GALLERY: Perodua Myvi 1.3G and 1.3X – why wait?

It’s hard to believe that it has been five months since the launch of the third-generation Perodua Myvi, during which the hype was mostly focused on the 1.5 litre models, and little attention was paid to the 1.3 litre range. Here’s a gallery of the 1.3 G and 1.3 Premium X, both clad in the striking Peppermint Green tone, which is exclusive to the Myvi 1.3.

Right now, the 1.5 High and 1.5 Advance have a longer waiting period of up to three months due to very high demand, but the 1.3 G and 1.3 Premium X are largely in stock. The question is, should you brave the wait to get the 1.5?

Well, the 1.3 litre model may not grab as much attention as the 1.5, but it does offer a lot of standard equipment for the money. It’s a huge improvement over older models as well, with features such as LED headlamps, keyless entry and start, four airbags and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). Not to forget, it’s cheaper than before and comes with a factory warranty of five years or 150,000 km.

So, which between the two should you get? Let’s compare. To start off, the 1.3 litre Dual VVT-i engine (1NR-VE) produces 94 hp at 6,000 rpm and 121 Nm at 4,000 rpm, with power channeled to the front wheels through a four-speed E-AT transmission (only the entry-level 1.3G comes with a five-speed manual). Also to be found are electric power steering and 14-inch wheels.

For equipment, both 1.3G and 1.3 Premium X get rear parking sensors, powered side mirrors with integrated signal indicators, LED tail lights with a light guide as well as an acoustic windscreen and a shark fin radio antenna. Inside, items like power windows (auto up/down for driver only), digital air-con controls, side seat pockets, double-din head unit with radio and USB support (Bluetooth for the 1.3 Premium X), as well as USB charger come as standard.

The 1.3 Premium X adds on halogen fog lamps, front parking sensors, power-retractable side mirrors, exterior chrome trimmings, eco-idle automatic start-stop system and Hill-start Assist. The steering wheel is also upgraded from the basic polyurethane to leather-wrapped, and here it features integrated audio and phone controls as well.

No matter how you spin it, the cheaper 1.3 litre offerings have never been this generously-specced, so for those who are not big on power, Perodua has you pretty much covered. In fact, in the features department, the Myvi 1.5 isn’t significantly better equipped, but it adds on things like six airbags and Advanced Safety Assist (ASA), with the latter reserved only for the range-topping 1.5 Advance.

The 1.5 litre Dual VVT-i engine (2NR-VE) makes 102 hp at 6,000 rpm and 136 Nm at 4,200 rpm – although it’s only eight horsepower and 15 Nm more than the 1.3 litre motor, in the real world the larger engine makes a considerable difference in performance.

Myvi 1.3G (top), Myvi 1.3 Premium X (bottom)

Both 1.5L variants ride on 15-inch dual-tone alloy wheels wrapped with 185/55 Goodyear Assurance TripleMax tyres and get a sporty dual-tone bodykit and rear bumper. The rear spoiler brings a tad more style to the overall package, and the built-in “SmartTAG”, well, is simply genius, as Hafriz puts it.

The most expensive 1.5 Advance nets one leather seats, touchscreen head unit with navigation and SmartLink, reverse camera and security window tint – again, not a whole lot more compared to what the 1.3L variants get, but they’re nice to have nonetheless. And if you want the Granite Grey colour, the 1.5 are the only ones that come with it.

For those of you who are looking for a new ride, the chances of receiving the 1.5L before Hari Raya are slim considering the wait list, but you’re almost guaranteed to get the 1.3. To recap, prices start from RM44,300 for the 1.3 Standard G (MT), RM46,300 for the 1.3 Standard G (AT), RM48,300 for the 1.3 Premium X, RM51,800 for the 1.5 High and RM55,300 for the range-topping 1.5 Advance (RM55,300). All prices are on-the-road excluding insurance.

The question we’d like to ask you is, would you still wait for the 1.5, or will the 1.3 satisfy your motoring needs? Let us know below!

GALLERY: Perodua Myvi 1.3 G (Auto)

GALLERY: Perodua Myvi 1.3 Premium X

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