As we said in our earlier article with regards to the new 2019 Toyota GR Supra, we had driven Toyota's newest flagship sports car and it was bloody good fun. You can see the drive was just a short one but super memorable as we did a high speed run and some handling exercises which still allows us to have some pretty good initial impressions on this Euro-Japan hybrid sports car.

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT), the official distributors of Toyota vehicles here in Malaysia have officially introduced the All-New 2019 Toyota GR Supra. The All-New GR Supra (A90) is the current Toyota sports car flagship and brings back the 'Supra' moniker and is a joint venture car by Toyota and BMW which supplied the Z4 chassis and drivetrain for Toyota to spin its magic. 






The

The two-day Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Festival was held a couple of weekend ago at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu with the Toyota Vios Challenge race series being held on a specially-constructed 1.65km street circuit.







For motorsports fans and spectators in Kuala Terengganu, the excitement of the two-day Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival was not only confined to

The authorised distributors of Toyota here in Malaysia have announced that the All-New Toyota Corolla will be launched soon and UMW Toyota Motors have also stated that you can place your bookings for the C-segment sized sedan from today, the 12th of September 2019.




According to the statement released by UMW Toyota, there will be two variants of the All-New Toyota Corolla Altis for

Tomorrow is the opening round of Season 3 of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Festival. It will happen on friday and saturday, the 6th and 7th of September 2019 over at The Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu. If you are in the vicinity from 10am onwards on those two days, there will be lots of motorsport and Toyota activity for you to witness. It is going to feature the

The official arm of Toyota here in Malaysia has issue a Special Service Campaign (SSC), or service recall, for certain  Toyota models which were previously affected by the previous free airbag inflator service fixes. This is because some of the replacement airbag inflator are still faulty. This Takata airbag debacle is still ongoing. I have to say that Takata has made life difficult for

Image:GoogleMaps



UMW Toyota released an official statement on the recent debacle where its authorised dealer in Kuantan had flown the Malaysian flag upside down at its dealership. It may have been an accident but many actually raised concern on social media platforms. Of course, flying a nation's flag the wrong side round is indeed an insult. But obviously a multi-national company like

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT), the distributors for Toyota in Malaysia, has announced that they have made some changes or upgrades to the specifications of the 2019 Toyota Hilux pickup, the 2019 Fortuner SUV and the Innova MPV range of vehicles. All features either feature upgrades or minor enhancements. As for order takings for the new vehicles, it will begin at all authorized Toyota

PROTON Cars is now second behind Perodua in terms of July 2019 sales figures. This means that Honda and Toyota are third and fourth respectively and it is after 40 months (or March 2016), that PROTON has returned to second in total sales for Malaysia’s automotive market. The brand sold 8,590 vehicles in July which is a 16.5% market share which was estimated at 51,960 units in total.

A new Toyota 2S aftersales centre located at Klang, Selangor had opened recently. The new centre is operated by Toyota Dealer, PS Otomobil (Bukit Tinggi) Sdn Bhd, and it offers aftersales services to Toyota customers and owners in Pandamaran, Bukit Tinggi, Bandar Botanik, and other nearby areas.








Having been a dealer since 2015, PS Otomobil (Bukit Tinggi) Sdn Bhd has been operating a

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) is a successful Malaysian incorporated joint-venture company between UMW Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC). Today, the company and their stakeholders celebrated 50 years of local production in Malaysia with a special ceremony held at the company's newest manufacturing facility in Bukit Raja, Klang, Selangor. The historic event was graced by His

We Malaysians are a poor sordid lot. We get things somewhat slower than other countries. Especially when it comes to Toyota Camry cars. I wrote in April 2014 that the Americans were getting their Camry facelifted. I also stated that it looked fantastic compared to what we are getting. Take a look at the pic below. Look at the lights. Front and rear. We're not getting this more aero looking Camry. Nope.


Then Toyota launched the global spec facelift of the Camry. I wrote about that sometime in August 2014. This is the model that is pictured at the start of this article as well as below and this version is the one that Thailand has already started selling early this month. We're just getting it produced with bookings commencing too. We're getting the 2.0, 2.5 and a 2.5 hybrid that should come in under RM200K (which is funny money for a Camry. Hybrid or not).


