Just days after its first appearance, Perodua has once again shared another teaser for its upcoming SUV model on its social media channels. This time, the company posted a slightly more revealing image of the highly anticipated B-segment model, widely believed to be named the Perodua Traz (or Nexis), with an internal codename of D66B.
As we’ve covered previously, the upcoming Perodua Traz is rumoured to be closely based on the ASEAN-market Toyota Yaris Cross. This new teaser image has left the side profile, its wheels, and some parts of its front end partially exposed — allowing us to draw even more comparisons with its Toyota Sibling.
Comparing it to the model launched in Thailand, the overall silhouette and proportions bear a strong resemblance to the Toyota Yaris Cross. But look closer, and the differences start to show — from the bumper to the wheel designs — much like how the Alza differs from the Veloz, and the Ativa from its Raize/Rocky counterparts.
While the headlight design is still hard to make out, a closer look at the front grille reveals a key difference: the Perodua sports a hexagonal grille shape, compared to the Toyota’s more squared-off tetragonal design. The mesh pattern also matches the close-up shot shown in Perodua’s earlier teaser video — and with that, you can just about imagine what the full front fascia might look like.
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Looking lower down, it appears to feature a similar fog light housing layout to the Toyota Yaris Cross, though embedded within a completely different bumper design — one that’s noticeably sharper and more angular. While the wheel arches and side skirts look largely identical, the wheels themselves are new, sporting a twin five-spoke, dual-tone design.
The Perodua model appears to omit the roof rails and shark fin antenna found on the Toyota Yaris Cross. However, it does seem to share the same side mirrors as the Toyota — including the small bump underneath — suggesting the possibility of a surround-view camera system, just like its Thai-market Toyota sibling.
Although it wears a Toyota badge, the Yaris Cross is actually built on the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform, developed under the Toyota-Daihatsu joint venture known as the Emerging-market Compact Car Company. Power comes from a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine delivering 106 hp and 138 Nm, paired with either a five-speed manual or a CVT — with the latter being the likely choice for Malaysia.
In Thailand, the Yaris Cross is offered exclusively as a hybrid. Its 1.5-litre NA four-cylinder engine generates 91 hp and 121 Nm, working together with an electric motor that produces 80 hp and 141 Nm for a combined output of 111 hp.
Perodua hasn’t revealed any specifications just yet, but it has confirmed that the new model will be larger than the Ativa — positioning it in the B-segment category and directly against the Proton X50. With just five days to go before its full unveiling, stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates on the upcoming Perodua ‘Traz’, if that ends up being its final name.
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