Media Release · 13 December 2023
Honda Civic e:HEV RS Hybrid Named Overall 2023 Malaysia Car of the Year
The 19th Malaysia Car of the Year: 121 cars nominated, 13 category winners and a record year for electrified models.
The 19th Malaysia Car of the Year (MCOTY) recently concluded, and the prestigious title of Overall Car of the Year was awarded to the Honda Civic e-HEV RS Hybrid.
The annual program which serves as a platform for automotive enthusiasts and experts to recognize and celebrate the best new cars in Malaysia, unanimously picked the Honda Civic e-HEV RS Hybrid for its technology which eliminates power-robbing gearboxes, whether CVT or hydraulic, and for providing the best energy regeneration of all current hybrids in Malaysia.
With 121 new cars nominated for this year’s award, the competition was fierce and represented a diverse range of vehicles. The judging panel consisted of 10 esteemed automotive journalists and two professionals from the legal and medical fields.
These judges evaluated the cars based on several criteria, including design, technology, safety, and value for money. As a result of their analysis, the 121 nominated cars were divided into seven main categories, with 13 winners emerging as the best in their respective segments.
One interesting aspect of the MCOTY program is the People’s Choice award, which is determined through online polling using smartphone to implement one person one vote from a list of 25 cars nominated by the judges and a team from the Malaysia Automotive Robotics IoT Institute. This year, the Perodua Axia E took home the People’s Choice award in the mass market category, while the BMW iX1 xDrive30 M-Sport EV won the hearts of the public in the premium market. The amazing thing is that Malaysians selected an EV in the premium market segment.
In addition to the winners, the judges also made Honourable Mentions of three outstanding cars that defied convention. The Ford Ranger Raptor 3.0 V6 petrol twin turbo was acknowledged for its outstanding performance, being described as a supercar in pick-up guise. The Perodua Axia 1.0 E (manual) received recognition for its affordability, with its price tag of RM22,000 making it one of the best value-for-money cars in the world. Despite criticism regarding its safety standards, the judges argued that the Axia E (Manual) is still much safer than motorcycles. Third, the Chery Omoda 5 was commended for its warranty, as it was launched with an unprecedented 1 million km warranty for the first 3,000 buyers. This imaginative brand-building exercise caught the attention of the judging panel.
Looking forward to next year’s MCOTY program, it is noted that all the models launched but not yet available for public viewing or test drives by July 31, 2023, will automatically be nominated for next year’s COTY awards.
The 2023 MCOTY programme that resumes after three years of Covid19 disruption is marked by a sudden shift in the domestic car market. While there were less than 5 EVs for sale in 2019, there are 29 EVs launched this year.
There are almost 10 times the number of electrified cars this year, including the 13 hybrids and plug-in electric hybrids, bringing the total to 42 electrified cars launched this year.
As we eagerly await next year’s competition, we can anticipate even greater advancements in the world of cars.
Winners
Winners of the 19th Malaysia Car of the Year Awards
A · Sedan and Hatchback
33 vehicles, the largest category, divided into three price brackets.
< RM110,000 (8 cars): Toyota Vios 1.5G
RM111,000 – RM249,000, the Family Car category (10 cars): Honda Civic e:HEV RS Hybrid
> RM250,000, Executive Car of the Year (13 models): Mercedes-Benz C300 AMG-line
B · Crossover
30 models, now the 2nd largest genre in Malaysia’s car market, with a clear leaning towards popular prices.
< RM200,000 (19 models): Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, for friendly mobility and utility above all else
> RM200,000 (11 cars): Mazda CX-8 2.2D 2WD
C · Electric Vehicles (EV)
29 models make 2023 the year in which EVs join the mainstream. Three of the world’s most popular EVs could not be tested, as they were delivered beyond the 28 July 2023 window; they will be nominated next year.
< RM200,000 (9 models): BYD Dolphin Premium Extended
> RM200,000 (20 cars): Volvo C40, an EV designed free of the legacies of combustion. Just sitting in the driver’s seat switches on the car, and it doesn’t try to impress with techy bling.
D · Hybrids
13 models, including plug-in battery electric hybrids (PHEV).
< RM250,000 (7 models): Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 1.8, for its “command” driving position and superior fuel consumption
> RM250,000 (6 models): Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 Ultimate
E · SUV
26 models.
< RM250,000 (13 models): Kia Sorento 2.2 diesel AWD
> RM250,000 (13 models): Lexus RX 350 Luxury 2.4T
F · Trucks
10 models, with 4 Ford models dominating the category.
Winner: Ford Ranger 2.0 XLT Plus Double Cab 4×4 WildTrak
G · Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV)
7 models.
Winner: Kia Carnival 2.2D 11-seater. A favourite drive of the judges: “It’s big but easy to manoeuvre and fun to drive. It was one of the cars where there was no shortage of co-drivers wanting to take the wheel.”
H · Overall Car of the Year
120 vehicles launched between 1 January 2022 and 31 July 2023.
Winner: Honda Civic e-HEV RS Hybrid. The judges loved its performance, fuel efficiency, and the cool comfort of the battery-powered air-conditioning when the combustion engine is off.
I · People’s Choice
Online polling, with one vote per smartphone number.
Mass market: Perodua Axia E
Premium market: BMW iX1 xDrive30 M-Sport EV
J · Honourable Mentions
Three cars of significance acknowledged by the judges.
Performance: Ford Ranger Raptor 3.0 petrol twin-turbo V6, the real wolf in sheep’s clothing. More than 400hp and 580 Nm of torque make it a supercar in twin-cab guise, and one of Ford Malaysia’s top selling twin-cab pick-ups.
Affordability: Perodua Axia 1.0 E (manual). At RM22,000, the best value-for-money car, if not the cheapest car in the world. For the critics who say that it’s a “kosong” car with minimum safety standards, this car is far safer than any motorcycle. Ironically, the judges observed that many Axia E buyers pay in cash: the rich enjoy it more than the Rakyat it was targeted for.
Warranty: Chery Omoda 5, launched with a 1 million km warranty for the first 3,000 buyers. The judges gave a thumbs-up to this brand-building promotion.
K · Charge Point Operator of the Year
Gentari. For its foresight and understanding of the difficulty faced by EV owners. Instead of using its power and position to dominate, it brought together the biggest CPOs for users’ convenience. “Although the 600+ chargers are not all Gentari’s, at least they were humble enough to be inclusive to make the charging experience better, ie all the three operators offer their charging points using their own app or using Setel.”
L · Person of the Year
Ahmad Hadri Haris, for his key role in the team that drafted Malaysia’s Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint.
For more information, kindly contact or WhatsApp Shuen at 017-213 0123 or Yamin at 012-300 1000.
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