Review: Jaguar XE Prestige; a RM340k wild cat

'Let's maul down the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class!' says Jaguar XE. The premium compact sedan, which made its premiere in Malaysia early last year, was one of the test car that this writer got his hands on at the recent Drive Luxury Edition by Carlist taking place at TPC Kuala Lumpur golf club. I was handed the entry level XE Prestige variant for the test drive.

It's a handsome looking sedan that dares you to provoke it. It's menacing looking bumper, sharp looking HID Xenon headlight with LED daytime running light and LED taillight speaks for itself. This family hauler isn't just a looker, but there's a beast lurking under that aluminium monocoque. 

It all started when I approached Jaguar's booth at TPC. I booked online in advance to test drive both the XE and the marque's SUV, the F-Pace. However, I was told by the people manning the booth each person was limited to just one car due to backlog of customers placing their test drive booking. After a brief moment of rumination, I decided to try out the XE instead. I came not to regret my decision.

I was led to the Bluefire XE Prestige waiting for me at the main lobby. There it was purring away as a gaggle of cars slipped past the dark blue compact sedan in a rainy day. 

Let's start off with the nitty gritty shall we? Dwelling under the XE Prestige bonnet is a 2.0 litre turbocharged inline 4 cylinder petrol, sending 200 PS and 280 Nm of torque to the rear wheels, enabling the XE Prestige to sprint from 0-100 kph in 7.7 seconds; top speed is rated at 237 kph. Mated to the mill is an 8 speed torque converter automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The mill achieves combined fuel consumption of 7.5L/100 km and emits 179 g/km of CO2. As you can see from the photo above, the '20t' emblem is its state of tune designation. Go one trim up (R-Sport) and you'll have '25t' emblem tacked on the tailgate of the XE signifying a higher output.

Ride and handling is taken care of by front double wishbone and rear integral link suspension. The setup theoretically endows the XE Prestige with sharper handling. Complementing the ride and handling section is Jaguar's torque vectoring by braking which gently brakes the inside rear wheel during cornering to limit wheel slip. At the helm of the steering is an Electric Power Steering.

Step inside the leaping cat, leather seat and multi-function steering wheel greet you with its cossetting touch. Optioning the Prestige trim proffers 2 interior colour choices: Jet with Siena Tan and Latte with Jet. The test car came with the former option. 

Serving as your command centre is Jaguar's proprietary InControl Touch which is an 8-inch touchscreen that displays information such as GPS navigation and front and rear parking distance. Media interface include AM/FM radio, bluetooth connectivity, iPod integration and AUX-IN audio.

Seat adjustment is possible thanks to electrically adjustable seat with memory setting. 

Taking the centre stage is Jaguar's rotary shifter, JaguarDrive Control which let's you choose between Dynamic, Normal, Eco and Winter mode, Electronic Parking Brake and Cruise Control.

There's also a decent fitment of safety features, made up by Hill Start Assist, Emergency Brake Assist, Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control, airbags on the driver, front passenger side and side window curtain, and ISOFIX rear child seat anchor.

The Prestige trim rolls on standard 17-inch Turbine 10 spoke wheel, but oddly enough the test car I drove sports an optional 18-inch Templar 5 twin spoke wheel. Maybe to sell the cool perhaps?

On the pricing front, the XE Prestige carries with it a RM340k price tag (including GST but excluding road tax, registration, insurance, optional features and accessories). Without further delay, time to get the wheel rolling.

Setting off from TPC, the test drive followed a designated route as directed by Jaguar's marketing specialist accompanying me. 

At the beginning of the test drive, the car was already in dynamic mode (I guess the previous customer left it in dynamic so the next person in line can have a blast). Toggling drive modes change the instrument cluster's highlight, with dynamic changing it to red (looks MAD!!) as illustrated by the photo above. Selecting this mode makes the leaping cat even more badass which I will get to later.

Switching over to Normal, Eco and Winter morph the instrument cluster highlight to a more subdued tone. As explained to me by the marketing specialist on hand, Normal strikes a good balance between ride comfort and performance, good for those who prefer to leave the decision making to the car rather than fumbling around with the drive mode selector; Eco tones the cat down for luxurious feel and to cut down appointment with the gas station; Winter acts sort of like traction control when you're stuck in snow, limiting power to reduce wheel slip to keep you from marooning your cat in a thick blanket of snow as you navigate a snowy thoroughfare. 

Considering there's no winter in Malaysia, this mode can be regarded as redundant. I didn't try out Normal, Eco and Winter mode during the test drive though.

