Perodua officially launched the 2019 Perodua Axia last week. The Viva-replacing Axia has been with us since September 2014, and it received a midlife facelift in January 2017, which means this is the second update for the bestseller. As you would have already heard, this big news of this refresh is the debut of Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 2.0, as well as an all-new variant – the SUV-inspired Style.
For all its life, the Axia has had two unique faces – a normal one and a sportier one for the SE and Advance. This split is no more – now, all Axia variants share the same face, with trim differences.
The outgoing Axia range had four trim levels (E, G, SE, Advance) and two of those (G and SE) had manual or auto options (base E was MT only, top Advance was AT only). In the 2019 Axia range, Perodua has added two new variants, and deleted the manual option for the SE, which means that other than the kosong E, all Axias come with a four-speed automatic. The new range reads E, G, GXtra (new), Style (new) SE and Advance.
Like before, the 5MT and 4AT are paired with a 1.0 litre three-cylinder engine. The 1KR-VE VVT-i engine makes 67 hp and 91 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm. Claimed FC is unchanged – 22.5 km/l for the MT and 21.6 km/l for the AT. The SUV-styled Style variant is rated lower at 20.8 km/l, likely due to a combination of extra weight, bigger tyres and less smooth airflow.
First seen on the Myvi and then the Aruz (in 2.0 form), P2’s ASA safety suite includes Pre-Collision Warning (PCW), Pre-Collision Braking (PCB), Front Departure Alert (FDA) and Pedal Misoperation Control (PMC), all working with the assistance of a stereo camera located at the top of the windscreen. The model’s airbag count remains at two, and the Axia’s four-star ASEAN NCAP rating is maintained, but the addition of VSC (GXtra onwards) and ASA 2.0 (AV only) is a big deal in this segment.
The Axia Style is Perodua’s take on the SUV-flavoured supermini – think Volkswagen CrossPolo, Hyundai i20 Active and Honda WR-V. Merely accessorised in SUV fashion, the Axia Style has no extra off-road ability than the standard car.
Like those global B-segment examples, the Style wears SUV-style black plastic cladding around the lower body, with silver painted sections at the lower front and rear bumpers that mimic skid plates. Adding to the desired effect are black roof rails, although they’re merely decorative and can’t be used to mount a roof box.
The Style’s front end is slightly different from the rest of the range, thanks to black carbon-textured stickers around the “mouth” and a unique grille insert. The Sunrise Orange colour is exclusive to the Style and so are clear lens tail lamps, previously found on SE and Advance trim levels.
The Style also stands taller than other Axias, by 15 mm to be exact. This added height is not because of raised suspension, but is only from the 15-inch two-tone alloys (an inch up from other variants) and thicker tyres combo, plus the roof rails. The result of this is slightly compromised fuel economy: 20.8 km/l vs the standard automatic car’s 21.6 km/l. Inside, the Axia Style gets unique black “denim” fabric for the seats, which also have a “fish scales” pattern and contrast stitching.
On-the-road (without insurance, Pen Malaysia; add RM2k for East Malaysia) prices for the 2019 Perodua Axia are:
- Axia Standard E – RM24,090
- Axia Standard G – RM33,490
- Axia GXtra – RM34,990
- Axia Style – RM38,890
- Axia SE – RM38,890
- Axia Advance – RM43,190
To see the new bits, and which variant gets what, check out the walk-around video above and our launch report, as well as a spec-by-spec comparison in point form. To compare the latest Axia with price rivals such as the recently revamped Proton Saga, do so at CarBase.my.
Source: Read Full Article