Well, here’s an interesting bit of rumors. If a research note from an investment bank is to be believed, Perodua is said to be working to introduce a new sedan this year. According to the RHB Investment Bank report, the model is understood to be a next-generation replacement for the current D63D. Bezawhat was it released in 2016 Y renovated in 2020.
It sounds intriguing, but let’s see how real the suggestion could be. We do know that the national automaker will launch a new full model change (FMC) vehicle this year, and so far everything points to that brand new axlewith the D74A it says it is set for a Malaysian launch in mid-February.
This timeline has been bolstered by news from the sales network that dealers are rushing to liquidate existing Axia stocks and no new units will be rolling out of the factory this month.
Given the usual P2 introduction strategy of launching one FMC and one facelift per year, the likely scenario for 2023 should be the debut of the Axia and the arrival of a facelift, probably for the aruzwhich is the oldest model in the automaker’s range.
A new Bezza, if it follows the trend adopted by the current model, which is a sedan based on the Axia, should take time to materialize. If it follows the normal cycle, it should be sometime next year, which is a year behind the Axia.
Unless, of course, development of the new Perodua sedan is already further along than we thought, working along the lines of a Perodua version of the Fourth generation Toyota Vios. Earlier this month, Daihatsu filed patent images of an unnamed sedan, which bears a striking resemblance to Vios, with the Indonesian General Directorate of Intellectual Property (DGIP). It was rumored that Perodua was involved in the development of the Vios, so this theory could be valid.
If an all-new Bezza comes along this year, it will likely be built on the basis of a price increase. Going into 2023, the automaker said that maintain the prices of their modelsbut a completely new model would allow you to redefine pricing.
However, there’s still a long waiting list for the Bezza, with buyers in high demand for its use as taxis and Grab vehicles, so bringing in a new car won’t exactly be a simple matter. Starting January 11, the waiting period for an automatic Bezza 1.0G, for orders placed through December 2022, could be extended to 7.5 months, with the shortest for the manual 1.0G being 6.5 months.
