After facing much criticism for not taking battery EVs (BEVs) seriously enough, Toyota announced on Friday that it will be launching 10 new BEV models by 2026, contributing 1.5 million units to the company’s annual sales. This will include a new generation BEV that Toyota’s product chief and Executive Vice-President Hiroki Nakajima says, “...will double driving range by using batteries with far greater efficiency, while also offering designs and driving performance to set hearts racing.” Nakajim

JD Power recently released its 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which showed that vehicle reliability has increased with an industry average of 186 problems per 100 (PP100) vehicles, an improvement of 6 PP100 from 2022. For context, a lower PP100 score is better. Even premium marques scored an improvement, lowering their score by 23 PP100. Vehicles from the 2020 model year were the focus of this study. Unsurprisingly, Lexus took the top spot of dependability in the premium brands seg

Kia distributor for Malaysia and Bermaz subsidiary Dinamikjaya Motors has sold out most of its allocation of the fully imported (CBU) from Korea 11-seater Kia Carnival. The locally-assembled (CKD) Kia Carnival will be launched in Malaysia after May 2022, said sources familiar with the matter. Checks with dealers show that most of their allocation - said to be in the mid hundreds range - were snapped up within the first month of its launch in January 2022. The CBU Kia Carnival is currently sold a

A video of an all-new Toyota Veloz, the sportier version of the Toyota Avanza, struggling through a road covered in a thick layer of mud has been circulating Indonesia’s social media channels. Every time the car gets stuck, bystanders along the stretch of road pitched in to help get the Veloz out of the mud. Thanks to the help, the Toyota Veloz finally made it past the damaged road and continue on its way. Also read: All-new 2022 Toyota Avanza debuts: Now DNGA, TSS, RM 60k to RM 85k, Malaysia la

The recently launched 10-seater Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer (CBU from Vitoria, Spain) available at Hap Seng Star competes in a sparsely populated segment. As far Malaysia is concerned, the Vito Tourer has no direct rival, though the RM 446k Toyota Alphard 3.5L, RM 367k Toyota Vellfire 2.5L, and the RM 359k Hyundai Staria – all 7-seater vans - falls within the same shopping basket. Globally, the Vito’s closest rival is the Volkswagen Transporter and the Toyota GranAce / Hiace Super Grandia variant,

Japan may have one of the lowest crime rates globally but that doesn’t mean it’s a completely clean country. Vehicles do get stolen and in Saitama Prefecture, the most popular stolen vehicle is the Toyota Alphard. Yes, Japanese car thieves fancy the luxury breadbox on wheels as much as our VIPs and politicians. By the way, Saitama is located 38 minutes away from Tokyo, and manga/anime fans may recognise the name from a certain bald, caped superhero who fights off enemies with one punch. Also rea