KUALA LUMPUR: With families in mind, car buyers with a sense of practicality will naturally gravitate towards a sport utility vehicle (SUV) or multipurpose vehicle (MPV), which was the case for a certain visitor during the 2019 CarSifu Auto Show.
Held at the Ground Floor Concourse of Mid Valley Megamall, it was 33-year-old Neo Wie Xuan who found himself deep in thought in front of a Subaru Forester 2.0i-P.
"I just got married in August last year and my wife and I are planning to start a family in a year or two," said the farm production manager with a twinkle of excitement in his eye.
Wie inside the Subaru Forester 2.0i-P.
"This brand is well-known for its all-wheel-drive system for off-roading and I quite like the 'boxer' engine with its low-centre of gravity. But more importantly, I like the space it offers for my future family," he added.
As for finance manager Muntasir bin Mohamed Zain from Negeri Sembilan, he was seen admiring the latest Nissan Serena J Impul MPV.
The 39 year-old father of three had travelled to Kuala Lumpur from Seremban for the day with his wife - 39-year-old Octover Marliana binti Abdul Rahman, for some shopping time.
Muntasir and Octover inside a Nissan Serena J Impul MPV.
"We used to have a Naza Ria, but when that broke down and became too costly to repair, we decided to purchase the Serena S-Hybrid. But due to our desperation to find a replacement, we got the previous version to this current one," he said.
"Even though it's the previous one, it (the Serena) is still very spacious and not to mention very fuel efficient thanks to its hybrid-assist technology.
"I actually managed to reach Penang from Seremban on a single tank (of petrol) and still have enough to travel around. So I think it is very much worth spending the money for this," he added.
Muntasir taking a look at the cockpit of the sporty Nissan Serena J Impul MPV with Octover looking on.
Among the other vehicles from the two Japanese makes are the Subaru XV crossover and Nissan X-Trail Hybrid SUVs.
There are currently 20 vehicles on display with other participating brands such as BMW, Ford, Honda, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Proton and Volvo.
BMW has its latest G20 3 Series - the 330i M Sport, which was just recently launched.
Ford brought its new “heavyweight” pick-up contenders – the Ranger Wildtrak 2.0-litre Bi-turbo, and the Ranger Raptor which is the only factory-built performance truck across the Asia Pacific.
The Ranger Raptor, targeted at off-roaders, is now available in the new Absolute Black colour and made its public debut at the show.
A cash rebate of up to RM6,000 is being offered for the Ranger Wildtrak while those who book the Raptor will receive an exclusive limited edition Ranger Raptor bomber jacket and car air purifier.
Besides the popular City compact sedan, Honda is also showcasing its HR-V RS variant which comes with premium features such as a multi-angle rearview camera, eight-way powered driver's seat, full leather upholstery, Honda LaneWatch camera, cruise control and paddle shifters.
Isuzu brought in its line-up of D-Max trucks, which includes a new Z Prestige variant that has the latest design cues as well as two accessory packages for choice.
At the Mitsubishi showcase, there's the Outlander 2.0L SUV and Triton VGT Adventure X pick-up truck that's powered by its award-winning 2.4-litre MIVEC turbodiesel engine.
Proton has two of its popular X70 SUVs on display and is also showcasing its Exora MPV and Saga CVT Premium compact sedan.
Together with the Volvo S90 T5 premium executive sedan is the Swedish marque's XC90 full-sized SUV along with the multiple-award winner XC60 plug-in hybrid, which won last year’s coveted “Car of the Year” title as well as the “Best Mid-size Luxury SUV/Crossover” and “Best Hybrid Vehicle” titles during the 2018 CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards.
The first 1,000 customers to register for the new Triton will receive an exclusive limited edition Thule Subterra Luggage worth RM2,000.
The last day of the show is on April 7 until 10.00pm, so don't forget to bring the family along, with children getting the opportunity to be entertained by Cellworm Crax the clown and his free creative balloon statues.
Also, visitors who complete a CarSifu survey will receive a pack of Himalaya Pastilles peppermint candy that will help freshen up the breath.
The 2019 CarSifu Auto Show is organised by Star Media Group Bhd and the official tyre partners for both the show and the upcoming Editors’ Choice Awards are Toyo Tires and Silverstone.
