Pete's Write

So it's been a couple of months since I got my car and it's been fun. And now for the litmus test of long range driving - Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (KL). The net distance is about 360km or so, plus a little more city driving to reach Sunway Lagoon. In preparation for this, I have downloaded the following apps - ABRP another better route planner - Plugshare  - Jomcharge for Malaysian chargers - SP power app which apparently works in M'sia on Jomcharge chargers I have also bought - a charging cable - some places in KL offer free charging but you need your own cable - tire pump kit  - tire repair kit - comes with the Toyota - torchlight - steering wheel lock - car cover - to make it looks less attractive to those who might be keen to break in Now about the car I have 460km from 100% full charge to zero, but I won't be going flat and whilst there seems to be some spare, when you go fast, the range drops about 20%, so I fig...

For anyone who has driven a Toyota from the past decade and a half, climbing into a BZ4x is like entering your home. It's very familiar. From the door handles on the exterior, to the levers to open the doors inside, the aircon vents, the indicator stalks and even the power on button. It's all very familiar. If you have been in a recent model Lexus or Alphard, you will also have no issues using the entertainment system. I believe it's deliberate and helps those moving from an ICE car adapt to this. Basically it's like a Toyota that's EV powered but the learning curve is a lot less than some other models. Now that may not entice the crowd who want a cosseting UI with plenty of personalisation features, but make no mistake, the cockpit is also packed with safety features as well as most modern functions and conveniences.  ** I have no financial interest or other interests in any of the items / events I write about.

New cars sold today are vast different from a few years ago.. Most come with a huge list of features previously reserved for the top tier premium cars. Memory for seats used to be the preserve of the highest grade car but even your basic entry level car may have it    This is something we will witness in the next decade as the EVs and even new ICE cars introduced with a plethora of features mature.  Will they last a decade or need fixing? bring that ancient Corolla to any workshop here or Malaysia and someone will be able to fix it parts are everywhere  new cars will have two sets of issuss mechanical like tires and shocks can also be fixed everywhere once they become common However even changing tires needs more care as the bottom is usually where the batteries are and there are specific lifting points  then there’s the electronics and even the cluster gauge is now a mini TV that is subject to far more shocks than your tv at home  touchscreens subject...

So it's been two months of fun owning this car and I'm still learning new things about it. Here are some snippets and fun facts: - only the USB C port above the lighter plug allows data and it reads pretty slowly, so use the fastest and it can go up to 128 Gb but if you have a lot of data, it will take some time to read - there is a tire repair kit with goo in the panel next to the V2L port. It's blanked out in the local version, but the kit is still there - you can rename the car for the voice command, so instead of "hey Toyota", you can use "hey Vader" - wind noise is minimal under 100 kph - you turn off the car, lock the car with your remote, then plug in the charger - there's a hidden compartment under the lid of the central armrest console for more stuff or your manual - I use 38-39 psi for my 20" tires - the key fob can be tied to the user profile, but you must keep it in Park until your profile is loaded, otherwise it will remain in Guest...

** I have no financial interest or other interests in any of the items / events I write about. Key fob cover Switch Sticker Engine Start/Stop Button Cover https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009483830634.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.40.61c11802nmVKeX   Battery level sticker Universal Car Metal Multi-Function Hook https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009897564295.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.70.61c11802nmVKeX Steering Wheel Center Decorative Sticker  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006979052370.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.76.61c11802nmVKeX Car Knee Pads Leg Pads  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007054519476.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.88.61c11802nmVKeX   1 Set Gas Struts For Toyota bZ4X https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009209825956.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.94.61c11802nmVKeX   Door Lock Cover Decoration https://w...