Reports have been coming out from Japan that Daihatsu is preparing a new MPV, and Indonesian media are linking that to a new generation Daihatsu Xenia, which is the Toyota Avanza with a D badge. All under the same umbrella, of course, including Malaysian market leader Perodua.
According to Japanese reports, picked up by Autonetmagz, the upcoming Daihatsu MPV will have three rows of seats and six seats, which reminds us of the Daihatsu DN Multisix concept that made two motor show appearances in 2017 – first at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show, and then the Tokyo Motor Show two months later.
At TMS 2017, the Multisix sat alongside the DN Trec concept, which has morphed into today’s production Daihatsu Rocky/Toyota Raize, which is set to arrive soon as the Perodua D55L SUV. The MPV’s turn next?
There’s more. Apparently, the rumoured new model – which will be underpinned by the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform – will have 1.0 litre turbo power as well as a 1.2 litre hybrid option. Toyota Astra Motor has said that it will introduce an electrified model this year in Indonesia – will it be a hybrid-powered Avanza/Xenia? While connecting the dots, the report from our neighbouring market mentions a December 2020 debut for this new model. Nothing has been confirmed, of course.
While we’re at it, let’s recap to late last year, when we linked the next-gen 2021 Perodua Alza D27A to the upcoming next-gen Daihatsu Xenia/Toyota Avanza. In October 2019, Perodua was caught testing the a Mitsubishi Xpander, a Suzuki Ertiga and a suspect-looking Toyota Avanza with a Genting Highlands climb.
We said then that an all-new Alza could very well share a platform with the next Avanza, as Daihatsu in Indonesia and Perodua in Malaysia are all part of the greater Toyota family. Indeed, Perodua produces certain T-badged models, and the NR engine it makes in Negeri Sembilan is supplied to Toyota as well.
It’s pretty much the same arrangement in Indonesia, where Astra Daihatsu Motor (ADM) takes the development lead in joint Daihatsu-Toyota models (Ayla-Agya, Sigra-Calya and Terios-Rush) and manufactures the budget Toyotas as well.
A new Alza going the shared underpinnings with ADM route also follows the trend where Perodua no longer bases its core models on JDM cars (like the Alza and previous-gen Myvis), but shares basics with its Indonesian counterpart while developing an in-house top hat upper body design plus interior. The current Myvi is the best example of P2’s R&D capabilities – the hatchback is unique to Malaysia and isn’t a restyled Daihatsu. We could be looking at more integration, and the next Alza could well be a mainstream Low MPV contender instead of a JDM oddity.
Now, it appears likely that the next-gen Alza-Avanza will utilise the DNGA platform as well as some downsized turbo engine, with a hybrid possibility. Not out of the world at all, because the upcoming D55L SUV is set to pave the way for the platform and 1.0T engine in Malaysia. Over ten years have passed since the Alza first surfaced, so a big leap in tech is due – what say you?
GALLERY: Daihatsu DN Multisix at Tokyo 2017
GALLERY: Daihatsu DN Multisix at GIIAS 2017
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And here we wonder what’s the point of having the 7-seater Perodua Aruz introduced.
MPV Perodua Alza, Perodua Aruz SUV. Thorbaek
Noting beats our mybee aka our mini Ferrari wei..1.5turbo pls
Nice nice nice. Price correctly to capture more market share.
Tak payah fikir, tak payah pening. beli je Alza tebo
Habislah proton tutup kedai ini kali.
Thank you Paultan for this Game-Changing news. The Alza is old but sales is strong like new. Reason is because Malaysians trust and fully support Perodua as Perodua create long-lasting and reliable Game Changer with affordable service cost. If the next gen Alza is based on DNGA platform Avanza, I cannot imagine what will happen to the Game Over Proton Exora
This car will sell like hot cake. Current Alza still looks good and command high RV.
Konpem tak laku becoz ppl are moving on to SUVs nowadays. A 7seater Alza would only cannibalise each other sales from its sibling Aruz.
Mpv malaysia kalau jual mahal2 tak laku ye.. sekian..
Buroknya!
Great choices. Let consumer choose, some like turbo, some like Hybrid EV
Alternatively, we also like Nissan Kicks 1.33Turbo and 1.2L petrol charging EV
please stop making boaty cars and avanzas are ugly as hell
The problem remains. Does Perodua have enough product headroom to fit 2 7 seater MPVs?
The Aruz seems to be misplaced. Not quite MPV, not quite SUV.
With Perodua, always expect the unexpected
Please… Dont give us junk 3 cylinder 1.0L turbo engines. So far Ford 1.0L ecoboost sux , foreign review on Honda 1.0L turbo sux too. 3 cylinders are just not refined and vibrate too much. Not to say they are very powerful , in fact they run out of puff pretty fast. There is simply no replacement for displacement. Downsizing can only go so far. If Perodua really wanna intro small turbo engines , then take the 1.2L turbo from overseas Toyota CHR.. That is good enough.
getting tired of buruk-dua (perodua) lousy cars,
Hopefully Perodua make the looks like mini Alphard/Vellfire/ Estima, then 1.2L turbo/ 1.6L turbo / 1.5 NA 7 speed cvt or 5 speed auto then will consider it.
MAKING THE NEW ALZA FROM AN AVANZA IS A HUGE DOWNGRADE. RIP ALZA, WAS NICE KNOWING YOU
Its actually from Xenia
The car design looks a lot better than before!
If Geely puts in a 1.5 Turbo and the Volvo DCT to a new Exora.
Really Game Over for Alza.
I hope the new alza still maintain the look of old alza but bigger size.. Maybe the engine 1.5 turbo will give enough power, ASA, power sliding door, isofix, rwd with torsen lsd.. Better handling.. 6 airbag for safety and isofix for the baby..
Bolehlah Alza 2021 tapi didoakan lepas
covid habis
Hmmmm tak tahu nak kata apa tapi betul ke perodua nak buat alza baru ni yang saya tahu is
D55l je la yang memang nak buat….
alangkah indahnya kalau alza ni ade enjin 1.3/1.5cc 4 silinder turbo atau enjin 2zz…maintain design lama tp tambah facelift. mmg sumpah x beli kete lain dah…
Why not Toyota 1.2T with 118hp/185nm instead of Raize 1.0T 98hp/140nm?Might as well stick with 1.5 N/A or at least use Corolla 1.6 engine