This is also the model UMW Toyota previewed here recently. Basically its a less curvy version of the USDM (US Domestic Market) CamryI mentioned above. We get the lights that some other markets got for their earlier cars and a curvy new bumper. I remember driving a rental Camry with this front lights over in Perth a couple of years ago. Minus the more curvy front bumper design of course.


I suppose this is just Toyota being Toyota. A bit of this, a bit of that. Same ol', same ol'. But I have to say that at least it looks better than that tank we have on our roads now. See below.

Pre facelift Camry - angle and photo courtesy of Toyota...which somehow makes the car seem awkward.

Welcome back folks. This is the first article after a short hiatus due to the recent fasting month. Let's get things started.

Toyota has come up tops in J.D Power's Asia Pacific Customer Satisfaction with Dealer Service among mass market brands in Malaysia for 2014. Note that this means that you will not see Lexus, Infiniti, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi and those that are obscenely priced. And dear readers note that Volkswagen IS a mass market brand under this survey - I told you earlier that it seems that Malaysians think too highly of the brand.



Anyway, you can tell that Toyota and Nissan come up tops with Isuzu, Mazda and Honda rounding up the top 5 automotive brands whose customers are bloody satisfied with how they and their cars are taken care of during servicing as well as the handling of problems.

JD Power interviewed about 2,610 responses / people in this survey. How conclusive this survey is subjective as if you note that Proton and Perodua alone sell over 200,000 vehicles. Surveys like this are both good and bad. I personally know that a Toyota service center compared to a Nissan service center in terms of outlay as well as the basic amenities are light years apart. For example, Toyota, Honda, Mazda operates an industry standard service centers throughout the Klang Valley and Nissan has only one fabulous center (located in Petaling Jaya) and lots of small centers that are based in shop lots that remind me of those small private owned workshops instead of a fantastic 3S center. It would seem that customers who buy Nissans do not really care if their cars are serviced in centers that look like they are based under a tree or from 1980 compared to those running a Honda or a Toyota.

Of course, the survey includes Service Quality, Vehicle Pick Up, Service Facility, Service Advisor and Service Initiation. So what I harped on above is only one point of the survey. But actually, this is still subjective as it would depend on how one perceives a brand. How would you perceive a Volkswagen over a Nissan? Or a Honda over a Toyota? What do you expect when you go into a service center? Do you expect a red carpet treatment or do you settle for sending you car and heading to the nearest mamak stall located under a tree close to the center? Do you also feel that your car deserves more than what the dealer is giving? There are so many questions that would need  be answered.

I personally do not ask for much when I send in my mum's Suzuki Alto for servicing. I like it that the one in Petaling Jaya has a couch, TV, some magazines and newspaper and unlimited flow of vending machine quality coffee or tea. I find it a bonus when I send in my Mercedes Benz C180 and get to eat nasi lemak, cinnamon rolls, the use of a Mac for surfing, a service advisor who approaches you instead of picking up a number and going to the desk to explain what you want like Suzuki. There are more stuff you could ask the concierge service at Mercedes Benz but that is besides the point. What else is there aside from Service Quality, Facility, Vehicle Pick up?

One must also add the fact is vehicle reliability here in Malaysia. I also noticed that sometimes my friends who happen to work in the service centers usually give the best service they can. But sometimes it is the car which is shitty. Take for example a car with a faulty gearbox or a fault that the center cannot settle on the first time around. I can bet you a Ringgit that if you interviewed that fella he'd say that the service was shitty. And we Malaysians looooove to complain. We love to complain so much that we are actually one of the highest complainers in the world. That is a fact. Go look up on it elsewhere.

And furthermore, does it make sense that everyone keeps buying Perodua even though their service centers or service experience are supposedly bad? Do you hear tons of people complain like the ones that do if their Volkswagen is shitty? It is down to expectation of the brand these people have bought. This is the reason we hear one brand gets the stick and one gets all the beautiful praises. Honestly, how bad can the experience be in a Perodua service center? What do you expect from a brand that sells by the hundreds daily? Do you think service centers would be empty and relaxed? Think again before ticking the forms.

