The Toyota Veloz costs RM95,000. That’s RM15,000 more than the almost 90% similar Perodua Alza. Is it worth the premium? We found out when we tested the Veloz immediately after reviewing the Perodua Alza.
What’s the difference?
The two striking feature thats different is the rim size and the availability of Wireless Apple Carplay. But does that justify an almost 20% increase in monthly repayment?
How does the changes affect the car? First and most notably the ride and handling of the Veloz is significantly different compared to the Alza. The bigger and wider wheels and tyres does a great job at absorbing alot of the road bumps that you otherwise will feel in the Alza. This made the ride experience significantly better than the Alza.
We experienced the Alza on the Kuala Klawang route during our Sahur Drive. But during our Waterfall Ride event, the Veloz functioned as the backup / supplies car. The Veloz had no problem keeping up with the bikes on the fabled Kuala Klawang stretch.
The next feature that the Veloz has compared to the Alza is wireless Apple CarPlay. This is a feature reserved for more dearer priced cars, and its available for the Veloz which is priced under RM100,000. The connectivity itself is quick and stable, and the 9 inch screen which is a full inch bigger than the screen you get in a HR-V allows for easy viewing of the various apps.
Other differences
The interior trim allegedly is more premium than that in the Perodua, but we feel its not too dissimilar. Both cars have relatively well made interiors and both have well laid out cup holders (except one) and a versatile interior that help accommodate 5 adults and a whole lot of cargo, or 7 adults in relatively comfort.
The consumption figures are not that dissimilar. Likewise the powertrain response. But the biggest difference is the Toyota vs Perodua badge. Plus the service network that will be supporting your Veloz is of Toyota and not Perodua.
In Conclusion
We feel the difference between these two cars are like the Lexus RX and the Toyota Harrier. Both cars are about the same in terms of their hardware, but one carries a more upmarket badging. It literally comes down to how much you want the Toyota Badge and the difference in ride comfort. Plus the absurd waiting period for a Perodua.