Current Perodua Bezza will soldier on but next-gen will make its way to bigger export markets
CY Foong Ā· Dec 19, 2023 04:30 PM
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The Perodua Bezza is Peroduaās best-selling car, snatching away the title that was held for a long time by the Perodua Myvi. It might be an ageing sedan and one of two Perodua models still offered with a 4-speed automatic transmission instead of a D-CVT but its popularity among Malaysians is undeniable.
Despite its success, Peroduaās first and only sedan thus far isnāt going to last forever in its current generation. P2 even acknowledged that it is currently developing a full model change of the Bezza at the prize-giving ceremony of the inaugural Asian Compact Sedan Design Challenge (ACSDC) 2023.
āDuring the launch of the ACSDC 2023 competition back in July, we said that we would consider the design as the inspiration for our future model. It would be an easy guess on what that future model would be as we only have one sedan under our stable of vehicles,ā Perodua Vice President, Datuk Ahmad Suhaimi Hashim said.
He continued, āIt is true we are looking for a full model change of our Bezza in the future and this design competition is part of the product development process as we consider various ideas to integrate into a full model change.ā
The winning designs from Bryan (top) and Kenny (bottom)
8 finalists from 2 categories across 2 nations showcased their designs and clay models to the gathering media and Perodua personnel at Hilton Kuala Lumpur this afternoon. The winning designs are a compact sedan concept by Bryan Teh of Asia Pacific University (APU) for the student category and the Payung concept by Kenny Chan of Malaysia in the professional category.
Still, the next-gen Bezzaās development is still in the early stages and Datuk Ahmad has not revealed a concrete timeline for when the successor could be launched. He also hinted that the all-new Bezza will be designed not just for the Malaysian market but for other overseas markets as well.
āHowever, the (Bezzaās) product development process is still on the drawing board stage and would not materialize any time soon. From the design that is chosen, you can see that we are looking for a balance of looks and functionality as well as a broader appeal not just for Malaysian market but beyond,ā Peroduaās Vice President remarked in his speech.
Besides Malaysia, the Perodua Bezza is sold in Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius among other export destinations. Coincidentally, most of Peroduaās overseas markets are island nations.
The Perodua VP has also stated that sedans are perceived in most markets outside of Malaysia as a status symbol while acknowledging this revelation as something P2 has rarely announced to the media.
He said, āWhile in Malaysia a sedan is seen more as a practical mode of transportation, typically in almost every other country, it is a status symbol. We want to bridge that gap as much as possible and equip the new model with the latest safety and connectivity features as well as within the price range that is typical of Perodua.ā
āThe process will take a few years but it is in the works. To the media gathering here, this announcement is unusual as we typically hide our announcement plans until the last moment. Itās a tactic because our designers are keen to hear feedback on what is on display today,ā Datuk Ahmad revealed.
So, it seems that those looking to get their hands on the all-new second-generation Bezza would have to wait much longer. As hinted by Datuk Ahmad in his speech, the next-gen Bezza could be targeted at other markets beyond Malaysia and hence, it could grow into a bigger segment.
The current Bezza was launched in 2016 and is a popular A-segment sedan among new drivers, young families, and e-hailing drivers. As this entry-level segment is diminishing, it might be possible that the next-gen Bezza could be a larger B-segment sedan to compete outside of Malaysia.
Aside from a major facelift update launched in 2020, the Perodua Bezza is largely unchanged from 7 years ago. There are 4 variants of the Bezza offered in Malaysia which are:
Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars but drives a thirsty manual sedan.
