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Buyer guides

Guide · 8 Aug 2026

EV, plug-in hybrid or petrol: which should you buy in Malaysia in 2026?

In 2026 a locally assembled EV such as the Jaecoo J5 EV still pays no import duty, excise or sales tax (the exemption runs to 31 December 2027) and its road tax is a few hundred ringgit a year at most, while fully imported EVs lost their duty exemptions on 1 January 2026. A plug-in hybrid suits drivers who cannot charge every night but want electric running in town, and petrol remains the lowest purchase price. Choose by where you park and how far you drive.

Guide · 27 May 2026

How does a car loan work in Malaysia? Hire purchase explained for 2026

A Malaysian car loan is a hire-purchase agreement: the bank pays for the car, you repay it monthly for up to nine years, and the bank stays the legal owner until the last instalment. Banks usually finance up to 90% of the on-the-road price. For a Jaecoo J7 2WD at RM138,800, a 90% loan over nine years comes to about RM1,469 a month at a 3% flat-rate equivalent. Since 1 June 2026 new agreements charge interest on the reducing balance, so ask for the effective rate when comparing banks.

Guide · 14 Mar 2026

How to buy a new car in Malaysia in 2026: step-by-step guide

Buying a new car in Malaysia takes six steps: choose the model and variant, test drive it, get an on-the-road (OTR) quotation, apply for a hire-purchase loan (usually up to 90% of the price over up to nine years), arrange insurance, then settle the balance and collect the car once JPJ registration is done. With complete documents, loan approval typically takes one to three working days, and delivery depends on stock.