Again, if you like keeping your warranty for your Nissan intact and you went to some of their service centers you'd realise that Nissan service centers are still in the 1980s. But their customers must have a fantastically lower expectation compared to those elsewhere. Why do I say this? Its simple. I've been to most service centers of most of the brands you see here and this has made me (and a friend of mine) realise that expectation plays are very large part in these sort of surveys.

So anyway, according to the survey, you may want to opt for a Toyota or a Nissan if you want the best service experience you can find in Malaysia. But if you want a nice performance oriented car at a mass market price (the GT 86 does not count as it is bloody expensive here), you still need to look at Honda, Mazda, Proton and even Volkswagen. Prepare to pay more for some of their servicing and also do not expect any red carpet treatment most of the time from some of these brands.

NEWS RELEASE:J.D. Power Asia Pacific Reports: 

Well-Informed Customers in Malaysia Have High Expectations for Customer Service 

Toyota Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Dealer Service among Mass Market Brands in Malaysia 

SINGAPORE: — Customers in Malaysia are expecting better service when they take their vehicles in for service or repairs, and authorized service centers are not meeting those expectations, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2014 Malaysia

Customer Service Index (CSI) StudySM released today. 

The study, now in its 12th year, measures overall service satisfaction among owners who took their vehicle

to an authorized service center for service maintenance and/ or repair work during the first 12 to 24

months of ownership. For the first time, the 2014 study examines service satisfaction exclusively on the

mass market segment.

The study evaluates new-vehicle owner satisfaction with the service experience by examining dealership

performance in five factors: service quality (38%); vehicle pick-up (20%); service initiation (14%); service

advisor (14%); and service facility (14%). Satisfaction among mass market brands averages 754 index

points (on a 1,000-point scale) in 2014, which is a 3-point decline from 2013.

The study identifies 22 service standards that enhance the overall customer service experience. In 2014,

customers expect a minimum of 19 of those 22 standards to be met in order to have a positive service

experience. In comparison, customer expectations in 2013 were for service centers to meet 17 of the 22

service standards. On average, authorized service centers are implementing 18.1 standards per service visit

in 2014.

“Customers have higher expectations, so it’s vital that the automakers’ service centers strive to not only

meet, but also to exceed those expectations to deliver a satisfying experience for their customers,” said

Rajaswaran Tharmalingam, country head, Malaysia, J.D. Power Asia Pacific. “Brands need to focus on the

entire service process—from helping customers secure service appointments, to providing top-quality

services, to faster service turnaround times, to having friendly and knowledgeable service advisors—all of

which contribute to overall customer satisfaction.”

The study also finds there are additional services some service centers provide that also improve customer

satisfaction, such as washing and vacuuming vehicles at the completion of the service and making follow-up

phone calls to customers after service is performed. Currently, only 14 percent of mass market customers

indicate their service center delivered on both of these services, among whom satisfaction is 797,

compared with 729 among customers whose service center did not deliver on both those standards.

KEY FINDINGS 

 Overall satisfaction in the mass market segment averages 754 index points in 2014, which is a 3-

point decline from 2013. Satisfaction for the Malaysian national brands within the mass market

segment averages 744 points, down 5 points from 2013.

 Among the 22 service standards, mass market brands exhibit a double-digit percentage-point

increase in service/ repair forms provided prior to service and cost estimates given before service

is conducted, compared with 2013.

 Among mass market owners who are highly satisfied with their service experience at a dealership

(service satisfaction scores averaging 824 or higher), 53 percent say they “definitely would” revisit

their service dealer for post-warranty service, compared with 37 percent in 2013.

Study Rankings 

Toyota ranks highest in overall customer service satisfaction among mass market brands, with a score of

777. Toyota performs particularly well in the service facility factor. Nissan ranks second with a score of 776,

while Isuzu and Mazda rank third in a tie at 775 each.

The 2014 Malaysia Customer Service Index Study is based on responses from 2,610 new-vehicle owners in

the mass market segment who purchased their vehicle between February 2012 and May 2013 and took

their vehicle for service to an authorized service center between August 2013 and May 2014. The study

was fielded between February and May 2014.

The Subaru BRZ will not be a one hit wonder. In response to the earlier report, the President of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd has stated in Automotive News that Subaru plans to have another generation of the BRZ. Yasuyuki Yoshinaga, president of Subaru's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. also added that the current arrangement with Toyota will continue even though Toyota have another joint-venture arrangement with BMW to come up with a hybrid coupe.

