5 Door Suzuki Jimny launched in Malaysia - 5 Colour variants and a price starting from RM199,950!!! Also Naza Eastern have expanded the Suzuki dealer network in Malaysia

Earlier today, Naza Eastern Motors Sdn Bhd, the official distributor of Suzuki cars in Malaysia has launched the 5-door variant of the very popular Suzuki Jimny compact 4x4. It will be priced from RM199,950.00 onwards (before insurance or optional gear). 

First launched by Suzuki globally in early 2023, the 5 door variant marks a step forward in the Jimny model as this is the first ever 5 door Jimny to be produced. It has always been a 2/3 door compact SUV/4x4 and now, in its 4th generation gets 2 more doors so that one can easily get in and out of the rear seats with its new rear doors. Oh, it is also longer in wheelbase making it actually suitable for carrying people over longer distances too. But more of that later.

 

Motorsport: Leona Chin Scores a Double Win in the M Production (MTC) Category in the recent Malaysia Championship Series (MCS)

Leona Chin, who most of you would know is a familiar face in Malaysian motorsport as well as in the local automotive scene recently scored a double win in the M Production (MTC) Category during the recent Malaysia Championship Series held at the Sepang Circuit. Driving the Tedco Racing Suzuki Swift Sport, she scored the double victory after qualifying in Pole Position. She is the first female to qualify a Pole Position and then go on to win in both races over the weekend in Malaysia Championship Series. 

New 2nd Generation Suzuki Ertiga in Thailand - The One We Won't Get

This, is the newly launched second generation Suzuki Ertiga compact MPV. It has only very recently been launched over in Thailand. I managed to take take a look at it as it was in display in Huahin, where I was holidaying.

PROTON Has Slightly Updated the Ertiga - New Dark Seat Fabric & Infotainment System

PROTON Cars have now updated the Proton Ertiga 6 seat (7can fit but middle seat in the middle row does not have a three point seatbelt, only lapbelt for Indonesia spec vehicle, hence 6 seater rating)  compact SUV to better suit Malaysian car buyers. The MPV was unveiled in Penang on Sunday at the awards ceremony for the Proton 1 Tank Adventure competition.

Sunday Lite: I Miss Suzuki Cars - Someone Should Start Bringing Them In Again.

I miss Suzuki cars. Sometime in 2016 Suzuki decided to pull out of Malaysia after deciding to enter into some sort of joint venture arrangement with Proton. They were to pull out of the Malaysian market and let Proton rebadge their vehicles starting with the Suzuki Ertiga. Of course, by some horrific twist of fate, they got snookered as Proton was forced by some unseen hand to quickly find a foreign partner which they did in the form of Geely.

Aiman Motor Performance Opens its First 4S Centre in Malaysia - Unveils the Recently Launched Subaru XV At The New Centre

Aiman Motor, a long time player in the automotive distribution scene here in Malaysia, under its company, Aiman Motor Performance Sdn Bhd (AMP) earlier today unveiled its first 4S Centre which also houses their Subaru dealership. Located in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, this one-stop automotive sales and aftersales solution unifies Sales, Services, Spare parts as well as Shop for body and paint services under one roof for all car brands including super and premium cars.

Spotted for Sale: 1989 Suzuki Swift / Cultus GTI - A pocket rocket in the truest sense

This is another interesting car that has recently been put for sale recently over at mudah.my, the favourite place for Yours Truly to trawl the want ads and dream a little. This is a gem of a car, the original Suzuki Swift GTI. Also known as the Suzuki Cultus GTI (as it is called in Japan), it is one of those cars that garnered a reputation for those of us who started dabbling with cars from the mid-1980s and throughout the 1990s. 

And now for some lifestyle comparison: Maruti Suzuki launches the Celerio Diesel over in India

Now over in India Maruti Suzuki, the India subsidiary of Suzuki has officially launched the Maruti Celerio Diesel. Now Maruti have basically a whopping 37% share of the passenger car market in India and the Celerio is a big thing to them. Something like a Proton Saga over here. Or Perodua Myvi. Or vice versa.

