Looking Ahead – Fresh Car Models Launching In 2016

From cheap and cheerful hatchbacks to luxurious limousines, here’s a list of fresh models that Malaysian car buyers can expect to see in 2016.

It might look more like a facelift rather than an all-new model, but make no mistake, this A4 model has been redesigned from the ground up. Underpinning this substantially lighter A4 (up to one hundred twenty kg lighter, depending on specifications) is the Volkswagen Group’s latest modular MLB platform for longitunal engines.

Inwards, the front- or all-wheel drive A4 is more spacious than either the BMW 3-Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Audi Malaysia is also rumoured to be expanding its model line-up to include its higher spectacle S and RS range later this year.

BMW 7-Series (G11/G12 generation)

You can stand outside the car, and let the car park itself. It also uses a super hi-tech ‘Carbon Core’ chassis that combines lightweight aluminium with carbon fibre materials. At the thrust of a button, the Business Class-like rear seats converts into a Very first Class-like Executive Lounge.

Ford Concentrate (facelift, mid-life update)

Technically it is only a mid-lifecycle ‘facelift,’ but the fresh Ford Concentrate is more than just a regular nip and tuck to draw crowd to showrooms. Under the bonnet, the previous model’s naturally aspirated Two.0-litre Ti-VCT engine has been substituted with a 1.5-litre turbocharged EcoBoost engine.

Despite its smaller capacity, power is up from one hundred sixty seven hp to one hundred seventy seven hp, while torque is boosted from two hundred two Nm to two hundred forty Nm. The outgoing model’s jerky around urban traffic 6-speed PowerShift dual-clutch transmission has been substituted by a conventional six-speed automatic.

Having gone missing for one generation, the Everest nameplate is now back. Basically a seven-seater SUV version of the very acclaimed Ford Ranger, the Everest builds on the Ranger’s already very passenger car-like qualities to suggest an even higher level of sophistication.

A rotary knob managed Terrain Management System, plus a premium car-like Active Park Assist permits you to do ‘hand-free’ parallel parking, and a very refined interior means that the Everest can be passed off as a budget Ranger Rover, which is telling something.

Very likely the most anticipated car of 2016, the all-new ten th generation Honda Civic is likely to come with Honda’s latest generation of VTEC engines – the 1.5-litre VTEC turbo.

Honda also has been making a lot of bold claims for the Civic, suggesting it to be a car that will simply predominate the segment. In brief, it’s supposed to be the best-in-class almost every area.

We expect the all-new Civic to be launched in Malaysia in by the middle of this year.

A 1.5-litre seven-seater SUV that sits below the 1.8-litre five-seater HR-V, with class-leading features but still priced to bulldoze the ancient Nissan Grand Livina and Toyota Avanza out of the way – sounds promising.

The BR-V is going to be aimed at buyers who are upgrading from a Perodua Alza. We had a brief preview drive of the BR-V, and the very first impression is good. A budget seven-seater that comes tooled with top-class safety features – just the kind of car Malaysian families need.

We expect the all-new BR-V to make its local debut in the 2nd half of this year.

Launched in Malaysia in March 2014, the Honda City is now Malaysia’s best-selling B-segment sedan – according to Honda Malaysia.

The model is expected to receive a facelift in late-2016 but witnessing how strong the City is still selling, we don’t expect the switches to be substantial.

The proven 1.5-litre i-VTEC and Earth Desires CVT powertrain combo is likely to remain unchanged, as it only made its debut on this model not long ago.

Switches are likely to be limited to minor updates to the accessories, interior trims and some switches to its exterior styling.

Update: Early or mid-2017 is a more probable timing

Essentially a hatchback version of the Honda City underneath (actually it’s the other way around), the Jazz is likely to spot the same, minor updates as the City, most most likely in late-2016.

Update: Early or mid-2017 is a more probable timing

The current generation Honda Accord was the very first Accord to dethrone the Toyota Camry from its position as Malaysia’s best-selling D-segment sedan. Come September 2016, this ninth generation Accord will be coming in its third year and a customary midlife update is to be expected.

We expect the mid-range Two.0 VTi-L model’s specifications will be updated to include six airbags, in line with what’s suggested in the cheaper City, Jazz, HR-V and Civic. There should be no switches to the engine and transmission, while the usual practice of switching the front bumper, grille, tail lamps and headlamps slightly is to be expected.

The picture shown above is a US-model Accord. Local models might have a slightly different design.

The CX-5 facelift is already sold in Malaysia, albeit in Two.5-litre, fully-imported from Japan form. The current locally-assembled CX-5 models are of the pre-facelift version. A pre-facelift version of the CX-5 Two.5-litre was also shortly assembled locally but this has since been discontinued, as Mazda prepares to phase in the fresh model.