Toyota still has a place in the BRZ story due to the fact that Subaru needs the volume that Toyota can sell (the BRZ's Toyota twin is the GT 86) in order for the BRZ to be viable in the first place. Whatever it is, it looks like this pure, normally aspirated rear wheel drive coupe is here to stay. For now that is.

The engineers are currently examining whether to keep the current 2.0liter flat four engine or replace it with something more conventional, or in my opinion, something 4 cylinder with a turbocharger that allows for better emissions and torque (as well as downsizing the engine even more).



As for the short term, The chief engineer also stated that the BRZ and the 86 may have a larger displacement Flat Four in the near future or a different intake and exhaust manifold to increase horsepower. Everyone who I've met, whether having driven a 86, BRZ or not driven any don't really seem to be all of that impressed with the performance of the car. Granted, it may have the sweetest chassis this side of a Lotus Elise is still feels awfully short of power in an era where 0-100kmh in around seven point something seconds is normal for a hot hatch. You put a box-like Golf GTI at the traffic lights and a BRZ wouldn't even know which way the box went when the lights turned green. Yes, it is pure and all that, but in this day and age, purity needs to be a Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0. Note the huge normally aspirated engine that still allows huge torque.

2.0liters, 200hp but less than 200Nm torque is normal, and Toyota and Subaru has realised this. I suppose they thought they could bring back the glory days of a pure sports car. Unfortunately, everyone wants more than just purity. Unless, it's a 4.0liter GT3 again. And in car tax crazy Malaysia, no one really wants a RM245,000 sports car that is slower than a hatchback. In fact, pay RM10,000 more and you could get a rally special WRX STI that is waaaaay faster than the BRZ.

So there you go folks. Get purity while you can. If you want such a thing, that is.

This is for one for those days where you thought things couldn't get any weirder but it does. My friend Firdaus has friends who search the classifieds for unique used cars to lust after. But sometimes they come across cars that you have no idea why they are what they are in the first place. This is one of them - a Proton Saga Iswara that wants to be a Tofu transport vehicle, the Toyota 'Hatchiroku' or 86.



There are other Toyotas that their owners think that they are real AE86s instead of old Toyota Corolla Liftbacks or four door ones from before the AE86 or the AE101 front wheel drive variants that came after the Ae86. You can forgive their lofty ambitions as these are still Toyotas that have become Panda Cars or Tofu wagons. This beats 'em all as it is not a Toyota, has five doors (with the rear two sealed up if you look properly) and was not made in the 1980s but in 1997. Amazing isn't it?

Take a look at the 'for sale' photos, you see the rear end carefully hidden among some bushes or the car is photographed low and close up so that the actual shape cannot be seen. Those that have had some pills, alcohol or a combination of both will swear that it really is a Toyota Levin / Sprinter Trueno and may be compelled to steal (as people on a combo of drugs and alcohol would rather spend their money on drug and alcohol instead of this) some money to buy it off the current owner.

Or the owner himself could be on a cocktail himself. You never know as to achieve such brilliance one must have been over to 'the other side', a place where everything can be made into an AE86, or a Honda Prelude into a Ferrari Testarossa, a Ford Telestar into a Nissan Skyline GTR (Yes, I've seen 'em all). And so you have it, a 1997 Proton Iswara Aeroback 1.3 that has a full Panda paintjob, sealed rear doors and some Trueno parts grafted onto its nose. Oh, don't forget the 'Fujiwara Tofu Shop (Self Service)' sticker on the side of the car too. It is all the 'Toyota AE86' that you never ever wanted. Even if your life depended on it. According to the seller the car is 'Autoshow' ready. Right.......

Anyway, for those who are still interested, you can go here for the original advert (while its still online). 

If you are lazy, here is the original posting below. Note that the seller says his garage is full and his dad wants him to sell the car. I also wonder whether the car could clear PUSPAKOM inspection with this much mods to the car. He is also upgrading to a Honda CRZ. I do hope that the CRZ will stay a CRZ instead of suddenly morphing into a Peugeot RCZ.

 Oh, here is an original unmolested AE80 series coupe for your viewing pleasure and for you to compare.

