31/05/2026

theSunday Special XV ON SUNDAY MAY 31, 2026 Dynamic, Premium

Lest we forget the humble hybrid IF YOU follow the Malaysian automotive landscape closely, you will notice an undeniable trend. Chinese brands seem fiercely focused on battery electric vehi cles (BEVs), while

Johor, and back. The journey subjected the car to the absolute worst of Malaysian driving: crawling urban gridlock, high-speed highway cruising, and sudden, torrential downpours. My goal was simple: to

off-roader DENZA MALAYSIA’S second model here has officially been launched and the Denza B8, a plug-in hybrid (Phev), three-row, ladder framed SUV will be priced from RM458,800. In its native China, the B8 is sold under the BYD’s sub-brand for off-roaders as the Fang Cheng Bao B8. The model is a body-on-frame, proper SUV that can be had in six- or seven seater configurations for its three rows. Here, we get the option of both – with the B8 Dynamic 7-seater priced at RM458,800 and the flagship B8 Premium 6-seater that goes for RM518,800. Both variants come with a comprehensive support package that comprises a 6 year/150,000km warranty, 7 free scheduled maintenance sessions and an 8-year warranty for the hybrid components. The Dual Mode Off-Road (DMO) power train consists of a hybrid-specific 2.0-litre tur bocharged inline-four engine that brings 197PS and 350Nm of torque. Working along side it are two electric motors, one on each axle. The front unit makes 272PS and 360Nm of torque while the rear delivers 408PS and 400Nm of torque. Tallying up everything brings the total sys tem output to 578PS and 760Nm of torque, which makes it good for a century sprint time of 4.8 seconds. There is a 36.8kWh Blade battery that feeds the electric motors and offers around 100km of electric range under the WLTP cycle. Coupled with the 91-litre fuel tank and a fully charged battery, the B8 should be capa ble of 905km of range. One of the B8’s main features is the DiSus P hydraulic suspension that possesses 140mm of ride height adjustment. This allows the standard water wading depth of 800mm to increase up to be increased to 890mm. It measures in at 5,195mm long, 1,994mm wide and 1,905mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,920mm. This makes the B8 larger than the

Denza B8 Phev ladder frame, three-row SUV launched, priced from RM459,000

recently shifting some of that aggressive momentum toward plug in hybrids (Phevs). Meanwhile, the Japanese leg acy brands are marching steadily along with their tried-and-tested models, prioritising long-term reli ability and ownership returns. They have also broadened their horizons by anchoring traditional, non-plug-in hybrids (HEV) as part of their local lineups. That is not to say companies like Toyota and Honda have ignored electric cars – both these giants have their own pure elec tric models on local floors. Yet, for them, it feels more like a defen sive “we have EVs too” statement rather than their core product offering. Instead, the Japanese marques have always preferred a wider, multi-pathway portfolio. Hybrids are undeniably part of their forte. Having developed and refined this powertrain technology for decades, they have brought it to a state of near perfection. MULTI-POWERTRAIN LANDSCAPE The Europeans prefer a simi larly diverse approach – at least in Malaysia. BMW Malaysia, for instance, famously offers a power train for almost every specific need and want. Taking it a step further, BMW Malaysia is currently the only car company locally that actively gives its used EV and hybrid bat teries a second life, repurposing them to power rural communities through partnerships with institu tions like Universiti Malaya. Mercedes-Benz and Volvo Malaysia maintain a similarly broad catalogue. Porsche and Audi take a more binary path where you simply choose between pure pet rol or pure electric, while Volkswagen Malaysia seems remains firmly committed to tradi tional internal combustion engines. This vast divergence in power train philosophies got me thinking after I recently completed an “investigative” long-distance drive in a Honda hybrid. THE 1,000KM CHALLENGE: REAL WORLD PROOF I took the keys to the current Honda Civic e:HEV RS Hybrid for a gruelling, single-day marathon from Petaling Jaya to Senai,

WRITTEN BY KESHY DHILLON

see if the car could genuinely live up to the elusive 1,000km per tank thresh old that hybrid manufacturers often tease. By the time I rolled back into the parking bay, I had travelled 908km. The instrument cluster revealed an average fuel con sumption figure fluctuating between 24.6km/litre and 26.2km/litre, with 35km of remaining range still left in the tank. Technically, I could have squeezed roughly 943km out of that single tank before being stranded. While that would be pushing your luck on the highway, it forced a glaring question into my mind: Do we actually need the complexity of a BEV or a Phev if outright fuel efficiency is our pri mary goal? CASE FOR THE ‘UNPLUGGED’ LIFE Some years ago, my father owned a Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTEC diesel hybrid. Granted, it was mechanically complex and occasionally problematic, but it routinely clocked 1,300km on the highway and 800km in the city. The raw efficiency was undeni able. Today’s modern Japanese pet rol hybrids have inherited that mantle of efficiency, minus the reliability headaches. An EV requires you to choreo graph your life around a charging grid that is still playing catch-up in Malaysia. A Phev demands that you plug it into a wall every week or two to keep its heavy battery primed; otherwise, you are simply hauling dead weight with a petrol engine. For the average Malaysian who lacks a home charger, lives in a high-rise condo, or simply refuses to add “battery anxiety” to their daily routine, the standard hybrid remains the ultimate pragmatic compromise. Spending money on a brand new car just to save money on fuel rarely makes perfect mathe matical sense. But if you are already in the market for a highly efficient, premium daily driver, do not let the loud EV marketing blind you. The quiet, unplugged hybrid might just be the exact compan ion your lifestyle actually needs.

already imposing GWM Tank 500. The wheels are 20-inch black Y-spoke alloy wheels, an inch smaller than what is offered in China. On the inside, the B8 can be had with Jasper Brown or Onyx Black leather uphol stery. There is a massive 17.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display with a 12.3 inch digital instrument cluster for the driver. Other cabin amenities include twin 50 W Qi wireless chargers, power-adjustable front seats (heating, ventilation, massage function), a heated and cooled armrest storage (mini fridge) and an 18-speaker Devialet audio sys tem. For some added drama, the gear selector rises when the B8 is started and is accompa nied by crystal-like switches for various pow ertrain functions. The flagship Premium variant gets second row massage captain’s chairs with ottomans and Nappa leather upholstery. As for the Standard, the second-row is power-reclinable with heating and ventilation. There is even a multi-function switch on the rear doors for occupants to control the win dow or sunroof blind on the other side. Essentially, the second and third rows can be folded or raises electrically, with boot space climbing from a minimum of 147 litres to a maximum of 920 litres (902 litres for the six seater).