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  Toyota bZ4X Malaysia – 525 km, RM220k

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  Toyota Urban Cruiser EV in M'sia - 426 km, RM198k

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  Toyota Hilux EV Malaysia – Travo, 257 km, RM226k

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  Omoda C9 PHEV in Malaysia, 537 PS; RM209k

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  Jetour T2 launched - 2.0T AWD, 245 PS, RM157k

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  2026 Proton X90 MC launched, from RM99,800

Latest Stories

• Top 20 cars in March 2026 – Bezza 1st, Saga drops to 3rd, X50 on strong 5th, Hilux sales still growing

  In Cars, Local News / by Mick Chan / 3 April 2026 4:19 pm

  

  New car registration data from the road transport department (JPJ) is out, showing the bestselling cars for the month of March 2026. Topping the list once again is the Perodua Bezza, repeating its achievement of February 2026, as part of Perodua’s sales achievement of 24,530 units sold in March 2026.

  While the Bezza took the top spot with 7,493 units, the Axia follows in second place with 5,774 units, with the top three rounded up by the Proton Saga with 5,398 units sold in March 2026, dropping from second place attained in February.

  This also means that the Bezza has overtaken the Saga in terms of year-to-date (YTD) volume, with the Bezza having attained 22,955 units YTD while the Saga has reached 21,690 units YTD. The Axia holds on to third place in this measure, with 17,661 units YTD.

  

  These are followed by the Myvi with 4,514 units in March (13,650 YTD), the Proton X50 with 2,860 units (7,089 units YTD), with the Honda City sedan and hatchback models collectively achieving 2,743 units (5,232 units YTD).

  National makes complete the top 10, with the Perodua Alza in seventh attaining 2,474 units (8,691 units YTD), the Proton S70 in eighth with 2,254 units (5,798 units YTD), the Proton eMas 5 in ninth with 2,071 units (6,701 units YTD), and the Perodua Ativa in 10th with 1,920 units (4,284 units YTD).

  The second half of the top 20 for March 2026 has stronger representation from Japanese brands, as the Honda HR-V takes 11th with 1,832 units (3,503 units YTD), followed by the Toyota Hilux in 11th with 1,749 units (4,764 units YTD), with demand for the pick-up truck still growing, with more units sold compared to the preceding month.

  

  The Toyota Alphard follows in 13th with 1,606 units (4,063 units YTD), the Vios in 14th with 1,509 units (3,745 units YTD), and the Perodua Traz in 15th with 1,479 units (5,090 units YTD).

  Taking 16th place is the Honda Civic with 1,322 units (2,450 units YTD), followed by the Toyota Corolla Cross in 17th with 895 units (2,555 units YTD), the Perodua Aruz in 18th with 865 units, the Jaecoo J7 in 19th with 737 units (2,165 units YTD), and the Proton Persona, which is to be discontinued this year, in 20th with 714 units (2,556 units YTD).

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• Hyundai Petaling Jaya opens, operated by Palm Motor

  In Cars, Hyundai, Local News / by Jonathan James Tan / 3 April 2026 4:17 pm

  

  Go to the road behind PJ Midtown and you’ll see Hyundai Petaling Jaya. It’s a newly-opened showroom operated by Palm Motor, which has been a Hyundai dealer in Malaysia since 2002. Located at Lot 23-A & 25, 13/2, Jalan Kemajuan, Seksyen 13, 46200 Petaling Jaya, the 4,200-sq ft outlet is open 9am-6pm Mondays to Saturdays and 10am-5pm on Sundays and public holidays.

  “The opening of Hyundai Petaling Jaya marks an important milestone for our network expansion as we’re aiming to have 25 outlets nationwide by the end of 2026. Our goal is to serve customers in Malaysia with greater accessibility, better experiences and meaningful value, driven by our promise – Sentiasa di sisi anda,” said Hyundai Motor Malaysia president Eric Lee.

