6 Things We Learnt About The New 2023 Perodua Axia D74A

If you follow our Social Media pages of late, you’d know by now that the CariCarz.com Editorial team had the opportunity to take part in an early preview and test-drive of the upcoming new generation Perodua Axia earlier this week.

Much hype surrounds Perodua’s upcoming new and somewhat still affordable supermini hatchback since bookings were opened. Well, having seen it in the flesh and test-drove it too, albeit briefly, we can safely say that the hype surrounding it isn’t unwarranted.

While we cannot reveal the car, plus a few other details, in full yet due to an on-going embargo, there was still plenty to note, especially from our brief 10-minute test-drive stint. In short, if you happen to be a keen prospect, then here are 6 key facts you ought to know about the new Axia ahead of its official debut…

1. It has grown in size, but it remains relatively ‘compact’

As reported prior, the new Axia now rides on the new DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) chassis platform – the same bones as the Ativa crossover and Alza MPV, in fact. With this, a growth spurt was expected and, as we saw first-hand, the new D74A generation model is indeed a much larger car than its predecessor.

While we cannot reveal exact dimensions, we can tell you that this new Axia is indeed taller and wider than its predecessor. The biggest gain here is of course the increased cabin space that comes with it, especially for rear seat passengers as there’s more head- and legroom now. In fact, tall and lanky folks – this writer included – will no longer find said space to be cramped as the outgoing model.

However, don’t let this increase in size intimidate you as the new D74A-gen Axia still remains relatively ‘compact’. Like the outgoing model, most will find the new Axia to be a car that’s easy to park just about anywhere, and we’re also certain that even pint-sized lady drivers will find it easy to manage too.

2. It looks and feels more upmarket, both inside and outside

At the time of writing, Perodua had already teased the new Axia D74A’s front and rear fascias online. What you cannot see from said teaser though is the full three-quarter and side profiles. Having seen it uncovered, what we can tell you is that this is now one supermini that boasts a very modern and up-market look and stance indeed.

We’ll have more on the exterior design as soon as the car officially launches, but it’s evidently clear that the range-topping AV variant will arguably sit as the most stylish one as it gets nice touches such as a full aerokit, all-LED headlights and bumper-mounted DRLs, signal repeaters integrated in the side mirror, and tasty blacked-out accents that contrast well with the model’s new ‘Coral Blue’ signature hue.

The same can be said on board. The base dashboard design looks similar to what’s seen in the Ativa and Alza, boasting a good mix of practical utility with a dash of current design touches and lines. As expected of any car in this price segment, it’s still made of cheap hard plastics, but in the AV variant at least, Perodua has laced key touch points like the steering wheel and door armrests with soft-touch materials.

Whilst on the AV variant still, it’s also worth noting that this is the sole variant that will be primed with both a fully digital 7-inch meter panel display and an interactive 9-inch touschreen head unit – lesser variants get the standard head unit and a semi-analogue instrument panel instead. Adding to that too are other premium features, namely keyless entry and ignition, as well as

What deserves praise here too is the new semi-bucket front seats primed in the SE and AV variants, with the latter boosted with semi-leather upholstery. Indeed, these feel much superior over the seats primed in the outgoing model, and we’re certain it’s one bit that will be welcomed by many prospects. Our only gripe with the cabin thus far lies in the continued absence of telescopic steering adjustment.

3. It has a revised powertrain promising greater efficiency

As reported prior, Perodua has opted to retain the outgoing Axia’s 1KR-VE 1.0-litre (998cc) 3-cyl mill in this new D74A generation model, which will output roughly the same 67 HP and 91 NM as the outgoing model does. However, it will now drive the front wheels not through an archaic 4-speed automatic box, but through Perodua’s latest-gen Dual-Mode CVT (D-CVT) automatic instead.

Perodua says the package has been revised for greater efficiency and smoother driving, the former evident through the model garnering its status as an ‘Energy Efficient Vehicle’ or ‘EEV’ thanks to its claimed fuel economy capability of up to 27.4 KM/litre (3.6 litres/100 KM). This is definitely a significant improvement over the outgoing model which was capable of attaining 21.6 KM/litre (4.6 litres/100 KM).

