What else can be said about the Perodua Myvi? Malaysians call it “king” these days, and while that’s a semi-joke, with some 1.3 million units sold since 2005 over three generations, the Myvi is truly the “Love of the Nation”.
It has occupied the sales throne from year one. Crosstown rival Proton has tried to challenge the Myvi, and is still plugging away now. I don’t have the figures on hand, but I’m willing to guess that it would take the combined sales of the Proton Savvy (2005-2013, smaller in size), Suprima S (2013-2019, higher segment) and Iriz (2014-present, direct rival) to come close to the monolith that is the Myvi.
There was also the Satria Neo (2006-2015), which is still one of the prettiest three-door hatchbacks ever made, but unfortunately, there are only so many young car enthusiasts around.
What makes the Myvi so popular? There’s no single answer, not with over 1m units sold, but as a former owner, I’d hazard a guess. Practical and spacious, economical and reliable. Car guys might yawn, but in case you haven’t realised, that’s what normal people want from a daily ride.
No need to alter a successful recipe then, especially when the third-generation Myvi – which is four years old now – is still ahead of the just-facelifted Iriz in features and safety. Crucially, it’s still topping the sales charts. But conventional wisdom never cautioned against improving the recipe.
Safety first
Perodua is known for many things, but safety was never one of them. That changed with the G3 Myvi, which confounded expectations of an affordable local car. LED headlamps and keyless entry were nice standard-fit items, but P2 pushed out the boat by offering autonomous emergency braking (AEB) as part of the Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) pack in the AV. In 2017, AEB was unprecedented in a sub-RM100k car, never mind a RM55k Perodua.
Since then, Rawang has doubled down on the safety first strategy and we’re now in the third iteration of ASA, with wider parameters. ASA is also now available in all of Perodua’s models. The next shock came with the Ativa, launched earlier this year with Level 2 autonomous driving features and adaptive LED headlamps. Adaptive cuise control with lane keep assist on a RM70k car is unrivalled.
You’d think that by now, we’d be desensitised and already half expecting a big leap in the next Perodua product. Still, P2 managed to drop jaws with the Myvi facelift. ASA 3.0, Lane Departure Warning/Prevention and Auto High Beam is available on all variants (optional on base 1.3 G), while the AV gets the Ativa’s ACC and LKC, along with Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
From no cruise control to adaptive cruise control with lane keep – that’s the progress we’re seeing here. Go back five years and tell people that in 2021, the Myvi will “drive itself” and you’ll be driven away as a mad man.
They really didn’t have to go so far. The recently-facelifted 2022 Iriz/Persona still does not have AEB, as Proton chose to “spend our money on more useful things for the customer” such as an expanded “Hi Proton” system instead of ADAS, which the Myvi has had since 2017. If P2 chose to give the 2022 Myvi ASA 3.0 + LDW/LDP + AHB, it would have been applauded as raising standards without pressure from rivals – this is just a facelift after all.
Reserving top tier kit for the costlier Ativa would be understandable, too. But no, the best possible safety goodies from Daihatsu are all here in the Myvi. Lighting plays a part in safety as well, and the Myvi G3’s LED eyes – already brighter than those on the 2022 Iriz – get AHB function plus LED daytime running lights as sidekick. The DRLs – available on the H and AV – are a first for Perodua.
Same but different
That safety bundle is good, but it’s the new CVT that truly transforms the Myvi. The long-serving 4AT’s replacement gearbox is something that you feel with every press of the throttle, every overtake, long drive and petrol pump visit.
Once again, this is something P2 didn’t have to do. The four-speed auto – while old and outdated compared to what other carmakers offer – has been somewhat accepted as the norm for Perodua. It’s a basic gearbox for basic cars. And truth be told, the old stager performs well, with no annoying quirks. Not the most efficient, but a reliable performer. Also, this is just a facelift and mid-life changes don’t typically involve gearbox swaps.
To make the move even more surprising, Daihatsu’s D-CVT (D for Dual-Mode) isn’t a plug-and-play gearbox for the Myvi. The transmission was designed for DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) models, and to get it to work here, P2 had to give its best seller the Ativa’s electrical architecture. The resulting car is the first application of D-CVT in a non-DNGA car. Much effort and investment – RM50 million to be exact – for a facelift.
