Cruise Control

It's a two-man show on Cruise Control this week. In headlines, Ali and Daniel get into Honda Malaysia's proactive product update that affects 36,000 units of the Civic, Civic Type R, and CR-V (Honda drivers, don't miss this!), and Tesla Malaysia's new EV switcher programme that's offering ICE drivers a cash incentive to switch to EVs. In the world of two-wheelers, they find out why the air is buzzing with news of Ducati's latest models- the Panigale V2 and the Streetfighter V2- two sports bikes already ahead of the game. In other news, orders are open for the locally-assembled, first electric Omoda, the Chery Omoda E5, and Chinese automaker Neta fizzles out as production halts and cuts salaries - tune in to find out why.

Then, a speculative peek into Perodua's electric future! The announcement that Suzuki and Toyota will be strengthening their collab in the EV segment has Daniel asking: Will Perodua's first EV be a rebadged Suzuki e VITARA? It's more likely than you think.

And in the final stretch, a car review! This week, Great Wall Motors' Haval H6 HEV, the next hybrid SUV coming to Malaysia. In a sea of SUVs in the market this year, how does the Haval H6 stand out from the crowd? Daniel breaks it down.

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Your favourite automotive show is back, as always, with the biggest headlines in the auto world. Ali and Daniel look at the long-awaited Mazda CX-60 SUV finally making its debut in Malaysia in a few weeks and get a quick peek at the nitty gritty of the six new luxury Mercedes-Benz models rolled out this week. They also show two-wheelers a bit of love as they dive into the upgraded 2024 model of the Triumph Trident 660 and the powerful 2024 Aprilia RS 457 sports bike.

Then, the EV discussion continues: Are European EV models moving back to petrol? Daniel and Ali break down why EV sales have slowed down significantly in Europe and how European carmakers, led by Porsche, are making the switch.

And our final destination this week, it's a review of the Lexus RZ 450e. Lexus' first model developed as a battery electric vehicle from the outset, this premium electric car has the makings to be a segment favourite. Tune in to hear all about Daniel's test drive.

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Revving things up with headlines from the auto world: we get a quick peek under the hood of Proton's first electric car, the eMas 7, as it opens for booking, then find out about commercial vehicle maker JAC Motors' T9 BEV pickup truck rolling onto Malaysian roads. On the global front, Richard, Ali, and Daniel get into the news of Volkswagen shutting down three factories in Germany and discover how Chinese automaker Roewe has set a Guinness World Record with the Roewe D7 DMH.

Then, they ask: What's with all the huge number of EVs in the classifieds right now?! Daniel unpacks what could be behind the concerning phenomenon.

And finally, the used car guide returns, this time with a 1995 Proton Perdana! Daniel gushes about the brand new auto in his life, a 1995 2.0i 5-speed manual Proton Perdana SEi, and how the Malaysian classic still holds its own.

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It's that time of the week - it's your favourite car show! This week, Ali, Richard, and Daniel start things off with some headlines. Starting off, a glimpse at the long-awaited Haval H6 HEV as it rolls into the market with some impressive features and even more impressive price tag, then the launch of BYD's 7-seater electric MPV, the BYD M6, Mitsubishi's all-new Triton pick-up truck tearing up both rural and city roads, and Leapmotor's C10 EV SUV making its Southeast Asian debut.

Then, it's time to get into the Budget 2025 announcements for the automotive industry. Daniel breaks down the move towards targeted subsidies on RON95 petrol coming mid-2025, the cost coverage of motorcycle licenses for underprivileged youths, and the distribution of free motorcycle helmets. Does Belanjawan 2025 actually address Malaysia's most pressing automotive needs? Tune in to find out.

And finally, a car review! Daniel reveals his thoughts from his time behind the wheel of the new XPENG G6 premium electric SUV. Can it stand up with the big boys in the European EV market? Get a rundown on the new kid on the EV block.

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Your favourite car show is back again, as always, with the biggest headlines in the automotive world. Ali, Richard, and Daniel break down the price war rages on in the sedan market with the launch of the MG5, Zeekr poised to change the game as they launch into the Malaysian market with two variations of the Zeekr X luxury compact SUV, and China hitting back on the tariff front in the EU in retaliation to the proposed duties set to be imposed on Chinese-made EVs. 

Next up, no one puts diesel cars in the corner. The UK has seen the demand for new diesel cars growing faster than the demand for electric cars as the rest of the EU goes full EV or hybrid, with registrations of new diesel cars rising 17.1% in September alone. Daniel breaks it down.

