The Perodua Bezza was given a mild update last month, less than a year after it was launched in Malaysia. The latest 2017 Bezza comes with some aesthetic tweaks without a change in price.
Inside, the Premium X and Advance variants now get chrome platinum trim on the three air-con knobs (previously silver), while the Advance also gains new leather upholstery that does without the previous quilt pattern, which some might have found to be too fussy.
There’s just one exterior change, but it addresses what was perhaps the one complaint on the design – a rear “skirt” so short that it showed the underside of the car to all and sundry. Full upskirt view, if you drive a low-slung car.
For the product improvement (PI), the “tonggek” backside was given a deeper skirt (by 6cm) that better covers the underside of the sedan, Perodua’s first car with a boot. A diffuser-like cutout and a contrasting grey strip that runs across the width of the bumper breaks up the visual mass.
The changes work as intended, but it also shows the company’s desire for continuous improvement, and the lack of complacency, which might seep into a a carmaker that has dominated the Malaysian market for over a decade now.
According to Perodua CEO and president Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh, work on the update started just two months after the launch, and the speed of the rollout was unprecedented for the company. He singled his R&D department out for praise, pointing out that local R&D has been taking on increasing responsibility in Perodua models. For instance, while the basic platform of the Bezza is from Daihatsu, the upper body design and interior design are P2 in-house efforts.
Perodua Sales MD Datuk Dr Zahari Husin explained that previously, product improvement usually started one to 1.5 years after a product launch, and the Bezza PI is an example of the company now reacting to market feedback fast. It’s notable that they didn’t wait for the mid-life facelift.
GALLERY: 2017 Perodua Bezza Advance
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When P1 makes changes, bashers hentam.
When P2 makes changes, basher sorak.
Jangan persoal basher logic.
Unfortunately P2 did nothing about the rediculously upright back seat….very disappointing!!!!!!!!
Dah tonggek pas tu miniskirt. Kena cepat cepat tutup. Start dari launching, dah kena kutuk kata tonggek. Mesti lah unprecedented roll out.
“The changes work as intended, but it also shows the company’s desire for continuous improvement, and the lack of complacency, which might seep into a a carmaker that has dominated the Malaysian market for over a decade now.”
Shots fired.
Go perodua go !!!! Keep up the good work !!!!
Though I am very supportive of Perodua, I must admit one thing, their cars still don’t have VSC and ABS (Axia).
You can update your Bezza but your big seller Axia and Myvi still got no VSC and ABS.
In Japan, Daihatsu and Toyota sell all their cars with VSC and ABS compulsory. The Toyota Passo and the Daihatsu Axia variant all have VSC and ABS no matter how basic the variant is.
But in Malaysia, they take all these safety features out to untung lebih.
Perodua talk big about updating their Bezza. This is just aesthetics. It does not save lives. VSC and ABS as well as more airbags save lives.
And who owns Perodua? It is UMW. And who owns UMW? It is our beloved Government.
In one hand Government says having VSC will prevent 45% of accidents and deaths. In another hand, Government enourages car companies to sell cars without VSC.
VSC was made compulsory in Europe 12 years ago. And ABS was compulsory 15 years ago.
Perodua is still selling cars without safety spec introduced 15 years ago.
Come on Perodua, we Malaysians deserve better. Our lives are important you know. No pount you update Bezza. It won’t save lives.
Perodua if you’re reading this, we want VSC standard on all of your cars. No need to wait until June 2018.
Good effort of P2. Keep it up please
I’m sorry, but Perodua is making such a big deal out of something which really isn’t.
So, we all know that Perodua made a mistake by launching a car with a seemingly obvious design flaw. If Perodua did more market analysis and feedback prior to launch, they would have identified the ‘tonggek’ issue much sooner.
Anyway, the Bezza is Perodua’s first sedan, so it is reasonable to expect some rough edges here and there. Recall how a sedan-company like Proton had trouble designing their early hatchback cars. The Iriz has come a long way since the Savvy and Tiara.
It is good that Perodua is listening to feedback and acting upon it. However, the fact is, Perodua is merely fixing a design flaw which shouldn’t have materialised in the first place.
Perodua has overly exaggerated what they did with the 2017 Bezza, calling it ‘new and improved’ and ‘now even better’ is really pushing it, when the biggest thing Perodua changed (fixed) was the rear bumper.
By the way, Proton has been introducing rolling updates for their cars for a long, long time. Just take the Prevé for example; late-model Prevés came with 6 airbags and ESC as standard, new seat designs, new HUD touchscreen, and some even came with a smoother VT3+ CVT. There was also the recall for the OCH issue.
Aside from the recall, Proton never mentioned any ‘new and improved’ claims with the Prevé. Even the 6 airbag model was quietly introduced, even though it was a really big deal back then.
It’s not just the Prevé, Proton did the same for the Perdana V6, which had many issues originally, but the later Enhanced Ver. 3 models since 2006 had more reliable gearboxes and better handling. Proton also made many rolling changes to the Saga and Persona, many of which were never openly publicised, but owners will know for sure.