D-CVT is the world’s first split gear CVT system, combining belt drive with a gear drive for improved fuel efficiency, acceleration and quietness. From rest to low/medium speeds, D-CVT functions like any other CVT, with engine torque going through a torque converter (just like Toyota and Honda CVTs, Proton’s Punch CVT uses a clutch pack) and into the input pulley, before being transferred to the output pulley via a belt and then to the wheels.
At higher speeds, the D-CVT goes into the split mode, engaging the gear drive to provide more efficient power transmission (less energy loss), while the rotation to the belt drive is decreased significantly. In the Ativa, D-CVT gets a manual mode with seven virtual ratios, but that has been omitted here. More on the D-CVT here.
Fast but not furious
Can’t quite picture how it works? It doesn’t matter, because you will definitely feel the difference if you have experience with the 4AT. Immediately, the Myvi feels a lot more effortless to drive around town, and many would be surprised at how easy it is to get up to highway speed. Now, we wouldn’t say that the 4AT was guilty in holding the Myvi’s performance back – the king didn’t get its rep for being slow – but you do feel significantly less resistance with the CVT. The powertrain feels “lighter”, so to speak.
The pleasant surprises don’t stop once you get up to 110 km/h. The new Myvi’s unchanged 1.5L engine ticks at just below 2,000 rpm at our highway speed limit, which is impressively low, almost like a turbocharged car with a many-speed gearbox. We checked, and the pre-facelift 1.5L with the 4AT turns at 2,750 rpm at 110 km/h. That’s a huge difference for the same engine, and it translates to a more relaxed engine state with reduced buzz. A big boon on long distance drives.
If the NVH levels of the new Myvi seems better, 100% of the contribution is from the gearbox swqp, as no other specific NVH measures were made. This also means that when it rains, the water splashing sound from the rear wheel well – first timers might be alarmed, thinking that there’s a leak somewhere – is carried over.
The powertrain has a newfound calmness at a cruise, but when it’s overtaking time, “in-gear” acceleration is very good, more effortless than before. Once again, that “lightness” comes to the fore.
Now, Perodua claims that with the D-CVT, the Myvi is a whopping 20% quicker in the 0-100 km/h sprint, which now stands at 11.5 seconds for the 1.3L and 10.2 seconds for the 1.5L. In practice, and certainly when on the move (rolling start), it feels like a quicker car than 10.2s suggests. And that’s before using the “Power” button on the steering wheel for 1.5L models. Like on the Ativa, pressing this gives you access to maximum engine power. We didn’t really need it.
Another big claim to complete the win-win is the 5% better fuel economy for the CVT versus the 4AT – the 1.3L now has a claimed combined FC figure of 22.2 km/l (from 21.1 km/l) while the 1.5L is good for 21.1 km/l (from 20.1 km/l).
We managed to meet the 1.3L’s claim in our 1.5L without trying too hard (90-110 km/h), and while that was on a long highway cruise (another motorway stint with less restraint saw us get 19 km/l), I’d wager that 16-17 km/l would be achievable in mixed driving with some traffic thrown in. We’ll have to confirm this with a daily urban commute test, but the Myvi FL’s cruising economy is fantastic.
Bear in mind that while the CVT has elevated the Myvi’s FC, it’s coming from a good base. Even with the 4AT, the Myvi was well ahead of the Proton Iriz in efficiency, and it’s down to the carryover DOHC, Dual VVT-i NR engines, which are modern and current. The 1NR-VE 1.3L puts out 94 hp and 121 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, while the 2NR-VE 1.5L makes 102 hp and 136 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. Both have Eco Idle auto start-stop.
How does D-CVT compare to others?
It recently dawned on me that the CVT – which is a bad word among some car enthusiasts – is actually the dominant automatic gearbox in our parts. Given that manual passenger cars sell in the handfuls, CVT is the majority car gearbox, full stop. Not in the US or Europe, but certainly so in ASEAN.
Think about it. The Southeast Asian auto market is dominated by Japanese brands, and for the likes of Toyota, Honda and Nissan, the CVT is the default transmission, at least for compact passenger cars. Honda Malaysia’s entire range – from City Hatchback to Accord – is CVT-only, and UMW Toyota’s local line-up is CVT all the way to the C-segment. The Nissan Almera made the switch to CVT for the N18 generation. The Proton Iriz/Persona has been CVT since day one.
