Takata Airbag Recall - Personal Experience

Recall - Normally perceived as something negative due to fault in design or production stage of a product by the public. Things will get tensed when there are fatality caused by defective product and an immediate recall will be inevitable. The infamous Takata airbag rupture is one of the main reasons many car manufacturers are issuing worldwide recall to fix the 'ticking time bomb' in many of their cars fixed with Takata manufactured airbags. The defective component could send shrapnels to the occupants at the moment the airbags are inflated in an impact. 

In Malaysia, UMW Toyota calls recall as Special Service Campaign, and created a vehicle identification number (VIN) checker website which enable us to check any Toyota manufactured vehicle which is affected in the campaign by keying in the VIN. As my father owns a 2002 Toyota Corolla Altis, we got news that it is actually included in the campaign despite being aged more than 10 years. Using the VIN checker confirmed the validity of the news as well. In the VIN checker there was a form to fill in to request UMW Toyota to contact us (which was around mid of July 2016) for the airbag replacement. 

After submitting the form for 2 weeks, it seemed that there was no respond from UMW Toyota either in the form of phone call or email. So in early of August, I took the initiative to email the customer support which I got from the official website. It took UMW Toyota few days to respond via email, which they explained that they are still waiting for the principal confirmation on the parts arrival date. The good thing is the customer support personnel did ask which branch of service centre which I prefer to go to, which I chose the one nearest to my home. 

Then things got silence for a month or more... Sometime in September, someone from the service centre called, informing that there is still not available stock for the passenger airbag replacement (apparently only the passenger airbag is affected for the 2002 Corolla Altis). 

Thankfully the good news starts here. Finally in the first week of October, someone called to inform there is available stock and we can send the car into the service centre for 2 hours on a Saturday. I immediately placed an appointment on the first coming Saturday and sent the car in. Surprisingly the whole replacement process took just half an hour and it is free of charge! 

I believe both sides (manufacturer and the owners) should take initiative in this issue, or else unfortunate incidents are bound to happen. But one thing for sure, another giant Japanese marque in Malaysia (well, you know who) has put in greater effort in resolving this issue. 

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SPONSORED VIDEO - Toyota Innovation

Many years ago, many thought that the concept of hybrid cars is impossible, let alone hydrogen cars. Now, you can easily spot a hybrid car on the road while electric cars slowly gaining their presence. Toyota is one of the good example of car manufacturers which pushed the boundaries and made the unreachable possible. 

Founded in 1937, Toyota then introduced the first generation of Prius in 1997, a bold statement of Toyota's commitment towards producing environmental friendly hybrid vehicle. Since then, Prius is already in its 3rd generation form. Toyota Prius as well as Prius C, a smaller hybrid hatchback by Toyota can be spotted on the road of Malaysia. 

As you can see from the picture above, there are dominoes surrounding the Prius. Please watch the Dominoes video below (not Jessie J's hit song 'Domino', mind you) to get a clearer idea of how Toyota is linked to dominoes:

(You can check out more Toyota's videos and subscribe here)

Pretty amazing isn't it the video? Usually dominoes fall down, but it is the opposite in the video. Why? It shows the spirit of Toyota, picking themselves up and strive for excellence. Mass-producing hybrid cars is a good example of Toyota's perseverance in making the world a more sustainable planet.

"One great idea leads to the next"

Plug-in hybrid vehicle is then introduced to maximise efficiency of a car. Its battery can be recharged using household power outlet, and the car can be operated fully in electric mode, with no CO2 emitted from the car. If the battery is running low, the car will switch its mode into hybrid so that you won't be stranded on the road!

The latest innovation from Toyota is the Toyota FCV. Fuel Cell Vehicle produces zero emission, thanks to the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to power the electric motor. Moreover, hydrogen is abundant in our atmosphere, making it a good choice of resource to power the future of automobile. 

More details of the FCV as well as other models from Toyota can be found in Toyota's Global Website. You can like Toyota's Facebook page and follow its Google+ page to discover more on how Toyota is contributing to a cleaner environment!

*Post sponsored by Toyota, but all thoughts are our own.

Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G - New Variant

Good news for those who need lesser power but more features. UMW Toyota Motor has removed the 2.0G variant of its Corolla Altis and added in a new 1.8G variant. The 1.8G is priced at RM119,900 (RM3k cheaper than the outgoing 2.0G) while the 1.8E has increased its priced by RM1k to RM115,900. The top-of-the-line 2.0V is still selling at RM136k (add RM3k for Additional Safety Package which include Vehicle Stability Control and 7 airbags). 

Yes, there is still no VSC available for the 1.8G.

