Perodua does not sell cheap cars but sells price-optimized cars so that middle-income Malaysians can enjoy the latest technology – CEO

Affordability has always been a hallmark of Perodua, and it has been ingrained in buying psychology over the years. Whether that tilt is considered a plus or a minus depends on how you approach it. Cost conscious people usually have no complaints, except wanting to see more technology for money. Meanwhile, detractors have called their cars cheap and lacking in progress.

Either way, the automaker is looking to get rid of the long-established “cheap car” association, something it believes has more negative connotations than good. “When people say we sell cheap cars, it sounds like we are providing a substandard product to Malaysians. Perodua President and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said, “We don’t sell cheap cars, we sell price-optimized cars.

“Optimization means we strive to deliver more value, have better specs at a fair price. We are not only providing mobility, but also convenient and easy mobility, with new features so that ordinary Malaysians can enjoy the latest technology,” he said.

Zainal said the effort to meet all buyer mobility requirements and increase the level of technology and sophistication without breaking the bank can be seen in Brand new Axia. While this inevitably leads to a price increase with the new car, he explains that the D74A is more expensive due to larger size and a combination of advanced features rather than due to the planned price increase, which it says it will try to stop as long as possible.

“With increased specifications, increased safety, prices will be different than before. “We raised the price of the new model not because of inflation or the cost of materials, but because of the extra features we included,” he said. Is it good enough to lose the negative imprint forever? Time will answer. Full details on the all-new Axia when it’s officially launched tomorrow – you can Read our first drive impressions here.