  

  

  

  “The opening of this new Hyundai showroom in PJ marks an important milestone for us and Hyundai. Through Palm Motor, Hyundai is making a comeback to PJ with the purpose of bringing the Hyundai brand closer to you and to serve you better than ever before.

  “This includes introducing the newest Hyundai vehicle line-up (Santa Fe, Tucson, Staria and more to come) to providing excellent end-to-end customer experience, from worry-free vehicle purchases to dependable servicing and customer support,” said Palm Motor dealer principal Cedric Choo.

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• Top 20 EV models in Mar 2026 – eMas 5 dominates, but Atto 3 outsold eMas 7; P2 not on list, only 11 QV-E sold

  In Cars, Local News / by Jonathan Lee / 3 April 2026 4:15 pm

  

  Continuing with our coverage at the road transport department’s (JPJ) registration data for March, we’re finishing off with our look at individual electric model sales, which continue to be dominated by the Proton eMas 5. A total of 2,071 units left dealer lots last month, an increase of 509 units or 32.6% over February. So stark was its lead that there were almost as many cars delivered as the rest of the top 20 combined.

  With strong sales of over 3,000 units in January, that left the car with first-quarter sales of 6,701 units, which was nearly seven times (!) that of the next model. That model, however, was not its eMas 7 sibling, but rather the BYD Atto 3 Ultra – it managed to outsell the equivalent Proton at 441 units versus 306.

  This was the inverse of February, despite the Proton now being locally assembled and benefitting from lower prices. Overall, the Atto 3 achieved 999 registrations in Q1 versus 754 for the eMas 7, as the latter was disrupted by the move to Malaysian production early in the year.

  

  Behind the top three was a sizeable gap to the gaggle behind, with the Tesla Model Y – which resumed healthy deliveries of 179 units in March, unencumbered by the resumption of EV import and excise duties – leading a tight midfield. Fifth to tenth consisted of the iCaur V23 (160 units), Tesla Model 3 (159 units), Zeekr 7X (128 units), BYD Sealion 7 (126 units) and Seal 6 (125 units), and the MG4 (104 units).

  Despite slowing sales, the 7X managed to retain fourth place (696 units) in the overall Q1 stakes, while the Tesla Model 3 (ninth, 354 units) and Model Y (11th, 304 units) were still recovering from a sluggish first couple of months. The iCaur 03 also held on to eighth place (395 units) in Q1, even though it fell out of the top ten in March (11th, 97 units).

  The rest of the top 20 showed few surprises in March, with the relatively new and affordable TQ Wuling Bingo (14th, 49 units) and Leapmotor B10 (16th, 45 units) failing to move the needle significantly, and Honda managing to beat the BYD Seal (20th, 29 units) with 34 units of the e:N1 registered. As for Perodua, it’s not on the list, as only 11 QV-Es found homes last month (still better than the sole unit in February).

  

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• Hyundai Boulder Concept debuts – previews brand’s first body-on-frame off-road SUV set to arrive by 2030

  In Cars, Concept Cars, Hyundai, International News / by Gerard Lye / 3 April 2026 4:00 pm

  

  At this year’s New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), Hyundai surprised everyone by presenting this, the Boulder Concept. The body-on-frame design study serves not just to celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary in the United States, but also as a preview for the brand’s first-ever off-road SUV.

  While Hyundai does offer XRT variants of its main production cars, they are in no way dedicated off-roaders. As such, the company is looking to barge into a world occupied by the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner with a vehicle that looks the part. The Boulder Concept is the first step to such a model, although a production version is only due by 2030.

  The design philosophy applied to the concept is referred to as ‘Art of Steel’ and sees a boxy design paired with sleek lines. Hyundai clearly knows what Americans want, as the SUV looks properly tough and rugged with its upright stance, chunky fender flares and oversized 37-inch mud-terrain tyres. To directly quote the company, “this is a design concept built on American values and American life, tailor made for those looking to confidently blaze new trails with security and purpose.”