The powertrain for the 1.8 variants uses the current Dual VVT-i unit with 139PS at 6400rpm and 173Nm of torque at 4000rpm, mated to a '7-speed' CVT gearbox. What differ the 1.8G to the 1.8E is that the former has black combination leather seats, Optitron meter combination, Bluetooth handsfree function, DVD player with 7-inch touchscreen and reverse camera. 

The new 1.8E also gained Smart Entry and Start System and auto on/off headlights. 

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Toyota Camry XV50 Facelift Unveiled!

 Looks much better isn't it? By taking cues from Toyota Camry's elder brother, the Avalon, the newly designed front end gave the Camry a fresh breath of air. No more squarish, Lexus-like front end and after market-like daytime running LED lights (now integrated in the headlights housing). 

Rear end received subtle changes. There's a new chrome strip which runs into the taillights now and a newly designed rear bumper. Other than that, it's still basically retained the design of the pre-facelift Camry. 

The most noticeable changes in the cabin must be the 3-spoke steering wheel and the 4.2-inch colour TFT display that is situated in between 2 dials in the instrument panel. The centre console is restyled too, but the overall shape is generally unchanged. 

Russia will be getting an updated 2.0 litre engine with 6-speed automatic transmission. Hoepfully Toyota Malaysia will bring it in. With this facelift, Toyota Camry should be able to gain more sales compared to the slow-moving outgoing model in Malaysia. 

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Coming Soon - 2014 Toyota Camry 2.0G X and Toyota Innova Facelift !

 Toyota has quietly previewed the upcoming Toyota Camry 2.0G X and Toyota Innova Facelift (again, another facelift). The Camry 2.0G X is the more upmarket variant of the usual 2.0G. While equipped with the standard equipments found in the 2.0G, the 2.0G X also comes with a 2-DIN head unit with a 5-inch touchscreen navigator, DVD player, reverse camera and Bluetooth. The interior is spotted with classier wood trim and brown leather seats opposed to black in the 2.0G. Exterior wise, it is don with 17-inch dark silver alloy wheels and dark bezel HID projector. 

Best of all, all these extra comes at just RM1,000 more than the 2.0G. At RM159, 900 on-the-road with insurance, looks like the 'X' marks the spot huh?

Below is the third facelift for the Toyota Innova. There are 3 variants to choose from - E manual, E auto and G auto. Every variant comes with fabric seats with ISOFIX in the second row, Bluetooth, second and third row air-cond vents and two airbags.  G, on the other hand, gets a chromed front grille, chromed exterior door handles, chromed tailgate garnish, fog lights, wing mirror with indicator and rear wiper (Seriously? For G only?). On the inside, Optitron meter with MID display, auto air-cond, leather and wood steering wheel and time adjustable wiper (again, seriously?).

On-the-road prices for the Toyota Innova Facelift are:

E manual: RM98,546

E auto: RM103,546

G auto: RM110,990

I wonder how did Toyota approved such a hideous grille design for the Toyota Innova. Doesn't go along well with the rest of the front end at all!

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DRIVEN: 2014 Toyota Vios J Auto !

Toyota has brought over the powertrain and 4-speed gearbox from the previous generation Toyota Vios and put them into the all-new 3rd generation Toyota Vios, despite many lambasted the decade-old technology. "If it ain't broken, don't fix it". Especially when the so-called 'obsolete' technology's performance is still on par with current ones. Will come back with more on this later. 

B-segment is no longer dominated by the Japanese players. Take Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo Sedan for instance. The American and German marques are offering more but in the similar price range of the Japanese. Who doesn't enticed by this? However, Toyota still has a few royal cards to keep itself up in the game. 

Design is subjective, but I'm sure everyone would agree that the 4th generation Vios looks miles better than the car it replaces. No doubt the sleeker design will help the car age better, and appeal more to youngster. Like usual, Vios comes in 4 variants - J, E, G and TRD Sportivo, where the TRD Sportivo has all-round bodykits and different set of alloys to bring out the racer soul in you, despite they doesn't help any in terms of performance or handling. 

A relative of mine has recently bought a 2014 Toyota Vios J with automatic transmission, and I had the opportunity to drive it on long, winding B-roads in the area of Cheroh, Pahang. Being an owner of also a B-segment Japanese sedan, I was eager to see how well the Vios fare against other competitors in the segment. 

In the inside, the Vios J doesn't need the two-tone dashboard of the Vios G to look luxurious. The top part of the dark coloured dashboard is decorated with leather stitches, or so called. No, it's not soft touch. It's made out of hard plastic moulding which mimic stitches on leather, kudos to the effort of Toyota in giving the Vios a more upmarket looking interior. Even the urethane-wrapped steering wheel felt nice to the hand. The rear quarter is more spacious now eventhough the wheelbase is still the same at 2550mm.

