Perodua Bezza : What You Need To Know
There has been a lot of buzz on Perodua’s latest offering and rightly so; it is the local carmaker’s first sedan (their core is hatchbacks, if you didn’t notice). And by now, you would have read various articles about it and perhaps even see it at the showroom (and maybe even booked one). The Bezza buzz was so strong that Perodua received over 4,000 bookings before its official launch last Thursday evening (21 July).
But if you can’t enough of reading about the Bezza or haven’t seen it yet, here’s a summary of the car in as few words as possible:
It’s Local
Although based on the Perodua Axia / Daihatsu Ayla platform, it’s primarily designed by a team of Malaysians with the support of Perodua’s technical partner, Daihatsu Motor Co. The 1.0-litre 1KR-VE with VVT-i and 1.3-litre 1NR-VE with Dual VVT-i are new to Perodua’s line-up and although are from the Toyota/Daihatsu family, are produced locally at Perodua’s engine facilities.
Local content in the Bezza add up to 95% of the car.
It’s Practical
As 4-door sedans should be. The Axia hatchback already makes good use of interior space and the Bezza continues this. The 60:40 folding rear seats offer cabin versatility and the class-leading 508 litres of boot space adds to that. The front seats also recline flat for a +1 lounge mode when the car is stationary. Tandem (front-back hip-to-hip) distance is 910 mm gives passengers plenty of space.
The car also comes with multiple storage compartments, cup holders and even a handy handphone slot and USB charging port at the rear of the centre console (in the 1.3 variants only). There is also an anti-snatch hook placed on the right side of the front passenger seatback which is perfect for hanging handbags or manbags.
It’s Affordable
Prices start at RM 37,300 for the 1.0 Standard G MT (5-speed manual), RM 39,300 for 1.0 Standard G AT (4-speed auto), RM 42,800 for 1.3 Premium X MT, RM 44,800 for 1.3 Premium X AT and RM 50,800 for 1.3 Advance AT (on-the-road including insurance).
The Bezza comes with Perodua’s 5-year or 150,000 km warranty. Maintenance is scheduled for every 10,000 km (or 6-month interval).
It’s Frugal
Certified as an EEV (Energy Efficient Vehicle), the Bezza is equipped with engines designed with reduced friction and improved consumption. The 1.0-litre engine produces 50 kW and 91 Nm and features a high-tumble intake port which increases intake air tumble flow via a funnel-shaped intake port to improve combustion efficiency and increase power. Micro-spray injectors are used to optimize fuel combustion. A longer intake manifold also compensates for the engine’s reduced power when on eco mode.
The 1.3-litre engine has an output of 70 kW and 121 Nm. It’s designed with such features as intake and exhaust Dual VVT-i, larger water jackets for cooling and combustion efficiency and Teflon-coated pistons for durability and friction reduction.
Perodua claims the 1.0-litre engine can travel 22.8 km/l (manual) and 21.3 km/l (auto) while the 1.3-litre can do 21.7 km/l and 21 km/l. The 1.3-litre Advance which comes with Eco Idle (auto start-stop) and regenerative braking (energy recovery from deceleration to charge the battery) boasts a fuel economy of 22 km/l.
A big factor to these fuel economy figures is the weight of the car (from 865 kg for 1.0-litre manual to 930 kg for 1.3-litre Advance); high tensile steel (without sacrificing rigidity), low coefficient of drag (0.286), under-floor covers and low rolling resistance tyres (175/65 R14 tyres – Bridgestone Ecopia for 1.3 and Silverstone Kruizer for 1.0) contribute to efficiency.
It’s Equipped
The Bezza is fitted with features normally found in higher priced cars – headlamps with auto-off function, shopping hooks, ISOFIX system, speed-sensing wipers, 2 airbags, ABS with EBD, front seat height adjuster, one-touch power windows with jam protection, front sensors, smart key and keyless entry and push button start/stop. With the exception of the first 6 features listed, the rest are only found in the 1.3 variants.
The range-topping 1.3 Advance adds Brake Assist, Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Control (which helped it get 5-star ASEAN NCAP rating; the others get 4 stars), Hill Start Assist, Eco Idle, retractable wing mirrors, reverse camera, multimedia system with navigation and smartphone link (Android OS only).