  At the front of the Boulder Concept is a wide grille bookended by stacked headlamps, while the bumper sports a skid plate. There’s also a grooved bonnet, along with large side mirrors and a light bar attached to roof rails.

  

  

  The rear mimics the general look of the front, with vertical taillights on either side of the rather novel tailgate that is double hinged and sports a mounted full-size spare wheel as well as a powered window. The prominent skid plates and side rockers are said to allow for “aggressive” approach, departure and breakover angles.

  Visibility is also a strong suit, with dual safari-style upper windows and rear quarter windows that wrap around the rear most pillars. There are even rear-hinged doors for the second row to make loading adventure gear into the cabin easier.

  The “tough” theme continues on the inside with large grab bars that are accompanied by equally sizeable physical knobs and buttons. Raised surfaces are seen on many touchpoints, including what looks to be the gear selector that has its linkage exposed. This being a concept, it’s likely not everything you see here will make the cut, such as the full-width head-up display and four individual screens showing various information.

  Hyundai says it’s still early days for its body-on-frame platform development, but it has established important ground rules for vehicles that will eventually reach dealerships. The Boulder Concept is said to spawn models that are designed, developed and built in the US using Hyundai-produced steel. This isn’t the first time Hyundai toyed with the idea of a dedicated off-roader, as there was the Crater Concept – a compact off-road SUV – presented last November.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

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• 2026 MINI Paul Smith Edition full gallery in Malaysia – based on Cooper SE EV; limited units, from RM222k

  In Cars, Local News, MINI / by Jonathan James Tan / 3 April 2026 2:03 pm

  

  Launched last month and available in Inspired White or Statement Grey, this limited item is one for the fashionistas. Based on the all-electric Cooper SE, the MINI Paul Smith Edition retails for RM222,222 OTR without insurance (or RM228,522 with a four-year warranty and service package). Let’s see what you get for some RM28k more than the regular Cooper SE.

  We’ll get this out of the way first – you don’t get any changes to the powertrain. There’s still a 54.2-kWh NMC battery (402 km WLTP), 95 kW DC (10-80% in under half an hour) and 11 kW AC charging, a front-mounted 218 PS/330 Nm electric motor, a 6.7-second 0-100 km/h time and a 170 km/h top speed.

  A hue called Nottingham Green adorns the side mirrors, ‘grille’ surround, hubcaps, roof (with Paul Smith’s signature stripes on the sides) and 18-inch ‘Slide Spoke’ alloys (which also have Dark Steel accents). You’ll also notice the Black Blue MINI emblems and ‘Paul Smith’ lettering in Anthracite Grey on the tailgate.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Open the doors and the side mirror puddle lamps project a friendly ‘hello’ in Smith’s handwriting. The interior features Nightshade Blue JCW sports seats in Vescin upholstery with a Shadow Stripe knitting on the shoulder and headrest areas, as well as a Paul Smith label.

  Shadow Stripe upholstery is also used for the dashboard in a manner inspired by Smith’s signature stripe design. On the passenger-side dashboard is a decorative black leather band with blue stitching, while the door sill trims sport the message ‘Every day is a new beginning!’ in the designer’s handwriting.

  Other signature touches include a hand-drawn rabbit motif embroidered into the floor mats, while the steering wheel’s textile band gets a splash of colour following the theme. Even the circular touch-screen is altered to include three exclusive backgrounds designed by Paul Smith for Personal model, with his signature stripes subtly integrated into the upper edge of the display. Pretty cool, huh? Here’s an earlier MINI x Paul Smith collab from 2021.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  MINI Paul Smith Edition in Inspired White, official photos

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  
  

  MINI Paul Smith Edition in Statement Grey, official photos

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

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• MATTA Fair 2026, Apr 3-5 at MITEC – free Rapid KL shuttle bus from KL Sentral, Sunway Putra Mall

  In Local News, Public Transport / by Danny Tan / 3 April 2026 1:16 pm

  

  The MATTA Fair is back and will be happening this weekend, starting today, April 3-5. Expect throngs of people heading to the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC, it hasn’t been at PWTC for some time now) looking for travel and tour deals – the traffic congestion the event causes is renowned among KL motorists.

