– Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board (Sales & Marketing), Porsche AG

The assembly plant in Malaysia, operated in partnership with Sime Darby, is staffed by a team of 100% highly-skilled Malaysian talent, all of whom have been comprehensively trained by Porsche. This is further supported by a network of local suppliers & service providers in the area, empowering the future of the local community with job opportunities, upskilling prospects, and potential for further expansion. 

This facility in Kulim, Kedah will assemble the Cayenne, seen as a simbol of Porsche’s broadening horizons, appealing to new customer segments by combining an elegant interior and unparalleled comfort with the robust dynamism that Porsche is famed for. 

The locally-assembled RHD Cayenne comes with an elevated and enhanced standard equipment range specified exclusively for the Malaysian market, with a specially-curated Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur option package and a special Porsche Design timepiece for more personalisation. 

At present, the facility will only assemble the Cayenne base model, with more expensive Cayenne variants remaining fully-imported units for the time being. However, we have reason to believe that the assembly plant will most likely be closely monitored by Porsche AG for future expansion, as an ASEAN base would be hugely beneficial for the Zuffenhausen brand to tackle other price-sensitive markets in the region. Add to that the insatiable demand for the Taycan EV here in Malaysia and the expiry of tax exemption on fully-imported EVs come December 2023, and it seems likely that Sime Darby and Porsche AG will look to add onto the Kulim plant’s capabilities in due course.

GALLERY: PORSCHE BEGINS ASSEMBLY IN KULIM, KEDAH

Perodua ‘Confirms’ D55L/Kembara – Due H2 2020

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At their Chinese new year luncheon (cum year-in-review event), Malaysian automotive heavyweight Perodua made a surprise ‘confirmation’ that it will seek to introduce the heavily-rumoured ‘D55L’ compact SUV in the second-half of this year. We like to call the D55L model the ‘Kembara’ on the basis that, like the original, the D55L will be a high-riding A-segment machine that offers something ‘different’ from the rest of the Perodua range.

When the original Kembara was introduced, it was the very first Perodua to offer all-wheel drive and a tall seating position, which enabled owners to truly embrace the spirit of adventure (or their inner pengembara, as it were). The D55L, likewise, is set to offer an array of innovative new features as well, in a package that’s truly new for Perodua, and better suited to the pengembara of today.

Perodua’s head honcho Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad responded to a series of questions from the media (ED: They were actually almost all from us) that Perodua will be using parent-company Daihatsu’s new DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) to develop its next model, and that the company will follow market trends & consumer demands in terms of developing their next model.

Interesting point you make there about SUVs, sir.

Additionally, Dato’ Zainal also offered up this slide showing us Perodua’s projected total industry volume (TIV) for 2020, which notably showed an increase in SUV marketshare of 4% year-on-year compared to 2019. Perodua is a company known for its secrecy; but that said, its management team are known for dropping hints by making members of the media ‘read between the data,’ as it were.

It seems pretty clear then that, with the use of DNGA confirmed for their next model and further allusion by way of suggesting consumer-led product development, that the D55L is well on its way to market introduction. With a launch slated for the second-half of 2020 (due to a need to stabilise production & delivery times for existing models, as well as an RM500-million upgrade to their PGMSB plant in Sg. Choh), we can’t help but wonder why Perodua remains conservative (almost bearish) with its 2020 sales projections.

But with the Perodua Aruz already in existence, you may ask what ‘unique innovations’ the D55L will offer. Based on the Daihatsu Rocky/Toyota Raize duo (the former being used for illustrative purposes here), the new A-segment crossover is powered by a new 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, mated to a CVT automatic gearbox that sends power to the front wheels.

Dato’ Zainal interestingly also made mention of the industry trend of downsizing engines, which help to minimise pollution, improve efficiency, and reduce overall running costs (like roadtax, and also fuel consumption). This further alludes that the D55L will be brought to the Malaysian market with minimal powertrain changes, which puts to rest the rumours and suggestions that Perodua may swap out the turbo-triple in the Daihatsu Rocky in favour of the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre VVTi presently employed by the Perodua Myvi and Perodua Aruz.

See? ‘Engine Downsizing = Right Sizing!’ according to Perodua.

Either way, you can rest assured that we at MalaysianMotoring will not only champion the cause to revive the much-loved ‘Kembara’ nameplate for the D55L, but pit Perodua’s little tyke up against the also eagerly-awaited PROTON X50, which Dr. Li Chunrong has also confirmed is slated for a 2020 introduction.

Stay tuned.