With the market leader and the best-selling model in the country going CVT, the stepless auto is now the undisputed majority gearbox in Malaysia – so, if you’re still viewing it as an “alternative” gearbox, you’re either living in the past or belong to the kayangan class because CVTs aren’t a thing in the premium segment. As for the rest of us, get used to it if you haven’t already done so.
But not all CVTs work and feel the same. In practice, the D-CVT is much like a CVT of today, which means it’s linear and responsive, even if it does not mimic a regular torque converter auto’s stepped feel like some Toyota CVTs.
If you’re coming from a Proton CVT, congratulations on the quantum leap. While much improved in the response department compared to early iterations, the Punch CVT in the latest Iriz/Persona still leaves much to be desired. It’s particularly poor at a highway cruise, where the engine is kept buzzing according to the travelling speed; you’ll hear it and feel the vibes on the steering wheel, which gets tiring. Where the Proton is highly strung, the Myvi is calm and rested below 2,000 rpm.
Of course, if you stomp on the pedal, the engine will react with a loud scream. That’s just nature and I personally feel that this is overemphasised when it comes to CVTs – don’t ATs make loud noises at kickdown? In any case, having a progressive right foot and preserving momentum rewards you with swift and serene progress.
Simply red
Red is a sporty colour if there’s one, a colour that symbolises passion. You’d better be a fan of red if you want the top Myvi AV though, and we’re not even talking about the AV-exclusive Cranberry Red exterior paint, which looks good. That’s because the range topper’s cabin is very red, and there’s no way to opt out of it.
You’ll find red on the air con surrounds, meter panel and seats. Large swathes of the latter are in red (almost like red seats with black accents!) and it’s a very bright “Ferrari” tone too, replicated on the rear bench. We can imagine the look to be a bit loud for some.
If that’s you, the 1.3 G, 1.5 X and 1.5 H have largely black cabins (G and X have hints of maroon on the seat sides) and a monochrome meter panel. Unfortunately you can’t have all the AV’s goodies without the red seats, unless you pay extra for GearUp seat covers.
The standard instrument panel is new and taken from the base Ativa. The monochrome twin-dial cluster sports a larger multi-info display and is an upgrade on the pre-facelift’s blue-themed item, but the AV-exclusive meter panel is on another level.
This new meter sees the return of the Optitron style, which is always illuminated but looks blacked out when the car is off (electroluminescent gauges was phased out in the second-generation facelift in 2015). The red theme and sporty graphics remind us of the 2011 “Lagi Power, Lagi Best” Myvi SE cluster and between the dials is a full-height colour TFT multi-info display.
The MID’s graphics are sharp and there’s plenty of information plus a welcome graphic with the Myvi’s face. I really like the addition of an instantaneous fuel consumption bar and a “drive info” summary of the trip when you turn off the car. Showing the distance, time and average FC of your trip, this is something that even the Ativa doesn’t have. Creatively, the concentric rings that cut into the MID’s sides function as an eco indicator.
Objectively, the stylised fonts don’t do much for legibility, but I love this new instrument panel. It’s feature-packed, there’s a nice layering to the surface (check it out from the side, the glossy-ringed dials are set forward) and the slick MID gives a whiff of high tech.
Small changes, big impact
The touchscreen head unit is larger and features the Ativa’s UI (no Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for now, Perodua will explore these for future products), but for me, the revamped air con controls make a bigger difference. Identical at a glance, P2 has introduced an OFF button that should have been in the G3 from the start. Before this, you’d have to keep pressing the fan down button to switch off the AC, but it’s a single press now.
The novel and useful AC memory – which debut in the G3 Myvi and is now also in the Aruz and Ativa – is still here, but you now jog through the two positions with a single MEM button (used to be two buttons, one slot made way for OFF). Making improvements based on user feedback is laudable. The wing mirrors now auto fold when the car is locked/unlocked (1.5L models, control panel from the Ativa), and this is sure to be appreciated by owners, too.
There’s also a new steering wheel, again taken from the Ativa. It’s looks more modern and features some new-to-Myvi buttons, but a few blanks as well, even on the ACC-equipped AV. Seems churlish to complain about this though, given the high content-to-price ratio.
Other points remain. At its lowest point, the driver’s seat will still be too high for some, and it’s smaller and less supportive than the Iriz’s chair. I got used to the high perch when I owned the G3, but not so much the impaired visibility from the driver’s side A-pillar, apparent in bends. The Iriz, with its quarter windows, doesn’t have this issue.
