Perodua Aruz - Buy or skip?

It all started with the 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show, where Perodua showcases the Aruz for the first time around. We know, it certainly wasn’t a proper showcase as the car could only be viewed via a peephole. Anyway, once launched, the Perodua Aruz went on to become one of the best-sellers in the B-segment SUV in Malaysia.

Locking horns with the likes of the Honda BR-V and the Toyota Rush. But to be honest, can the Perodua Aruz actually be a competitor of the Toyota Rush since it is basically the same car with a different badge and a few changes inside-out? Also, Does the Perodua Aruz has it all to be your next or first seven-seater utility vehicle? Let’s find out.

The design

There is not much to talk about how the Perodua Aruz looks, right? Especially because we had already seen the Toyota Rush for long enough before the Aruz came out. The Malaysian-Japanese utility vehicle features a design language that has been carried over from the Toyota Rush and looks fit as a whole, just like the Rush.

There are, however, a few changes that Perodua has made on the exterior of its offering, including new housings for the front fog lamps, a revisited grille, side cladding, and a black-chrome garnish that conjoins the taillamps at the rear. It measures 4435 mm in length, 1695 mm in width, and 1705 mm in height, and features a wheelbase of 2685 mm.

Besides that, features like LED headlamps, rear combination lamps, fog lamps, roof rails, rear spoiler, large 17-inch alloy wheels, shark fin antenna, side stone guard, silver diffuser at both front & rear, and a stylish front grille that flaunts both gloss black and chrome elements provide the Perodua Aruz with quite an attractive appearance that is good enough in 2019.

The cabin & comfort

While the outside of the Perodua Aruz is just fine and does the job for a utility vehicle that is trying to attract customers in 2019, it is not the same situation with the inside of the car. The interior of the Perodua Aruz is best at basic and does the job more often than not, so there won’t be many problems either.

The semi-bucket seats are well-cushioned, and the second-row seat comes with recline, slide, and tumble functions. Since we are talking about seats, the base variant gets fabric upholstery, whereas the other AV model comes equipped with leather upholstery. The dashboard looks good as well, thanks to the chrome accents, and neatly laid out controls.

As for the tech and other creature comforts, the Perodua Aruz gets smart keyless entry, push-button start/stop, digital climate controls, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 4 mid-range speakers & 2 tweeters, Integrated Driving Video Recorder, SmartLink smartphone screen mirroring via HDMI port, tilt and telescopic adjustable multifunction steering wheel, height-adjustable driver’s seat, rear A/C vents, and even a built-in toll reader.

The stuff under the hood

Perodua markets the Aruz quite a lot based on its engine and efficiency. So, it is a 1496cc naturally-aspirated 2NR-VE VVT-i four-cylinder petrol engine that powers the Aruz. Then is a four-speed automatic unit that sends the power to the wheels.

Perodua also markets this mill as an EEV engine and claims a fuel efficiency of a best-in-class 15.6 kmpl. On top of that, this 1.5-litre motor also comes equipped with what the automaker calls the “Eco Idle” system. Finally, the Perodua Aruz specs sheet reads 105 PS of maximum power at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 136 Nm at 4,200 revs.

The safety equipment

How about a 5-start ASEAN NCAP rating to start with? In simplest of the words, the Perodua Aruz is one safe utility vehicle that you can rely on. Not only that, your whole family is going to be pretty safe and secure inside of this Malaysian-Japanese car. The list of safety equipment present on the Perodua Aruz is rather long. It includes six SRS airbags,

Vehicle Stability Control, ABS with EBD and brake assist, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, seat belt reminder for all seats, emergency stop signal, and ISOFIX as standard features. In case you choose the range-topping AV trim, the safety quotient will go further up with the presence of Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 2.0 that includes pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection, front departure alert, pre-collision warking with pedestrian detection, and pedal misoperation control.

The big questions: Buy or skip?

The Perodua Aruz is basically a no-nonsense utility vehicle that sports just about everything that you and your family will ever need. The design is just about right, and the cabin is spacious & comfortable with ample features for an enjoyable ride. Furthermore, the powertrain is capable enough to cater to the demands of both city and highway driving conditions.

At last, numerous standard safety features and the presence of Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 2.0 on the top trim make the experience of owning a Perodua Aruz more than good enough, yes even in 2019. At RM 72,900 for the Aruz 1.5X and RM 77,900 for the Aruz 1.5AV, we believe you’re getting quite a good utility vehicle that’d be a loyal and reliable companion of yours in the long run.

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