Local assembly for the fresh CX-5 is expected to commence by the middle of 2016. Assuming the locally-assembled ones stay faithful to the exterior styling of the fully-imported Two.5-litre CX-5 facelift, the fresh CX-5 will have fresh headlamps (LED daytime running lights substituting the existing halogen units), fresh LED tail lamps, and a fresh grille.

Inwards, the interior is likely to be upgraded to feature more premium materials, similar to the ones used in the Mazda Two.

This seven-seater CX-9 will only go on sale in the left-hand drive US in Q3 2016, so we don’t expect it to on sale in right-hand drive Malaysia until early-2017, but since Bermaz also distributes Mazda vehicles in left-hand drive Philippines, it is too far-fetched to expect Bermaz to embark drumming up interest in the CX-9 in late-2016.

Power comes from a Two.5-litre SkyActiv Turbo, which utilises the so-called Dynamic Pressure Turbo – a world’s very first solution against turbo lag by using a set of finely managed valves located just before the turbocharger’s turbines to vary to pulsation of the harass gas coming out of the combustion chamber.

Mazda Two, Mazda six and Mazda CX-5 diesel

Mazda Malaysia, the Bermaz-Mazda Motor joint venture that produces Mazda vehicles at the Inokom plant in Kulim, Kedah, is rumoured to the preparing to locally-assemble at least three diesel-powered Mazda models in 2016.

The Mazda two diesel – likely to be powered by a 1.5-litre SkyActiv-D diesel engine, is expected to be assembled in Malaysia kicking off March 2016, followed by diesel-powered variants of the CX-5 and Mazda six in mid-2016.

A locally-assembled version of the Mazda CX-3 is expected to be the final lump of Bermaz’s product blitz plans for 2016.

Presently, the RM135,143 Mazda CX-3 is imported from Japan. Albeit import duty has been abolished under the Japan-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement, the CX-3 is still smacked with an eighty percent excise duty – something which can only be addressed by local assembly.

Mitsubishi Mirage (facelift)

Already on-sale in Thailand, the fresh Mitsubishi Mirage will has been refreshed for 2016, and the fresh look Mirage features a fresh front- and rear-end design, with fresh headlamps, taillamps and bumpers.

Following Thailand’s adoption of a very European Union-like carbon emission-based excise duty structure, It emerges that Mitsubishi Motors Thailand have elected to streamline its line-up of the Mirage. The fresh Mirage now comes with a shockingly high level of safety features – Forward Collision Mitigation System, mis-acceleration mitigation system, Bi-Xenon HID headlamps, while electronic stability control, hill-start assist, and emergency stop signal are now standard across the Mirage range.

Surely this will raise the price of the Mirage rather significantly so it is left to be seen if Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia will proceed to carry this model locally – afterall they do have to contend with two other brands called Perodua and Proton, which their Thai counterparts don’t have to deal with.

The seven-seater Outlander will substitute the discontinued Pajero Exceed (not to be confused with the Triton-based Pajero Sport, which is still on sale) as Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia’s fresh flagship product.

While the Outlander is best known to some as a plug-in hybrid SUV, the model that will be sold here is powered by a regular petrol engine – possible engines include a Two.0-litre four cylinder from the ASX, Two.4-litre four cylinder or a Three.0-litre V6.

Prices have yet to be confirmed but Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia have indicated that the Outlander will come tooled with seven airbags, Active Stability Control (ASC), electrically operated tailgate, sunroof, LED headlights with integrated DRL, and 18-inch Dual­tone alloy wheels.

Expect this to be priced slightly above the Five+Two seater Nissan X-Trail, with the extra price buying you decent third row seats that can fit adults, as opposed to the children-only third row seats in the X-Trail.

Mercedes-Benz GLE, GLC, GLE Coupe

This is an almost open secret, Mercedes-Benz have already embarked #HungryForAdventure promo campaigns for their fresh range of SUVs. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia have also hinted that some of these models might be diesel-powered too. The models are expected to be launched before the end of January, but just in case you can’t wait, some grey importers already have the GLE Coupe in stock.

The GLC-Class, which sits above the GLA-Class, is already on sale in Thailand.

The GLE-Class Coupe made its debut in the movie Jurassic Park, and competes against the BMW X6, while the more regular looking GLE-Class (formerly known as ML-Class) competes against the BMW X5.

In the same manner than the all-new C-Class looks a bit too similar to the S-Class, so too will the all-new E-Class, due in European markets later this year.

It’s a bit too early to say if this is coming to Malaysia within this year, but Q3 two thousand sixteen might be a possibility, or early-2017. We thought you might want to know this before putting your money on the current E-Class.