The engine used is a 1.5 litre VVT-i with 109PS at 6000rpm and 141Nm at 4200rpm. I remember that the previous generation of Vios has quite raspy and intrusive engine notes when on the move, and I'm glad to find that the engine is more refined this time around. You can barely hear the noise of the engine generated at 90km/h, even with the wind and road noise nicely suppressed. The Vios is one of the most refined B-segment sedans around.

One thing though, low-end torque is lacking and I had to floor quite an amount of the accelerator to get the car moving from standstill, causing acceleration felt sluggish. This is also pointed out by my cousin, who coincidentally owns a 2nd generation Vios. 

I have to agree with my cousin is that the 4 speeder changes gear seamlessly when driven sedately. It's a tried and tested gearbox, reliable and works fine. So there's no harm to use it again, right? The ride and handling of the 2014 Vios is spot on too. A nice balance between comfort and handling. It absorbed bumps on some seldom-maintained kampung roads in a pretty grown up manner, while tackles corner with controlled (but apparent) body movement. The electric powered steering felt nicely weighted too, albeit a little dull on the feedback. Anyway, Vios is a car which is more suitable to be driven in a relax manner rather than driven hard.

Safety is no longer sacrificed for the entry-level variant. Dual SRS airbags, ABS and EBD as standard across the range. However, it's a shame that Vehicle Stability Control is unavailable for the G variant or even the range-topper TRD Sportivo variant. Yet, they are priced in the vicinity of RM90k.

Yes, I'm truly surprised with what Toyota offers with the entry-level Vios. At RM77k, the Vios J Auto seems like a wise choice now, unless you want the goodies such as leather seat and push-start button in the G variant. Now, we'll wait and see what Honda is installed for us with the all-new 2014 Honda City which is launching soon in Malaysia, very soon......

+ Refinement, comfort, fuel consumption, design.
- Low-end torque

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FIRST IMPRESSION: 2014 Toyota Corolla Altis !

 People are hard to please. When a car is too comfort-biased and sacrificed handling, people complain. When car manufacturers are using a decade old but reliable powertrain and transmission, people grumble. When a kind of veggie's price drop, people whine. It's hard to find the balance between two things. Toyota is trying hard to provide the best of both worlds with the all-new 11th generation Toyota Corolla Altis. 

The previous two generation of Altis have been bombarded to have conservative styling, only elders will drive one. I'm happy to say that Toyota has successfully changed the perception with this new Altis. The younger generation in the mid twenties (my colleagues and myself) are attracted by its design. This shows that Toyota is ready to gain a stance in the competitive C-segment. Too bad the daytime running LED lights are only available for the 2.0V variant.

Many would never expect such dynamic and sporty looking 17-inch rim will make it to the Corolla Altis! (The rim design below is only for the 2.0V variant)

The 1.8E and 2.0G variant will have to make do with a more executive looking 16-inch rim. Some small gripes: The thin stripe of chrome on the exterior door handles look a little stingy, and both of the emblems on the tailgate are on the right side, resulting a slightly unbalanced outlook. Boot space measured at 480 litres looks slightly smaller than the 9th generation Corolla Altis (the one with 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i engine).

The cabin is where the Corolla Altis excels. As an Altis, comfort is essential (especially in the rear seats). Wheelbase now measures 2700mm, an increment of 100mm over its predecessor. As a result, more usable legroom at the back, something its predecessors are lack of. Rear headroom is more generous than in the old one too. Did you know that the rear seats can be reclined too? 

Being a typical Toyota, you can have a peace of mind when it comes to build quality. Every panel in the cabin felt solid and built to last. Good tactile feedback from the buttons, soft touch materials covered the entire top and middle part of the dashboard as well as the door panel, even the fabric seats in the 1.8E and 2.0G are nice to the touch. Love the meaty leather-wrapped steering wheel too!

Despite all the aces, the safety features allocated for each variant are 'incompatible' to their price. Toyota is asking for quite a huge sum of money, especially the top-of-the-range 2.0V variant (RM136k). Even so, the 2.0V comes with only 2 airbags and Vehicle Stability Control, while the 1.8E (RM114k) and 2.0G (RM123k) doesn't have any assistance in stability. Want to make the airbags count to 6? Get the 'Additional Safety Package' which is only available for the 2.0V for an extra RM3k. 

VSC should at least be standard in the 2.0G, while 2.0V get 6 airbags as standard. Or make the 'Additional Safety Package' available as an option for all variants. Kia Cerato 2.0 is a good example where it is packed with safety features and priced under RM120k. 

Oh well, it's still difficult to get the best of both worlds... 

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11th Gen Toyota Corolla Altis is Coming to Malaysia !

 Toyota Corolla has come a long, long way since 1966, when the 1st generation of Toyota Corolla is born. It has become the world's best selling car by 1997, it is so popular not without good reason. It has bullet-proof reliability and comfort which put many of its competitors to shame. 

