Wish My Alza Has Two Power Sockets

After driving my new Perodua Alza for a month, i feel that i seriously need two power sockets in order to work from my car effectively. As i love to sit at the back a lot, it’s rather cumbersome to power my laptop with the front car power socket. Sometimes, my kid may want to charge his NDS and i cant use it as the Little Wagon double socket i bought earlier is faulty. Well, unless i can get another double socket elsewhere, i can forget about working from the back of my car. Perodua, if you are reading this, do make it a point to have another power socket at the back for passengers too. It’ll boost your car sales immediately :p

Easy by RHB winners announced

THE EASY by RHB Peraduan Easy Contest campaign which began in December 2009 has reached its halfway mark with the 3rd monthly prize-giving ceremony unveiling a lucky customer winning the first of two Perodua Alzas, another riding away with a Vespa scooter, 3 other lucky winners taking home LCD TVs with home theatre systems, and many more winning mobile phones, digital cameras, iPod Nanos and cash vouchers.

“The Peraduan Easy Contest campaign was developed in line with the brand’s tagline, SIMPLE & FAST BANKING™. As such, it is very easy to participate. There is no application form to fill and no SMS entry required.

"All customers need to do to win is to sign up for our products to get an entry, and if they want additional entries they will have to deposit a minimum of RM100 into their participating account or spend a minimum of RM50 with their Easy debit card,” said Renzo Viegas, Director of Retail Banking of the RHB Banking Group.

Easy aspires to be a strong community bank and outlets are located in the heart of communities, accessible 7 days a week and with extended opening hours till as late as 10 pm, breaking the convention of traditional banks.

“We have expanded rapidly since July 2009, from 2 pilot outlets to 26 branches within the Klang Valley and Seremban, and 22 Easy kiosks at selected Tesco branches around Peninsular Malaysia.

"We are introducing Easy to customers of Pos Malaysia, through 2 pilot kiosks at Pos Malaysia offices within the Klang Valley. We are also looking forward to expand into other key market centres throughout Malaysia. With this, we hope to give everyone an opportunity to experience simple and fast banking through Easy by RHB,” he added.

The prizes for March’s draw were presented to all 30 winners at a prize-giving ceremony which was held on April 24. The Grand Prize and First Prize winners this round are Ahmad Hasni Mohamed Jalilah and Sarinah Deraman for the first Perodua Alza and Vespa scooter respectively. The contest campaign will end on 10 June 2010, and there are still 1 more Perodua Alza, 5 more Vespa scooters, and 87 more exciting prizes to be won.

Driving Impressions

The need to also limit exposure of the new model prior to the public launch often prevents a company from providing a more extensive driving session during a media preview so it’s understandable that the first impressions of the Alza had to be brief. The course was around the hill in Putrajaya where the palace is and this at least provided a chance to assess the question which people always ask about small MPVs – do they have enough power to cope with a full load?

The answer I would give is the same as that I gave for the Exora: the engineers have ensured that the performance will be acceptable to those who are really going to be owners of the Alza and who accept that a MPV is a family vehicle and you do not drive it like a sportscar. On one of the drives, I had a full load and the car could still make brisk progress up the slopes though dropping a gear gave extra zip. The engine smoothness and also the slick gearchanges were strong points which would be appreciated on long journeys.

It handles well for a small MPV and because the roof is not very high, stability is better in corners. Again, the sort of speeds at which a real owner would drive are unlikely to be very fast and as designed, the handling is fail-safe and also provides a good ride.

Accommodation-wise, the second row is very comfortable and if the seats can be set all the way back, there’s plenty of legroom. However, even when set forward, it’s not too bad and most people will be fine with the space. As for the third row, it is clearly not going to be ideal for large people but in a group of seven, there will surely be people of different sizes so those who are smaller can use the third row.

One thing which I found to be troublesome was getting into the rear seats. The second row can fold forward but the gap is still small and I can imagine an elderly person struggling to get in so maybe it would be better for him or her to be given a space on the second row. Let the young ones who are more nimble and have more supple bodies climb into the back!

Build quality in the test units was as good as we have come to expect of Perodua products. They work very hard on this aspect and during the visit to the plant, it was quite amazing to see the obsession they have with minimizing dust in the assembly areas. I’ve never seen such obsession even in Japanese plants and I feel sure that the same pursuit of high quality will be applied in every step of the production of the Alza.

Initial production is set at 4,100 units a month and at least 3,500 units are expected to be sold every month. From a source in Perodua, it was learnt that 1,800 orders were already received within the first 9 hours of bookings being accepted so the MPV is off to a good start.