So why doesn’t Proton make any big marketing push whenever they introduce rolling updates ? Because Proton knows that they are fixing flaws and problems which SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED DURING DEVELOPMENT.
Launching a new car with obvious flaws, and then launching a ‘fixed’ (not facelift) version, 1 or 2 years later with such marketing as ‘new and improved’ and ‘now even better’ is absurd, immodest and borderline disgraceful. This is especially true if you’re one of those early owners who bought the ‘problematic’ version… wouldn’t you feel cheated and angry ?
Again, I would like to re-iterate; it is perfectly fine for car companies to make rolling updates to their cars every year or two (rolling update is not facelift, more like ‘minor change’). However, if the rolling update was meant to correct obvious design flaws, increase quality control/ reliability, reduce production costs and whatnot, then car companies should know better than to make bold, overly exaggerated marketing claims. It is simply not justified, not modest, and not ethical.
Instead, many will naturally take note of the new changes, and many will appreciate it. Car companies shouldn’t boast about how they fixed some trivial, easy-to-rectify issue, it will only back-fire on themselves.
If Perodua just launched the 2017 Bezza quietly and modestly (without the marketing gimmicks), they wold have been spared heavy criticism from current owners and the general public. Instead, Perodua made a huge deal out their small fix. Sure, if Perodua made VSC standard or some other major fix, then it would be somewhat justified… but even so, it would take multiple notable changes to justify the marketing push that Perodua did. If I’m not mistaken, they even had a media launch ceremony for the 2017 Bezza… all just to show off the new bumper. Really ?
You made a mistake, you acknowledge the mistake, you fix the mistake, you learn from the mistake, you do not repeat the mistake, you move on… and make other, different mistakes. And repeat.
Perodua has added one more step; you capitalise on your past mistakes with clever spin doctoring and marketing gimmicks.
On point. Compared with the updated Iriz which features considerable improvements in areas like reduced engine noise and an updated cabin, this updated Bezza really pales in comparison to the work Proton has done with its model. Perodua, as market leader, should capitalize on its position to offer even better value every time they make an update. Sure, it’s a bit of a stretch to expect such a huge number of features for such a mild update, but at the very least improve the ride or something.
Perodua would like us to believe these updated aesthetics are truly new, but if you really think about it is just merely addressing complaints that should’ve not been the case in the first release models.
Airbag only 2, VSC only on Advance version, all that never consider to add? Unnecessary cosmetic changes were put ahead of more important features. It only shows Perodua don’t care about the safety of their customers. Asal jual kereta dan buat duit.
Next time Proton releases a car, don’t buy it. Proton is dead, bury it. Consider Perodua.
Fast to make cosmetic changes but the most important issue not addressed. The car of the year suffers from waving left & right above 90kmh when driven in a straight line. Complains had been made by so many owners. Its nothing to do with car being light but more of engineering issue.
You can always rely on Danny for those double-meaning words.
Hahaha
OMG. unprecedented design speed. 1.5 years for chrome air con rings. pergh bleh tahan siot…. owai…
Thats why they can do better all this while. Listen to customer..
Perfectly timed article. Proton pula tak reti faceliftkan the stupid iriz
whatever people say….perodua has really done a great job
Nice to see a company take so much pride in their product
Yeah pipu buy becoz it is cheap not beczuse it is good
P1 no cheap no good.how?
5 star ncap no good, much better handling no good? You live in denial
Customer is always right,
Customer is always right,
Customer is always right,
Great works periods, 50k a good complete car for city driving.
Safety wise , Nope
Stability assist / VSC/VSA needed for all variant.
Inilah apa yang pengguna mahu. Bertindak mengikut maklum balas pengguna. Bukan syok sendiri dan kata pengguna tak tahu pasal kereta.
We want VSC in all variants like in persona
The national car maker Malaysians deserve. Good job Perodua. You should be P1.
Next: Android Auto instead of the clumsy Android MirrorLink
Please redesign the USB port in the gearbox compartment to be child-proof
“Bezza PI is an example of the company now reacting to market feedback fast”
At least they react to the market fast unlike P1
React slowwwwww in safety. Give car that has VSC in all variants
“up-skirt” for the past one year, now correct it…..
Sangat mengecawakan kerusi belakang sangat tegak tidak di perbaiki lagi
R&D that made up mostly by Japanese. They were able to do changes after the second month cause the R&D just do physical changes only
Is it just me or what? Still an ugly car
Engine bay looks so untidy and messy apa ni P2 Tak professional macam P1
They shouldn’t have launched the previous ugly rear looking car in the first place. Who’s the designer again? Even worse than the rear of Nissan Latio. Even though Malaysians will still buy anyway…
“He singled his R&D department out for praise, pointing out that local R&D has been taking on increasing responsibility in Perodua models.”
I was impressed too, that P2’s R&D department was able to accomplish that one without any help from japanese engineers:
“Inside, the Premium X and Advance variants now get chrome platinum trim on the three air-con knobs (previously silver)”
Syabas P1! Iriz kalerr 2tone!