Many think the Perodua Aruz will be the first casualty of the Perodua Ativa era, but we think it's the Myvi that is in the line of fire.
The imminent arrival of the Perodua Ativa D55L will have much bigger implications than the arrival of the Proton X50 that was launched a few months ago. Due to its better than anticipated tentative specifications and price, not only in our opinion will this affect sales of cars belonging in different segments close to it, but it will also create a family feud within Perodua itself.
There's much talk of the Perodua Ativa cannibalising its own brother, the Perodua Aruz, but in our opinion, it's the longstanding Perodua halo car, the Myvi, that will most likely be affected the most.
There are a few reasons why we think the Perodua Ativa D55L will be a threat to the Myvi rather than the Aruz, so let's take a look at what they are.
Everybody wants an SUV!
While it's well known that SUVs are taking over the road and killing off sedans, many do not realise that it is also killing off anything else in its path, which includes low slung traditional hatchbacks. Manufacturers such as Ford have already said ta-ta to iconic hatchbacks like the Fiesta and Focus, and it'll just be a matter of time before other manufacturers follow suit by putting traditional hatchbacks on the back burner.
Now, we're not saying that Perodua will kill off the Myvi because the company owes a lot of its success to it, but it'll definitely be demoted to the number two spot once the Ativa arrives.
The Aruz serves a different purpose
One of the reasons we think the Aruz is not under threat lies within its capability to carry seven passengers. Because of this specific reason, there will always be a demand for the Aruz. Most people who bought the Aruz needed the extra space it provides. This will not change just because of the introduction of another Perodua SUV, especially when that SUV can only house the same number of passengers as the Myvi.
The Myvi on the other hand is in direct threat, especially when you consider that the Ativa can provide more in terms of performance, desirability, safety and space, even if only just.
The telltale sign is in the price
If we look at the pricing of the highest-spec Perodua Ativa D55L (RM73k) and Aruz (RM73k), it does seem on the surface that the Ativa will cannibalise the Aruz. But Perodua is not stupid, which is why we think they are comfortable at pricing the Ativa and Aruz similarly as they are not in direct competition with each other.
But let's look at the price of the highest-spec Myvi (RM52k) and lowest-spec Ativa (RM62k). The price difference is not that far apart, could this be a subtle Perodua push towards the Ativa?
You might say that's unfair as we are comparing a high-spec Myvi vs a low-spec Ativa, but let us remind you that even a low spec Ativa will still have more tech than a high spec Myvi, in the form of a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine, as well as Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 3.0. In the highest specification form, the Myvi only has ASA 2.0.
The future of the Myvi?
The current-gen Myvi is three years old this year, which only means that it's high time it gets updated. If the Myvi is only given a cosmetic facelift than we know for certain that it perhaps is no longer the star-child of Perodua.
But if it's given more than just some shiny new body parts, than perhaps Perodua still has plans for the Myvi in the foreseeable future.
Keyword: Will The Perodua Ativa D55L Cannibalize The Myvi?