Mengikuti aduan yang diketengahkan oleh seorang kerani di Segamat, Nagakanni Subramaniam, berkenaan isu dengan keretanya, Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), pengeluar kereta, telah bersetuju untuk membeli semula kereta tersebut dengan harga penuh. Nagakanni, yang membeli kereta pada 17 Oktober dari sebuah pengedar di Segamat, sebelum ini telah menyuarakan ketidakpuasannya di media sosial, menekankan bahawa dia masih dikehendaki membuat pembayaran bulanan walaupun keretanya terdampar di pusat servis disebabkan kerosakan.
Sebagai tindak balas, Perodua mengeluarkan kenyataan yang menjelaskan bahawa kerosakan enjin disebabkan oleh kontaminan seperti gula dalam bahagian enjin. Walau bagaimanapun, syarikat itu memastikan bahawa mereka memberi keutamaan untuk menyelesaikan masalah tersebut dan menafikan dakwaan bahawa tiada tindakan diambil untuk menangani perkara tersebut.
Kini, dengan keputusan Perodua untuk membeli semula Bezza dengan harga penuh, Nagakanni tidak perlu lagi membuat pembayaran bulanan dan pembayaran terdahulu akan dikembalikan. Perodua juga memberikannya pilihan untuk membeli kereta kedua pada kadar pinjaman bulanan yang sama atau menolak tawaran dan memilih kereta lain, dengan tempoh tujuh hari untuk membuat keputusan. Nagakanni menyatakan rasa berterima kasih atas keputusan Perodua dan juga berterima kasih kepada netizen atas sokongan yang besar dalam menegakkan haknya sebagai pengguna. Pos itu mendapat reaksi positif daripada netizen yang puas yang memberi tepukan gemuruh kepada kesatuan yang ditunjukkan oleh komuniti dalam menyokong Nagakanni.
Following a publicised complaint by a clerk in Segamat, Nagakanni Subramaniam, about issues with her Perodua Bezza, the car manufacturer, Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), has agreed to repurchase the car at its full price. Nagakanni, who purchased the car on October 17 from a Segamat dealership, had previously expressed dissatisfaction on social media, highlighting that she was still required to make monthly payments despite the car being stranded at the service centre due to damages.
In response, Perodua issued a statement explaining that the engine damage was caused by contaminants like sugar in the engine compartment. However, the company assured that they prioritised resolving the issue and denied claims that no action was taken to address the matter.
Now, with Perodua’s decision to repurchase the Bezza at its full price, Nagakanni no longer has to make monthly payments and previous payments will be refunded. Perodua has also given her the option to purchase a second car at the same monthly loan rate or decline the offer and choose a different car, with a seven-day window to make a decision. Nagakanni expressed gratitude for Perodua’s decision and also thanked netizens for their significant support in asserting her rights as a consumer. The post garnered positive reactions from satisfied netizens who applauded the unity displayed by the community in supporting Nagakanni.
Nagakanni Subramaniam, the owner of a Perodua Bezza car that broke down less than eight hours after purchase, expressed dissatisfaction, stating that she had not received any written confirmation from Perodua regarding the resolution. While acknowledging Perodua’s media statement claiming to offer a courtesy car and suggesting repurchasing her vehicle, Nagakanni emphasised the absence of a written guarantee detailing the terms of repurchase, buyback period, loan payment, and related information.
In her Facebook post, Nagakanni clarified the situation, highlighting the malfunction of the car’s engine due to foreign substances, such as sugar. She emphasised the need for a concrete solution and written confirmation rather than media statements aimed at calming the situation without resolving the problem.
Perodua Sales Chief Operating Officer J.H. Rozman Jaafar had earlier stated that the company conducted a comprehensive investigation and had been in constant communication with Nagakanni since October. Perodua claimed to have taken several actions to address the issue, including offering a courtesy car and proposing to buy back her car. Nagakanni’s car had reportedly malfunctioned almost eight hours after purchase.
The case underscores the importance of clear communication and written assurances in resolving customer issues, especially in situations involving vehicle malfunctions shortly after purchase.
With one month remaining to the year, Perodua’s total sales volume has reached 250,785 units, already exceeding its 2022 target of 247,800 units. The output from the Malaysian carmaker’s two factories also reached new highs in November as the company shifts into higher gear to meet demand.
During the month of November, another 28,592 units were added to the sales volume, an increase of 40.9% when compared with 20,299 units delivered in November 2021, and a 10.6% increase when over the 25,849 units delivered in October this year.
