The Perodua Ativa has been unveiled.... officially. Well, the official reveal via the internet (due to the pandemic lockdowns) was done but there have been many photo leaks, many of which were of the actual car, so this could be the first time Perodua's internal security measures to protect its launch product was severely compromised. On a large scale that is. Of course, the compact crossover/SUV is indeed a good looking car for the price, and the price is a large part of what will make this the most popular small SUV in the market. Their local competitor(s) would need to watch out as the final prices range from RM61,500 to RM72,000 on the road before insurance in Peninsular Malaysia.
The said prices supersede the estimated RM62,500 to RM73,400 announced earlier, and are valid until the government’s sales tax exemption expires on 30 June. This was all announced at the virtual event which was something good as it was short and sweet. Online launches need to be short and sweet like this as most of them are pre-recorded stuff and you know there is nothing actually special.
Back to the Ativa....
Perodua has stated that they have received 5,000 booking for the Ativa since the order books were opened on 19 February 2021. Perodua will start deliveries today and also plan to deliver about 3,000 units a month.
The Ativa is also the highest local content car ever made to date with a 95% localisation rate where even the engine and transmission are made locally. The car is a product of Perodua's push to improve the whole Malaysian vendor and supplier chain from the looks of it. With the introduction of the Ativa, Perodua expects to buy a total of RM6.5 billion worth of components from Malaysian suppliers this year.
According to Perodua President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad Perodua Ativa is the result of the first truly smart partnership between Perodua and its technical and technology partner Daihatsu.
“The Perodua Ativa was developed on a global platform as Perodua and Daihatsu pooled resources to offer the most competitive model we can produce,” said Dato’ Zainal.
The Perodua Ativa’s introduction is significant as it brings Perodua’s collaboration with Daihatsu to a new level and allows Perodua and its suppliers to commonise components and processes for maximum cost efficiency. Of course, the Ativa is based on the Daihatsu Rocky but it does feature local touches added by Perodua to cater to Malaysian (and regional) tastes.
“This was all done without sacrificing our unique Malaysian design, features and tastes. Our involvement with the Ativa began from the drawing board – 54 of our designers and engineers worked with Daihatsu on this model since 2018. This close collaboration allowed us to include the Malaysian automotive ecosystem in the development of this model, and the suppliers rose to the challenge and were able to reduce their costs,” Dato’ Zainal added.
On the name of the new Perodua, Dato’ Zainal said: “Ativa is Portuguese for ‘active’, and we believe that a test drive is all one needs to be convinced that the Perodua Ativa is the perfect companion for the urban, active lifestyles most of us live today.”
Now before some hardcore Malaysian who are actually so stubborn to accept anything other than the Malay language, who are not global enough to think that any car's name needs to be global and have a name that may sound like a whale's genitals in another language, Ativa is very apt. Just like why Motoring Malaysia blogs (and vlogs) in English rather than Malay as it is for a global audience rather than just regional. So I agree wholeheartedly with the name, 'Ativa'.
Another notable point is that the Ativa is Perodua’s first turbocharged vehicle. It is also the first to use a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and also the company's first to satisfy Autonomous Driving Level 2 standards. All of this is besides being the most affordable vehicle in Malaysia to do so. According to Perodua, these technologies contribute to a class-leading rated fuel efficiency of 18.9 km/l, making it Perodua’s fifth Energy-Efficient Vehicle (EEV).
Speaking on the Autonomous Level 2 standards, the Perodua Ativa get the Advanced Safety Assist (ASA*) 3.0, which is standard across the range for the first time. ASA 3.0 works at higher speeds (up to120 km/h for vehicles, up to 60 km/h for pedestrians) versus the current ASA 2.0, and can now detect two-wheeled vehicles as well as function at night.
Also on all variants are six airbags, automatic LED headlamps with Auto High Beam, plus Lane Departure Warning and Prevention. H and AV variants get Adaptive Driving Beam, a seven-inch TFT multi-info display and a nine-inch touch-screen infotainment system with voice recognition, while the top AV exclusively gets Lane Keep Control, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control.
“We invite all Malaysians to our sales outlets nationwide – where strict COVID-19 guidelines are in place for the health and safety of all – to see, feel and test drive the Perodua Ativa ahead of the government’s sales tax exemption expiry in end-June,” said Dato’ Zainal.
Perodua Ativa final prices, on-the-road before insurance (P. Malaysia)
X Metallic colours: Glittering Silver/Granite Grey/Cobalt Blue RM61,500
H Metallic colours: Glittering Silver/Granite Grey/Cobalt Blue RM66,100
H Special Metallic colours: Pearl Diamond White/Pearl Delima Red RM66,600
AV Metallic colours: Glittering Silver/Granite Grey RM71,200
AV Special Metallic colours: Pearl Diamond White/Pearl Delima Red RM71,700
AV Two-tone Special Metallic colours: Pearl Diamond White/Pearl Delima Red RM72,000
So I think Perodua has hit the G spot in terms of what the Ativa is. It has good looks - it is what a SUV should look like. Chunky squared off lines make the Ativa look strong and tough. It may not have super off-road capabilities (as it isn't all-wheel drive or has fully lockable diffs or a low/high transmission) but it looks its part for the price offered. This is an urban crossover vehicle for lifestyle proponents. It will allow you to curb hop if the need arises, or wade through flash flooded areas in the cities of a certain height (this usually happens in and around large cities or towns in Malaysia as drainage has not kept up with development) and it will be able to carry around a lot of small bits of sporting goods and furniture. It will also look good for that family who wants a modern and safe car to transport them around at that price.
The pricing of the Ativa undercuts or is priced only a tad bit higher than many cars in various categories like even Perodua's own Myvi hatchback and Aruz 7 seater SUV. But it fills a niche for Perodua's own customers. As for competitors, well, good luck to you till your next round of products or refreshes.
Ativa with GearUp bodykit option
*ASA is a driver assistance system that helps to reduce the risk of collisions and is by no means a substitute for safe driving. Always be alert and cautious behind the wheel.
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