In Cars, Local News, Perodua / By Jonathan Lee / 3 January 2019 1:14 am / 81 comments

Perodua has just confirmed the name of its SUV, the Aruz, details of which were leaked on a leaflet yesterday evening. The national carmaker also announced that the seven-seater model is now open for booking at all Perodua showrooms nationwide.

The company released the same flyer that surfaced online, affirming the preliminary specs and equipment that were shown. As we reported previously, the Aruz, which will be based on the latest Toyota Rush and Daihatsu Terios, will be offered in two variants – 1.5 X and 1.5 AV.

Both models come as standard with LED headlights with a follow-me-home function, 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, push-button start, a multifunction steering wheel, rear air-conditioning vents, a USB charging port in each row, a reverse camera, six airbags and the Myvi‘s nifty built-in toll reader (i.e. SmartTAG).

The AV version adds auto headlights, roof rails, leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with a call button for phones, a HDMI port and an integrated video recorder (i.e. dash cam). It’s also the only one to come with the updated Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 2.0, now with pedestrian detection for the Pre-Collision Warning and Pre-Collision Braking features. Both get a five-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating.

Power will come from a 2NR-VE 1.5 litre Dual VVT-i four-cylinder petrol engine from the Myvi, and while outputs have not been revealed just yet, it should churn out the same 102 hp and 136 Nm of torque as the hatch. Paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, it delivers a claimed fuel consumption figure of 15.6 km per litre, and it’s said to be eligible for the upcoming fuel subsidies announced during Budget 2019.

As hinted in previous teasers, the Aruz will feature a couple of unique design cues to distinguish itself from its Toyota and Daihatsu twins, including dual-bar LED daytime running lights, mildly revised front and rear bumpers and repositioned chrome slats on the grille. The SUV will also debut a new colour for Perodua, Amazon Green, joining the existing Granite Grey, Electric Blue, Glittering Silver and Ivory White hues.

For further reading on the Perodua Aruz:

GALLERY: Perodua SUV teaser at KLIMS 2018