Perodua CEO: Next-Gen Myvi In The Pipelines, Current Bezza Remains

File photo of Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

Ask anyone in the local motoring press line and you’ll know by now how difficult it is to secure a one-on-one interview with Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad. However, such was the opportunity said exec granted veteran auto journalist Hezeri Samsuri with recently.

In fact, the founding editor of local title Careta managed to discuss plenty of things with P2’s chief via the title’s latest edition of its Tanya Direct interview and podcast series. Key amongst which were the performance of the marque’s first battery electric vehicle – QV-E – plus plans for other key current models like the Myvi and Bezza.

Through the discussion with Careta's Hezeri Samsuri, Datuk Seri Zainal dished some interesting updates about two of P2's key models - the Myvi hatch and Bezza sedan.

Focusing on the latter two, Datuk Seri Zainal firstly confirmed that a new fourth-generation iteration of the highly popular Myvi hatch is already in the pipelines. Secondly, he also confirmed that the Bezza – the marque’s current best-seller – will remain as is until 2030 at the very least.

“Honestly, this was the actual trigger that prompted us to develop our own BEV, because there were no new models to replace our ageing ICE (combustion) models.  Now that we’ve launched the QV-E and developing on its second offshoot model, they have started to come back to us to discuss developing of the new Bezza and Myvi,” said the exec.

For context, ‘they’ here most likely refers to partners Daihatsu. “The discussions for which came so late, we are unable to get the new models out before 2030,” continued Datuk Seri Zainal further, when discussing about both the Myvi and Bezza models’ next stage. Beyond which, the exec didn’t dish out further details regarding the Bezza.

The Bezza is set to soldier on as is until 2030 at the very least, confirms Datuk Seri Zainal.

With the Myvi nameplate, the narrative is starkly different. “The new car will be different, still unique. There are two models we asked them to let us imbue Malaysian uniqueness – the Myvi and Bezza. We have fought for this for quite some time,” said the exec. Again, ‘them’ in this context highly likely refers to partners Daihatsu. 

When asked if the ‘difference’ noted will include an electrified hybrid powertrain, Datuk Seri Zainal only responded by saying “insyaallah…” (God willing). What continues to be a mystery too despite the lengthy discussion is a timeline for this new generation Myvi replacement’s arrival – the exec skirted away from dishing out this detail.

Of course, there’s indeed much we can speculate from the answers given by P2’s chief. One possibility is for Perodua to develop its own body atop of the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform base – the very bones used by the Ativa, Alza, Axia and, more recently, the newly launched Traz.

Current Perodua models that underpin the DNGA platform include the Ativa, Axia, Alza and newly launched Traz.

We’ll remind you that the DNGA platform design was already engineered with electrification in mind – you need not look past things like the limited-release Ativa Hybrid and upcoming Toyota Yaris Cross HEV as proof of which. We’ll also add that there is arguably a clear business case here not just for Perodua, but for partners Daihatsu too.

Presently, the third-gen Myvi hatch is rebadged and exported as the Daihatsu Sirion for the Indonesian market. Datuk Seri Zainal’s vague responses however does leave the door open for this ‘reverse’ collaboration – Daihatsu rebadging Perodua products, instead of the other way as per past models – could be expanded to more markets.

Current (face-lifted) third-gen Perodua Myvi. Could its fourth-gen successor switch over to the DNGA underpinnings mentioned?

We’ll point out that presently, apart from crossover SUVs, MPVs and a four-door saloon – (specifically, the AC100-gen Toyota Vios), the DNGA platform model range sees no B-segment hatchback model developed. For once, Perodua could be in line to spearhead this through developing its fourth-gen Myvi successor.

However, this is merely our own speculation from interpreting the interview mentioned. Speaking of, you can watch Hezeri’s full interview with Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad in the embedded video below.