The term “game changer” has been thrown around rather liberally these days, although more often than not, the cars carrying the label have failed to shake up the segment.
The Kia Optima K5 facelift was branded as such in Malaysia, and we’ve seen the phrase repeated in the local review blitz of the Volkswagen Vento. While certain elements are standout – the design of the K5 and the sophisticated drivetrain of the Polo Sedan facelift, for instance – the segment leaders have been untroubled. While the tenth-generation Civic has revitalised the fading C-segment, it’s a relatively small game in the tournament.
NOTE: We are not allowed to show full images of the car’s exterior, hence the cropped pics.
Here’s something that I feel is a true game changer, a car that will not just sell in huge numbers, but alter the status quo in Malaysian budget motoring. It gets no bigger than this – Malaysia’s market leader for the past decade has been quietly planning a sedan, and it is now here. Ladies and gentlemen, the Perodua Bezza.
The battle lines are being redrawn. For the longest time, first car buyers and those looking for a budget hatchback turn to Perodua. While the Rawang-based company has defied common perception that “Malaysians don’t like hatchbacks” (truth is, any car that’s reliable and offers good value will sell), there are many who like a boot.
While hatchbacks have great carrying capacity, an extended backside serves balik kampung and shopping trips very well, and for small and growing families, that’s vital. They turn to Proton, which has the Saga, Persona and Preve sedans for different budgets. Those doing better aim for the Honda City, Toyota Vios and its kind. They now have a new option.
Mid last month, we were given an exclusive opportunity to preview the new Perodua Bezza sedan at the company’s Sungai Choh headquarters. The session included stretching the D63D’s legs at P2’s new test track, which is a combo of high speed straights and “real world” challenges such as a hill meant to simulate the North-South Highway’s Gua Tempurung stretch just before Ipoh.
The sampling session was much anticipated by this writer, more than the usual pre-launch test drive. Partly because of the significance of this new model, partly because I was the first person outside the company to see the car naked (two other industry colleagues would do so in the same week), but also because unlike the other national car company, Perodua had up until that point successfully managed to keep its baby away from prying eyes. I had no idea what to expect.
After getting through layers of security, I was greeted by Perodua R&D head Albert Ngu and his team, who must had had the feeling of proud new parents when they unclothed the D63D. The name ‘Bezza’ (taken from the KLIMS 2010 concept car) and the price of the car were the only details withheld (note the covered boot badge) as I laid eyes and hands on P2’s secret new model.
Now, the Bezza isn’t a pretty car. That’s because sedans based on small hatchbacks usually aren’t lookers. Compact dimensions, which isn’t a problem with a bootless car, don’t allow for nice sedan proportions, which is why most end up tall and narrow. Probably the toughest sort of car to design, I’d imagine.
Take this fact into consideration, and the many awkward looking small sedans that have come before (Honda City, Suzuki SX4 Sedan, Ford Fiesta Sedan), and Perodua would have done a great job with the Bezza. It’s no Axia with a boot jutting out either, unlike the upcoming “Iriz Sedan” new Persona. Not bad for a bunch of “bumper designers” eh?
That’s a common jibe directed at P2, but the company has been given design responsibilities by Daihatsu for some time now, and this sedan is a 100% original, designed in Rawang for Malaysia (Ngu says that it’s “export ready” with a smile, without elaborating). Looks a little undertyred with 14-inch rubber and tall sides, but for a first attempt at a car with a boot, we think it’s a highly commendable effort. What do you think?
There’s a bit of Toyota Corolla Altis in the headlamp-grille relationship, and the fuss-free rear is not a world away from the Japanese Corolla Axio and local Vios. Simple design for a simple car, the way it should be, IMHO. Toyota, which now fully owns Daihatsu, Perodua’s Japanese partner, probably wouldn’t mind the design references.
Things are livened up by some jewellery. The rear lamp clusters remind us of the previous-gen Civic FB’s, and have LED bars, Korean-style, which is a step up from the dotted LEDs P2 has been using since the original Myvi. No projector headlamps, though.
Tiny fins on the A pillars and edge of the tail lamps help improve aerodynamics, which at 0.286 Cd (P2’s most slippery car ever), is a main contributor to the Bezza’s outstanding fuel efficiency. Unseen is a flat floor, which smoothens air flow, a P2 first. Also new for Perodua are the badges on the bootlid, which hint at the new tech within. How about “Dual VVT-i” and “Eco Idle” auto start stop?