Perodua Alza - Part 4

The engine for the Alza is a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder unit which you will also find in the Toyota Avanza. However, while the Toyota’s engine is imported from Indonesia, the Perodua’s is almost entirely made in Malaysia. The engine produces almost 104 ps or 76 kW of power and 136 Nm of torque, which is expected to be enough to provide acceptable performance for the Alza. Consumption is claimed to be 15 kms/litre with the 5-speed manual transmission and 12.7 kms/litre with the 4-speed automatic.

The suspension is similar to that of the Myvi’s but beefed up for the greater load that the Alza will carry. It is a very simple layout of MacPherson struts in front and a torsion beam axle behind. 15-inch wheels are fitted and shod with 185/55 tyres. Due to the need to maximum interior space, the spare wheel (skinny space-saver type) is slung below. For brakes, there are ventilated discs in front and drums behind and ABS+EBD is available for the premium version.

At the time of the media preview which was earlier than the launch today, we were informed that the tentative prices for the Alza start at RM55,990 and RM60,990 for the Manual Standard and Premium versions, respectively, while the Automatic versions will be prices at RM58,990 and RM63,990 for the Standard and Premium versions, respectively. This price range takes the Alza near the bottom end of the Avanza and Exora but it is likely that the Toyota will be the one more affected (and ironically, it is assembled at Perodua’s plant).

An Advanced version will be available next year. This will have a bodykit to give a more sporty image and have accessories such as GPS and reverse camera and leather upholstery. It will cost between RM66,490 and RM69,990 but there will be people who want the extras factory-fitted and included in the financing package.

Perodua Alza - Part 3

Being a MPV, cabin packaging is of great importance and within a volume of 11.5 cubic metres, comfortable accommodation has been provide for seven persons on three rows of seats. However, as surveys revealed to Perodua product planners that many Malaysian buyers look for a MPV not for 7-seater capability all the time and many just want the extra space. So even though the third row is not exceptionally spacious, this is not expected to be an issue. What is good is that the middle row can move 150 mm fore and aft so legroom for the passengers on the third row can have extra space. Not all MPVs have this feature and it does make quite a difference.

Like most MPVs, there are many seating configurations for the Alza depending on requirements. Perodua shows seven different ones, two of which are only meant to be used when the vehicle is not moving. All the seats can be folded flat to create a floor area that is about 2 metres in length, 1.4 metres wide and 1.3 metres to the ceiling. Loading is also easy as the rear opening is unusually wide at 1.33 metres.

The dashboard has a nice stylish appearance, especially with the two-tone theme, with the deeply recessed instrument panel set in the middle. The instrumentation uses the bright Optitron meters with amber background illumination for the standard version and blue for the premium version. A multi-info display is set to the left side of the meters and provides information on fuel consumption, range on remaining fuel, fuel tank level, distance travelled and gear position (for the automatic). It seems a bit crowded on the display, though.

The shift lever for the automatic is mounted on a panel that extends from the middle of the dashboard just below the audio system. This is rather like some European MPVs and is quite convenient to reach.

The audio system is a custom-designed type and apart from playing CDs, you can also play mp3 files from a thumbdrive (a USB slot is provided). There’s also Bluetooth on the premium version, making it easy to connect the handphone. And if you need to recharge any portable device, a 12V socket is also provided. On the premium version too, there’s the convenience of operating the audio system from switches on the steering wheel.

Drivers in this class may not be familiar with the foot-operated parking brake for the Alza Automatic which liberates space between the front seats. It’s a simple operation – push to activate, push to release – and will probably need getting used to. For the manual version, the conventional handbrake lever is between the front seats.

Air-conditioning is very important in our climate, more so in a MPV with many people on board. The size of the Alza did not permit having a dual blower system so a lot of attention was given to ensuring the airflow would reach all the way to the back. The blower has been made stronger to 'throw’ cool air further and the ceiling guides the air to the rear.

Storage spaces are plentiful as would be expected and there are lots of cupholders (more in the manual version). In front of the steering wheel, where the instrument panel would normally be, there’s a storage compartment while for the automatic, an extra-large centre armrest between the front seats has a sleeve for a handphone. But it’s disappointing that Perodua left out the teh tarik hook – surely an essential item for our Malaysian lifestyle? Proton has it in the Exora, which was a relief for their MD as I did not ask why it was left out in a Proton again, but Perodua did not escape my well known query!

Perodua Alza - Part 2

In terms of R&D too, Perodua has been advancing in Japanese style, ie developing full proficiency at each stage rather than be over-ambitious (and impatient) and try to 'run before learning how to walk’ properly. Since starting off doing mostly cosmetic with the early models, Perodua’s R&D department has progressed to more structural work and for the model after this MPV, Malaysians will be working on the upper body design themselves. This will mean they can develop a unique body design while sharing a platform with Daihatsu (saving a lot of money) in the same way Nissan and Renault models sit on similar platforms but look very different.

