Perodua Bezza sedan
Perodua has announced that its new Bezza
sedan will be open for booking at all 181 showrooms across the country from
this Saturday, July 16. The car will go on sale in five variant
forms, the 1.0L Standard G (manual and auto), the 1.3L Premium X (manual and
auto) and the range-topping 1.3 Advance (auto only).
Explaining the name, Perodua president
and CEO Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said that the new car breaks all conventions
when it comes to what is expected from a compact sedan. “The sedan name takes
inspiration from the word Beza in Bahasa Malaysia, which means ‘different’. And
that is exactly what Perodua’s first EEV sedan is – distinctly different,” he
explained.
As for the double ‘Z’ in the name, the
company states that this somewhat resembles the number 22, which subtly alludes
to how long the automaker has been around. The ‘Beyond Compact’ tagline,
meanwhile, is supposed to communicate how the Bezza goes beyond drivers’
expectations of what a Malaysian sedan offers.
Aside from the equipment mentioned in
the earlier stories, the Bezza features kit such as a shark fin antenna, remote
boot release, one-touch power window with jam protection, front and front
corner sensors, a reverse camera and reverse sensors.
A total of six colours will be offered
for the Bezza, with two new metallic shades, Sugar Brown and Ocean Blue, being
available for the 1.3L variants. These join the existing Lava Red, Ebony Black,
Glittering Silver and Solid Ivory White in the exterior colour palette
available for the car.
The Bezza sits on the Axia’s platform,
so it’s not a “Myvi Sedan” as initially anticipated. It measures in at 4,150 mm
long, 1,620 mm wide and 1,510 mm tall, making it 510 mm longer than the Axia,
but similar in width and height. The Axia’s 2,455 mm-long wheelbase remains
unchanged here.
Just for comparison, the Myvi is –
obviously – shorter, but wider and taller, stretching the tape at 3,685 mm
(-465 mm) long, 1,665 mm wide (+45 mm) and 1,570 mm tall (+60 mm), with a 2,440
mm-long wheelbase (-15 mm).
The inevitable comparison with the
Proton Saga cannot be avoided, so here it is – the Proton is a larger car, at
4,278 mm (+128 mm), 1,680 mm (+60 mm) and 1,520 mm (+10 mm), with a slightly
longer wheelbase (2,465 mm, +10 mm).
Three models will be available at point
of launch, a base 1.0 litre Bezza Standard G and two 1.3 litre versions, a
midline Bezza Premium X and range-topping Bezza Advance.
The Standard G and Premium X are
available with five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission options,
while the Advance comes only in four-speed auto form, making for a total of
five variants in the line-up.
Both engines are new to the brand. The
1.0 litre unit seen in the Standard G is a 1KR-VE, which isn’t identical to the
1KR-DE2 seen in the Axia. The new mill features VVT-i variable valve timing
(previously branded as DVVT), a higher compression ratio, reduced friction and
improved combustion.
The revisions have brought output
numbers up slightly – 67 hp at 6,000 rpm and 91 Nm at 4,400 rpm vs the Axia’s
66 hp at 6,000 rpm and 90 Nm at 3,600 rpm.
As for the 1.3 litre unit, the Dual
VVT-i engine is new to the Toyota family and is not the same seen on the Myvi
(K3-VE, 90 hp, 117 Nm). The 1NR-VE – which made its ASEAN debut in the
facelifted Toyota Avanza/Daihatsu Xenia in Indonesia last year – pushes out 94
hp at 6,000 rpm and 121 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm in the Bezza.
Some fuel consumption figures, as touted
by Perodua, and these range from 21 km per litre for the four-speed Premium X
to 22.8 km per litre for the Standard G five-speed manual. The Bezza is said to
be more frugal than the Axia – Perodua says that in 1.0 litre, four-speed auto
form and measured in ECE mode, the Bezza is good for 21.3 km per litre compared
to 20.1 km per litre off the Axia.
Other numbers, concerning kerb weight,
and this ranges from 865 kg for the baseline Standard G 1.0 manual to 930 kg
for the Advance 1.3 auto. As for boot space, the Bezza has 508 litres, nearly
double that of the Axia’s 260 litres (+248 litres); it’s also 95 litres more
than that available on the Proton Saga (413 litres).
All variants are equipped with
dual-airbags, ABS and Isofix child seat mounts. Keyless entry with a push start
button is a first for the brand, and is available on the Premium X and Advance
versions, which also come with a USB port (5V/2A) for rear passengers (located
at the tail end of the centre console).
The Advance also has Vehicle Stability
Control (VSC) as well as Hill Start Assist, which holds the car for two seconds
on an incline after you lift your foot off the brake pedal.
The Bezza also features 60:40 split
folding rear seats, which is not a given feature for sedans. As for in-car
entertainment, the Advance has a touchscreen double-DIN head unit with Mirror
Link, while the Premium and Standard G make do with a more conventional audio
system, with Bluetooth connectivity available on the Premium.
Source : Paultan