  The jam heading to the travel fair is one thing, looking for parking is another. If you want to join the crowd, you can at least chalk off one of those hassles by taking a free shuttle bus to MITEC. Provided by Rapid KL, it runs from 8am in the morning all the way to 10pm at night, on all three days of the show.

  Frequency is every five to 10 minutes subject to traffic conditions. The pick-up/drop-off areas are KL Sentral’s ERL departure hall side (bus stop) and the bus stop at the entrance of Sunway Putra Mall (opposite PWTC).

  To further incentivise the use of the free bus, show organiser Malaysian Assocation of Tour & Travel Agents is offering ‘interesting prizes’. To join, scan the QR codes at the waiting areas or in the buses and follow the instructions. For the rest of us not partaking in this annual frenzy, be calm and drive safe.

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• Top 20 EV brands in March 2026 – Proton eMas top, nearly 3 times more than BYD in 2nd; Honda up to 12th

  In Cars, Local News / by Gerard Lye / 3 April 2026 12:57 pm

  

  Proton’s eMas electric vehicles (EVs) continue to dominate this year, according to the latest vehicle registration data published by the road transport department (JPJ). With 2,377 units registered in the month of March 2026, Proton took the top spot with a comfortable, nearly three times lead over second-place BYD that saw 879 units.

  Proton ended the first quarter of this year with a total of 7,455 EVs registered based on JPJ’s data, which well ahead of BYD with 2,261 units. Completing the podium is Tesla with 338 units, its best result so far this year to bring its year-to-date (YTD) tally to 658 units.

  In fourth place is iCaur with 257 units (1,002 YTD), while coming in fifth is Zeekr with 177 units (857 YTD). The final brand to crack 100 units last month was MG, which saw 112 units to take sixth and bring its YTD total to 487 units.

  

  Under the 100-unit mark, we find Volvo in seventh with 90 units (164 YTD), followed by Xpeng in eighth with 72 units (244 YTD), BMW in ninth with 67 units (139 YTD) and Leapmotor in tenth with 60 units (321 YTD).

  In the bottom half of the top 20 list and dipping below the 50-unit mark is TQ Wuling in 11th with 49 units (150 YTD). Honda is next with 34 EVs registered (46 YTD) to bring it back to the top 20 in 12th place, while Denza’s 27 units for 13th brings its YTD total to just shy of 100 units at just 99.

  Next is MINI with 26 units (79 YTD), a figure tied with Great Wall Motor (107 YTD) that sees the 14th and 15th spots occupied. The final five brands on this list are Dongfeng in 16th place with 23 units (92 YTD), Mercedes-Benz in 17th with 19 units (133 units), smart in 18th with 18 units (81 YTD), Porsche in 19th with 14 units (57 YTD) and Neta in 20th with 13 units (46 YTD).

  

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• Freelander Concept 97 – Land Rover name resurrected by Chery; 3-row EV SUV, CATL battery, Huawei ADAS

  In Cars, Freelander, International News / by Jonathan Lee / 3 April 2026 12:29 pm

  

  Nearly 12 years since it left us, the Freelander name is back on a car – but it’s not a Land Rover. Instead, Chery has licenced the moniker from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on a new electrified brand to join its myriad of other marques. This is the first fruit of the Chinese giant’s labour, the Concept 97, referencing the debut of the much-loved original baby LR in 1997.

  But there’s nothing baby about this Freelander, because it has grown into a full-sized SUV with three rows of seats. That much is reflected in the rectilinear styling, which is more akin to the Discovery 3 – another iconic “modern” Land Rover.

  Still, the design does carry a few references to the seminal L314, most notably the split triangular rear three-quarter windows from the three-door cabriolet. In fact, the brand’s logo is made up of those triangles that represent “FL”, although the front and rear fascias instead have the Freelander script stamped on.

