The Perodua Axia is the most affordable car in Malaysia with active safety

Following its introduction in the new Myvi, Perodua has now integrated its Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 2.0 into the facelifted Axia; making it the most affordable vehicle with active safety in the country.

Along with that, the Axia is now available with more variants and features as well but we’ll get to it in a second.

The basics still include the same 1KR-VE 1.0-litre inline-three with VVT-i. In the stable you’ll find 67 horses that get the job done aided with 91Nm of torque. There’s still a five-speed manual but its reserved solely for the “Grab” spec entry-level trim while the rest make do with a four-speed automatic.

If you’re going to get down to the basics, it doesn’t get barer than the Axia E – RM24,090 - five-speed manual - 14-inch steel wheels - two cupholders - electric power steering - power windows - dual airbags - Isofix mounting points - pretty much nothing else

Step up to the G and things get a little more decent – RM33,490 - electric side-view mirrors - 14-inch alloy wheels - rear wiper - seat back pockets - three cupholders - multi-purpose container - audio system with USB - dual front speakers - multi-info display - central locking - ABS with EBD

The GXtra though is where most buyers would make their entry into Axia ownership as it has stability control – RM34,990 - retractable side-view mirrors - rear windscreen defogger - fancier fabric seats - additional dual rear speakers - driver’s seat height adjustment - reverse sensors - assist grip - stability control and traction control - anti-snatch hook

Moving up the Axia ownership food chain brings us to the SE – RM38,890 - front, rear and side skirtings - fancier projector headlights - front fog lights - integrated indicators in the side-view mirrors - rear spoiler with third-brake light - sportier front seats (Perodua claims bucket but let’s not be ambitious) - fanciest fabric - audio system with Bluetooth - smart entry/engine start-stop button - front parking sensors - security window tint

Now comes the pinnacle of the Axia range, the AV – RM43,190 - multimedia audio system with navigation, SmartLink, Bluetooth, USB and HDMI - steering-mounted audio controls - reverse camera - Advanced Safety Assist 2.0

That’s not all folks, there’s an all new variant introduced with the refresh that’s best described as an Axia crossover… or a decent attempt at one. It sits just above the GXtra but is targeted at those that prioritise… style we suppose.

You’ll find a SUV-inspired bumper front and rear, wider side skirts, larger 15-inch alloy wheels, sportier roof mouldings and of course body cladding for the fenders. It’ll set you back RM38,890.