High marks for practicality. The full range of homegrown features continue to be here: the built-in SmartTag (H and AV), handbag hook, USB charger + phone slot on the driver’s seat side and tapau hooks integrated into the seat backs. It’s easy to take these little convenience touches for granted, and you’ll probably miss them when you move on. The Ativa gets none of the above, by the way.
Myvi or Ativa?
If this wasn’t a particularly loud question before, it certainly will be heard more often now. Because with this facelift, the Myvi has seen a jump in both equipment and price, taking things to within a whisker of the Ativa’s base price (Myvi AV RM58,800, Ativa X RM61,500). Of course, one has an SUV body and a turbo engine, but the Myvi counters with full kit and ADAS features that only the RM71,200 Ativa AV gets.
Having used a G3 Myvi for one and a half years before swapping it for the Ativa AV, here are some personal observations that go beyond the usual price/kit/value debate.
The Ativa feels like a very different car from behind the wheel, and that’s because that wheel is set a fair bit higher – unlike some B-segment crossovers, you get a relatively high perch in P2’s SUV, accentuated by tall sides (shallow windows). Other than the occasional idling vibration (a three-cylinder thing, but much less severe than in the Axia/Bezza), the Ativa has significantly better insulation and rolling refinement than its stablemate. Contributing to that cause are high-end touring tyres.
If the Myvi is more effortless in getting up to highway speed than before, then the Ativa’s acceleration is even more deceptive, perhaps via a combo of turbo torque and the better refinement. Because of this, the Myvi might feel faster, although I doubt it actually is.
The cheaper car isn’t fully outclassed though; it even betters the Ativa in certain areas. Space and practicality, for one. While the Ativa’s 2,525 mm wheelbase is 25 mm longer than the Myvi, rear passengers in the lower car enjoy better legroom and bigger windows to peer out of. Having an armrest means Ativa owners will have to forgo the Myvi’s front seat side features/pockets, but there’s no excuse for not having the integrated takeaway hooks. Mr.DIY offers a cheap but ugly fix.
If you’re a cost conscious motorist looking for the best fuel economy, the Myvi is the clear choice here, especially with the CVT onboard. Driven gently in an urban setting, I’m getting 14+ km/l max on the Ativa, and with less care, it can dip to 11-12 km/l. I’ve yet to go on a long journey, but it won’t be coming close to the 22 km/l we managed to squeeze from the D51A. I’m jealous.
Would I still have gone for the Ativa if the facelifted Myvi AV was available earlier? Yes, because I had a Myvi and wanted something different. I love the Ativa’s square cut shape, that LR Discovery Sport-style inverse C-pillar and quirky dashboard full of sharp angles and geometric accents (matches the dial of Seiko’s Presage Sharp Edged series, watch guys). It’s no Mazda-style cookie cutter organic design – which MG and seemingly hundreds of other Chinese SUVs have reproduced – and it appears tougher than it is.
The Ativa is a more premium product and feels that bit more special. But the Myvi is at its best ever level now, and the AV – with all that kit and safety, plus superior FC – looks really good next to the kosong Ativa X. If I had a strict budget of RM60k, it will go to the Myvi – how about you?
A no-brainer
The reason for the Myvi’s success is that it’s a no-brainer of a car. It does most things very well for most people, and the only reason someone would opt for an alternative – like an Iriz – is because they want to be different. Driving pleasure, you say. Perhaps, but unless you carve B-road corners as a day job, you’ll be stuck with a poorer car 95% of the time.
And that’s before Perodua stepped on the gas with this facelift. The new gearbox may be just one bullet point on the brochure, but the CVT completely changes the Myvi’s driving character, while boosting performance and economy for a win-win. As for safety, the G3 was already unchallenged in its price bracket (and beyond); with ACC and LKC – supported by ASA 3.0, BSM, RCTA, AHB and LDW/LDP – the Myvi is now on a completely different plane. And it now has LED daytime running lights!
So many people cannot be wrong. The no-brainer has gotten better.
GALLERY: 2022 Perodua Myvi 1.5 AV in Cranberry Red
Tags: 2022 Perodua Myvi Facelift
Keyword: 2022 Perodua Myvi facelift review – it’s a no-brainer