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Perodua has confirmed the impending introduction of the Perodua Ativa Hybrid in Malaysia, the first time the company has officially acknowledged plans for the hybrid SUV. The rebadged Daihatsu Rocky Hybrid is a CBU import from Japan and only 300 units will be brought in for study and evaluation purposes.
Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad told paultan.org that the Ativa Hybrid will be made available via subscription only, which means that it won’t be sold in showrooms like a normal model. He confirmed that the lease programme is a five-year commitment with an upfront payment of RM2,150, followed by a monthly payments of RM500. The mileage cap over the five-year period is 100,000 km.
As this is not a typical and purely commercial lease/subscription programme (Renault is one of the pioneers of this business model locally – more on how car subscription works here), those who sign up will have to agree to having a GPS telematics system fitted in the car. This is so that P2 can study driving and usage patterns. The lessee will also need to submit regular reports to Perodua.
Zainal added that the monthly commitment fee will include insurance, road tax and maintenance. This means that the temporary guardians of the Ativa Hybrid will only have to fork out the one-time payment upon signing, and the monthly fee, with no other add-ons. This is similar to TC Euro Cars’ Renault plan, but full details for Perodua’s first lease programme will be announced in due course.
Sounds like a good deal? You’ll have to do the math, but the key difference between buying and leasing is that you do not own the car and will have to return it after the agreed tenure is up. This can be a good thing or bad thing, depending on how you see it. Will P2 provide the option for the lessee to purchase the car outright after five years? If yes, this can be like the car equivalent of Maybank’s HouzKEY home financing scheme.
Not every Perodua dealership will be involved in the Ativa Hybrid programme – only those in the Klang Valley and two branches each from northern and southern regions will be included. As this is P2’s first hybrid model, the outlets involved will also need to take care of the electrified SUV’s servicing needs. Who gets to participate? The company has started to send out feelers via SMS and survey forms, but we’ll have to wait for exact details on who and how.
As for the car itself, it’s straightforward. This is a CBU Daihatsu Rocky Hybrid, just with Perodua badging. The front and rear Perodua emblems and the Ativa wordmark are fitted on Malaysia-bound cars in Japan.
Launched in its home market in November 2021, the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid is powered by a 106 PS/170 Nm electric motor combined with a 1.2 litre Atkinson-cycle three-cylinder engine with 82 PS/105 Nm. The WA-VEX NA engine acts as a generator, which means that the Rocky Hybrid works somewhat like a range extender electric vehicle, like Honda’s current e:HEV hybrids.
The JDM Rocky e-Smart Hybrid is very similar to the the ICE-powered Ativa from the outside, save for Rocky-specific bumpers front and rear, 17-inch wheels in a different design and eco tyres. Inside the familiar dashboard, the Daihatsu features its own AC control panel, a blue push start button and an electronic parking brake switch with auto brake hold – the latter recently made its Perodua debut on the Alza AV.
The hybrid also features an available “Smart Pedal” function for one-pedal driving, with regeneration and “engine braking” in place of stepping on the brakes. Claimed fuel consumption is 3.6 litres per 100 km on the WLTP cycle, which is 27.8 km/l. What do you think of this Ativa Hybrid subscription plan? Good value or you’re better of buying the regular turbo model?
GALLERY: Perodua Ativa Hybrid spyshots
GALLERY: JDM Daihatsu Rocky e:Smart Hybrid
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