SEPANG: National car maker Perodua has secured pre-launch bookings of some 3,600 units of the all-new Axia since order-taking started eight days ago on Jan 31.
The compact five-door hatchback, which is expected to be launched next week, is available in four variants of G, X, SE and AV with estimated pricing ranging from RM38,600 and RM49,500.
At a media unveiling and test drive of the new Axia codenamed D74A, Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the new car has been optimised to deliver the best value to its buyers at reasonable pricing.
He said the new model has an improvement in space, comfort, safety and equipment compared with the previous Axia which was launched in 2014.
"We still have an outstanding delivery of 44,000 units of the older Axia which we are urging buyers to switch to the new model," he said.
The assembling of the older Axia model ended last month when the production of the new model commenced.
The company is also expecting to sell 5,700 units of the Axia a month.
Zainal also the company had received more bookings of the high-specification variants of AV and SE compared with the more budget G and X variants.
He said it could be concluded that more Perodua buyers wanted products with more features and higher value.
Perodua has previously released some information on the new model, among them Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and traction control, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Hill Start Assist and traction control for all variants.
For the SE and AV variants, they will be equipped with power mode, LED daytime running lamp (DRL), solar and security film and semi-bucket type seats with detachable headrests.
The top-of-the-line AV variant comes with exclusive features such as a 7-inch TFT (Thin-Film transistor) multi-info display, 9-inch display audio and two-tone semi-leather seats and six airbags.
At the event, we were provided with several camouflaged Axia units for a short drive around Sepang area to sample the new model's performance and ride comfort.
The new Axia has grown in size, making it wider, longer and roomier compared with the generation model that was introduced in 2008.
The front of the Axia bears a strong resemblance to Perodua's current family line-up.
The dashboard layout in the AV variant which we drove is more refined and current, featuring a dark interior with bright metallic inserts along with the large freestanding centre display and an all-electronic instrument panel.
The centre console is also slightly angled towards the driver to mimic a cockpit-like feel.
The semi-leather seats along with the leather steering wheel combination provided a nice tactile feel and a more upmarket appearance.
Perodua says the new Axia's 1.0-litre engine is now mated to a dual mode continuously variable transmission (CVT) to deliver low fuel consumption of 23.3km per litre measured under the New European Driving Cycle.
The earlier generation Axia is said to return 21.6km per litre.
As the 1.0-litre engine is tuned for efficiency, we had to work the accelerator to wring out full power as we drove with three persons on-board.
Revving the engine to 6,000rpm would raise the sound level in the cabin but Axia buyers are likely to drive at a slower pace where it would be quieter.
Once the Axia has picked up momentum, driving the little car was more enjoyable as we could easily zip around trunk roads with gentle turns.
Running on 14-inch wheels, the suspension was tuned towards comfort and the Axia's responsive steering enabled the car to deliver good handling.
Five available colours are Granite Grey, Lava Red, Glittering Silver, Ivory White and the newly introduced Coral Blue.
