PERODUA will ramp up its exports by 79% to 1,960 units this year from 1,094 units in 2023as the compact car company aims to broaden its overseas markets.
On 3 May 2024, the compact car company introduced the Alza AV and H, as well as the Axia AV and G to Brunei with sales targetof 120 units and 40 units respectively.
Perodua also exports the Bezza 1.0L G to Brunei, where it aims to sell 300 units, bringing the expected total sales units sold in Brunei to 460 units in 2024.
For 2023, Perodua sold 300 Bezza 1.0L G to Brunei, making it Perodua’s highest export market of 2023.
“We foresee 2024 to be our first year of our export expansion as we are now at a point where the Malaysian automotive ecosystem would be able to cope with the ever-growing demand of our vehicles both within and outside the country,” Perodua President and Chief Executive Offer, Dato’ Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said.
He expects the growth in Perodua’s exports to continue as the company will be aggressively expanding its operations and its vendors’ production capabilities.
“Brunei is the first export market we are expanding to without compromising domestic allocation of our vehicles. In fact, we have significantly reduced the waiting period for most of our popular models and even have ready stock for selected models.”
“In addition, our targeted increase in exports will also give greater opportunities for our vendors to grow their sales volume in tandem with the need for spare parts,” Dato’ Sri Zainal said.
On the newly launched Alza AV, H and Axia AV and G, the price offered are B$30,900 for the AV, B$27,900 for the H, while the Axia AV is priced at B$21,900 while the Axia G is priced at B$17,900. The Bezza 1.0L G is priced at B$16,900.
Prices listed above include road tax and insurance.
TENGKU Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has announced on social media that Perodua is scheduled to begin mass producing its first electric vehicle (EV) at the end of 2025.
According to the Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, this is in line with Perodua’s appointment to lead the production of affordable EVs under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030).
Zafrul went on to say that Perodua has collaborated with an ‘international automotive company’ to develop an EV prototype.
“Thank you to Perodua for assisting Malaysia in advancing electric vehicle technology and strengthening sustainable mobility in Malaysia,” he said.
On November 29, Perodua announced it’s targeting electric and hybrid vehicles to contribute up to 20% of total new car sales by 2030.
Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said that the sales figure could be achieved “if all industry players can work together.”
“We are collaborating with the government and other partners. We have also been appointed in the new industrial plan to lead the development of EVs in Malaysia.
“We need to produce new products. We have not finalized the production timeline, but the government’s target – 20 percent by 2025 or 2030 – will become a reality if all parties cooperate,” he said.
FOLLOWING the announcement by Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (DMC) today regarding the suspension of its models due to “procedural irregularities,” Perodua has also issued a response in relation to the independent audit committee report.
The “procedural irregularities” were conducted by DMC during vehicle safety tests on several original equipment manufacturers (OEM), which were announced early this morning.
The independent audit committee report, as announced by DMC, stated: “The inspection and tests confirm that all 174 irregularities identified by the independent audit committee meet the standards set by laws and regulations.”
Perodua is conducting a detailed assessment of the issue and is in discussions with the Malaysian authorities regarding the impact of these developments on its vehicles.
On April 28, 2023, DMC announced the occurrence of “procedural irregularities” during safety tests on vehicles in Japan. Following this announcement, DMC established an independent audit committee comprising legal and technical personnel.
“We apologize to our valued customers and the public for the concerns arising from this announcement,” stated today’s release by Perodua.
“Our intention is to provide assurance to our valued customers.
“We will share the results of these discussions with all our customers in the near future.”
The “Asian Compact Sedan Design Challenge 2023” (ACSDC 2023) car design competition, which was held for the first time in Malaysia, has seen 93 entries from seven countries for its inaugural program. ACSDC 2023 is a sedan car design competition open to professional designers and design students in Asia, jointly organized by Perodua and the Malaysian Institute of Design (MRM).
“The number of entries from other countries in Asia is encouraging as the exposure to the Perodua and MRM brands outside of Malaysia is significant,” said Dato’ Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad, President and Chief Executive Officer of Perodua. A total of 93 entries were received from Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Iran, Japan, India, and Malaysia.
For the professional category, Kenny Chan from Malaysia was crowned the champion of the ACSDC 2023 competition with his concept car “Payung.” According to the head judge, Muhamad Zamuren Musa, the dynamic car design with a ‘fastback’ silhouette and a strong and stable vehicle body character makes the car more balanced. Furthermore, distinct details and creative style elements were other factors that led to the selection of this car as the best among all participants.
Meanwhile, Philip Samuel Tandio from Indonesia emerged as the runner-up with the “Out Ride” concept, while Muhammad Izhar Che Shukarno took third place with the “Fastback” concept.
In the student design category, Bryan Teh Yea Quan from Asia Pacific University (APU), Malaysia, was named the champion for his unique interpretation of a sporty sedan.
Alfred Han Wen Hao from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Malaysia, was the runner-up, and Muhammad Amin Othman from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, secured third place.
“For Perodua, this competition provides an insight into sedans because the definition and perception of this vehicle type differ from one country to another. Malaysians see it as a practical vehicle, while other countries may view it more as a status symbol. By organizing this competition, we can see where we can combine both ideas into one,” said Dato’ Sri Zainal.
“This competition not only encourages designers to test their talent but also exposes them to different design philosophies from other countries around the world,” said MRM Director, Husaini Ismail.
THE 19th Malaysia Car of the Year (MCOTY) recently concluded, and the prestigious title of Overall Car of the Year was awarded to the Honda Civic e:HEV RS Hybrid.
