Perodua Aruz: Is it worth buying?

We have spoken enough about SUVs becoming a rage on a global level. While other body styles are also co-existing, SUVs today occupy a large chunk of the pie, and the segment continues to swell in size.

Perodua, one of the prominent auto giants from the home turf, rolled out its stellar model, Aruz at the beginning of the year. It set the cash registers ringing since then, and the monthly numbers speak volumes about the SUV. And while new entrants are filling up space, and niche models continue to spread their charm, we dig out more about Perodua Aruz and find out if it is worth buying or not.

How is the design of the new Perodua Aruz?

Before we begin, let us first have a look at the proportions

Length	4,435 mm
Width	1,695 mm
Height	1,705 mm
Wheelbase	2,685 mm
Cargo space	213-litre

Designed on the Malaysian oriented tenet, the talking point on the Aruz is the multi-slat grille in front with silver and black accents. It is flanked by LED-equipped headlamps that come with the follow-me-home feature as standard. The higher variants benefit from automatic units and fog lamps. At the side, there are large 17-inch alloy wheels and wing mirrors with power-adjusting function. The roof-rails atop add to the sporty flair. Use of elements such as the split tail-lamps, black trim on the tail-gate, skid plates and silver garnished number plate make the rear equally alluring as the front. Hence, it scores high on visual terms.

Here are the exterior features at a glance-

• Chrome & glossy black finished radiator grille
• Silver diffuser
• Front fog lamps
• Power wing mirrors with folding function
• LED headlamps with follow me home function
• LED rear combination tail-lamps
• Rear spoiler
• Roof rails
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Sharp creases

What’s on the inside of the Perodua Aruz?

Step inside to be greeted by a premium cabin that has been carefully crafted to ensure sheer comfort for the occupants. The fit, finish and material quality are top-notch. And there is generous space to seat seven passengers (including the driver). The ingress and egress in the second and third row is easy, offering hassle-free access to the rear passengers. Speaking in terms of styling, the dashboard looks modish with contemporary touches inside further notching up the upmarket quotient. Features inside have been placed ergonomically that makes it a practical cabin.

As for the interior features, the list is given below

• White illumination with chrome ring on the meter ring
• Fabric seats for base variants
• Leather seat covers for higher variants
• Smart information cluster for driver with MID
• Multi-function steering wheel with tilt function
• Chrome accents on doors (higher variants)
• Piano black coverage on the dashboard

What lies under the hood?

Engine	1.5-litre 2NR-VE VVT-I petrol
Power	105 PS at 6,000 rpm
Torque	133 Nm at 4,200 rpm
Transmission	Four-speed automatic
Mileage	15.6 km/l

The Perodua Aruz specs include a single 1.5-litre, four-cylinder DOHC engine paired to an automatic gearbox. This unit comes with an Eco idle automatic engine start/stop system that helps improve fuel economy.

As for performance, the engine is engineered well to handle daily driving and tackle the rough roads without making much fuss. Built on the ladder chassis, it features an efficient suspension set-up which absorbs all the adulations with ease.

Perodua Aruz price

Perodua Aruz 1.5X	RM 72,900
Perodua Aruz 1.5AV	RM 77,900

The Perodua Aruz is available in just two variants-X and AV with a single petrol engine paired to an automatic gearbox. The difference in cost between the base and top-spec variants is RM 5,000.

Additional features available with the top-spec variants are listed below-

• Front fog lamps
• Headlamps with auto-on levelling
• Roof-rail
• Leather seats
• Multi-media system with navigation
• Smart Link
• Android Auto
• Advanced safety assist
• Integrated driving video recorder

Perodua Aruz feature list

Perodua has packed the stunning SUV with advanced comfort and connectivity tech. Some of the prominent bits are mentioned below -

• Electric power steering
• Foldable second-row seats with one-touch & slidable function
• Separated and foldable third row
• Digital audio system with Bluetooth
• Smart entry & push start/stop button
• Two USB port
• Two 12V power socket
• Digital AC
• Manual rear AC vents

Safety Suite

Safety is paramount and Aruz brims with a bunch of advanced safety tech. The standard kit comprises of the following features -

• Six airbags (front, side & curtain)
• Anti-lock-braking system
• Electronic brakeforce distribution
• Brake assist
• Vehicle stability control
• Traction control
• Emergency stop signal
• Hill-start assist
• Reverse camera
• ISOFIX system with top tether
• Solar and security window film

Advanced safety assist 2.0 and integrated driving video recorder are two additional features are reserved for the top-spec AV grade. Moreover, it was awarded a five-star rating in the crash test conducted by ASEAN NCAP which makes it one of the safest vehicles in its category.

Verdict

With most of the right boxes ticked, the Perodua Aruz is one of the best options in the seven-seater family SUV space. It looks sharp and has a spacious interior with ergonomically placed features that enhance the utility quotient. Not to forget the long list of comfort and connectivity bits, though the Apple CarPlay is missing; it comes with Android Auto and Smart link, etc. Besides, the 5-star rating in the ASEAN NCAP test testifies that it’s shielded well with a comprehensive safety kit. Also, the 1.5L engine offers a satisfactory performance, which adds more brownie points to it. Overall, the Perodua Aruz is a great model in the three-row segment and worth spending your hard-earned money. So, if you are planning to buy a seven-seater SUV, this one won't disappoint you.

Also Read: Perodua Aruz becomes 10th most searched keyword on Google Malaysia