The Perodua Ativa has been officially launched in Malaysia. Also announced were the official prices. The Ativa starts at RM 61,500 for the base X variant, going up to RM 66,100 for the mid H. The top AV is yours for RM 71,200, or RM 72,000 if you go for the full two-tone paint option (pearl white/red with black roof). These figures, which are on-the-road excluding insurance, are lower than the estimated price range of RM 62,500 to RM 73,400. Prices include sales tax exemption, which is in place until June 30.

The Ativa is the first model in Perodua’s Transformation 3.0 era, named Perodua Smart Build. In this new era, which focuses on sustainability and globalisation, the Malaysian market leader will work closely with shareholder and technical partner Daihatsu, which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota, the world’s number one carmaker. Seems so but not quite. The Daihatsu Rocky and its Toyota Raize twin were launched in Japan in late 2019. As with most compact models with D and T badges, the compact car specialist develops and builds both models, with a different face for the Toyota. That’s also the case in Indonesia – see the Terios–Rush Low MPVs and the Ayla-Agya LCGCs.

 

The Ativa marks many firsts for Perodua. It’s the market leader’s first model to use the DNGA platform, their first turbocharged engine, and the first one to use a CVT instead of the long-serving conventional 4AT. Like the Rocky, the Ativa is powered by a 1.0 litre downsized turbo engine, the first boosted motor from P2. The DOHC VVT three-cylinder 1KR-VET is essentially a version of the naturally-aspirated 1.0L engine in the Axia and Bezza, with a turbocharger. Outputs are rated at 98 PS at 6,000 rpm and 140 Nm of torque from 2,400 to 4,000 rpm. This is a significant advantage of 30 PS and nearly 50 Nm of torque over the NA 1KR-VE, but crucially, max torque is achieved early in the rev range, much earlier than the Myvi 1.5L’s 136 Nm at 4,200 rpm.

There’s a Power button on the steering wheel that delivers sharper throttle response. Average fuel consumption is 18.9 km/l in the ECE mode. Daihatsu claims 18.6 km/l for the Rocky in the stricter WLTP cycle, so it’s thereabouts. Eco Idle auto start-stop, which Perodua has been offering since the Bezza, is standard for this engine. An equally important cog in the efficiency wheel is the CVT gearbox. Called D-CVT for Dual-Mode CVT, Perodua’s first use of a CVT is also the world’s first split gear CVT system. Basically, D-CVT combines belt drive with a gear drive for improved fuel efficiency, acceleration feel and quietness.

 

Speaking of figures, the Ativa is 4,065 mm long and 1,710 mm wide. The Ativa is actually 70 mm longer than the sub-4m Daihatsu, and 15 mm wider. The Ativa’s lines look more natural. At 1,635 mm, the Perodua is also 15 mm taller than its JDM sister. Also raises the ground clearance to 200 mm. Wheelbase is 2,525 mm. The X rides on 16-inch wheels (205/65, Goodyear Assurance Triplemax 2) while the H and AV get two-tone 17-inch alloys with 205/60 Bridgestone Turanza T005A touring tyres. For instance, the Ativa’s boot space of 369 litres, and Perodua achieves it with a full size spare tyre with matching wheel (space saver for X50). By the way, the tyre jack is under the front passenger seat. Speaking of the boot, the floor has two levels – the “lower ground floor” gives maximum height and capacity, while ground floor gives you 303 litres and a flat loading bay when you fold down the 60:40 rear seats.  The backbenchers have two levels of seat recline and two USB charging ports (H and AV only). The (manual) front seats are the best-shaped ones we’ve seen from Perodua so far, whether wrapped with fabric or the AV’s black-red leather with suede sides (fabric seats on X and H).

 

As with the Myvi, reflector LED headlamps are standard across the range, and the base X variant adds on Auto High Beam. AHB will automatically come on above 30 km/h, or when surroundings are very dark. AHB is very useful and it’s a P2 first, but the mid-spec H and AV feature automatic LED headlamps with Adaptive Driving Beam. Like Audi’s Matrix LED, ADB is a smart auto high beam that “cuts out” oncoming vehicles from the glare when high beam is on, instead of dipping the high beam completely, as AHB does.Sequential turn signals have so far only featured in premium cars. Adaptive High Beam and the fancy turn signals were added. Elsewhere, LED combination tail lamps are standard for all Ativas, while H and AV variants get LED front fog lamps as well. By the way, there are no LED daytime running lights; that’s available as a GearUp option. Another nice feature Perodua brought down to the masses was keyless entry and push start, which was standard across the board in the Myvi and available on the Axia. The keyless entry is a level up in the Ativa; there’s no physical button to press here because the driver’s door handle has an electrostatic sensor – just a touch will do.

Once inside, you won’t miss the large and “floating” 9.0-inch centre touchscreen for the infotainment system. The interface is similar to the Myvi’s system. There’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but Android phone users can hook up their device to the screen via SmartLink phone mirroring (HDMI port). The touchscreen system is packaged with a reverse camera and auto sound levelling. The X variant makes do with a non-touchscreen radio with USB and Bluetooth. The radio looks slightly strange in a dashboard designed for a large floating screen, but that’s the way it is for base models. The base speaker count is four, with two tweeters in the AV taking it to six in total.

 

The Ativa is the first Perodua and model in its price range to offer a digital instrument panel. Sitting on the left of the digital speedometer, the 7.0-inch TFT screen combines a rev counter and the trip computer. There are four designs that you can choose from. The default style is the velodrome-shaped tachometer, but you can change it to a more traditional dial. No temperature gauge, though. The digital meter panel is for the H and AV only; the X gets conventional twin analogue dials. Speaking of the X, the steering wheel is free of buttons except for the lonely Power button, there are minimal silver/chrome/red accents and the wing mirrors are not power retractable.

With all those L2 autonomous features onboard, you’d expect passive safety features to be a given for the Ativa, and you’d be correct. Six airbags (front, side, curtain), ABS, EBD, BA, VSC, Emergency Stop Signal, Hill Hold Assist and Isofix child seat anchors and rear seatbelt reminders (roof-mounted) are all standard from the X. The entry variant has reverse sensors, while the H adds on front sensors and a reverse camera. Go for the AV and they’ll throw in a front dashcam and Llumar security window tint. Safety is the Ativa’s trump card and the now-confirmed five stars from ASEAN NCAP seems like a mere formality.  Even in the colours department, there’s plenty of new. The X and H variants can be had in Glittering Silver, Granite Grey and Cobalt Blue, with the mid-spec H also available in Pearl Diamond White and Pearl Delima Red. The “Special Metallic” pearl colours have a RM500 premium.

To recap, the Perodua Ativa is priced at RM 61,500 for the X, RM 66,100 for the H and RM 71,200 for the AV, all on-the-road excluding insurance, with SST exemption. The SUV tops out at RM 72,000 for the AV with pearl and two-tone paint options. A five-year/150,000 km warranty is part of the package. Perodua said last week that 75% of bookings were for the range topper, and most AV buyers went for the black roof. Looking at how much more the AV provides in specs and features for the premium P2 is charging, it makes the most sense. Since order books opened on February 19, P2 has collected some 5,000 bookings, and it plans to deliver an average of 3,000 units per month.