  

  

  

  The minimalist face draws more cues from past Land Rovers, including interlocking rectangular headlights connected to black bars that go all the way down the bumper. From the looks of it, these actually house large displays that allow for customised lighting signatures; don’t expect these to make it to production, of course. The displays frame a silver section that stretches from the bonnet to the bottom, with little in the way of cooling openings and yet more triangular panels at the bottom.

  Along the side, the Concept 97 features a strong stance thanks to square, almost Volvo-like shoulders and prominent wheel arch flares. The doors, which reach all the way to the roof, are suicide units that, together with the lack of B-pillar, provide uninterrupted access to the cabin. However, we already know the finalised version won’t have these, given that crash-tested prototypes were recently spotted with normal doors. The rear end carries slim horizontal taillights and a silver finish again for the tailgate and bumper.

  Step inside and you’ll find an cabin unlike any Land Rover (or any Chery, for that matter). The minimalist is set low, framed by a wraparound display that stretches from pillar to pillar – mimicking BMW’s novel Panoramic Vision setup without the expensive projection technology.

  

  You also get a large floating infotainment touchscreen underlined by physical controls, sitting above a centre console “bridge”. The plush seats, upholstered in blue and white woven fabric, are akin to lounge chairs, with the driver sitting behind and oblong steering wheel.

  The Concept 97 carries six seats, with the second row featuring captain’s chairs and another substantial centre console. The third row, on the other hand, is formed by a wraparound backrest and wide headrests; good luck getting these to fold down. Freelander says the car also features a retractable cloth roof and rear window – another cue it has taken from that three-door cabrio.

  “The new Freelander brand world and Concept 97 show car demonstrate a bold and individual approach to design which, combined with innovative Chinese technology, is intended to make customers fall in love with the Freelander brand,” said design hub director Phil Simmons. “Concept 97 is designed for the urban outdoors, retaining an off-road spirit while embracing city life. It celebrates freedom, individuality and joy.”

  

  According to Autohome, all new Freelander models will feature Qualcomm’s new flagship-level Snapdragon 8397 chip, offering three times CPU computing power, nearly three times the GPU computing power, and twelve times the AI computing power of the previous 8295 processor.

  They will also be juiced by CATL batteries and come with Huawei’s Qiankun autonomous driving capability, working in concert with a lidar sensor; the latter will almost certainly be exclusive to China. Unlike what was previously disclosed, Freelander will ditch Chery’s existing platforms in favour of a brand new architecture.

  The cars will be built at Chery Jaguar Land Rover’s (CJLR) Intelligent Manufacturing Base in Changshu, where a total of three billion yuan (RM1.76 billion) has been invested for EV production. The brand is set to launch a whole family of models within the next five years and will be offered in key global markets. It’s been reported there will be six new cars that will also include range extender EVs and plug-in hybrids.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

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• Top 20 brands in March 2026 – Perodua leads Proton, Toyota third, Honda more than doubled Feb sales

  In Cars, Local News / by Jonathan James Tan / 3 April 2026 11:58 am

  

  The road transport department‘s (JPJ) new car registration data is out early. Perodua and Proton respectively sold 24,530 and 15,243 cars in March; the latter’s number being 62% of Perodua’s (it was 76% in January thanks to Proton’s 19,750-unit blockbuster).

  Toyota and Honda appear to have found some wind, shifting 8,617 and 7,062 units respectively in March, after doing circa-6,000 and 3,000 respectively earlier in the year. Honda more than doubled month-on-month (MoM). Chery, normally fifth, has fallen to eighth in the monthly table and sixth in the year-to-date (YTD) standings, its sales steadily slipping from 1,287 in January to 938 in February and 892 last month.

  Taking its place is stablemate Omoda | Jaecoo, which had its best month so far this year with nearly 1,500 units. So did Mazda in sixth with 1,054 units (+137% MoM!). Mitsubishi gets lucky number seven in both monthly (981) and YTD (3,061) standings. BYD also got double-ninths; 879 units for the month and 2,261 units YTD.

