Cars in Malaysia where Safety meets Style
2020 is a year that has given Malaysians everywhere plenty to worry about- A coronavirus pandemic, economical uncertainty, and a feeling of uneasiness that blanketed the nation. Sometimes, all we need is something, even, anything that can take our attention away from the doom & gloom.
A car that offers executive-level luxury & safety can help to soothe anxiety. The European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) are the go-to authorities when it comes to assessing the road safety of Cars. Let’s have a look at the options available to the Malaysian market when it comes to determining how well your car can protect you in unfortunate circumstances.
Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge
A list of the safest road cars money can buy wouldn’t be complete without the entry of the heralded Swedish car maker- Volvo. While Mercedes-Benz have built their brand as a symbol of corporate success, and BMW have built theirs for the driving enthusiast, Volvo has gone under the radar during it’s fling with Ford. Since 2010, Zhejiang Geely Holding has been grooming Volvo Cars. 2020 marks the 10-year anniversary of this collaboration, having refreshed and refined their product lineup. Volvo XC-series SUVs have caught traction amongst in Malaysian car buyers, frequently in conversation and consideration with the two-largest default continental car brands- Mercedes-Benz & BMW, and a seriously competitive case to boot.
The Volvo XC60 was named as Number One safest vehicle, having scored 5 out of 5 in 2017. That’s quite unsurprising however, given that with the progression in radar & camera technology, faster computing, the Volvo is able to calculate, assess, and intervene with preventative measures in high-risk scenarios.
Lastly, in terms of luxury and comfort, the cabin is characteristically Scandinavian, with large surfaces on the dashboard and door trims in real wood, high-quality cancer-free materials, and genuine leather cocooning the driver & passenger alike. The Bowers & Wilkins 19-speaker setup available on all T8 Inscription variants is one of the best high-fidelity sound systems available in a car. There’s even a feature to tune the sound dynamics to mimic the soundstage of Gothenburg Concert Hall, talk about attention to detail!
Porsche Cayenne & Cayenne Coupe
“Sporty” might not always be the word that is best associated with SUVs due to their bouldering size and tall ride height. A SUV that successfully executes practicality, style, performance, and safety come few and far between; but the Porsche Cayenne comes really, really close. The passengers are offered lavish comfort, the driver gets to indulge in Porsche’s finely tuned sporty character and driving dynamics. Its popularity in Malaysia cannot be underestimated as eye-test suggests it is an increasingly common sight on the road.
Unique to Porsche is the assortment of powertrains and optional accessories available. It allows for a seemingly endless amount of variance. Some optional accessories that greatly improve safety and drivability on a Cayenne are as follows:
- PCCB – Porsche Composite Ceramic Brakes
- PDCC – Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control
- PDLS – Porsche Dynamic Light System
The Porsche Cayenne ranked number 13 in the eyes and tests of NCAP.
At the writing of this piece, the Porsche Cayenne Coupe has yet to receive an official rating from NCAP as it is a new model in the Porsche SUV line up.
Land Rover Range Rover SVR
The Range Rover SVR (Special Vehicle Operations) is a muscular, athletic, and sometimes, downright obnoxious car. The 5.0L supercharged V8 won’t win any awards for environmental friendliness, nor will your neighbors be happy about the absurdly extravagant chainsaw-esque exhaust sounds that roar to life every morning, but the SVR is as extroverted as it sounds (pun intended). It is a dynamic SUV that can both be quite stately, comfortable, even, and raucous and angry at the switch of a button. Passengers are lifted into a commanding position because of its’ tall ride height, treated to a wonderful view of the road and cars ahead.
An often overlooked part about safety in luxury cars is the braking capabilities. The 21-inch wheels hide 20-inch Brembo brakes fitted as standard on the SVR is no slouch in that department.
According to NCAP, the Land Rover Range Rover’s little brother- the Velar, has a 5-star rating, and comes in on the list at number 19. For a car that’s equal parts luxurious and raw fun.
These are our picks for cars that offer a fine balance between luxury, while not forgoing the fact that these big and powerful cars need their fair share of fail-safes in order to truly provide peace of mind for the driver and passengers alike.
