Perodua Myvi - Know its pros & cons

After winning over a million hearts ever since its launch in 2005, the latest third generation Perodua Myvi is really an upgrade from the outgoing model. Unlike its previous generations, this one is completely built in-house by Malaysians. It is still a 5-door B-segment hatchback, but Perodua has changed a whole lot of stuff on the latest iteration of the Myvi. Here are a few of its pros and cons.

Perodua Myvi Pros

Exterior design and styling -

The latest model of Myvi has been given a significant design improvement when compared to the outgoing model. It looks more mature, modern, and stylish than ever. The sleek and sharp headlights are designed perfectly to suit the front grille. Talking about the headlights, these are now LED reflector units which are much brighter than the halogens, and also consume less energy.

The side view of the Myvi looks proportionate. The presence of nice character lines removes the otherwise plain sight. The side skirts also add to the charm. The rear end gets a tiny roof-mounted spoiler to give a sporty appearance. Overall, the design of the new Perodua Myvi is more aerodynamic in nature.

Good quality interior -

Perodua Myvi is an affordable 5-door B-segment hatch, but as soon as you enter the cabin, it certainly feels much more than that. The leather seats are very comfortable and give the interior a premium feel. The steering wheel is also wrapped in leather and gets a few mounted controls for audio and calls. Behind it is a very nice looking instrument cluster which now gets traditional two dials along with a small MID in the centre.

The dashboard has been tilted slightly towards the driver, which is a nice touch to add to the sportiness of the car. Also, the centre console holds the touchscreen multimedia system which features Smart Link to allow you to connect your smartphone with it.

SmartTAG toll reader -

This a special feature added specifically for the Malaysians. It allows you to put your Touch ‘n Go card into a space located on the right side of the steering wheel. After that, you can check your remaining balance on its small display. It even gives you a reminder tone when your balance goes under RM 10.

Interior and cargo space -

Since the new Myvi has grown a bit in terms of dimensions, the space on the inside has increased too. All the passengers in the Myvi have a good amount of leg and headroom. Also, the cargo space on the new Myvi is of 277 litres, which is 69 litres more than the outgoing model. And after folding the rear seats down, the capacity increases to 800 litres.

Smart safety features -

Just the fact that the new Myvi, whose top-end model costs RM 52,186, gets a 5-star ASEAN NCAP Safety rating is really commendable. This clearly shows the hard work and dedication that Perodua has put into this car. Apart from some of the standard safety features like Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRC), Hill-start Assist (HSA), ABS with EBD, etc., the Myvi also comes with Advanced Safety Assist (ASA).

The ASA has been designed to reduce low space accidents due to inattentive driving. It works with the help of cameras and a few computers and is really a smart safety feature to have at this price point.

Perodua Myvi Cons 

Tail light design -

Perodua worked so hard to make the new Myvi really look a generation ahead from its predecessor, and it succeeded, for most of the part. While the entire car looks fantastic, it’s the design of the tail lights that don’t do justice to the overall styling. The two-piece tail lights just not feel up to the mark when you take the entire car in perspective. This could have been done better.

Less practical storage areas -

Perodua not only changed the way the new Myvi looks from the outside, but there are design changes in the interior as well. One of these changes is the repositioning of the gear lever. The outgoing model had it placed at the lower dashboard which gave space for cup holders and cubby bins between the two front seats. The new model doesn’t get those. There’s only a single compartment to hold keys or smartphones.

4-speed automatic transmission -

The problem with the 4-speed automatic transmission is that it’s a 4-speed unit and not a 5-speed one. This makes it reaching the redline instantly whenever you start driving a bit enthusiastically. It feels like it’s running out of breath very soon. However, if you’re driving in a sane manner, and not pushing the car too much, it works just fine.

To sum it up, the new Perodua Myvi is really a good car and offers much more than you’d expect from a car at this price point. There are many goods and not so many bads about the new Myvi.