The annual program which serves as a platform for automotive enthusiasts and experts to recognize and celebrate the best new cars in Malaysia, unanimously picked the Honda Civic e:HEV RS Hybrid for its technology which eliminates power-robbing gearboxes, whether CVT or hydraulic, and for providing the best energy regeneration of all current hybrids in Malaysia.
With 121 new cars nominated for this year’s award, the competition was fierce and represented a diverse range of vehicles. The judging panel consisted of 10 esteemed automotive journalists and two professionals from the legal and medical fields.
These judges evaluated the cars based on several criteria, including design, technology, safety, and value for money. As a result of their analysis, the 121 nominated cars were divided into seven main categories, with 13 winners emerging as the best in their respective segments.
One interesting aspect of the MCOTY program is the People’s Choice award, which is determined through online polling using smartphone to implement one person one vote from a list of 25 cars nominated by the judges and a team from the Malaysia Automotive Robotics IoT Institute.
This year, the Perodua Axia E took home the People’s Choice award in the mass market category, while the BMW iX1 xDrive30 M Sport won the hearts of the public in the premium market. Interesting to see that Malaysians selected an EV in the premium market segment.
In addition to the winners, the judges also made Honourable Mentions of three outstanding cars that defied convention.
The Ford Ranger Raptor 3.0 V6 petrol twin turbo was acknowledged for its outstanding performance, being described as a supercar in pick-up guise.
The Perodua Axia 1.0 E received recognition for its affordability, with its price tag of RM22,000 making it one of the best value-for-money cars in the world. Despite criticism regarding its safety standards, the judges argued that the Axia E is still much safer than motorcycles.
Third, the Chery Omoda 5 was commended for its warranty, as it was launched with an unprecedented 1 million km warranty for the first 3,000 buyers. This imaginative brand-building exercise caught the attention of the judging panel.
Winners of the 19th Malaysia Car of the Year Awards:
A) Sedan and Hatchback:
Below: RM110,000: Toyota Vios 1.5G
RM111,000 to RM249,000: Honda Civic e:HEV RS Hybrid
Above RM250,000: Mercedes-Benz C300 AMG Line
WITHOUT any doubt, the new Perodua Alza was the most talked-about car for the year 2022. This was evident from the discussions among netizens on social media and the significant traffic and engagement generated whenever we post anything about this model.
This phenomenon was not a surprising one, considering that the first-generation Alza has been on the market since November 2009, so it’s only natural that many were eagerly anticipating the arrival of its successor.
In July 2022, the second-generation Alza was finally launched, featuring comprehensive updates covering not only the exterior and interior design but also the platform, engine, and technology.
The majority of the motoring media were actually invited to take a closer look at the model several weeks before its launch date. However, this writer only had the opportunity to familiarise himself with it during a recent media test drive trip to Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
It was a trip to look forward to, not only because of the somewhat ‘unusual’ destination but also to personally check out the seven-seater MPV people have been raving about since it was first teased in June 2022.
In terms of design, the new Alza is clearly more stylish and fresh compared to its predecessor. Some might say it looks a bit cluttered, but this writer feels the aggressive lines give the Alza a rather modern look capable of enticing a younger group of buyers.
The journey started from the Perodua headquarters in Rawang, passing through Batang Kali to reach the Karak Highway. From there, the convoy followed the East Coast Expressway 1 and 2 before exiting via the Kuala Terengganu exit. The total journey distance was about 650 km.
Three drivers were assigned to each car, meaning this writer only had the chance to take over the steering wheel after a lunch break in Kuantan.
The 200-km drive was done entirely on the straight stretches of the LPT, which felt a little dull after a while. But the highway’s bumpy and uneven surfaces turned out to be a proving ground for the Alza’s Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform, which performed superbly throughout the journey.
It is fair to say that the performance shown by the 2NR-VE 1.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine was quite commandable despite the lack of a turbocharger. More importantly, the combination of the engine with the D-CVT transmission felt seamless as the RPM was maintained at around 2,000 to 2,100 at speeds of 110 km/h and above.
In short, for highway driving situations, the RPM remained below the 2,500 mark even when the vehicle exceeded the national speed limit. This shows that the Alza is the perfect car for those who want a comfortable and fuel-efficient people carrier.
Speaking of fuel efficiency, the fuel consumption level shown on the display dropped sharply due to aggressive driving by our fellow media friends, but with light-footed driving (and some patience), this writer managed to achieve a reading of 19 km/l before reaching the Kuala Terengganu exit. This is not far from the figure claimed by Perodua, which is 22 km/l.
When it comes to ride and handling, the DNGA platform felt comfortable despite facing the bumpy and uneven conditions of LPT2. Some degree of vibration managed to seep into the cabin, but it wasn’t to the extent of causing discomfort.
The use of the new platform also resulted in a larger rear space, which is exactly what most Alza buyers look for. For this writer, who stands at 167 cm tall, there was still ample legroom even when the driver’s seat was pushed back. The backrest angle was also not too upright.
The third-row seats, as expected, are more suitable for children due to their relatively small size. However, when not in use, they can be folded flat to achieve maximum cargo space of nearly 500 liters.
If that’s not enough, the new Alza also comes with a host of creature comforts including rear air conditioning vents located on the ceiling, complete with a control panel, two USB charging ports and cup holders in the second and third-row seats.
In conclusion, this writer thinks that the Alza is the best bang for your buck if you are looking to buy an affordable, fuss-free family car. But what it lacks in performance it more than makes up for in practicality, comfort, and features.
Perodua Alza Specifications
Price: From RM62,500 to RM75,500
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder Dual-VVTi
Gearbox: D-CVT
Power: 105 hp
Torque: 138 Nm
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