  

  Jetour is in March’s top 10 (790 units)! We don’t remember the travel-focused Chery Group brand ever placing this highly – its YTD figure is now nearly 1,700 units for 11th overall. Mercedes-Benz (11th) and BMW (12th) respectively did 727 and 672 units in March. Nissan more than doubled its sales to 585 units in March, earning it 13th and pushing its YTD tally to 1,160 for 15th place.

  This is the first time this year we’re seeing Tesla in the monthly top 20 – it sold 338 units in March (16th), but its YTD total isn’t enough to make the list. Ford, Isuzu, iCaur and MG are clutching on to the tails of both the monthly and YTD lists; Zeekr has declined from 489 in January to 191 in February and 177 last month – the last two numbers are unfortunately the smallest numbers anywhere on this board.

  Let’s go back and look at the Big Four to see how the year is shaping up. Perodua’s 74,233 units YTD is one-and-a-half times that of Proton – Tanjong Malim is now 24% of the way to its 200k target for the year. Toyota and Honda are at 22,208 and 13,618 units respectively – Toyota’s figure would include a considerable number of recon/grey-market cars, while Honda is now 23% of the way to its 60k target for 2026.

  

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• Auto parts body MACPMA supports MITI clarification on CKD requirements – local supply chain is essential

  In Local News / by Anthony Lim / 3 April 2026 11:22 am

  

  Earlier this week, the ministry of investment, trade and industry (MITI) reaffirmed the country’s automotive investment and sector policies in a statement addressing the BYD CKD issue. Following this, national automakers Proton and Perodua issued their own statements regarding the matter, supporting the government’s stance on the topic.

  The Malaysian Automotive Component Parts Manufacturers (MACPMA) has done the same. In a statement, the association expressed its full support for the country’s automotive investment policies, which it said was development-driven and was applied uniformly and consistently to all investors.

  The association acknowledged MITI’s commitment to maintaining an open and welcoming investment environment, while ensuring that new automotive investments contribute meaningfully to the long-term sustainability of the national automotive ecosystem. It said the emphasis on export orientation, localisation, and integration with the domestic supply chain is essential to strengthening Malaysia’s industrial base and trade competitiveness.

  The national auto parts body agreed with MITI’s position that automotive investment incentives and manufacturing licences should be aligned with national development objectives, which include technology transfer, capability upgrading and the continued growth of local Tier-1, Tier-2, and Tier-3 component manufacturers. It said that such an approach is critical to sustaining and strengthening the established vendor ecosystem that has been built through decades of investment and industrial development.

  MACPMA agreed with MITI that these policies are developmental in nature and not protectionist, ensuring that foreign investments complement and strengthen local industry players while creating sustainable value across the automotive value chain. The association added that it remains committed to working closely with the ministry and other stakeholders to support policies that promote inclusive growth, resilience, and long-term competitiveness of the Malaysian automotive ecosystem.

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• RON95 in Malaysia is cheaper than in Saudi Arabia and other ASEAN countries, except for Brunei – KPDN

  In Local News, Malaysian Fuel Prices / by Mick Chan / 3 April 2026 11:08 am

  

  Despite the climb in fuel prices, the price of RON 95 petrol in Malaysia remains among the lowest the region as well as Saudi Arabia, according to the ministry of domestic trade and cost of living (KPDN).

  Based on retail fuel prices in Malaysia for the week of April 2 to 8, 2026, an illustration by Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia showed that petrol and diesel fuels in Malaysia are still cheaper than in other ASEAN countries and in Saudi Arabia, except for Brunei, where petrol is at the equivalent of RM1.67 per litre, and diesel at the equivalent of RM0.98 per litre.

  Among other neighbouring countries, fuel prices in Thailand were listed as the equivalent of RM6.48 per litre for petrol, and the equivalent of RM4.95 per litre for diesel. Meanwhile for Singapore, fuel prices in the city-state were listed as the equivalent of RM10.30 per per litre for petrol, and the equivalent of RM12.05 per litre for diesel.