The sedan sits on the Axia’s platform, which means that early speculation of a “Myvi Sedan” were off the mark. The Axia’s 2,455 mm wheelbase has been retained, but the longer front overhang and addition of a boot means the sedan is 510 mm longer than the hatch. Same 1,620 mm width and 1,500 mm height, but there are no shared body panels with the Axia.
“How does it compare to the Proton Saga?” will be the common question. The Perodua’s footprint is quite a bit smaller than the Proton’s. It’s 128 mm shorter, 60 mm slimmer and 20 mm less tall, with a wheelbase that’s 10 mm less.
But one can counter dimensions with better packaging, and that’s what Perodua has done. Despite the length and wheelbase deficit, the D63D has 32 mm better tandem distance (the distance between the front and rear passengers) than the Saga. P2’s measuring tapes also put the Bezza’s TD higher than the Vios’ by 3 mm. Rear headroom is the same as the Axia, which means it while it should be adequate for most, there’s no Myvi-style abundant headroom here.
Choosing this over an Axia or Myvi will most likely mean that one has a family, so a big boot is one of the main selling points. At 508 litres, the Perodua sedan’s boot is almost 100 litres bigger than the Saga’s (413 litres), and that’s with a full-size spare wheel. 508L is also two litres more than the the Bezza’s abang, the Toyota Vios.
Another benefit here is the 60:40 split folding rear seats, which is not a given feature for sedans. Although the seat backs don’t fold fully flat, there’s a trunk through function and the front passenger seat back can be fully reclined to accommodate very long items. The driver’s seat can do this too, in the “Relax Mode”. While it’s not a Honda Jazz with flip-up rear bench, the Bezza is very flexible in this department for a sedan.
Space and packaging will be a big unique selling point for the Bezza, but showroom appeal is very high too, thanks to some features that one simply does not expect from a Perodua. Keyless entry with a push start button is a first for the brand, as is Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Hill Start Assist, all available in the top 1.3 Advance variant.
Also available is a touchscreen double-DIN head unit with Mirror Link, or “Smart Link” as Perodua calls it. Link the HU to your smartphone and apps such as Waze and Google Maps will be displayed on the screen. Bluetooth music streaming is available alongside call functions. Kids are loaded with gadgets these days, and a USB port (5V/2A) located for at the tail end of the centre console would be useful for those at the back.
I had the opportunity to sample three Bezza variants – the base Standard G 1.0L MT, the Standard G 1.0L AT and the range topping Advance 1.3L AT – all still in camouflage. Between the Standard G 1.0L and auto-only Advance lies the Premium X 1.3L MT and AT, which gets the Dual-VVT-i motor and some of the Advance’s kit. There are five variants in total.
- Standard G 1.0L MT
- Standard G 1.0L AT
- Premium X 1.3L MT
- Premium X 1.3L AT
- Advance 1.3L AT
The high dashboard – while unadventurous in design – is inoffensive, neatly arranged and user friendly. Compared to the cockpits of the Axia and Myvi, this one has a more straight-cut look and serious feel to it, which I think will age well over the years.
The 1.0L variant has its place in the line-up, though. Think of it as an Axia alternative for those who are attracted to Malaysia’s cheapest and most popular car, but need more space for a growing family. An extra few thousand ringgit over seven years buys one a huge boot, an improved engine and better fuel consumption – that would be strong value for some, we can imagine.
Those opting for the Bezza over P2’s hatchbacks are likely to have a family (or preparing for one) and safety should rightly be a main concern. The proof is in the crash testing, and five ASEAN NCAP stars for the Advance, which has VSC, and four stars for the rest is a good result. A safe car need not be a heavy car.
The Perodua Bezza is making its debut in interesting times, with Proton readying not one, but two compact sedans in the form of the revised Saga and Iriz-based Persona. Forget about the Perdana vanity project, the upcoming two sedans are the do-or-die models that will determine Proton’s future, and if the market votes for the Bezza…
Its cars are not perfect, but no one knows what Malaysians want in a car more than Perodua. With the impressive new Bezza, it’s entering the budget sedan segment that Proton has so far enjoyed to itself, unchallenged. This car will sell in huge numbers, this car will alter the status quo, this car is a true game changer.
Credit: paultan.org
