The Perodua Axia E 2023 model update was just launched last week. Retailing at just RM22,000, this makes it once again the most affordable car in Malaysia. However, the topic that triggered the most conversations has been the car’s lack of safety features such as the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC). Ex-transport minister Dato Seri Wee Ka Siong also posted on his Facebook page, questioning the matter, as ABS and ESC are supposed to be minimum safety features required for new cars in Malaysia.
Despite this, the 2023 Perodua Axia E was rated with a 4-star ASEAN ANCAP rating by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS). In response to New Straits Times regarding the matter, MIROS explained that the 2023 Perodua Axia E is not a new model, but is essentially based on the first generation Perodua Axia launched back in 2014.
Therefore, the 2023 Perodua Axia E was tested using the old protocol, which did not mandatorily require cars to be equipped with safety features such as ABS and ESC. MIROS also stated that features like ABS and ESC were only made compulsory for new models starting from July 1, 2018, which doesn’t apply to the first gen-based 2023 Perodua Axia E.
Unlike the base-spec Axia, the DNGA-based second generation Axia that was launched earlier this year was tested using the latest ASEAN ANCAP protocol. The protocol not only requires ABS and ESC, but also advanced driver assistance systems such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind spot monitoring (BSM), and lane keep assist (LKA) in order to score 4-star ratings or beyond.
RELATED: Perodua Axia E manual updated for 2023 with RM2K reduction, still no ABS, EBD, ESC – RM22,000
Perodua has also made a statement in response to the matter, stating that the 2023 Perodua Axia E is based on the 2017 facelift of the Perodua Axia E. The company has also mentioned the new base-spec Axia’s 4-star ASEAN ANCAP rating during the launch of the vehicle.
In the meantime, MIROS is working together with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) to make it mandatory for carmakers to make Safety Labels for passenger cars displayed in showrooms, as well as any promoting premises, which includes shopping malls. These safety labels consist of a list of safety features that come with the displayed cars, in order to make them clear to the consumers, and to avoid consumers from being misled.
RELATED: MIROS to assess Perodua Axia safety, no complaints received so far
