Having served Malaysians for close to a decade as the go-to budget hatchback, the Perodua Axia has finally been given an all-new refresh after two minor facelifts in 2017 and 2019. The 2023 Perodua Axia has grown larger, and fetches a higher base price tag, starting at RM38,600 for the base G variant.
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A total of 4 variants are available for the Perodua Axia, namely the G, X, SE, and AV. Prices are RM38,600 for the G variant, RM40,000 for the X variant, RM44,900 for the SE variant, and RM49,500 for the range-topping AV variant. You can also equip the car with Gear Up accessories, such as a kickplate set, hood insulation, floor lighting, Gear Up seat upholstery, and more.
On the outside, the 2023 Perodua Axia is equipped with LED headlights for the X and above variants, while the G variant still illuminates its way with a set of halogen headlights. The range-topping AV variant is even equipped with an Auto High Beam function for maximum visibility at night. Daytime running lights (DRLs) are also available for the Axia, albeit only on the SE and AV variants. The DRLs are located on the front bumper and are not to be confused with the LED strip on the headlights which are the positioning lights.
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The front end of the all-new Axia is reminiscent of the first-generation Bezza, albeit with a few tweaks. The front end has a very upright styling and the hood even has a bit of an elevation to raise the horizontal surface. On the sides, the Axia gets bulbous wheel arches like first and second-generation Perodua Myvi, giving the car a sporty look. With the standard 14-inch wheels though, the large wheel arches do make the tyres look smaller than they really are.
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As for brakes and suspension, the Axia gets disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. The car also gets a MacPherson strut suspension setup up front and a torsion beam setup at the back. Overall, the side profile of the all-new Axia is more sophisticated, thanks to the interesting surfaces that have been introduced.
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The rear is perhaps the least successful part of the Axia’s design, with a prominent indent that makes the car look like it has been rear-ended. The side and back surfaces of the front bumper also meet at an abrupt angle, making the Axia look unfinished. It is also peculiar that the Axia doesn’t share any familial look with the Ativa and all-new Alza that have horizontal taillights.
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You would also notice that the Axia no longer has rear demisters for all variants. They have been taken out as most users reportedly didn’t make full use of them. This does create a cleaner look for the rear windshield, and this is complemented by the clear cover of the third brake light. On the roof of the Axia are two bulges, but these have no aerodynamic purposes. They are simply there to make space for the trunk hinges.
Powering the all-new Axia is the same 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine as its predecessor. What is new here is the D-CVT which improves the overall fuel efficiency and provides a smoother acceleration. the engine still makes 67 hp and 91 Nm, but fuel efficiency is now up at 23.3 km/l from 21.6 km/l, showing an 8% improvement.
Inside, the Axia gets the same infotainment unit as the Ativa that provides SmartLink connectivity. There is no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay connectivity here. The infotainment screen is only available for the range-topping AV variant and so is the digital instrument cluster. The dashboard is now horizontally designed, differing from the old Axia’s vertical design. Digital air conditioning controls are only provided in the SE and AV variants.
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Other new things to the cabin of the Axia are the new seats (which are much more supportive), tilt steering adjustment, and new cubby spaces in front of the twin cupholders and underneath the gear lever. There is also a cover for the vanity mirror now.
Boot space is now 265 litres, which is 5 litres larger than it used to be. It is also 47 mm deeper, allowing you to load larger items without having to fold the second-row seats down. Like the Ativa, Myvi, and Alza, the all-new Axia still comes with a full-sized spare wheel.
Safety-wise, the all-new Axia now gets Perodua’s ASA 3.0, with the exception of the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) functions. The range-topping variant is also the variant to be equipped with 6 airbags while the rest only get 2 airbags.
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