Perodua Aruz: Hits & misses

Perodua, the domestic vehicle manufacturer, recently launched the Aruz in the country and took the 7-seater SUV segment by a storm. Perodua has been working on this affordable 7-seater for quite some time now.

The launch of the Aruz became conspicuous when Perodua started releasing teasers of the same. Now since the Aruz is here, let’s see what Perodua has managed to hit and what did it miss with its latest offering.

Perodua Aruz Hits

 

Safety features

This has to be the biggest hit of the Perodua Aruz as the automaker has done a really great job in this department. The Aruz specs reveal that the SUV comes with 6-airbags as standard. This is really commendable of Perodua. Airbags are among the most basic safety features that a car should have.

Apart from 6 airbags, there are other advanced safety features in the Aruz that makes it a very safe place to be in. These safety features include Hill-start Assist, ABS with EBD and BA, traction control, vehicle stability control, and Advanced Safety Assist (A.S.A) 2.0 On top of all these features, the Perodua Aruz has received a 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating. This title itself will give many people a peace of mind.

Powerful and fuel efficient engine

Powering the all-new Perodua Aruz is a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine. It is the same engine that we’ve seen in the Perodua Myvi. It has been tuned to churn out a max power of 105 PS at 6000 rpm and it produces a peak torque of 136 Nm at 4200 rpm.

The transmission is a 4-speed automatic gearbox. Perodua claims that its new Aruz is capable to give a fuel efficiency of 15.6 kmpl when driven with its Eco Idle system.

Spacious interior

The 7-seater Perodua Aruz has got a good amount of space for its occupants. There is ample room for seating three people abreast at the back. However, the last row of seats wouldn’t be sufficient for full-size adults, especially during long journeys. We advise to let them be occupied by kids only.

Rear AC vents

The rear passengers in the Aruz will definitely praise Perodua for providing the rear AC vents. These vents are mounted on the ceiling and would bring relief to the rear passengers by providing conditioned air. And considering how hot the climate is in Malaysia, they are a welcome addition.

Infotainment system with Smart Link

The Aruz comes with a large infotainment system that also supports navigation. And on top of it, there is the Smart Link feature which allows users to connect their smartphone to it and have a more immersive experience. But keep in mind, the Smart Link feature only supports Android devices.

Price

Perodua Aruz price starts at RM 72,900 for the base 1.5X model. This is really a steal deal because at this price you’re getting a 7-seater SUV with a lot of features. And Perodua has kept many of those features available even in the base model. The higher-end 1.5AV model is priced at RM 77,900 and is still a good deal. Perodua has done a commendable job by pricing the Aruz aggressively. This is one of the reasons why the launch of the Aruz caused a stir in the 7-seater SUV segment in the country.

Perodua Aruz Misses

 

Design

The design of the Perodua Aruz is a bag of mixed emotions. It is very much similar to that of the Toyota Rush. While this can be a good aspect for some people, we think that Perodua has played very safely by going ahead with this design.

We would have liked it even more if Perodua had experimented a little bit and come up with a refreshing design which could have lured even more people. We are not saying that the Aruz isn’t good-looking, we’re just saying that it is the same cuisine that is already available at Toyota’s.

No manual gearbox

Today most of the cars are coming with automatic gearboxes and that is the trend too. But the feel of a manual isn’t something that can be replaced. We understand that a large part of the population would want to drive an automatic as it is less tiring and requires less input from the driver, but there are a few who still prefer driving a stick. And they will be disappointed to know that the Perodua Aruz doesn’t come with one even as an option. There is only a single gearbox available and that is the 4-speed automatic unit.

No support for iPhones

We already mentioned in the Hits about Perodua’s infotainment system and its capability of connecting to a smartphone. However, the Smart Link feature is limited to Android users. If you’re an iPhone user, well sorry, you can’t connect your latest iPhone to Perodua’s latest SUV.

These were the hits and misses of the Perodua Aruz. Let us know if there is something that you would want to add.