Perodua Axia

Compared to the previous-generation version, this new version of the Axia has a more modern and trendy-looking layout and features, making it more appealing to a wider audience. All the variants of the Axia have an all-black theme for interior, with the seats having fabric upholstery as standard. However, the steering wheel of the AV variant is leather-wrapped, with the seats also getting a red-coloured stripe across them. 

The spokes of the steering wheel, surrounds of AC vents and the tip of the transmission lever have silver touches, with the dashboard also having a thin silver-coloured strip across its width. The upper centre console of the dashboard here has a floating infotainment system at the top and trapezoidal AC vents below it. Meanwhile, the lower centre console has switches of manual or automatic climate control (depending on the variant).

Pros and Cons:

Pro: New-age screens for instrument console and infotainment system

Con: Hard plastics in many places

Features and Technology

Perodua has made an appreciable attempt to make the Axia feel youthful and premium for a small, entry-level hatchback, especially in the top-spec AV variant. This particular range-topping variant gets high-end features like a 7-inch full-TFT instrument console, a multi-functional steering wheel, and a modern 9-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system that features SmartLink phone connectivity, USB, HDM,I and Bluetooth supports.

Other variants of the Perodua Axia come with a relatively basic 2-DIN audio system with MP3 and Bluetooth support and a conventional analogue instrument console. While the entry-level variants come with a two-speaker setup and manual AC, the higher-spec variants get a four-speaker setup for the audio system and automatic climate control. An engine push start-stop button and electrically adjustable rearview mirrors are offered from the SE variant onwards, while power windows are standard across the range. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Modern-looking instrument console and touchscreen infotainment system

Con: Lower-spec variants feel very basic

Boot Space and Storage

The Perodua Axia is one of the smallest cars in the Malaysian car market, which explains its restricted boot space of 265 litres. For a car of its size, this boot space of Axia is pretty decent, with the boot compartment capable of accommodating 2-3 small suitcases. 

The Perodua Axia has conventional storage spaces in the cabin on offer, including a small glovebox on the co-passenger side of the dashboard, two cup holders in the lower centre console and small map pockets in the door panels. It even has a small centre armrest between the front seats, though the car misses out on a centre armrest for the rear seats.

Pros and cons:

Pro: Decent boot space for a car of its size

Con: No bottle holders in the door panels

In this second-generation version, the Perodua Axia has become a larger and more premium hatchback, with the car now measuring 3,760mm long, 1,665mm wide and 1,505mm tall. The modern features like LED headlamps and LED inserts in the tail lamp make it look modern.

At the front, the Perodua Axia now gets sleek and sharper headlamps, which now feature all-LED treatment in X, SE and AV variants. These headlamps also have chrome garnish strips within them, which merge with the horizontally stretched chrome strip in the sleek-looking trapezoidal grille. With sharp creases and angular housings for the LED DRLs on the corners, the front bumper looks aggressive and makes the Axia look sporty when viewed head-on. 

Another pleasing feature of the updated Perodua Axia is the presence of 15-inch silver alloy wheels across the entire range of the hatchback, including the base-spec variants. The outside rearview mirrors are electrically adjustable and foldable and come integrated with turn indicators. The Axia also comes with a sharp crease through the door panels, which adds more modernity to the hatchback’s side profile. The higher variants also come with side skirtings that add a dash of sportiness.

The Perodua Axia has a modest-looking rear profile, with the hatchback having a plain design for the boot lid. The tail lamps look decent, with them having minimal LED inserts. The higher-spec variants also have a rear wiper, washer and defogger, while also having a spoiler at the roof. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Modern-looking LED headlamps and LED DRLs

Cons: No fog lamps

The Perodua Axia has always remained a cost-effective car due to its high fuel efficiency figures. The 1.0-litre petrol engine has now become even more economical in this second-generation version. Perodua claims a maximum fuel efficiency figure of 25.3 kmpl in normal city driving conditions, which is incredibly good.

But the Perodua Axia doesn’t stop here, with the hatchback getting idle start-stop technology in its higher-spec variants. This fuel-saving technology improves fuel efficiency even more, with a maximum possible economy of 27.4 kmpl, which is achievable in highway driving conditions.

Pros and cons:

Pro: Impressive fuel efficiency on both city and highways

Con: Nothing much actually

Sharing its DNGA platform with the Toyota Wigo, the Perodua Axia comes with Macpherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear, which have been tuned to deliver a plush and settled ride quality. The steering feels light and adequately weighted, which allows the Axia to have a low turning radius of 4.5 metres. All these attributes make the Perodua Axia one of the easiest cars to drive and to live with the urban conditions. However, there are no driving modes to keep the costs in check.

Pros and Cons:

Pro: Plush ride quality and light steering

Con: No drive modes

All the variants of the Perodua Axia have a 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine under its hood, which has been carried over from the previous-generation version of the hatchback. This engine is paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox in the base-spec E variant and a CVT in other variants. 

Perodua claims a maximum power output of 67 bhp and a maximum torque output of 91 Nm. These figures do make this engine one of the least-powerful petrol engines for passenger cars in Malaysia. However, for a car that weighs just up to 890 kg, the Perodua Axia has decent performance on tap. The refinement levels are decent too, though the engine feels strained at higher RPMs, and there’s a slight lack of top-end power. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Refinement levels are smooth

Con: Lack of top-end grunt

While the Perodua Axia might feel basic due to limited comfort and convenience features in the lower-spec variants, it does come with a very impressive list of safety features across its range. The standard safety features offered in all the variants of the Axia are dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, vehicle stability control, traction control, emergency stop signal, reverse parking sensors and hill start assist. Front parking sensors are offered from the X variant onwards. 

The range-topping AV variant is fully loaded with additional advanced safety features like a pre-collision warning, pre-collision braking, pedal misoperation control, front departure alert, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, auto high beam, reverse parking camera and side and curtain airbags. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Standard safety features, including hill start assist and vehicle stability control

Con: ADAS on offer only in top-spec AV variant

Competitor Comparison

The only direct rival to the Perodua Axia in the entry-level small car segment, which is priced and sized similarly to it, is the Proton Iriz. Like the Axia, the Iriz too is a small hatchback with a compact footprint and a highly fuel-efficient petrol engine. 

Conclusion and Final Verdict

Affordable pricing and a fuel-efficient engine are the major contributors to the success of the Perodua Axia, which is currently one of the highest-selling passenger cars in the country. The tried-and-tested platform and engine combination derived from Toyota make it a reliable car in the long run too, with the most recent update introducing a few trendy features that make it more appealing even to the younger and first-time car buyers.