Since its launch in 2014 as the successor to the Viva and a descendant of the Kancil, the Perodua Axia has been a very popular model among Malaysians. To date, over 700,000 units have been sold and up to the end of July this year, it has been the second bestselling model with 50,597 units registered (source: JPJ data).
The bestseller at the moment is the Bezza (which is the sedan version of the previous Axia) which is about 5,000 units ahead. From what can be seen, the Bezza is a popular choice of e-hailing operators so a large percentage of its sales could be for business use. This would mean that the Axia is really the bestselling model purchased for private use.
The popularity of the Axia is not surprising as it is very good value for money, especially with the second generation which has been improved in many areas and has more safety features. Buyers also have a range of choices with 5 versions, priced from as low as RM22,000.
The Axia’s 3-cylinder engine with a Dual Mode-CVT (both made in factories in Negeri Sembilan) offers nippy performance with the weight of the car being under 900 kgs. What must appeal to many is its improved fuel efficiency, thanks to the Eco Idle system.
Eco Idle operates on a simple idea – the engine stops running whenever the car is not moving. If the engine remains running when the car is not going anywhere, it is like burning money, So when the engine shuts down, no fuel flows and there is no waste.
Motorists determined to save money can just switch off the engine each time they wait at a traffic light. However, with Eco Idle, the engine shuts down automatically and then restarts when it is time to move off again. The system can be switched off when driving in stop-start traffic where the frequent shutdown of the engine may be irritating.
Stopping and starting is demanding on the battery which has had the traditional role of just starting the engine. However, Perodua has upgraded the specs for the Axia’s battery to handle the more frequent starting (which can be many more times per journey). Therefore, it is important when replacing the battery to get the right type as many shops may just provide a normal one. If you go to a Perodua service centre to get the replacement, you can be sure it will be the correct one.
So how much fuel can the Eco Idle system save? Going by Perodua’s figures (which are based on the Malaysia Driving Cycle), the engine without the Eco Idle System (which is in some versions) has a consumption of 25.3 kms/litre. With the Eco Idle in use, the figure can be up to 27.4 kms/litre or 8.3% better.
With the 36-litre tank, that means the range can be another 70 kms more. By Perodua’s estimates, it would cost less than RM28 (at current RON95 prices) to go from Kuala Lumpur to Penang with the Axia.
Malaysian motorists are lucky to have low fuel prices (for RON95 petrol) but eventually, the subsidies from the government that keep the prices low will end. Then those who have cars with fuel-efficient engines will be grateful for the lower consumption.
The compact size of the Axia is also a big advantage as it helps manoeuvrability. It’s ideal for town use as parking is very easy and there is even a rearview camera (in the AV and SE versions) to help. With guidelines on the display, the car can be positioned precisely in a parking bay so there will be no reason for anyone to take a picture and show it on Facebook’s (SPI) Stupid Parking Idiots page!
As mentioned earlier, the Axia is great value for money and coupled with the high quality that Perodua has long been known for, it would be a good car for first-timers and also older people who just need a simple and reliable car for short trips around town.