  

  

  Other countries listed in terms of prices for fuels include Laos (petrol RM7.20, diesel RM7.65), the Philippines (petrol RM6.43, diesel RM7.99), Myanmar (petrol RM6.35, diesel RM7.05), Cambodia (petrol RM6.26, diesel RM7.27), Vietnam (petrol RM2.96, diesel RM3.49), and Indonesia (petrol 2.96, diesel RM3.49).

  Last month, prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the initial 300 litre monthly quota for RON 95 petrol under the Budi Madani RON 95 fuel subsidy programme is to be temporarily reduced to 200 litres a month.

  Meanwhile for diesel fuel, the ministry of finance (MoF) announced earlier this week that the monthly cash assistance under the Budi Madani Diesel initiative will be maintained at RM300 for the month of April 2026.

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• Free motorcycle helmet exchange at Program Madani Rakyat 2026 Perak event – Meru, Ipoh, April 3-5

  In Local News / by Danny Tan / 3 April 2026 10:49 am

  

  

  Click to enlarge

  The transport ministry and its agencies will be participating in the government’s Program Madani Rakyat 2026 Perak event this weekend (April 3-5) at Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah, Meru, Ipoh. The 9am to 9pm event (till 6pm on Sunday) is of course free of charge and open to the public.

  There’s a free helmet exchange programme for motorcyclists, with 3,000 units allocated for the three-day programme. All one needs to do is bring an old, broken or non-Sirim spec helmet to be exchanged for a new one. This is for Malaysian citizens aged 16 and above (bring your MyKad for verification), limited to one unit per person.

  The JPJ booth will also have a mobile truck that allows visitors to renew their driving (CDL and PDL) and vocational licenses (PSV and GDL), and road tax. One can also check for saman and pay at the spot. As promised, there’s no saman discount for events under the current ‘The Less You Delay, The Less You Pay’ principle introduced by transport minister Anthony Loke last year.

  Visitors can also register for MyDigital ID and MyJPJ at the event, which which will also feature road safety pocket talks. Stay for the safety quiz and win prizes.

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• Subaru Getaway debuts in the US – three-row EV SUV; 420 hp, up to 483 km range; Toyota Highlander sister

  In Cars, International News, Subaru / by Gerard Lye / 3 April 2026 10:25 am

  

  Subaru’s ongoing collaboration with Toyota on electric vehicles (EVs) continues to bear fruit, with the former recently introducing its largest EV so far in the United States. Called the Getaway, it shares a lot in common with the also-new-and-electric Highlander and joins Subaru’s line-up of EVs that includes the Solterra (bZ sister), Trailseeker (bZ Woodland) and Uncharted (C-HR+).

  Set to go on sale in the US in late 2026 for the 2027 model year, the Getaway offers seating for up to seven and comes standard with the brand’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. The latter is part of the powertrain with two electric motors – one for each axle – that serves up a combined 420 hp.

  That figure is more than a dual-motor Highlander that packs just 338 hp and enables the Getaway to get from 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) in “less than five seconds.” More adventurous drivers will welcome the nearly 211 mm (8.3 inches) of ground clearance as well as Subaru’s X-Mode Dual Mode System with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes, Grip Control and Downhill Assist Control. The EV is also rated to tow up to 1,588 kg (3,500 pounds).

  

  Powering the e-motors is a 95.8-kWh lithium-ion battery that Subaru claims will deliver over 483 km (300 miles). As with most EVs sold in the US these days, the Getaway will come with a standard NACS charging port so users have access to over 25,000 Tesla Superchargers across North America. DC fast charging peaks at 150 kW and will replenish the battery from 10-80% in about 30 minutes.

  There’s also an onboard battery preconditioning system to ensure performance doesn’t lag in cold-weather conditions. Sometime in 2027, a standard-range variant with a 77-kWh and all-wheel drive will be added, with further details of that set to be announced later.

