Perodua has finally joined in the SUV game after an absence since the Perodua Nautica. But why should you get excited about this car? Here are 11 things you need to know about the Ativa SUV!
Its bigger than the Myvi, smaller than the X50
The Ativa is longer and taller than the Myvi, with a longer wheelbase and much bigger boot. The Myvi is actually wider by 25mm. The Proton X50 is bigger in almost every dimension significantly, but the Ativa beats it in heigh, with the Perodua gaining 26mm over it. But the Proton gains nearly 300kgs extra over the Perodua. Here’s how their specs stack up.
Its got a turbocharged engine
The biggest news from Perodua. Under the hood is a 3 cylinder, 998cc turbocharged engine. Which puts out 98bhp and 140Nm. Which doesn’t sound like much until you realize the Myvi 1.5 puts out only 137Nm. This engine is going to feel significantly more powerful than the Myvi’s.
Honda City torque at low rpm
Thats because all that 140Nm comes at 2400rpm. Which is fed to the tyres uninterupted thanks to its CVT Gearbox. The City puts out 5 more Nm at over 4000rpm. And the Myvi’s torque comes out at a similar rpm and only has 4 gears to spread it across. Which means you could accelerate faster off traffic lights or up steep slopes compared to the Myvi and City.
Light weight with fuel saving potential
It helps that the heaviest Ativa is only 1035kg. Which is only 20kg’s heavier than the Myvi and 100kg’s lighter than the Honda City. Which is why Perodua claims a consumption of 18.9 km/l. That means RM50 of RON95 (RM2.05 per liter) could allow you to drive 460km.
Bigger boot than X50
Despite being relatively smaller than the Proton X50, its maximum boot space is over 30 liters more than the Proton. Protons luggage space is measured at 330 liters. While the Perodua Ativa clocks at 369 liters.
200mm ground clearence
Perodua is proud of the Ativa’s ground clearance, which sits at 200mm. With portholes, bumps and flash flood threats, a high ground clearance will help give owners peace of mind when behind the wheel.
9 inch infotainment screen
The biggest surprise yet, Perodua has thrown in a 9 inch infotainment screen for the Ativa. That’s bigger than the Honda City, Civic, Corolla Altis and even the Accord and Camry. And these are cars with price tags beyond RM200,000.
Perodua’s version of mirror link
Its called Smart Link and it will display your phones functions on to the infotainment screen. Basically it will mirror the phones display, and the Ativa even comes with voice activation once Smart Link is in use. Therefore you could call out functions on the go. We will have to wait and see how effective it is in usage.
Customizable Digital instrument cluster
The real surprise for the Ativa is the digital instrument cluster. You can select from 4 different preset display’s which presents different driving information in different formats. In one mode you get the same rotating rev counter like you get in some Peugeot and Citroen cars. On top of that, the system can be programmed to remind you of events like anniversaries and birthdays.
Active safety systems including auto braking
The Ativa is a safe car on paper. It has a 5 star ASEAN NCAP rating, its got ISOFIX harneses. But the best part is the Autonomous Driving Level 2 features it has. There’s active lane keep, active cruise control, and even autonomous braking, along with other features. In a car which has a maximum price of RM72,000*. That is very impressive. You need to spend RM103,300 for the Proton X50 to enjoy these features.
Additional tech convenience including Video Recorder
Aside from driving and safety tech, you get a minimum of 2 USB ports and a maximum of 4 USB ports for the Ativa. The top two specs get Adaptive High Beam headlamps, and reverse camera’s. There’s also a HDMI connector and a Digital Video Recorder option too. All in all a pretty impressive kit.
The Perodua Ativa starts from RM61,500 for the X variant and up to RM72,000 for the 2 tone AV variant in Peninsular Malaysia. There are 7 color combos to choose from with optional Gear Up accessories available from Perodua. So far on paper at least the Ativa seems like a strong contender. Its actually creeping closer to the Proton X50 than we expected. However figures and stats only say half the story. The real proof of its worthiness comes when we drive it on the road. What are your thoughts on the Ativa? Share your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for more content about the Ativa on our channels!
*peninsular Malaysia pricing