Then, Daniel drives us home with a car review of the Lexus LBX, aka the Lexus Breakthrough Crossover, aka the Baby Lexus. With the LBX set to replace the sporty UX, tune in to find out whether the crossover can break through the reputation of its popular predecessor.

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It's not Cruise Control without the biggest automotive headlines of the week! This week, Richard, Ali, and Daniel dive into the three models of the brand new next-gen Volvo EX30 and similar EVs on the market it's going up against, check out BMW's latest upgrade of the popular 5 series, the 520i M Sport, unveiled this week, and BYD's all-new all-electric M6 MPV coming to Malaysia that's already made waves in the region.

Then, hybrid's back! It looks like hybrid cars are making a dramatic comeback around the world as countries aren't ready for fully-electric cars. With Toyota and Honda sticking to their hybrid guns amidst the EV wave, Daniel ponders: Were they on the right track all along? Tune in to find out.

And the used car guide returns! This week, it's the BYD Dolphin. Just over a year after its debut on Malaysian roads, the award-winning car is popping up in the used car market. Daniel tells us why it's the best value electric car if you're looking to make that long-awaited EV switch.

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It's a Chinese automaker headline overload this week! Richard, Ali, and Daniel look at Jaecoo copping the Omoda name with the Omoda C9, AI chip maker Leapmotor launching the C10 on Malaysian roads, and ultra-fast charging with Zeekr's upgraded EV batteries that'll charge up vehicles in just 10.5 minutes.

Then, it's time to address the elephant in the room, or rather, the abandoned car in the car park. Daniel unpacks the fast-growing prevalence of luxury cars being left unattended in public places (eg: shopping centre car parks, neighbourhood parks), the possible reasons behind it, and what we can do about it.

Finally, from dusty cars to luxury personified, our car review this week is all about the Toyota Alphard 2.4 Turbo Luxury MPV. Having experienced all the bells and whistles of this fourth-generation Alphard as a passenger, Daniel breaks down why there's still no other car that comes close to the luxury MPV in comfort.

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Getting into gear with automotive headlines, Richard, Ali, and Daniel dive into the fresh facelift of the reliable Mitsubishi XPANDER MPV, get a taste of Mercedes' 2025 GLC350e 4MATIC PHEV and discover the rest of their EV range, and peek at Honda Malaysia's special edition of the Honda City.

Then, they ask: What exactly is a mild hybrid engine? Daniel takes us under the hood to reveal why MHEVs might be the practical solution you've been searching for to answer those electric car woes.

And finally, Daniel tells us how he's been bitten by the Volvo EX30 bug. Find out how this hothatch is delivering on all fronts in this week's car review.

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This week on Cruise Control, Ali, Richard and Daniel are here to talk about recent news in the car world, starting off with Proton’s recent partnership with Geely and the start of CKD operations in Egypt. Then comes the recent news regarding EV number plates - from the new requirements for new EVs’ registration and the introduction of EV plates. 

The recent introduction of the BYD SEAL Dynamic variant in Malaysia, which aims to compete with the Tesla Model 3 also pops up as a topic for our hosts, prompting a discussion on BYD's strategy to enhance its market presence in Malaysia. There are also updates regarding the BYD Atto 3 in terms of its specifications, design and features.

Commemorating 31 years of Perodua, our hosts talk about the different Perodua models through history, and their experiences with these cars throughout the years, from the Perodua Rusa to the Perodua Myvi and more! They wrap it up with Volvo's XC90 and the EX90; tune in to find out more about the updated XC90 plug-in hybrid, market trends, design differences and details about its future launch!

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This week in automotive headlines, it's all about EVs. Ali and Daniel get into the shocking price cuts from Tesla, Chinese battery maker Zhuhai CosMX setting up shop in Kedah, rumours of Chinese automaker Changan about to make a splash in Malaysia, and the debut of the smart #5 and when we can expect to see them on the roads.

With EVs still on the brain, they turn to the race towards a more electrified car market as China still seems to come out on top in EV sales ahead of the US and the EU as both markets have shown a decline as drivers switch to hybrids. Turns out, China's high EV numbers might be thanks to FCEVs, REVs, PHEVs, and BEVs being given the EV label. Ali and Daniel break this down.

Then, a car review! For fans of the BMW X2, BMW has taken it up a notch with the iX2 XDrive30 - a mid-sized crossover that's larger than the iX1 but smaller than the iX3 (Hello, Goldilocks). Tune in to find out everything you need to know about the compact electric SUV.

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