With anticipation building up for the launch of the all-new Perodua Alza (codenamed D27A), dealers are looking to get a head start by accepting bookings for the redesigned MPV well before an official announcement from Perodua.

A recent post in a Facebook group focusing on the 2022 Alza claims a launch will take place as soon as next month and the MPV will be priced from RM69k. Of course, it also invites customers to place a booking to get in line for a refundable fee of RM100.

A June launch is plausible seeing how it was previously reported that production of the current Alza (codenamed D46T) ended in April this year after being extended to make up for production delays caused by flash floods, lockdowns and other restrictions in the past – Perodua originally planned to stop production of the D46T in January.

When the production extension was announced, the carmaker revealed that it would begin making the D27A shortly after the D46T is discontinued, with Perodua president and CEO Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad saying, “hopefully the transition between the old Alza and new Alza will be smooth.”

2022 Toyota Avanza

The post also states that there will be three variants of the new Alza available, starting with the base X and followed by the mid-spec H and range-topping AV. As mentioned earlier, the starting price is estimated to be RM69k, so expect everything after the X to breach the RM70k mark.

If true, the new Alza will be priced well above the model it replaces. For context, the outgoing Alza ranges between RM49,944 and RM60,525. Keep in mind that these are on-the-road prices without insurance and with the ongoing sales and service tax (SST) exemption of 100% factored in. Without the SST rebate, the Alza actually starts at RM51,490 and peaks at RM62,690.

Even so, a RM69k starting price places the Alza well ahead of the Ativa (starts from RM61,500) pricewise, and well within proximity of the Aruz. However, the larger of the two SUVs does feature a ladder-frame construction and rear-wheel drive layout compared to the Alza’s unibody and front-wheel drive.

On that mention, the Alza is expected to be built on the same Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) as the locally-assembled (CKD) Ativa as well as the latest Toyota Avanza/Daihatsu Xenia. It will be a larger vehicle than the one it replaces, although the wheelbase remains unchanged at 2,750 mm – longer than the Proton Exora (+20 mm) but shorter than the Mitsubishi Xpander (-25 mm).

2022 Toyota Avanza

The claimed asking price should be justified by all the improvements the new model brings over the outgoing on, not just when it comes to size, but also in terms of materials, design and most importantly, safety technologies. Perodua’s current line-up is pretty well equipped when it comes to passive and active safety kit, and the Alza won’t be left out in this regard.

As for what’s under the bonnet, we expect the latest Avanza’s 2NR-VE 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated Dual VVT-i four-cylinder (106 PS and 138 Nm) to be the only powerplant available, paired with a D-CVT to drive the front wheels. A more detailed breakdown of all we currently know and expect of the upcoming Alza can be found, here.

So, the word from the dealers is a June launch, three variants and a starting price of RM69k. We would still wait for Perodua to officially confirm the start of order taking before placing down some actual money but if you want to get in the queue early, please be extremely careful.

As we’ve seen with the Ativa previously, there are scammers out there looking to take advantage of exuberant car buyers who just can’t wait to get their hands on a new model. As such, do your due diligence and make sure that you are dealing with Perodua’s authorised sales advisors and dealerships only.