Besides the switch to D-CVT, much of this new-found frugality also stems from the addition of an idling engine stop-start system – or ‘ECO Idle’, as Perodua puts it. However, take note that this feature, along with the selectable ‘POWER’ drive mode, is offered exclusively in the SE and AV range-topper only.

Whilst we weren’t able to test this heightened efficiency during our brief test-drive, we assume that this level of frugality is indeed attainable in a car of this size and bulk, especially when the ‘Eco’ drive mode is activated. Simply put, the Axia D74A promises to be even more fuel-efficient than before, and this is yet another feat that many will welcome indeed.

4. The AV range-topper will raise the bar for safety in this segment

If we had to pick one avenue where the new Axia D74A shines the brightest, it definitely lies on the safety front. This is where the range-topping variant comes into prime as Perodua has laced it with a bevy of advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features.

Key amongst which are Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind-Spot Monitor (BSM) and warning, not forgetting both Lane-Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane-Keep Assist (LKAS), as well as Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA). All of which forms what Perodua calls its ASA 3.0 suite and, aptly, to see this much autonomy in a car of this size, segment, and proposed price range is unheard of.

By the way, all that also comes on top of 6 airbags lining this range-topper’s cabin, thus making it the safest in the range thus far. As for the lesser grades, they still have plenty to offer on this front too, and the good news here is that Perodua hasn’t skimped anything on this front either – perhaps explaining how the model easily garnered an admirable 4-Star rating by the ASEAN NCAP crash-testing body recently.

5. It drives and handles way better than before now

If you think the new Axia already looks good, then you’ll be glad to know that it drives as well as it looks too. In our short test-drive aboard camouflaged units across the back-roads just outside KLIA, we were able to gauge plenty of the new Axia’s notable driving traits where it felt rather impressive right off the bat.

This is now a much more balanced and taut car than before, and this was telling as we threw it into a few corners. This is still a very light car, but both body roll and rear sway are noticeable less now, whereas the overall ride felt soft and much more supple than before too. The latter is evident in how it soaks up bumps and imperfections littering the back roads we were traversing across in high stride.

The steering, on the other hand, does feel rather muted in terms of feedback, as how most electric units as such typically are. However, it’s very precise and, above all, very light, meaning just about anyone, be they youths, ladies, or even senior citizens, will be able to master the Axia’s driving dynamics easily.

There’s also the improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) suppression levels present to bask in – an area which the outgoing Axia terribly lacked in. Indeed, this will go a long way towards improving both adds to both driver and passenger comforts, the latter especially when paired with the impressively comfortable ride mentioned earlier.

As for performance, things felt rather good here too, though we reckon many will need time to get used to the new D-CVT transmission. When pushed, the three-banger does tend to roar loudly and, typical of CVT-type transmissions, there will be some lag to be felt. Nevertheless, the fact that it operates very smoothly and can deliver unrivalled frugality when driven right are plus points hard to ignore.

Overall, the driving dynamics and road-holding abilities this new Axia D74A possesses will be a welcoming treat, more so given the next fact…

6. It’s costlier now, but it promises to remain relatively ‘affordable’ still

As reported, Perodua has opened bookings for the Axia already, with prices tentatively ranging between RM38,600 and RM49,500. This is especially true with the range-topping AV variant – it will be over RM6,000 more than the model and variant it replaces. However, considering the amount of tech and features, plus all the improvements it’s set to deliver, perhaps this is a somewhat justified figure.

While we won’t see a base manual-transmissioned version of the new Axia D74A just yet, the new G variant will be the most affordable of the range with its tentative starting price tag of RM38,600 – this, in itself, marking a hike of over RM5,000 over its predecessor.

Predictably, this basic-spec variant will not benefit with ADAS features, or any of the premium amenities of the SE and AV, but at the very least Perodua has made it safer than before. It will offer at least two airbags, ABS, EBD and BA braking suite, stability control (VSC), as well as Hill-Start Assist (HSA). Apart from the airbags, the latter three are standard across the board, which is good news too.

Aptly, it’s plain to see that, despite the raised prices, the value-for-money proposition this supermini puts forth towards prospects is very hard to ignore. It certainly has convinced us, but you don’t need to take our word on this given that Perodua has successfully converted almost all outstanding orders for the outgoing Axia for this new generation model.