Details are sketchy, but watching that both Thailand and Indonesia have already launched the X-Trail Hybrid, it is not too far-fetched to think that there are plans to introduce the X-Trail Hybrid in Malaysia.

Unlike the pseudo hybrid Serena S-Hybrid, the X-Trail Hybrid is a decent utter hybrid. It uses the same Two.0-litre MR20DD petrol engine as the Serena’s, but rather than a glorified starter motor, there’s a decent thirty kW motor sitting inbetween the engine and the transmission (CVT), driven by a eight hundred eighty seven Wh Li-ion battery located below the boot floor, which also means that there is no third row seats here, so it’s only a five-seater unlike the regular petrol powered X-Trail.

Albeit already previewed in the movie ‘Kapsul,’ the production version of the all-new Proton Perdana will look fairly different from the prototype shown in the movie, with a different rear-end design.

Unlike the current government registration-only Accord-clone Perdana, this Perdana will be open for sale to the public, and will have a substantially different exterior and interior design to differentiate it from the eighth generation Honda Accord.

Underneath the fresh skin however, is still largely an eighth generation Honda Accord, with the same R20A3 Two.0-litre and K24Z2 Two.4-litre engine under the bonnet.

Originally, it was said the car will be launched in Q1 2016, but we’ve learned it has since been shoved back to the 2nd half of 2016.

Proton Persona/Preve/Inspira replacement

Not much is known about this yet, but we understand that Proton is presently developing a fresh C-segment sedan. Whether will this all-new model consolidate Proton’s fragmented model line-up is left to be seen. Having three overlapping C-segment models – Persona, Preve and Inspira never made any strategic sense in the very first place.

Perodua have openly said that the company is developing its very first sedan model, and have hinted to a launch timing of somewhere within 2017. However, Perodua have a history of pulling a few surprises so we expect to see some form of preview of the Perodua sedan model sometime in late-2016.

The pic above is the Perodua GMS Buddyz Concept shown at the two thousand thirteen KL International Motor Showcase. It is just a design investigate of how the Perodua sedan might look like, but this is not a utter representation of how the car will look like.

Launched in 2013, the Vios is due for a midlife update soon. Information collective by Thailand’s Bangkok Post have indicated that a fresh Vios is due to be launched in Thailand later this year.

The fresh Vios is rumoured to come with a fresh 1.5-litre Dual VVT-i engine, while the aging 4-speed automatic transmission will eventually be retired, in favour of a more modern CVT.

Toyota Hilux, Fortuner, Innova

After perservering for more than ten years on the market, Toyota’s IMV (Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle) family of models – Hilux, Fortuner, Innova – will ultimately be substituted with fresh generation models.

All three models have already gone on sale in Thailand and Indonesia.

Expect the three models to be launched in stages – very likely one model every quarter beginning Q2 2016.

Think of it as the closest response Toyota has to the over-achieving Honda HR-V. While the HR-V is more biased towards an SUV, minus four-wheel drive, the Sienta is more of an MPV.

Presently the seven-seater XC90 is only sold in one variant – the fully-imported from Sweden RM453,888 (without insurance) XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid.

Expect cheaper variants to go after from Q3 two thousand sixteen onwards when local assembly commences at Volvo’s Swedish Motor Assemblers plant in Shah Alam.

Design is subjective but the consensus within our team is that this is very likely the most beautiful car of 2016.

The car will only go on sale in the US embarking Q4 two thousand sixteen so we don’t expect it to be launched here until early 2017. But we felt it needs to be included in this list because around the world, the S90 one of the most anticipated cars of two thousand sixteen – not just because of its beautiful looks, but also because of many Swedish engineering ingenuity that lies within it.

We thought you might want to know this if you are going to take delivery of that outgoing generation, soon to be substituted W212 generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

The current generation Passat is more of a reskinned version of the previous B6 generation Passat. This all-new B8 generation Passat however, has been redesigned from the ground up and uses Volkswagen’s latest modular, lightweight MQB platform.

It’s also said to be more spacious, and more fuel efficient than the current model.

Primarily supposed to be launched in 2015, the Passat B8 should be making its local debut in late-2016.

Like that Passat B8, this all-new Tiguan runs on the latest MQB platform, which permits it to address on main issue with the current Tiguan – its lack of interior space. For an SUV, the Tiguan is pretty taut inwards, especially in terms of boot space.

The all-new Tiguan adds twenty five mm to its wheelbase, while a more compact packaging has liberated up a further twenty eight mm in rear legroom while boot space has been enlargened by one hundred forty five litres to six hundred fifteen litres.

Albeit already previewed at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Showcase, the all-new Tiguan will not go on sale until late-2016. It could be previewed in Malaysia before the year finishes but we don’t expect the model to go on sale locally until 2017.

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