No car fits the adage ‘go big or go home’ quite like the 12-seater Hyundai Grand Starex (TQ). First launched in 2009, the Grand Starex gained popularity for offering more seats, and much of the style, comfort and features of the popular Toyota Alphard, but at much cheaper prices. Having been discontinued to make way for the newer and more expensive 2023 Hyundai Staria. Used, low-mileage units of the Grand Starex can be had for less than the price of a Toyota Innova today. Thus, let’s take a clos

11-seater Kia Carnival set to be CKD soon To be sold alongside 7-, 8-seater variants Set for export to Thailand and other ASEAN countries too The 2022 Kia Carnival 11-seater – first introduced in Malaysia fully-imported (CBU) from Korea – will soon be locally-assembled (CKD Kulim, Kedah) here, to be sold alongside the CKD 7- and 8-seater variants. It will also be exported to the Thailand and ASEAN markets. "CKD programmes for the 11-seater has been initiated, basically for export to ASEAN countr

Kia’s last few years in Malaysia were unremarkable, an era where customers had to settle for lukewarm leftovers instead of the headline-grabbing new models. But under new custodians Dinamikjaya Motors, there now are reasons to be optimistic, if the 2022 Kia Carnival (KA4) is a good indicator. Our full review is linked at the end of this article, but in this entry we'll surmise what we like and what we wish could be better in the all-new, fully-imported (CBU Korea) Carnival. Pro #1: Refined, powe

Looking forward to the new, lower priced locally-assembled (CKD) Kia Seltos and Kia Carnival? Sorry but you will need to temper your expectations slightly. Bermaz Auto, the parent company of Dinamikjaya, the new distributor of Kia vehicles in Malaysia, revealed today that it takes between 12 to 18 months to setup a CKD project, implying that no new CKD Kia models will be launched in Malaysia in the near-term. Dinamikjaya’s immediate priority is to rebuild trust in the Kia brand, solve outstandin

The newly formed Kia manufacturing joint venture made between Bermaz Auto Berhad and Kia Motors Corporation - Kia Malaysia Sdn Bhd (KMSB) - will become Kia’s regional manufacturing hub. It will be Kia's first manufacturing joint venture plant in Asia outside of China. Apart from China and Korea, Kia has only two other manufacturing facilities in Asia. The one in India is wholly owned by Kia Motor while the one in Vietnam is owned by Truong Hai Auto Corp (Thaco). Kia does not hold any stake in th

Just a couple of months since its Thailand launch, Indonesia will be next to introduce the all-new 2021 Kia Grand Carnival, according to data found on Indonesia's Samsat website. The Samsat is akin to our Road Transport Department (JPJ) site, with a very brief description of upcoming models. If you recall, it's how we learnt about the Indonesian-spec 2021 Honda City Hatchback hitting the archipelago. So what about the Indonesian-specs Grand Carnival? For one, the '2.2' suffix points towards the