The 2019 Perodua Axia has been officially launched.
The revamped bestseller was unveiled at Perodua Sentral this morning after the
original stage – the MYPerodua Nation carnival that was supposed to be happen
this weekend in Setia Alam.
Perodua opened order books for the 2019 Axia last
month, and revealed full specifications and estimated prices along with it,
although no official images were released. We can now confirm that the prices
are final – Malaysia’s most affordable car is priced from RM 24,090 for the
“driving school spec” Standard E to RM 43,190 for the range topping Advance with
all the bells and whistles. More on the new goodies later.
The Viva-replacing Axia has been with us since
September 2014, and it received a midlife facelift in January 2017. 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 new SUV-inspired Style variant is rated lower at 20.8
km/l, likely due to a combination of extra weight, bigger tyres and less smooth
airflow (more on this later). The Axia is an Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV). We move on to equipment. Like
before, all variants above the E come with ABS and EBD, but Vehicle Stability
Control (VSC) makes its debut in the 2019 Axia. The active safety system, and
P2’s anti-theft bag hook are available from the GXtra up. That’s very welcome,
but the big news here is the introduction of the Advanced Safety Assist (ASA)
2.0 safety pack on the range topping Axia Advance.
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 and ASA 2.0
is a big deal in this segment. Away from safety kit, the G spec gets two speakers, electric side mirrors,
and 14-inch alloys. For many, the GXtra is where it really starts – besides the
above-mentioned VSC and anti-snatch bag hook, it adds on rear parking sensors,
driver’s seat height adjustment, and two rear speakers (for four in total).
Going for the SE will no longer get
you a unique face, but it’s still the “sporty” variant in the range thanks to
chrome trim on the front grille, plus skirting on the front bumper and sides
with red accents. Other SE-onwards equipment include safety and solar window tint,
front parking sensors, electric folding door mirrors, and keyless entry with
push-button start. Like before, the top Advance is based on the SE, but it adds
on ASA 2.0 and a touchscreen head unit with reverse camera.
VSC and ASA aside, the big surprise is the new Axia
Style variant, which gets SUV-inspired looks – think Volkswagen CrossPolo,
Hyundai i20 Active and Honda WR-V. Merely dressed up in SUV fashion, the Axia
Style has no extra off-road ability than the standard car, and P2 has steered
clear of any SUV connotations with the variant name. 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”,
giving it a face that reminds us of the previous-gen blue-coloured Myvi SE.
There’s also a unique dotted grille insert and an exclusive Style colour –
Sunrise Orange. Clear tail lamps are standard from the Style onwards. 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 is unchanged save for unique
black “denim” fabric for the seats, which have a “fish scale” pattern and
contrast stitching. The Style is actually not the range topper, and aside from
its unique “SUV bits” equipment count is largely similar to the GXtra, but with
the addition of keyless entry and push start. A white illuminated meter panel
is standard from the Style onwards. As for colours, the E is only
available in Ivory White, while the rest of the range can be had in Ivory
White, Glittering Silver, Midnight Blue and Lava Red. The latter red is not
available for the G (only three options) and Style, but for the latter it’s
replaced by the variant exclusive Sunrise Orange (four options).
As usual, the warranty is for five years or 150,000
km, whichever comes first. Lastly, pricing and the spec breakdown in point
form. On-the-road (without insurance, Pen Malaysia; add RM 2k for East Malaysia)
prices for the 2019 Axia are:
- Axia Standard E – RM 24,090
- Axia Standard G – RM 33,490
- Axia GXtra – RM 34,990
- Axia Style – RM 38,890
- Axia SE – RM 38,890
- Axia Advance – RM 43,190