We can still find many 8th generation (1995) Toyota Corolla serving their owners after so many years. 9th generation too, with the earliest batch dated about 13 years ago (launched in 2001 in Malaysia), can be found parked in front of houses, where the owners are still reluctant to let it go despite the better 10th generation has been selling in Malaysia for 6 years. With also a 9th generation Altis parked in my front porch, I can understand why. 

10th generation Toyota Corolla Altis 2.0V:

Toyota took its chances when designing the 11th generation Corolla Altis, believing the previously conservative design has to be changed, and it's a job well done. Launching in Malaysia next week, it will be available in 3 variants - 1.8E, 2.0G and 2.0V. The 1.6 litre variant is noticeably missing, probably Toyota Malaysia realised the main sellers are the 1.8 litre and 2.0 litre variants. Price starts from RM114k for the 1.8E, RM123k for the 2.0G and RM136k for the 2.0V, all on-the-road with insurance. 

Buyers can choose an optional 'Additional Safety Package' for the 2.0V, increasing the price to RM139k. The package includes 7 airbags (2 front, 2 side, 2 curtain and knee airbag) and passenger seat belt warning indicator. This means the 1.8E, 2.0G and 2.0V are equipped with only 2 airbags while the 2.0V is the only variant that has Vehicle Stability Control (VSC).

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Highlights of KLIMS 2013 @ Media Day !

Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) 2013 returned in the limelight after a three-year hiatus. The theme of this year's show is ‘Efficiency in Motion’. I'm grateful that I was able to join on the media day to have a glimpse at the grand event. 

First up is one of our beloved Japanese car manufacturers, Toyota. Toyota displayed 2 out of 5 concept cars available in the KLIMS 2013, namely Fun-Vii and NS4.

Camry Hybrid will be CKD-ed if it is sold in Malaysia. Perhaps National Automotive Policy (NAP) will be announcing some good news soon.

Lexus joined in the fun with the IS F Sport, LS 460L, ES250 and LF-A!

Volkswagen has the largest booth of all manufacturers, displaying more than 10 vehicles in KLIMS!

A 'cut out' model of the Volkswagen Golf to display Volkswagen's engineering, safety and innovation.

Volkswagen has unveiled the Polo 1.6 Hatchback CKD (third locally assembled VW model after Passat and Polo Sedan) in the KLIMS, going to be on sales next year and the price tag should be around RM86k. Two airbags, ISOFIX, Intelligent Crash Response System, RCD 320 radio and Climatronic auto air-cond as standard.

Introducing Blu! Volkswagen's mascot for the Think Blue campaign.

Blu is so cute, I can't stop myself from taking a photo with Blu!

Peugeot 2008 launched, price estimated at RM118k. The equipment list is long - one-touch foldable rear seats, Smart Park Assist, a panoramic roof with mood lighting, auto dual zone air-cond, 6 airbags and ESP, to name a few.

Look ma! A Perodua with boot! It's called the Global Model Sedan (GMS) Buddyz!

Ford unveiled the Ecosport SUV, from RM98k-RM108k. Booking is open now!

Finally it has arrived to our shore, the long awaited Ford Fiesta with 1.0L Ecoboost turbo engine! With 125PS and 170Nm, it has the performance which rivals a 1.6 litre engine. From RM96k-RM98k.

Honda wowed us with the EV-STER, a two-seater convertible, electric small sports car.

Accord Plug-in Hybrid is in KLIMS 2013 too, capable of travelling up to 37.6km in EV mode with a combined fuel economy of 70.4km/L!

This is a huge surprise where Honda Malaysia launched the all-new 5th generation Honda Odyssey here just two weeks after its debut in Japan! Odyssey EX is priced at RM228k while EXV is priced at RM248k. 2.4 litre i-VTEC, second row captain seats with Ottoman, 6 airbags, VSA while EXV has additional LED active cornering lights, Blind Spot Information with Cross Traffic Monitor, smart parking assist system, multi-view camera system and multi-view rearview camera. A worthy contender of the Toyota Previa (widely known as Estima).

Nissan Note, soon to be launched I guess.

Get ready to be electrified by the Nissan Leaf! Second EV launched in Malaysia after the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Priced at RM168,800, the Leaf is equipped with six airbags, VDC (Nissan's form of stability control) and hill-start assist. It's a big hatchback, with a boot space of 370 litres. So, it's suitable for small families as it's cheaper to run when Malaysia's electric rate is taken into comparison with the fuel price.

Classic cars such as the Dodge Challenger are displayed in one of the halls.

Ford T-Model.

Finally, it would not be an auto show without models!

Looking forward for more models participation of car manufacturers in the next KLIMS!

*UPDATE: Forgot to mention that Proton is absent from the KLIMS 2013 because there is no 'strategic' and big enough space for its booth. Too bad...

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