Ratings: 2021 Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV – Unbeatable price, but higher fuel consumption than expected

The 2021 Perodua Ativa is one of the most anticipated cars this year and to make things more interesting, we bought one for a long-term review. But that doesn’t mean the Ativa gets any preferential treatment. We treat every car that goes through the Ratings test equally and judge based on its segment.

With that out of the way, let’s dive into the Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV.

2021 Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV: Driving Performance – 28/50 pts, decent low-end torque

The 1.0-litre turbo engine works best at low to medium rpm, where it makes peak torque. It picks up speed respectably and easily keeps up with the traffic. Power delivery is linear, complimented by the smooth CVT. 

However, it does struggle a little to accelerate at higher speeds as evident from the curve in the graph shown above. The Perodua Ativa managed a 0-100 km/h time of 13.2 seconds.

Steering weight is well-judged, but the steering ratio is slow and exhibits vagueness at highway speeds. Brakes require some pedal travel before they start biting, which doesn’t inspire confidence but it’s easy to modulate.

2021 Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV: Ride Comfort – 34/50 pts, best ride quality from Perodua yet

The seats are adequately supportive, but individuals of larger build may find the seats to be rather small.

The suspension is on the softer side and it soaks up road irregularities with greater poise and composure than any other Perodua currently on sale.

The Perodua Ativa's engine vibration is noticeable at idle but once on the move, it’s relatively refined. Cabin noise level is more than acceptable for its price point. With a sound-level meter at hand, we managed to record the following readings:

2021 Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV: Quality and Features - 23.5/50 pts, most features for the money

For a car of its price, the Perodua Ativa's build is rather decent. Things are faily consistent in terms of panel gaps and paint thickness.

Unlike the Proton X50, the Perodua Ativa's cabin is not decorated with soft plastics. Even so, the Ativa manages to feel like a step up from other Perodua cars that we have been accustomed to.

The suede material on the seats gives the cabin a more upmarket impression. But it’s evident that the Perodua Ativa is built with budget in mind.

As with most Perodua models on sale, the infotainment unit could use some improvements. Having modern phone connectivity (Android Auto/Apple CarPlay) would make things a lot more convenient. The user interface looks dated and sound quality could be better too.

Perhaps the highlight of the Perodua Ativa is the ASA 3.0 suite of ADAS with Pre-Collision Braking (PCB), Pre-Collision Warning (PCW), Pedal Misoperation Control (PMC), Front Departure Alert (FDA), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).

On top of those, the range-topping AV variant adds Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keep Control (LKC), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA). These are on top of the Adaptive Driving Beam (adaptive headlights).

This makes the Perodua Ativa the cheapest car with ACC. As far as safety features go, the Perodua Ativa has them in spades.

Strangely, the Ativa does not come with Perodua’s proprietary anti-snatch hook or built-in toll reader.

2021 Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV: Space and Practicality - 32/50 pts, not as spacious as Myvi

The Perodua Ativa isn’t as spacious as a Myvi. Having said that, the Ativa isn’t cramped inside and has 2 tennis balls of kneeroom with about 1 tennis ball of headroom for a 175 cm tall individual.

The Perodua Ativa's boot space is rated at 369 litres with the boot floor at its lowest position. Higher than the Proton X50 at 330 litres or even the Subaru XV’s 345-litre boot space.

2021 Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV: Fuel Consumption – 13/20 pts, thirstier than expected

We’ve been recording the mileage and every refuel for our Perodua Ativa thus far. We have the data for the first 4 refuels and here is the fuel consumption graph:

The average calculated fuel consumption of the Perodua Ativa works out to about 7.5-litre/100 km. The lowest calculated figure thus far was 6.4-litre/100 km on one tank of fuel, while the highest was 8.7-litre/100 km.

While the claimed figure from Peodua is 5.3-litre/100 km, we reckon it is only achievable in ideal conditions with minimal city driving.

Interestingly, the Nissan Almera - with a similar powertrain configuration - recorded 5.8-litre/100 km during our tests.

2021 Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV: Purchase and Cost – 26.5/30, superb value

At RM 72,000, the Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV has the most features for the money. It is the most affordable car with Adaptive Cruise Control and Adaptive Headlights. No other car in the Ativa's price range comes close to the features it offers.

The warranty given for the Perodua Ativa is of 5 years/150,000 km, whichever comes first.

For maintenance cost, free labour is only given for the first service at 10,000 km.

2019 Perodua Ativa 1.0 AV: Conclusion - 168/250 pts overall

The Perodua Ativa’s strengths are its features and comfort. It has the best ride quality of any Perodua models current on sale and packs a punch in value.

However, the fuel consumption is slightly higher than expected. This ties into the theory of downsized turbocharged engines not being as efficient in real-world usage as claimed.

Having said that, the fuel consumption is around the figure of a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine achieves. With a turbocharged engine, it benefits from greater low-end torque, improving drivability. And at this price point, the Perodua Ativa gives the biggest bang for the buck.

Full Ratings list: https://www.wapcar.my/car-ranking

More stories on our long-term review here.

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