Top 5 hatchbacks to look for in 2020 - Malaysia

A major portion of the country's total car sales likely comes from the hatchbacks. Today, the hatchback segment is spread over a wide price bracket and thus, the number of cars in this category has increased drastically. And it is only going to increase next year. To give you an idea of what’s going to happen, here are the top 5 hatchbacks to look for in 2020.

Honda Jazz

Honda Jazz is one of the most popular hatchbacks in Malaysia. Its current model is available in 4 variants that start at RM 70,242. Soon, there’s going to be a brand-new fourth-generation Honda Jazz.

Honda revealed the new hatchback at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show held earlier this year. The new Jazz is clearly a big step up from its current model. Honda has completely revised the aesthetics of the car. Its front end features a design which Honda likes to call the Solid Wing Face. Gone is Honda’s signature bold chrome grille. The rear end of the car has also been revised and made more modern.

The new Honda Jazz also gets Honda Sensing safety suite and Honda Connect infotainment system. The interior is totally new with a revised dashboard layout and a cool-looking 2-spoke steering wheel. Another major change would be the inclusion of a new hybrid variant.

Hyundai Kona Electric

Hyundai Kona Electric is already on sale in various international markets, however, we are yet to receive it here in Malaysia. Thankfully, it seems that would change in 2020 as COMOS (Cohesive Mobility Solution) is planning to make the Hyundai Kona Electric available in the country through the official channel, namely Hyundai Sime Darby Motor (HSDM).

Two variants of the Kona Electric would reach the showrooms - the standard 39.2 kWh battery variant that has 136 PS of power and 395 Nm of torque, and the more powerful 64 kWh battery variant with 204 PS of power and the same 395 Nm of torque. The former would have a range of approx 312 km whereas the latter would be good for 482 km.

Based on the information, COMOS would be offering the Kona Electric on a lease-basis system. For example, to get the standard model, for a lease tenure of 60 months, one will need to pay RM 4,300 per month. Similarly, for the more powerful variant, one has to pay RM 4,900 per month for a 60-month lease tenure of this car.

Mitsubishi Mirage

Mitsubishi is expected to add a new hatchback to its products list for the year 2020. The Japanese brand recently unveiled its new 2020 Mirage at an event in Thailand. It looks totally different from the previous model which is currently on sale in some of our neighbouring countries.

The new 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage gets the brand’s latest Dynamic Shield design which makes it look even more attractive. On the inside, the new Mirage features more comfortable seats, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, carbon fibre pattern for the cluster and window switch panels, etc.

What remains the same is the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder MIVEC petrol engine that delivers 77 bhp of max power and 100 Nm of torque. It would be mated to a 5-speed manual or INVECS-III continuously variable transmission, depending on variant.

Honda Civic Hatchback

Honda simply nailed it with its latest Civic, however, there was a bunch of Honda fans that always had a soft spot for the Civic hatchback. Perhaps, that’s one of the reasons why Honda launched the Civic Hatchback RS in Thailand last month and we are optimistic to have it here in Malaysia as well.

Since it has been built for the enthusiasts, there is only the RS variant available. And that’s why it has features like sporty bumpers, alloy wheels, centrally located twin exhaust pipes, black diffuser, etc.

It is also a great car when it comes to safety as it comes with Honda Sensing Suite that includes features like collision mitigation braking system (CMBS), adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow (ACC with LSF), lane-keeping assist system (LKAS), and whatnot.

Powering the Civic Hatchback RS is a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine that churns out 173 bhp of max power at 5500 rpm and 220 Nm of torque at 1700 - 5500 rpm and comes mated to a CVT.

We are expecting Honda to bring the Civic Hatchback RS in Malaysia for around RM 168k.

Toyota Yaris

The Yaris has been one of the most anticipated Toyota cars that we have seen in a long time. And ever since its launch, it has been keeping the sales coming. Now, we are expecting to see a new 2020 model of the car next year. What would it be like?

Toyota showcased its updated Yaris at the 2019 Thailand Motor Expo. It seems like the 2020 Toyota Yaris would continue to have a very similar design on the outside. The main change has been done under the hood. Toyota replaced the old 3NR-FE engine with a new 3NR-FKE engine which produces more power and torque (92 PS and 109 Nm) than the previous engine (86 PS and 108 Nm).

Also, instead of Dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent), the new engine is paired with the Dual VVT-iE (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent system Electric Motor) and also has an idling start/stop system which is coupled with a Super CVT-i.

 

Earlier this year, we also had reports about a different new Toyota Yaris that would hit the markets in 2020. As per them, the new Yaris would get a complete makeover in terms of design and style - newly designed set of headlights and taillights, new alloy wheels, etc. It would also get Toyota’s hybrid system along with a 4WD option.

Let’s see which of these Yaris do we get here in Malaysia.

These were the top 5 hatchbacks that would hit the Malaysian shores. We are pretty juiced up about 2020 as it would bring with it more new cars.

Also Read: Top 5 SUVs to look for in 2020 - Malaysia