Back to the test drive. Being in dynamic mode, I could already feel the angry cat squirming in my hands. It was ballistic! Yet refine. Even over pockmarked Malaysian road, the XE Prestige just literally 'float' over the road imperfection. Kind of like a limo. Nevertheless, the engine response was savage.

The turn of speed would have you slack-jawed. It was remarkably rapid. It gets even more theatrical as the test drive took place under inclement weather. With brutal power delivery, it's very easy to provoke traction control. 

It was quite a hairy moment. I could vividly recall as I was slowing down for a U-turn, downshifting to 2nd gear (I was shifting with the paddle). As I arrived at the exit, I eased back onto the throttle and the next thing I realised, I had the most 'OH SHIT' moment of my driving experience when the back end briefly kicked out. In a split second, the traction control light flickered away on the instrument cluster signalling its intervention to save me from killing myself.

That was one heck of a cat to tame when you're driving around in dynamic mode. Despite that, it's still a livable cat to live with. Though the road was soaked, it still remains tractable as long you don't overreach your skill level and drive responsibly. 

Is Jaguar's compact sedan a comfortable car for highway cruising? Indeed it is. The suspension does a great job in filtering out the road imperfection to keep you from feeling nauseous. The leather seat ensconce you securely, exuding the premium feel associated with the brand from Coventry. I was in dynamic mode the entire time and yet I never felt sore after the test drive. 

With 455 litres of boot space, there's ample space to load it up with luggage for a comfortable trip to kampung or on a long family vacation. Thankfully, a space saver spare wheel is provided over a tyre repair kit that has caught up with a fair number of cars lately.

Is the Jaguar XE Prestige a good day-to-day driver? My initial impression from the short test drive suggests an affirmative. It's not too brutal nor too soulless. It's a perfectly well-balanced cat that can get you from point A to point B in relative comfort with unadulterated dynamism to boot. It's a win-win proposition in my humble opinion. 

        

2018 Subaru WRX STi Malaysian preview

This mean looking blue warrior just wants to play doesn't it? Well, with the kind of monster lurking under that imposing bonnet vent, it's begging to be liberated from the scorching cage that houses it. Meet the 2018 Subaru WRX STi, which is by the way not yet officially launched in the Malaysian market. This is just a preview of what is to come. 

Once it does, expect it to arrive in 2 trim levels: 2.0 CVT and 2.5 manual. The former will cost circa RM269k and the latter circa RM310k. The model on display at the Malaysia Autoshow 2017 in MAEPS, Serdang is the top spec 2.5 manual.

Let's start with the party piece: drivetrain. Under the bonnet is a 2.5 litre turbocharged DOHC 16-valve flat 4 churning out 300 PS at 6000 rpm and 407 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. All this grunt is channeled to the company's Symmetrical All Wheel Drive mediated by the 6 speed manual transmission. 

Subaru ensures you won't fly off the cliff under the mercy of such brute output thanks to the Brembo Performance Brake with 6 pot caliper ventilated front disc brake and 2 pot caliper ventilated rear disc brake. Just check out that stonking yellow caliper bearing the STi emblem. That looks so snazzy.

Since this thing just wants to play, feast on the ridiculously huge rear spoiler and diffuser that will generate the pounds of downforce.

LED headlight with LED daytime running light graces the bow of the car. The rear end features the fog lamp and dual twin tailpipe.

ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Brake Override, Brake Assist, ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor, SRS Front, Side, Curtain and Knee Airbag complete the list of safety equipment.  

Time to get stung! 2018 Kia Stinger GT preview Malaysia

After being launched this January, the 2018 Kia Stinger GT has finally been brought in to Malaysia....albeit in preview form at MAEPS, Serdang. This is a left hand drive model by the way. Pricing hasn't been announced yet to date. 

Kia's first foray into performance segment is set for Malaysian launch sometime next year. This writer imagines this Stinger GT will certainly 'sting' the driver's appetite due to the fact the chassis tuning is headed by non other than former BMW M chief Albert Biermann. 

To recap, the Stinger GT will be powered by either the smaller 2.0 litre Theta II turbocharged inline 4 dishing out 255 hp at 6200 rpm and 353 Nm of torque from 1400-4000 rpm, or the more potent 3.3 litre Lambda II twin turbo V6 making 365 hp at 6000 rpm and 510 Nm of torque from 1300-4500 rpm. Power flows to either just the rear axle with mechanical LSD or rear-biased all wheel drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control. 8 speed automatic transmission is the only transmission option available, so manualphiles look away!

