The Perodua Alza and Perodua Aruz are both 7-seaters, but which should you get?
The all-new Perodua Alza, to me is the best car Perodua has ever made. I only got a few minutes with it, but it was clear that the company has pulled out all stops. It marries the passive safety and balance of the new DNGA chassis from the Ativa with the refined and simple 1.5L 4-cylinder Dual VVT-i engine from the Myvi and Aruz. It looks good, it has loads of much needed upgrades over the last Alza (which I own) and is overall a versatile and ‘safe’ buy – the kind that ticks all boxes if you have to have a one-car garage.
But there’s a big problem – the waiting list. It’s long. Perodua is working tirelessly to resolve the issues, but they have to keep to their fixed quality standards. Every car brand is affected, so it’s not a Perodua-specific issue. But because they make the most affordable vehicles in the country, the waiting list is exceptionally long.
So what happens if you need a 7-seater immediately? Do you go out and buy a used Alza like I did? Do you increase your budget for a vehicle and buy a Mitsubishi Xpander or Honda BR-V? Well, we think the Perodua Aruz is still a pretty good option.
For one, you don’t have to increase your budget. We’re about to enter a recession, so spending extra money should not be on the table for most households. The Aruz is actually slightly cheaper than the new Alza, so it should be a no-brainer from a budgetary point of view. Road tax is the same, as it uses the same 1.5L engine. The only concern may be the slightly higher fuel consumption due to the additional weight and the 4-speed automatic in the Aruz. That being said, the 4-speed auto is a proven transmission that will last for years and years with just oil changes.
Another reason to get the Aruz is the boot space. Even with all three rows deployed, the Aruz has 213 litres of bootspace avaialble versus just 137 litres in the new Alza. To be honest, it does make a huge difference. On my Alza, long-distance trips with 7 passengers is not an option due to the lack of luggage space – at least one of the rearmost seats has to be folded down for actual cargo to move. With the Aruz, there’s a significant increase in bootspace that may just negate this issue.
There’s also a bunch of nice-to-haves like the larger 17″ wheels and the seatbelt reminder for ALL seats. Yes you lose out on other equipment, but fundamentally the Aruz also has a quality of its own that makes more sense for those who drive on bad roads frequently. Its ladder chassis and suspension configuration allows it to soak up bumps pretty well for the size. The Aruz still gets A.S.A, though it’s the older 2.0 version.
Of course it also boils down to how soon you need your car. If you can wait, then wait it out – the new Alza is great. If a car is needed as soon as possible, the Aruz isn’t a bad alternative at all.
Perodua Aruz 1.5 AV Specifications
Engine: Inline 4, Dual VVT-i
Capacity: 1,496cc
Gearbox: 4-speed Conventional Automatic
Max power: 101hp @ 6000rpm
Max torque: 133Nm @ 4200rpm
Price: RM77,900