If you follow the history of Perodua, you will find that it had humble beginnings with a relatively small volume catering for the bottom end of the market, the entry-level segment. Proton had already been selling cars and dominating the market for 8 years and Perodua was like a ‘little brother’ selling low-priced minicars. Yet 27 years later, we see Perodua as the nation’s No.1 brand and although it still serves the entry-level segment, it is edging upwards with the newer products.
The success story of Perodua highlights the value of patience and a willingness to learn, rather than rushing forward before being fully prepared. Perodua has had a good teacher in Daihatsu, its partner, and formed a working culture that is a blend of Malaysian and Japanese which could well be the best of both worlds.
One of the important lessons Perodua has had is planning. They do a tremendous amount of market study before committing to a new model because once they do, they have to be able to do so at high volumes. They are no longer a small player and in order to maintain their high efficiency and productivity which enables them to keep their prices attractive, they need big numbers.
This has been the case with every model and with the Bezza, their first sedan, selling some 184,000 units over the past 3 years is certainly impressive. The Bezza’s appeal to a broad spectrum of the market has generated the big numbers and in the past couple of years, e-hailing operators (like those with Grab) have also found it to be an ideal car for their business, boosting the numbers.
What is not highlighted enough about the Bezza is that this sedan design is a truly Malaysian creation. There is no equivalent in the Daihatsu range and when Perodua wanted to do it, they were basically on their own. There was no commitment by Daihatsu to take the model for Indonesia as it does with the Myvi which it sells as the Daihatsu Sirion there.
That the Bezza has done so well has generated a lot of money for funding development of the updated 2020 version which is officially launched today. And as with every model it has developed, Perodua has paid a lot of attention to the feedback from customers and addressed issues to make the car better. For instance, the rear seat backrest angle was not comfortable and they have adjusted this to eliminate that complaint. The suspension settings have been revised to improve ride comfort and handling as well.
What’s new
On the outside, the 2020 Bezza is almost immediately identifiable with its facelift. It’s a bolder look with sharp LED headlamps that are standard for all four variants. The new look is complemented by the angular and reprofiled front bumper which has a large lower intake grille and imposing styling elements. Additional sportiness comes from two-tone side skirts, also standard across the range, with a restyled rear bumper
If you’re still not satisfied with the new looks and want more sportiness, you don’t have to go to an accessory shop to get the parts. Perodua has already prepared a bodykit in its GearUp accessory range specially for the Bezza. The RM2,000 cost for the bodykit can be included in the H-P loan so you pay for it over a number of years… a deal which an accessory shop would never be able to offer.
2020 Bezza with GearUp bodykit
The Bezza 1.3-litre variants now have an exclusive colour – Garnet Red – which is one of two new colours, the other being Granite Grey. These join the four existing shades – Ivory White, Glittering Silver, Ocean Blue and Sugar Brown.
The cabin remains pretty much the same with enhancements largely for the 1.3-litre variants. The meters are now illuminated in white and keyless entry/start is now also provided. Keyless entry and pushbutton starting was something available only in more expensive models not so long ago and now it has come down to the Bezza segment, showing how fast Perodua has been able to bring costs down (working with its suppliers).
Focus on safety
But the focus of the improvements has been in safety, something which Perodua’s market surveys show keeps becoming more and more important to buyers. Reading about tragic accidents has probably made people think more about how safe their car must be and while Peroduas are small cars, they can still be safe to travel in by having driver assistance systems.
This is where Perodua’s Advanced Safety Assist 2.0 (ASA 2.0) system comes in and it is available in the Bezza AV, making it the most affordable sedan in Malaysia (under RM50,000 before including insurance) with such a feature. ASA 2.0 comprises Pedestrian Detection (up to 50 km/h), Pre-Collision Warning (up to 100 km/h), Pre-Collision Braking (up to 80 km/h), Front Departure Alert and Pedal Misoperation Control, all of which work together to mitigate collisions.
The Bezza X also get Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and traction control now, again showing that as soon as costs come down, Perodua will include a safety system in the variant. VSC and traction control were available only with the Bezza AV before. Incidentally, the AV variant also gets a reverse camera now while all variants get power-adjustable side mirrors and reverse sensors.
With the improvements, the 2020 Bezza will certainly keep finding more new customers and by the end of this month, Perodua expects to deliver 5,600 units. Thereafter, the monthly sales target for the model is 4,000 units, on average.
Visit www.perodua.com.my to know more about the new Bezza and where you can test-drive one.
