Back when the Perodua Ativa was still referred to as the D55L, some of us were already contemplating whether to wait for it or to just buy the good old Perodua Myvi.

Even now, some of us are still deciding between the two cars since both are attractively priced compact cars for the family.

Both cars are similarly sized with the Ativa having a taller ride height and bigger wheels. 

Learning that my brother-in-law just purchased a brand-new Perodua Myvi, we decided to put both cars next to each other for a quick comparison. 

Price - Myvi remains the budget choice

*Ativa AV with two-tone paint, Myvi X with ASA 2.0

Even the cheapest Ativa is more expensive than the range-topping Perodua Myvi by about RM 9,000. Albeit still being a Perodua, the Ativa is a more premium compact car.

Here’s what things looks like with a 10% down payment and a 2.7% interest rate per annum over a 9-year loan period:

*with ASA 2.0

The base spec Ativa will cost you about RM 90 more in monthly payments compared to the Perodua Myvi AV. In the case of the range-topping variants, the Ativa AV will cost RM270 more than the Myvi AV in monthly payments.

Can the Ativa justify its higher price? Here’s Adrian to tell you how we feel about it:

Performance - Myvi for power, Ativa for torque

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – the Ativa’s CVT is smooth.

However, is the 1.0-litre engine more powerful than the good old naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre engine in the Myvi?

Looks like the answer is no. The Ativa’s peak power is only 98 PS which is less powerful than the Perodua Myvi's 103 PS.

Where the Ativa wins is in the maximum torque figure which is 3 Nm more than the Myvi’s.

The manufacturer figures suggest that the Myvi will wipe the floor with the Ativa in a century sprint.

However, out of respect for my brother-in-law and his brand-new Perodua Myvi, we didn’t floor the car in a drag race. We'll get a press car arranged for this purpose.

Fuel consumption - To be confirmed

We have not conducted a standard WapCar fuel consumption test on the Perodua Myvi.

However, what we can say is that this particular Myvi has been driven for 4,725 km and the onboard fuel consumption meter (which has never been reset) reports an 8.3-litre/100km reading.

It's not an accurate figure by our standards, but a ballpark figure at least.

Our Ativa's onboard fuel consumption meter records an averager reading of 7.5 litre/100km.

It seems like the Myvi guzzles more fuel, but we'll conduct our standard WapCar test soon to confirm this. 

Driving Experience - Ativa is more refined

The Myvi feels outdated with the 4-speed automatic transmission. It also feels less refined compared to the Ativa.

It seems that with the Ativa, Perodua has come up with a smooth-riding car with a more premium feel car for the masses.

Our only gripe with the Ativa is its floaty suspension. Over wavy road surfaces, one would almost feel as if the Ativa wants to launch you into the air.

So, how do they drive as city cars?

As city cars, both cars are easy to drive with the Ativa having offering a better field of vision thanks to its taller ride height. The Ativa is larger, but ever so slightly.

Surprisingly, both cars share the same minimum turning radius of 5.1 metres, with the Ativa running 17-inch wheels and the Myvi running 15-inch wheels.

Both the Ativa and Myvi are narrow B-segment vehicles that are very easy to park.

Cabin & Practicality - Myvi offers more space where the Ativa doesn't

Let's start with the seats. Here, the Perodua Myvi could use some improvements. There’s a lack of side support and thigh support in the front seats.

The Ativa wins here, despite the tacky red accents on the seats. An improvement we would suggest for the Ativa's ergonomics is the addition of telescopic steering adjustment.

Next is cabin practicality. We'd like to see one definite winner, but both cars are quite plausible with each car providing features the other doesn’t.

The Ativa offers an armrest (with storage) and cupholders near the AC vents, but lacks the “Teh Tarik” hooks that the Myvi does. 

In terms of cabin space, the Myvi surprisingly offers a bit more legroom in the second row.

Although larger on the outside, the Ativa doesn't offer much more room for passengers. There's a bit more head room, but that's it.

The Ativa easily beats the Myvi when it comes to luggage space as it offers a 369-litre boot capacity over the Myvi's 277-litre boot capacity.

Both cars have a 60:40 folding rear-seat configuration and offer full-sized spares with alloy wheels.

Oh, and before we forget, the Ativa isn’t equipped with the built-in smart tag reader, which is a bit of a disappointment considering the other fancy features that it has.

Safety - Ativa wins

Here's a brief look at what both range-topping variants of the Ativa and Myvi offer when it comes to safety. ASA 3.0 in the Ativa, ASA 2.0 in the Myvi.

5. Maintenance Cost - Quite similar

Over a 100,000 km mileage, the Ativa's maintenance costs more than the Myvi's if you don't factor in ProCare.

*Myvi maintenance cost listed without ProCare. Total maintenance cost for Myvi with ProCare amounts to RM 4,045.42.

**Price listed as of May 2021

We are yet to know the Ativa's maintenance cost with ProCare as it hasn't been listed on Perodua's website.

ProCare items comprise of things like spark plugs, alignment & balancing, AC service, and brake fluids.

These items are listed as "optional" service items in the Perodua website. All Perodua models (except the Ativa) have optional ProCare items listed on Perodua's official website.

Conclusion

So, that's the Ativa and Myvi compare against each other. Both are great city cars that are very easy to drive.

Price itself is a big advantage for the Myvi. It's much cheaper and would be the first choice of many for a no-frills runabout.

Admittingly, the Myvi does feel outdated, but it has its own strengths to attract you too. Personally, I'd go for the Ativa just because of its more recent technology.

Which one of the two cars is your choice? Let us know in the comments section below.

Our average fuel consumption so far:

More stories on our long-term review here.

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