2.0liter variable valve timing 4 cylinder engine, 148hp (150ps), 197Nm, 200km/h, 0-100km/h in around 10.5secs or faster, multi-link suspension at the rear, CVT (with optional pedal shifters), fully equipped cabin and all for around RM90,000 (and Japanese technology too). The Toyota Vios pictured above has a 1.5liter vvt 4 cylinder engine, 105ps, 141Nm, 180+km/h, 0-100km/h in around 11secs, beam axle rear suspension, ancient 4 speed automatic, even more plasticky materials in the cabin for around RM90,000 if you're crazy enough to buy the TRD specced Vios at RM93,000 or RM88,000 for a G spec model. Madness isn't it? Why are you buying this??????



Now if you are supposedly crazy about cars, performance and driving which would you have? The yet unnamed 2.0liter car or the TRD Vios whilst it may be a Toyota and somewhat decent looking (these days) is actually rubbish when it comes to performance and technology given at that price. The same could be said if you bought a Honda City, which gives you a 1.5liter engine but slightly better tech in terms of a 5 speed automatic gearbox but is equally expensive.

You could go out and buy a Kia Cerato 1.6 at RM99,888.00. It would give you a 1.6liter engine that makes 130ps and 157Nm  via a 6 speed automatic. It still has a beam axle type suspension but it would be even more refined than the City or Vios as it is a larger car, much like the unnamed 2.0liter above. You still get better value for your Ringgit.

So it would seem that the unnamed car is actually the best buy yet. It is actually the Proton Inspira 2.0. I somehow wonder why there are alot of supposed car enthusiasts end up buying Vioses or Cities when there is a Japanese rebadge that would give them soooooooo much more car than what they could have with RM90,000.

Of course some of you out there are badge snobs and the very sight of a Proton would bring shivers down one's spine but this Proton is actually very Mitsubishi (it is a rebadged Lancer GLS aka Galant Fortis over in Japan). Hence very Japanese. Some parts may be now made locally but alot of it is still Japanese. I recently had a ride as passenger in a brand new  Inspira 1.8E manual and it was extremely comfortable around town. The suspension was supple and it was pretty quiet as well as refined (as I've said earlier, the 205//60/16 inch wheels of the standard Inspira is good for ride as well as noise supression compared to larger tyred versions).

In fact, once on a trip to Johor Bahru I was followed closely by a 2.0 Inspira at speeds above 150km/h for a duration of time and the main thing was that the driver wasn't even trying hard. Or he was trying as hard as I was whilst driving a W204 Mercedes Benz C-class (which was not trying hard at all). Less drama at higher speeds means more comfort and refinement and less driver fatigue over longer drives. The Proton Inspira lets people who earn much lesser the chance to own a 1.8liter or 2.0liter car for under RM90,000 (and maybe less if there is a discount - which there usually is).

Furthermore, it is more spacious, can carry more luggage than a B-segment car as it is closer to a D-segment car in terms of size. Did you know that the Inspira or Lancer shares the same wheelbase as the 1st gen Proton Perdana aka Galant Eterna (2635mm)? That was supposedly a mid-sized executive car and the Inspira shares the same wheelbase length but is shorter with less overhangs. The Inspira is also taller and as wide. So you get a lot of space to play around with. You also get a car which is stable at higher speeds which is why it can cruise effortlessly. And because its more of a D segment car, you get equal levels of soundproofing which you will never get in a Vios or a City which I repeat is only a B-segment car. Why buy basic then?.

The only car that you can really feel as complete would cost over RM100,000. And if you were looking at brand new cars in this category (those costing below RM100,000) you are essentially on a budget. So act like you are on one. Beggars cannot be choosers. The Inspira is the best out there at the moment for an enthusiastic driver who wants a car at RM90,000 (For around RM100,000, I'd recommend the Swift Sport if one wants a great drive and less on space that is).

