Malaysians love MPVs. Okay, maybe love is a rather strong word to use in this context, but the fact is that our rising population has pretty much forced the people carrier to become the default transportation of choice for many families, whether urban or rural.
And frankly, you're spoiled for choice, at least if your bank account is relatively healthy. Take your pick – there's the Japanese zen-like comfort of the Nissan Serena S-Hybrid and Mazda Biante, the European sophistication of cars like the Peugeot 5008 and Volkswagen Sharan, or, if you're really feeling flush, the Toyota Alphards and Vellfires and Nissan Elgrands flooding the grey market (or, if you want, through official means as well).
If you're looking for something affordable, however, your only options are of the national (Perodua Alza, Proton Exora) or of the bargain basement Japanese kind (Nissan Grand Livina, Toyota Avanza). This was the environment in which the old Chery Eastar thrived in when it came on the scene in 2008 – the Chinese seven-seater was a breath of fresh air from P1 and P2, and more car-like than the Nippon-badged offerings.
That was seven years ago, however, so the Eastar is getting a bit long in the tooth now. Early this year, Chery has finally sent in reinforcements by supplanting it with a new model, called the Chery Maxime. In fact, we're considered such an important market for the new MPV that Chery has launched it here first, a full three months before the Chinese-market model makes its debut in Shanghai. But is the new pretender good enough to sling it out with the sub-RM90k competition? Let's find out, shall we?
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