Word on the floor suggests Malaysian market will receive the more palatable 3.3 litre turbo V6 (JPJ wants to make more money??) and possibly all wheel drive as implied by the AWD badge on the tailgate. Whatever it is, fingers cross. To me personally, I hope we'll be getting the 2.0 litre version as I believe from personal experience having a small engine doesn't necessarily detract from smiles per miles. Don't get me started with the all-pervasive turbocharging trend. Those snail shape blower easily transforms small engines into a brute. Crucially in Malaysia, small engine capacity lowers the total road tax that needs to be paid.

Will the Stinger GT deliver unadulterated, exhilarating 'stinging' experience? Let's hope it does once Kia unveils the production version in Boleh Land!   

It's here! FK8 Honda Civic Type R arrives in Malaysia

In its all majestic glory, everyone take a bow! Well, here it is - the no holds-barred FK8 Honda Civic Type R. Fully imported all the way from Swindon UK, the very hot hatch that proudly smashed the Nurburgring front-wheel drive record is finally laying down its tyre mark on Malaysian road; Honda taking the wraps off at the Malaysia Autoshow taking place in MAEPS, Serdang.

Based on the tenth generation Civic hatch, the FK8 packs the same 2.0 litre turbocharged VTEC inline 4 from the outgoing FK2. The engine unleash 310 PS and 400 Nm to the front wheels via a close-ratio 6 speed manual transmission (looking for an automatic? I am afraid there's none). This transmission is loaded with neat tricks to enhance driving experience, including the auto rev matching function that turns you into a heel toe 'hero'. A helical LSD ensures all 310 PS and 400 Nm is not wasted in a cloud of tyre smoke. 

The result? 0-100 kph sprint is done and dusted in a respectable 5.7 seconds and maxing out at 272 kph. A mouth watering prospect indeed.

Just looking at it tells you it means business. I mean reeeeally daring you to take it by the horns. Decked out by outlandish aerodynamic addenda, red highlights lining along the perimeter of the underside plus red highlights encircling its massive 20 inch black alloy wheels, tasteful looking blood red Brembo caliper, menacing looking LED headlights, massive front lower air intake and of course the famous 'H' emblem with blood red background. I tell you this is an angry looking beast waiting to unload its ammo when provoked.        

The eye catching feature of the FK8 rump has to be the triple asymmetric exhaust made up by 2 larger outer pipes flanking the smaller centre pipe. According to Honda, the smaller centre pipe's main brief is to regulate exhaust sound while doubling as an additional exit at full pelt, and as a 'muffler' in mid-range to keep noise down. The 2 outer pipes, well, they're there to purge spent gases.

So potent is this monster that it needs colossal 350 mm ventilated front disc brakes and 305 mm solid rear disc brakes. 

Apart from uprated braking, a new set of adaptive dampers ensure the planted, on-rail feel that eggs you to lean on it when the twisties beckons. Also, you can see on the bottom left corner of the centre console the toggle switch for changing drive mode. This alters the damping rate of the adaptive dampers. The FK8 starts in 'Sport' mode by default. Select 'Comfort' if you want a more relax ride, or put it in '+R' when the mood strikes. Plus, an Agile Handling Assist applies light braking on the inside wheel when cornering for confidence-inspiring apex warrior. 

The red theme doesn't just stop from the exterior though. It extends to the bucket seat, steering, dashboard trimming and that lovely Honda badge with red blood background embossed on the steering.

There's also a liberal dose of carbon fibre trim decking out the door panel trim and the backside of the bucket seat. 

The boot space is decently capacious for the trip to kampung or a holiday jaunt. But, as you can see above, the FK8 doesn't come with a spare tyre. In its place is a tyre repair kit which only patches up small-sized puncture (between 4-6 mm approximately). This got me thinking: What if you picked up a large-sized puncture (about the size of a fist) or a major sidewall tear? My BMW E46 had a puncture sometime in the middle of this year and it had a blown sidewall. If it had come with a repair kit, it wouldn't have alleviated the situation.

With all the frills out of the way, onto the pricing. The FK8 retails at RM320k (OTR without insurance). Want to test drive? I had a word with a Sales Consultant on site. As of now, not a single unit of the FK8 is available for test drive at any authorised Honda dealership. 

   

Review: Audi Q7 2.0 TFSI quattro and Audi A4 2.0 TFSI S line; talented SUV meets chauffeur-ride sedan

Comfort when you need it and sportiness when you get horny. Okay, not in the strictest sense of the word but you get my drift. Having choices is an indispensable right in order to live life to the fullest. Imagine if your life follows a single route and without any alternative route you can choose from. Such prospects would risk an unfulfilled, routine life that fills with nothing but a monotonous series of banality.