Of course, if you're buying a car for the wife, and she adamantly wants to buy the City, by all means buy City. But if it is for yourself, don't. Do yourself a favour, save your money for a proper car later on and buy the Inspira 2.0 for all your kicks for now. Hello, dropping in a K&N, changing the exhaust of the Vios or City, lowering the car, spending unnecessary Ringgit on some performance parts to make 105ps become 110ps would not the make a difference. Imagine if I bought an Inspira and bought a complete R3 exhaust system (dyno tested at Proton's own dyno and made by a well known local exhaust tuner). I would instantly gain 20hp. Would a 1.5liter make as much from an exhaust and manifold change? No it won't as there is no replacement for engine size. The bigger the better.

So buy the Inspira over ANY 1.5liter sedan on the market at the same price range. It has my seal of approval. If you really want a seal of approval get a piece of white A4 paper, make sure you spill a bit of teh tarik around your teh tarik mug and then use the wet bottom of the mug to stamp the A4 paper with the warung teh tarik seal of approval.

Let's just do everything in short little blurbs.

National Automotive Policy
The National Automotive Policy was announced recently and basically there is really nothing for most of us Malaysians to get worked up about. As I've already posted on motoring-malaysia.s Facebook page, the summary is as follows:
NAP2014 in a nutshell...no more cheap imported hybrids after existing stocks run out except for CKD. Which is only one car at this moment- Honda Jazz hybrid.

Malaysia will be energy efficient car producing hub and such cars produced here and sold may get tax incentives. This means cars with hybrid, electric, bluemotion, blueeffiency, efficientdynamics, passmotion, locomotion, etc (see which two i made up).

APs stay the same plan of supposedly getting rid of them and as usual some review on them APs. I.e same shit till 2015.

Excise duty will not be abolished as the government needs it to fatten up its coffers but expect a gradual cut of taxes and duties from now on. Boo...as we're still going to pay huge amounts of taxes but the 'upside' is the fact thst your second hand car resale prices dont plummet like crazy.

Lucky there isnt some STUPID end of life policy in there (just some voluntary inspection request to vehicle owners - which is obviously unnecessary as do you really, really, really see any cars on the road that are disasters waiting to happen? No..there aren't many and notice that most of the accidents are caused by stupidity, carelessness and recklessness) . I'm still reading the text of the speech...will update more if necessary

Ron95 Petrol Subsidy to be given to those that deserve it.

I'm sorry. I deserve it as much as the next person as my cars all state that they should use a minimum of RON95. Anyway, what kind of system should be use to determine whether we are eligible or not for the subsidised petrol price? Would I still get a subsidy if I drove my 1998 Proton Wira instead of my 2012 Mercedes as I own more than one car? Would I need some ridiculous sounding 'Kad Petrol 1 Malaysia' that I would need to show to get the subsidy? Would the subsidy only be applied to Perodua Viva or cars below 1000cc?

Too many variables for something like this to be done properly. Let's just wait and see. Anyway, what was stated by Tengku Adnan Mansor, Federal Territories Minister has already been taken out of context and spun round and around already. The truth of the matter is that the matter is still under discussion and I suppose, with this uproar it'll quieten down for a while and things remain the same for a while longer. Typical.

2014 Toyota Altis Launched.

Same as the All-new Toyota Vios. You get average technology with a badge every Malaysian loves. And decent looks too (which will attract a lot of buyers) Buy the car. Be normal. Be safe. Be just like any other Ah Kau, Ahmad, Arumugam who buys Toyotas. Be a face in the crowd. Don't stand out. No. That Altis with a bodykit does not make it a Lexus LFA okay.

I have written about this car in two earlier posts. Just look for it if you have the time. I just don't have the passion to write about this cash cow of a car anymore. Typically Toyota. reliable as heck, slightly dull but a sure seller.

Facelifted 2014 Kia Optima K5 Launched

This one I quite like. You get LED driving lights in the redesigned front end, a diffuser-like rear bumper for the rear, a new flat bottomed steering wheel (very sporty), 6 airbags (very safe), a whole lot of features and really good looking 18inch alloy wheels (the pre-facelift ones were horrid). All for a RM149,888 completely imported from South Korea. It also comes with 5 years unlimited mileage warranty and most probably free servicing for at leat 3 years too.

I like this new look. Those LEDs and rear diffuser make the car look better. Those wheels however make the car look better. The old disc-like multi spoke ones were cheap looking and made this Korean car look like some...well, cheap Korean car. This one is better. Question is would you take this car over the newly launched Honda Accord or not?