In addition to Perodua’s upcoming full-model change for the Bezza or the Myvi this year, the national carmaker will also be updating the D55L Ativa as a minor change for 2025, codenamed D25D for the update.
The carmaker has revealed in its stated 2025 focus activities that it will be increasing its stamping capacity, that should be in preparation for upcoming full model change and minor model change updates to its products. With the Bezza and Myvi having rolled out as facelift models in 2020 and in 2022, respectively, the entry-level sedan and B-segment hatchback appear due for major updates.
Relatively younger in its model lifecycle is the Ativa, as the compact crossover made its debut in 2021, and the passage of around four years would be around the time a mid-lifecycle update is introduced, as it was from the original debut of the Bezza and the third-generation Myvi.
We should, however have prior indication of a revised Ativa as the facelifts for the Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize have yet to debut. The Rocky and Raize emerged in 2019, and so updates for those models will likely emerge soon, followed by the updated Ativa in Malaysia.
We’ve seen a hint of what could be coming in the updated Ativa, with an example of its twin the Daihatsu Rocky sighted in 2023 in Dengkil, Selangor sporting a sensor within its front grille, which could likely be for a radar unit housing, suggesting a radar-based Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) setup.
From debut, the Ativa employs a stereo camera-based setup for its ASA 3.0 ADAS suite that brought pre-collision warning, pre-collision braking (AEB), front departure alert and pedal misoperation control as standard across all variants.
So far there’s hasn’t been indication of change to its powertrain, which is the 1KR-VET turbocharged inline-three cylinder petrol unit producing 98 PS at 6,000 rpm and 140 Nm of torque from 2,400 to 4,000 rpm. This drives the front wheels through a D-CVT, a split gear transmission system that engages gears drive at higher speeds for improved efficiency.
Check out our reviews of the Perodua Ativa here; our man Hafriz Shah details the pros and cons, while Danny Tan has one in his personal stable, and has offered a long-term perspective, five months into ownership.
2021 Perodua Ativa
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suprised to see the new facelift Ativa is exactly similar to the Daihatsu Rocky.
Just kill this model. It was a failure on par with its Nautica ancestor.
I think I saw the new facelift unit in Perodua SC Balakong. Looks very good!
Ativa a considered good price fun suv. But several items needs to be improved. Hopes perodua engineer read this:
– Easy crack rear stabilizer bar
– Easy spoil start button
– Easy crack wind screen
– The asa system always prompt mulfunction error, irritating rather than “assisting”.
– Vibrations stronger after 30k km mileages, rather have myvi 1.5 4cylinder engine.
– I strongly don’t want the eco idle, make an permanent default OFF setting if must sell bundled.
Basically sales are for the most cheapest basic brand P2 and it indicates that people are having to buy downwards; people previously going for Toyotas have to downgrade to P2. This is bad sign of our economy and how this Govt is fumbling it in the face of Trump upheavals.
Owned an Ativa for a year..Here’s my verdict
What I like ..
1) Pick up quite good, can overtake other cars easily at highway. Despite the 1.0 engine
2) quite stable , cruising at 160kmh still stable
3) higher ground clearance, can go thru bad road and flood easier
4) headlights quite bright
5) LCD meter/ gauges is nice
6) Driving uphill quite good, going to genting and Cameron highlands is fun with this car
What I dislike
1) busy roll is bad at cornering
2) head unit infotainment feels very cheap and basic , like those RM200 china infotainment that you can buy from shopee
3) Need to be gentle when changing gear you need to use it with care because it is CVT. It is not like those older Perodua models like Kelisa, Viva, , Kenari where the transmission is like “tougher”. This Ativa you need to pull the handbrake up, depress the brake , before shifting from D to P, or else the car will jerk and transmission produce a loud grindijg noise when you shift from P to D especially and slope area
4) too much hard plastic, if can install more padded material better.
Is Alza 2022 much more refine?
most of the issues you described above are not specific to the Ativa. It’s happening also to almost all other P2 models. Like the headunit is the same cheapo-china RM100 unit as in myvi and axia also