Yes, you read that headline right. In January 2018 alone, Perodua recorded 17,900 sales, its second highest-ever monthly market share of above 40%, against a total industry volume (TIV) of 43,930 units (Perodua recorded its highest ever monthly sales in August 2016 at 40.5%. Source: Carlist)
In January, all Perodua models retained their lead in their respective vehicle segments in Malaysia, with 9,029 Myvis, 4,085 Axias, 2,776 Bezzas and 1,803 Alzas sold.
“While we defer to the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA)’s numbers, we are cautiously optimistic that for January 2018, our monthly market share is the highest ever in our history. This was spurred by deliveries of the new Myvi, as well as continued strong demand for our other models,” said Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh at the company’s Chinese New Year Luncheon with the media and business partners here today.
“The new Myvi has racked up over 48,000 bookings to date, the 18,000th unit of which today we proudly deliver to Mr Wong Wai Cheng of Negeri Sembilan. We would also like to add that close to 20,000 units of the new Myvi have been delivered to date. Overall, over a million Myvis have been registered in Malaysia since 2005. This performance has been a great boost to the Malaysian automotive ecosystem as the better-than-expected demand for our latest offering as well as our current model line-up have resulted in better demand for local parts,” he added.
Aminar also said that Perodua is looking to purchase more than RM5 billion in components and parts this year from mainly local vendors. This will further contribute towards the growth of the Malaysian economy. All Perodua models have over 90% local content.
“To all Malaysians, we simply cannot thank you enough for your love and support for our humble hatchback through all these years. Your recognition spurs us on to work harder on bettering our products and services, because as always, You Matter Most,” he said.
“To those who have placed orders for the new Myvi and have yet to receive their cars, we sincerely apologise for the wait. Rest assured that we are ramping up production to get the cars to you as quickly as we can. The Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd plant will continue to work overtime until demand stabilises,” he continued.
Mr Wong, 25, was all smiles as Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director Dato’ Dr Zahari Husin handed him the keys to his brand-new Lava Red Myvi 1.5 Advance.
“I am over the moon to be taking delivery of my new car. The minute I laid eyes on the new Myvi and saw how many sophisticated features I was getting for the price, I knew it was the vehicle for me,” said Mr Wong. “I’m always on the go. The Myvi’s compact dimensions make it very easy to park and manoeuvre, but it’s also very spacious inside. With six airbags and Advanced Safety Assist, I am well protected, and the built-in toll card reader is my favourite feature!” he added.
“We wish all our Chinese friends Xin Nian Kuai Le and Gong Xi Fa Cai. May the Year of the Dog bring more luck, prosperity and happiness to us all!” Datuk (Dr) Aminar concluded.
Main top image: Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh and Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director Dato’ Dr Zahari Husin present a mock key to the 18,000th new Perodua Myvi owner, Mr Wong Wai Cheng, 25, of Negeri Sembilan.
Perodua has introduced the ever popular Bezza to the car market in Mauritius, making the country the second export market for Perodua’s eco sedan. It will be sold by Perodua’s authorized distributor, Raouf Dushmohamud & Co Ltd along side the Axia and Alza.
The launch ceremony was held at the authorized distributor’s sales showroom at Port-Louis, which is Mauritius’ capital and was hosted by the distributor’s Managing Director, Raouf Dusmohamud.
Perodua and Raouf Dushmohamud & Co Ltd’s partnership date back to 1996 and since then, it has helped the Malaysian automaker sell more than 2,000 vehicles in Mauritius. The Viva has been the best selling model in the island nation with 711 vehicles sold between 2008 and 2014. Since the partnership began in the mid 1990s, Perodua has sold the Kancil, Rusa, Kelisa, Kembara, Myvi, Viva, Axia, Alza and Bezza in the island of Mauritius.
“Mauritius is a strategic destination for us as this country is one of the most popular tourist destination spots in the world and having the Perodua Bezza here would give it the global exposure that it needs,” Perodua President & Chief Executive Officer, Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh said.
Versions of the Bezza that are available to order over there include the Bezza 1.0L (Automatic and manual transmission) and the Bezza 1.3L Premium X (automatic and manual transmission). The Bezza 1.0L Manual is priced at 562,884 Mauritian Rupees (RM70,405.35) while the Bezza 1.0L automatic is priced at 589,268 Mauritian Rupees (RM 73,705.45).
The Bezza 1.3L Premium X Manual is priced at 657,699 Mauritian Rupees (RM 82,264.78) while the Bezza 1.3L Automatic is priced at 684,990 Mauritian Rupees (RM 85,678.33). If you would like to know more about Perodua’s latest offerings, visit the automaker’s local website.