 The diesel is powered by a new (Indian designed) 793 cc twin cylinder diesel engine. It delivers maximum power of 47 hp and 125 Nm torque. The claimed mileage figure stands at 27.62 km/l thus making Celerio diesel as the most fuel efficient car on offer in India. It is priced from Rs4.65lakhs - 5.71lakhs or RM27,278.44 to RM33,496.76.  Cheap eh? You do get a lot of hard plastics inside but looks well equipped and decently comfortable. The styling outside is nothing to shout about as it looks like an uglier looking Suzuki Alto (or A-Star in India) due to more space utilisation and that it is specced and built to a low down price - note that even the seats have a one piece, fixed headrest design to save cost.

Suzuki Kizashi may not be directly replaced when the time comes - A Shame as we've driven it and it's quite nice.

According to a report by drive.com.au the Suzuki Kizashi is unlikely to have a replacement in the future. It is likely to soldier on for a while longer and may fade out into the annals of automotive history. The reason is that reception to this mid-sized car has been pretty cold. In the report, the MD for Suzuki Australia said that even at launch, the Kizashi was compromised by the American financial crisis in 2009.

With American once Suzuki's largest market being wiped out (Suzuki America declared bankrupty in 2012), sales for this (almost) large sedan dwindled as even in markets like Australia and the UK it was overpriced and underspecced compared to its rivals like the Honda Accord and the Mazda 6. The Suzuki Kizashi is also a tad undersized if compared to the current crop of Japanese mid-sized / full sized sedans. If you compare its size it is closer to cars like the seventh generation Honda Accord (2003-2007) instead of the larger eighth and ninth generation Accords that we're familiar with. You add competition like the huge Toyota Camry and Nissan Teana to the picture and you can see why Suzuki isn't really selling any Kizashis even here in Malaysia. But we've driven it and we like how it drives as well as how it looks. The car looks squat with a wheel at each corner. Very athletic looking and taut.

Suzuki Swift Sport CVT - THE One to drive if you cannot do the shifting yourself

Fun to drive cars have always been a priority over here on Motoring-malaysia.blogspot.com. We thrive on driving cars that are fun. They may not have to be superfast but they have to have an emotional attachment with the driver when on the move. The thing about 'soulful' cars is there they are usually expensive here in Malaysia as we suffer, yes, suffer from obscene taxes and other whatnots. You need good credit rating with the bank or you must have a really fat monthly salary to indulge in such cars here in Malaysia. But occasionally you have the Suzuki Swift Sport to give you a rush at a price of around RM100,000. Hey, RM100,000 is affordable for a fun car in this day and age. Sad but true.

Suzuki Swift S-Concept showcases the upcoming Swift Sport

The car above is the Suzuki Swift S Concept which was recently shown at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. This is how the upcoming Suzuki Swift Sport will look like. As some of you readers know, the Swift Sport is my favourite affordable supermini. I totally adore this little car because of its agility, handling and its honest to goodness nature. Not to mention if you love trail braking into a corner this is the car for you. The tail swings round to 'meet' you where you want it to.

 In the article I stated that if it ain't broke, why fix it. This sums up what Suzuki has done to the Swift. A little stretch, a little pull, a little nip here and some added girth there but it still looks pretty much like the earlier car.

Click here to read more about the S Concept

Driven: Automotive Bliss and the 2008 Suzuki Swift Sport

Automotive bliss can mean a lot of things. One of it could be waking up early on a Sunday morning, taking that sports car of yours for a drive to nowhere and feeling great about yourself. It can also mean the satisfaction of fixing something small yet the pleasure, or pain, derived from it is immense. Bliss is a nice word to describe a feeling that someone who feels naively feels satisfied or truly happy when the actual situation isn’t so impressive.

Imagine this, your sister in law’s Proton Wira decides to not start when your wife, kid and sister in law decide to go shopping on a Saturday afternoon. You being all dressed up in your sports Rolex, Italian loafers, nice Audi T shirt and blue jeans ready to hop into your Subaru Impreza decide to help change the battery under the sweltering sun. It’s an automotive moment there folks, getting his hands dirty fixing a run of the mill Proton and enjoying that moment of pain and suffering yet accomplishing something. The car started, everyone was happy and could go wherever they wanted to.