So that’s the background to the new model which you will now know is called the Alza. The name was selected from submissions by Perodua employees and is said to be derived from a Spanish word which means 'rise’. Like many new names for cars, it will probably draw all kinds of comments but it’s a fairly 'neutral’ sort of name and in time will be as accepted as Myvi.

The styling of the Alza has some cues from the Myvi but because it is longer and has an extra row of seats at the rearmost section, the rear quarters have been given more glass area. This ensures those in the back won’t feel claustrophobic and give the cabin a more airy feeling too.

The front end follows the corporate face which Perodua currently uses with special attention paid to the headlights. The detail inside the lighting units is nice and this model is the first model in its segment to have projector-type headlights. These lights provide more focussed illumination rather than depend on the reflector to enhance lighting.

The rear end is clean and simple with distinctive lights on the roof pillars. LEDs are used for the upper section while the lower third is taken up by the large reversing light. Positioning the units high up is good as not only are drivers further back in a queue able to see the brake lights but in a rear-end collision, they are less likely to be broken, reducing repair costs. The premium version also has a spoiler mounted on the trailing edge of the roof for a sporty image.

Under the skin, extra attention has been paid to structural strength. Daihatsu is a specialist in small cars and over many decades, it has found ways to increase the levels of protection for occupants. For the Alza, besides a computer-engineers front structure that effectively absorbs impact energy from a collision, there is extra reinforcement to give better protection against collisions from the sides. The centre pillars have extra reinforcement and two extra transverse beams in the floor to provide extra rigidity. Though Perodua doesn’t do its own testing, Daihatsu has conducted the necessary crash tests and the Alza meets Japanese requirements.

Perodua Alza - Part 1

It’s 2009 and as promised, Perodua is introducing another significant model two years after the Viva. The product plan to launch a significant new model every two years was set early in the decade when Perodua and Daihatsu strengthened their relationship and began to plan for greater involvement by Malaysians in the development of new models, with the Myvi being the first one.

This time round, the new model is not a Myvi 'sedan’, as many had expected, but a small MPV on an extended Myvi platform. That Perodua chose not to go for a sedan even though many Malaysians prefer sedans suggests that the company sees the MPV segment as a growing one. In 2008, of the 548,100 new vehicles sold, around 55,000 were MPVs, making it the second largest type of vehicle sold in Malaysia. So it was important that Perodua, as the largest carmaker in Malaysia, also offer such a model and also at an affordable price.

As before, a team of Malaysians went to Japan a few years ago to work alongside their Daihatsu counterparts, developing the Malaysian version which would have an ever greater number of parts made in Malaysia. Though it may seem that Perodua is a 'cloner’, it actually does more than just put its own badge on a Daihatsu model. A visit to the factory in Rawang, Selangor, earlier this month was eye-opening in may ways – for example, almost the entire engine is made in Malaysia and Perodua even makes aluminium cylinder heads for Proton’s CAMPRO engine. For this new model, the aim was to also add items like the catalytic converter and airbag to the locally-made list which will bring total purchase of locally-made parts by Perodua to about RM3 billion this year.

Perodua to ramp up output of Alza to cut waiting time

NATIONAL carmaker Perodua will ramp up the production of its Alza multipurpose vehicle (MPV) by 50 per cent to cut the waiting time.

Managing director Aminar Rashid Salleh said the carmaker plans to produce 6,000 units a month from 4,000 now.

Buyers have to wait for as long as three and a half months to get the car now.

"We aim to reduce the waiting period to two months," Aminar said after marking the arrival of the 'Konvoi Mesra Produa Alza Borneo 2010' convoy which began its roadshow in Miri, Sarawak, on February 3.

The convoy stopped in all the major towns before arriving in Kuching with Perodua showcasing the Alza and other models.

Perodua gets an average booking of 400 units a month for the Alza and total bookings have hit 20,500 units since its launch on November 23 last year.

Aminar said the response to the Alza had been overwhelming, "almost similar to the response when we first launched the Myvi".

"To us, this is a very good sign. It shows the Alza is very well accepted."
In Sarawak, bookings for the Alza have passed the 1,240-unit mark.

Buoyed by the prospect of a full economic recovery this year, Aminar said, Perodua hoped to better its performance last year when it sold 166,700 cars.

Perodua targets to sell 176,000 units this year.

Myvi was still its bestselling car nationwide last year with almost 91,000 sold. The Myvi had topped their bestselling model for the last five years since the model was launched in May 2005.

"Sales of Myvi was something Perodua had not expected because it bucked the trend of car sales.

"Every year since it was launched, the sales keep on increasing.

"It's out of the ordinary," Aminar said.

Last year, Aminar said, sales rose due to government help.

"Under the swap scheme (where owners of a national car that is more than 10 years old can trade for a new national vehicle), Perodua managed to sell 20,000 units via the scheme."