Thanks to Madam Teoh who invited our used car review team to check on her 2009 Perodua Myvi. Teoh purchased her car on 27th June 2009 when the Perodua Myvi entered its fourth best selling year inMalaysia. Teoh decided to purchase the 1.3L EZi automatic “Premium” edition among 1.3L SX, 1.3L EZ, and 1.3L SXi because it has extra options including ABS, alloy rims, and front fog lamps. The door armrests and door pull handles are also painted, unlike the SX and EZ that remains unpainted and looks unmatched with the body color. The EZi is the most expensive version for 1.3 model and Teoh purchased it for RM50,412.15. With RM10,000 down payment, Teoh pays roughly RM800 per month for a five-year loan with 3.88% APR (Annual Percentage Rate).

Overview

Perodua Myvi was introduced inMalaysiain 2005. The car is based on the Toyota Passo and Daihatsu Sirion (also known as Daihatsu Boon). From far away, the car looks very round. It is cute and it is loved by many subcompact buyers. Teoh chose the car because it looks good compared to some other cars that are in the similar price range with the Myvi.

Basic Myvi model was made available in 1.3L SX (5 speed manual), 1.3L EZ (4 speed auto), 1.3L SXi (5 speed manual), and 1.3L EZi (4 speed auto and also full option model). It also has an upgrade version which features leather seats, cooling protection, custom made floor mats, and also a built-in GPS and multimedia system. For people who love the look but require more power, there are two more variations: Myvi SE 1.5 and Myvi Extreme 1.5.

Perodua Myvi Extreme 1.5

Car Maintenance and Car Care for the Myvi

Teoh is a 42-year-old lady who uses this car to work daily. She drives about 60 KM a day and once awhile she travels to other provinces in the country. When we checked on the car, the mileage was 61,480 km. According to Teoh, this is roughly what cost her to own this car over two and a half years:

• 1,000 km: Service free atPeroduaServiceCenter
• 5,000 km: Spent RM93.10 for 4L Petronas semi-synthetic engine oil, oil filter, and drain plug gasket. The labour charge is free.
• 10,000 km: Spent RM116.80 for engine oil, oil filter, drain plug gasket, and brake service. According to Teoh, the brake fluid did not change and Perodua charged him RM20 for “Check & Service Brake” in the bill. The labour charge is free for the third time.
• 15,000 km: Spend RM252.85 for engine oil, oil filter, drain plug gasket, spark plug, automatic fluid, and coolant.
• 20,000 km: At 20,000 km, Perodua recommended Teoh to service several things and it is estimated to cost RM322. Teoh decided to send the car to another workshop to change basic things such as engine oil, oil filter, and drain plug gasket for RM120. Teoh uses 10w-30 engine oil and it needs to be replaced every 10,000 km. It is cheaper for Teoh. Since then, Teoh spent less than RM200 dollars for 30,000 km, 40,000 km, 50,000 km, and the most recent 60,000 km respectively. Over the years, she also spent RM340 for two NS40 batteries and RM480 for tire-replacement.

In total, Teoh spend about RM2,300 to maintain the car over two years. On average, it cost about RM1100 per year for the maintenance to own a Myvi. There are some problems with the Myvi which Teoh could not figure out why. She changed the remote control battery every year and she feels this is too much compared to the Honda she owned previously. When we were testing the car, we noticed that the engine mounting was giving problem and replacement is needed. Other than that, the car runs smooth.

Fuel Economy

51 mpg or 13.5 km/liter; it will cost RM0.14 for a km.

What is good about the car?

• It is a good-looking car.
• The interior is spacious and able to accommodate up to five persons comfortably.
• It is cheap to purchase and cheap to maintain. The spare parts are available almost everywhere.
• Many aftermarket parts and Daihatsu parts are compatible with the car, for example, bodykit, rear lamp, and headlamp. It is easy to modify and customize.

What is not so good about the car?

• The warranty period for the car is limited to 2 years or 50,000 km, whichever occurs first. Power window of Teoh’s Myvi started giving problem when the car reaches 54,000 km. The window on the passenger side is unable to pull up or down.
• The boot/trunk is extremely small. It is not able to fit-in a large-size luggage.
• The engine is noisy; many people can recognize Myvi’s engine sound from far away.
• Interior quality is bad especially dashboard. It was made of cheap plastic.
• It is cheap for basic 1.3L model but it is expensive for 1.5L.
• It is not comfortable to drive for long journey trips.
• White color button at the dashboard turned yellow after some time.
• The brake system is not good. There are many other cars with better braking system than the Myvi.
• You may recognize the wrong car because there are too much Myvi on the road.

Price of new Myvi

• 1.3L SX (5 speed manual): RM44,412.15
• 1.3L EZ (4 speed auto): RM47,412.15
• 1.3L SXi Premium (5 speed manual): RM47,412.15
• 1.3L EZi Premium (5 speed automatic): RM50,412.15
• Myvi Elegance (5 speed manual): RM54,412.15
• Myvi SE 1.5L (manual): RM51,413.50
• Myvi SE 1.5L (automatic): RM56,513.50
• Myvi Extreme 1.5L (manual): RM58,713.50
• Myvi Extreme 1.5L (automatic): RM61,713.50

Perodua Myvi’s competitor or similar car: Daihatsu Sirion, Daihatsu Boon, Toyota Passo, Proton Saga, Honda Brio, Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz/Honda Fit, Mazda2, and Ford Fiesta hatchback.

Conclusion

Daihatsu and Toyota spent billions of dollars to build a new car and have them tested many times before the car was launched. Perodua made a smart choice by putting a new badge on it. There are reasons why the Myvi was the best selling cars inMalaysiafrom 2006 to 2010 for five consecutive years. In 2011, Perodua launched the new Myvi with the tagline “Lagi Best” (“Even Better” in English). Let’s see how it goes. If you have something to say, please leave your comment here. Any comments on Perodua Myvi are welcome.

Video

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