  While the general profile of the Getaway is similar to its sister model, the Subaru EV wears a unique front fascia featuring an illuminated logo and its own distinctive headlamps. There is also a ladder-style roof rack and the brand script nestled within the full-width light bar at the rear is illuminated.

  

  

  Inside, you get three rows of seats and a dashboard that is basically identical to the Highlander. Available equipment include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 14-inch infotainment touchscreen, panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated seats, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, two 15-watt wireless charging pads, customisable interior lighting, five drive modes and an EyeSight suite of ADAS functions.

  Subaru says the Getaway’s second row can be had with a bench seat for a 2-3-2 layout, or with captain chairs for a 2-2-2 layout. The second-row seats come with a one-touch fold function for easy access to the third row, and the brand claims six-footers can comfortably sit in all three rows.

  There’s also a power-folding third row for more cargo capacity, with the Getaway offering as much as 1,291 litres (45.6 cubic feet), which is more than the Kia EV9. With the third row upright, the Getaway offers 450 litres (15.9 cubic feet) of cargo space.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

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• JPJ eBid: APM and QDF number plates up for bidding

  In Local News / by Danny Tan / 3 April 2026 9:35 am

  

  

  JPJ has announced that APM and QS-Y are the next number plate series to go up for bidding on its online auction platform, JPJ eBid.

  Perak’s latest running number series is ‘APM’, and it will open for tender on April 6. The bidding period on JPJeBid is five days, ending 10pm on April 10. As usual, the results will be out the following day. The whole process is online now, as it has been for some time, and bidders will get the good (or bad) news via email.

  Also available on JPJ eBid is the Sarawak series ‘QDF’. The bidding period starts on April 10, and will close at 10pm on April 14. Results will be out the day after the auction closes.

  New car coming soon and want a nice number plate for the new ride? Why not DIY and skip the reseller’s markup and runner fees? If you have never bid for a number yourself, check out our step-by-step guide on how to navigate JPJ eBid and the techniques needed to get your preferred number at “retail price”.

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• 2026 Proton Saga MC3 – 5,438 units sold in Mar, lower than MC2 last year, but Q1 up 38% vs 2025 to 21,770

  In Cars, Local News, Proton / by Jonathan Lee / 2 April 2026 8:46 pm

  

  After a blinding start to the year in January, the sales momentum of the latest Proton Saga appears to have petered off, with 5,438 units of the MC3 model sold in March. That’s a decrease of 609 units from the 6,047 units that left dealer lots the month before – itself a significant slump from a record 10,285 units at the start of the year – representing a drop of 10.07%.

  In fact, last month’s number is actually lower than 6,154 units achieved by the previous MC2 in March 2025. Still, thanks to its performance over the previous two months, the Saga’s first-quarter result was 38% up over the same period the year before, at 21,770 units – equating to an average of 7,571 units per month.

  We should point out that the Saga’s sales are almost certainly limited by Proton’s production capacity, rather than demand (the same is true for arch rival Perodua Bezza), given that bookings stood at nearly 100,000 nearly two months ago.

  

  

  It appears that the massive January figure was artificially boosted by the national carmaker deciding to delay deliveries at the end of last year to 2026, presumably having achieved an internal sales target (there was no publicly-declared target for 2025).

  We’ve also heard rumblings of customers complaining of having not received their allocation despite placing a booking as far back as last year. Production was likely further constrained by the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays, so perhaps we can expect sales to ramp back up this month.

  Even with the Saga’s relative underperformance, Proton still managed to sell 15,706 cars last month, an increase of 15.77% over a sluggish (by the company’s blockbuster 2026 standards) February. The rest of the lineup pulled their weight, with particularly strong results for the recently-updated S70 and X50, as well as the new eMas 7 PHEV. All this led to a first-quarter figure of 49,140 units, its best since 2004.

  GALLERY: Proton Saga 1.5 Premium MC3

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

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