KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua today launched the all-new Alza, which is a bigger and more refined MPV.
This means the new Alza is priced higher now than before. Perodua has dropped the 5-speed manual variant and now offers the model in three variants of X, H and AV.
They are priced respectively at RM62,500, RM68,000 and RM75,500 (OTR without insurance).
Waiting period for delivery is nine to 10 months at present but Perodua said it is working hard to reduce the waiting time.
Perodua said 30,000 Alza bookings have been received since the order book was opened on June 23. It's the highest ever in Perodua's history.
Since Alza was introduced in 2009, the 7-seater has become Perodua's fifth most popular car ever, selling around 400,000 units.
The Myvi headed the list of bestsellers followed by Kancil, Axia and Viva. The Kancil and Viva are no longer in production.
About 4,300 units of Alza units are expected to be registered this month. Perodua expects to produce 3,000 Alza units monthly.
The company has invested RM770 million to develop the all-new Alza since work began in April 2018.
Perodua said Malaysians are buying the Alza as replacement or additional car and that 40% of Alza customers are women.
It also said the Alza customer profile is slightly younger than the one for the bigger Aruz.
The Alza boasts a smart package catering to families in their 30s, said Perodua. What the new Alza has going for it over its predecessor are enhanced safety features such as six airbags, Advanced Safety Assist features, enhanced digital offerings, ample space and improved driving comfort.
It also appeals with low ride feeling, a stable ride and easy access especially for young children and the elderly.
The new Alza comes with a Euro 4 1.5-litre 4-cylinder DOHC EFI with Dual VVT-i delivering 78kW (105hp) and 138Nm of torque while boasting a fuel economy of 22km per litre.
The dual mode CVT as seen in Ativa has replaced the old 4-speed automatic gearbox.
The MPV is now wider, has more interior space and touts a versatile seat configuration. With third row seats folded, boot space has increased by 150l to 498l.
Feature debuts in the second-generation Alza are electric parking brake, 360-degree Parking View Monitor, rear air-cond vents above the second row and three drive modes of Normal, Eco and Power.
The top AV variant gets Stop/Hold/Follow function, as well as 360 degree Parking View Monitor, Lane Keep Assist, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, DVR and 16-inch alloy wheels.
All variants get six airbags, vehicle stability control, traction control and LED headlamps, among other upgrades.
Turning radius is smaller at 5m, 0.2m less than the old Alza.
The new Alza was jointly developed under the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) where Malaysian designers and engineers worked with their counterparts within Daihatsu Motor Co. of Japan.
“This partnership has allowed Perodua and its suppliers to work together with Daihatsu to achieve economies of scale and improve development cost of new models," said Perodua chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad.
The latest Alza is the second model developed under DNGA after the Ativa, which was introduced in March 2021.
The new Alza was launched here by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Also at the event were Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin, Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd president Soichiro Okudaira and other invited guests.
The new Alza is available in Elegant Black, Ivory White (Solid), Glittering Silver, Garnet Red and Vintage Brown.
A few days prior to the launch, members of the media were given the chance to test-drive the new Alza at the 4.27km Perodua test course at its Rawang headquarters. All six units used were the AV variant with two of them specced in Gear Up accessories.
The exercise sought to show the Alza's straight line acceleration and handling, cornering stability and Brake Hold safety feature in a hill climb.
The new Alza performed competently in the brief drive. Ride and cabin insulation were good and the light steering makes this bigger and heavier Alza easy to place anywhere on the road with two persons on board albeit we were limited to a 100kph speed limit. The CVT relayed the torque to the front axle effectively and it didn't feel like it was struggling to move the MPV along. It would be interesting to see how the dynamics would change with seven people on board but that would have to be a task for another day.
The Alza held a steady course as it banked on a stretch of the test course, and the low-riding car felt planted and confident at around 80kph.
Two features of the Perodua Smart Assist safety suite were highlighted.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), only available in the AV variant, eases the journey and keeps a safe distance from vehicles ahead. It allows the vehcile to travel in a constant pre-selected speed, and automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle ahead. If the vehicle ahead slows down, stops and moves again, the following vehicle equipped with ACC will pace itself also and brake if necessary to maintain the safe distance.
Once the slower-moving vehicle ahead is no longer in front, the following vehicle will then accelerate to the set speed and return to constant speed driving. Theory translated into reality when we put the ACC to the test, with the Alza exhibiting the behaviour described.
The electronic parking brake with Auto Brake Hold, also only available in the AV variant, performed as expected when the Alza was halted midway on an ascending stretch of tarmac. The Auto Brake Hold is helpful for the ordinary driver as it prevents rollback and gives enough time for the person to tap on the accelerator and start moving forward.
READ MORE: Perodua to ramp up production to cope with demand
> ALZA PRICE LIST