Imagine having a car that restricts your 'driving mode' to just a single, predetermined character trait. Well, a short test drive still managed to reveal so much of a car's personality trait which I just learnt after testing the Audi Q7 2.0 TFSI quattro and Audi A4 2.0 TFSI at the Audi Drive Event taking place at The Mines Resort & Golf Club (mind you, the cars pictured above are not the test cars).

Entrusted with a single-natured car and the experience turns from stadium atmosphere to a desolated barren land. Throw in a dual-natured car and you have the most authentic menage a trois moments of ecstasy. From my brief test drive, I found the Q7 fell in the latter category, with the A4 taking up the former category.

Audi Q7 2.0 TFSI quattro

The test drive begun with the Q7 2.0 TFSI quattro, Audi's answer to the F15 BMW X5 and Volvo XC90. Ahh, that legendary nameplate graces the 7-seater SUV for both this variant and the range topping 3.0 TFSI quattro which wasn't available for test drive at the event. For the review's sake, I'll be focusing on the 2.0 TFSI quattro variant. 

The entry level 2.0 TFSI quattro is motivated by a 2.0 litre turbo 4 pot with direct injection and Audi valvelift system outputting 252 hp at 5000-6000 rpm and 370 Nm of torque at 1600-4500 rpm. The engine is paired to the quattro all wheel drive and mediated by an 8 speed Tiptronic with paddle shifter.

Standard kit includes LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, heated and auto anti-glare side mirrors, powered tailgate and park assist with surround view camera.

Step inside, you'll get MMI navigation plus with MMI touch, 8.3 inch central display and four-spoke steering wheel without electric steering adjustment.

To keep you from killing yourself, Audi has fitted Electronic Stabilisation Control (ESC) with Traction Control, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and 8 airbags.

As for pricing, the second generation Q7 retails at RM525k (OTR without insurance) but according to the Sales Consultant accompanying me on the test drive, the price can be truncated to RM400k after discount.  

For starter, this 7-seater full-size SUV was a pleasant surprise to this writer. Never for even a fleeting moment did I expect this jacked-up luxobarge to be full of character. The first SUV bearing the famous 4 rings to hit the market is a spacious vehicle which rides rather comfortably over the abysmal Malaysian road with plush leather seat to boot. The second-generation 4M Q7, which rides on MLB Evo platform, is on the mark if commuting to work, ferrying your family around and taking them on a long distance field trip in relative comfort is your priority.

However, that doesn't mean you cannot play with it when your favourite road comes up though. The Q7 is quite a versatile SUV in meeting the need to be hospitable to significant others while satisfying the insatiable craving for some spirited backroad jaunt. This is all thanks to Audi Drive Select system. This lets you toggle between allroad, lift/offroad, comfort, auto, dynamic, efficiency and individual mode. I didn't try out the allroad and lift/offroad mode so don't ask me what they do.

In comfort mode, it does what its namesake imply - delivering cossetting ride like a limo, numbs steering feel and softens engine response. Chucking it into dynamic mode stiffens steering feel and uncorks the turbocharge mill, giving you the satisfying, unadulterated performance that keeps you wanting more out of this 7-seater SUV.

The good news is dynamic mode doesn't sacrifice ride comfort. I had a chance to test this 7-seater SUV in heavy traffic and it just glides along without any unpleasant buffeting, the adaptive air suspension doing a terrific job in balancing between pliancy and surefooted, confidence-inspiring handling. Auto mode automatically adapts between comfort and dynamic so you don't have to dick around with the mode selector and help you keep your eyes peeled on the road. If you think you know better than the electronic wizardry, you can tailor the car's behaviour to suit your taste with individual mode which lets you control engine/gearbox, steering and suspension setting.

The brake impressed this writer with its instant, direct response in reining in this 1985 kg SUV. It doesn't feel grabby nor mushy. Audi does a great job in striking that delicate balance between numb brake and head-bobbing anchor.       

Being of large size, it is expected to not just being a family hauler but also a cargo hauler. With all 7 seats up, you have 770 litre of boot space. Folding down the 2 third row rear seats increase boot space to a whooping 1955 litre! More than capacious for  balik kampung jaunt or when you're out on Ikea shopping.

As this is a short test drive, I didn't get to try out every features available on the SUV. Overall, this SUV fits the bill for both the sporty camp and comfort-oriented camp. 

