For the past two years we have seen many Honda N-Box used units being sold in Malaysia
The reasons why the N-Box is seeing growing sales in our (private import) used car market is because of its extra rear space, fuel economy and also all round cuteness in the compact MPV segment. Yes, its small, tall and slim, yet it seems to be very appealing to many Malaysians.
There are a few rivals like the Mitsubishi Delica Mini and the Daihatsu Taft but this N-Box seems to be the most popular.
Meanwhile, back in December 2019, the N-Box was voted the best-selling ‘car’ in Japan for 28 consecutive months. By the end of 2019, some 1.7 million units had been sold since its introduction and this is one of the reasons why there are many units coming in to Malaysia.
Interestingly, this 2nd generation N-Box was replaced with a 3rd generation N-Box in Japan recently in October 2023. Its powertrain remains, just higher safety features and better cabin features and quality, plus a revised exterior look. This pushed used values of the 2nd generation (pictured here) lower and so it made good business sense for AP holders to buy and import in the N-Box to Malaysia.
So, the 2019 N-Box (officially launched in Japan in 2017) on sale in Malaysia is still very relevant in terms of drivetrain and features and with a current asking price that starts from a reasonable RM79k (before negotiations) it offers good value for Malaysian buyers looking for a lower priced small family vehicle (it’s a proper 4 seater officially with some rear luggage space) but many will manage to squeeze in 6 people.
As for the seat arrangement, in addition to a version with a conventional bench seat, the latest version comes equipped with ‘Super Slide’ which has a front passenger seat.
The Super Slide front passenger seat with the forward-backward sliding range of 570 mm makes it easier for the occupant to move between the back seats and the driver’s seat and enables versatile seating arrangements in combination with the sliding rear seats which are standard equipment with the N-BOX.
The N-Box is powered by a 660cc DOHC Turbocharged engine that works with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). It is not very powerful but is economical. There is 64 horsepower with 104Nm of torque which means a possible 25 to 30 kilometers of driving with 1 liter of fuel. That’s good economy.
There is also a NON-Turbo version and the asking prices are a little lower (in the RM70k range). However, if you can afford it, better get the turbocharged version.
The N-Box sits on a 2,530mm wheelbase and is 3,395mm in length, a slim 1,475mm in width and an easy entry and exit height of 1,805mm. By the way, this N-Box shares its powertrain with the Honda N-One compact hatch which is not offered at all in Malaysia.
So, with dealers offering 100 percent loan and prices moving downwards, this might be a better buy over a used Crossover or sedan right now.