Audi A4 2.0 TFSI

Right after handing back the Q7 key, I was ushered to the B9 A4 compact sedan. Launched last September in 3 trim levels - 1.4 TFSI, 2.0 TFSI and 2.0 TFSI quattro, the 5th generation A4 (which also rides on MLB Evo platform) will lock horns with the likes of W205 Mercedes C-Class and F30 BMW 3 Series LCI.

The particular model I tested was the 2.0 TFSI variant (which I'll be focusing on throughout this write-up), meaning it eschews quattro all wheel drive leaving the driveshaft hanging off the front axle only. On top of that, the 2.0 litre turbo 4 pot under the 2.0 TFSI bonnet is toned down in output, churning out 190 hp at 4200-6000 rpm and 320 Nm of torque at 1450-4200 rpm, as opposed to the range topping 2.0 TFSI quattro 252 hp at 5000-6000 rpm and 370 Nm of torque at 1600-4500 rpm. The company's 7 speed S-Tronic Dual Clutch Transmission with paddle shifter governs the 4 pot grunt to the front wheels.

On the exterior front, standard kit mirrors that of the range topping 2.0 TFSI quattro except that the latter will get electrically adjustable and folding side mirrors with heated function, automatic anti-glare and memory function. The mid range 2.0 TFSI makes do with electrically adjustable and folding side mirrors with heated function only. The rest is standard affair with LED headlights with LED daytime running light, automatic headlight adjustment dynamic, headlight washers, LED rear lights with dynamic indicators and parking system plus with selective display.

Inside, MMI radio plus, driver information display and bluetooth interface take centre stage. Also, 3-zone climate control, electrically adjustable front seats and 4-way lumbar support ensure a comfortable experience.

Safety wise, 6 airbags, Electronic Stabilisation Control (ESC) with Traction Control, hill hold assist and ISOFIX child seat mounting meet the safety brief.

On the pricing side of things, the 2.0 TFSI retails at RM249k (OTR without insurance) but you can get it at RM200k after discount as divulged to me by the Sales Consultant. 

Onto the test drive. As illustrated by the above photo, I was handed the key to the S line variant. Features that adorn the S line are shown in the photos below:

                                                                                                                                    

                                                 
                                         

The S line package includes but not limited to alcantara leather front seat upholstery, stainless steel pedals, 3-spoke multifunction leather steering wheel with S line badge embossed at the bottom of the steering and of course, the S line emblem on the front fenders to remind passer-by your A4 is a looker.

The short test drive unveiled the distinctive character that set apart the B9 A4 from the 4M Q7. Right off the bat, I noticed difference in brake feel, which felt softer on the former. 

Unlike the Q7, the A4 seems less receptive on the changes I made to the drive mode. Putting it in dynamic mode didn't do much to change steering feel and engine response - it felt subdued regardless whereas the Q7's steering would feel meatier and the engine more eager to make itself known. On the other hand, the S-Tronic Dual Clutch did a sublime job in juggling between 7 ratios in utter comfort, but this writer wish dynamic mode would give some added kick to the shift intensity to add some sporty flavour. 

The ride, as discerned from the short drive, is incredibly refined over Malaysia's terrible road texture, the adaptive comfort suspension with damping control performing a stellar job in filtering out road bumps before it translates into a joint-killing ride.

Nevertheless, the A4 2.0 TFSI is still an excellent daily driver if comfort is your main priority. Despite its supple nature, do treat it with respect as it can make its displeasure known as learnt by this writer. It was raining during the test drive. As I was driving over a wet cobblestone road, I planted the throttle so hard that the traction control light went bonkers. 

Cargo space wise, it's not in the same league as the Q7. With the rear seat up, you have 480 litres of boot space to spare. Tumble the rear seat down, you have 965 litres of room to play with. Still, not a big deal for balik kampung but could be problematic if Ikea shopping is part of your itinerary. 

Conclusion

The Q7 has to be the most talented of the bunch, being more receptive to changes in driving mode making it cossetting when you just want to chill out and playful when the mood strikes. The A4 on the other hand, is more of a limo, putting pleasant ride quality over sportiness in its repertoire of skills to meet the needs of those who see cars as a point A to point B tool.

Also, if ample boot space is what you're looking for, the Q7 wins again with its colossal 1955 litres with rear seats down over the A4's 965 litres.

Nevertheless, my impression is based on a short test drive so I might have overlooked some aspects which could have skewed the review a bit. A longer test drive would certainly reveal things that had slipped my conscience during the short test drive.