What is the point of a car?
A car is many things. It is a symbol of status and wealth, one of the 5Cs that Singaporeans hold dearly. A car is in some ways a toy, something fun that brings joy and puts a smile on your face. It is also a tool of luxury and comfort to traverse this humid, sweltering city.
But at its most basic, isn't a car a functional means of transport? An air-conditioned box on wheels to move us around this hot city, a practical tool of transport to do weekend groceries and drop the kids off at school. Japan, it appears, has embraced this notion, with the kei car: domestic-market mini cars that have provided drivers with efficiency, practicality, and even style.
Perodua has launched the all new Axia in Singapore, entering a market that's saturated by cars much bigger and much richer than itself. And while Axia is not a kei car per se, it makes us pause for thought: What is it exactly? Exterior
This is a small car that's made for city driving. Boxy-looking, the Axai is not a particularly sexy or stylish-looking car. However, it thoroughly embraces the small, city car mentality, and that gives it a certain charm.
A car is many things. It is a symbol of status and wealth, one of the 5Cs that Singaporeans hold dearly. A car is in some ways a toy, something fun that brings joy and puts a smile on your face. It is also a tool of luxury and comfort to traverse this humid, sweltering city.
But at its most basic, isn't a car a functional means of transport? An air-conditioned box on wheels to move us around this hot city, a practical tool of transport to do weekend groceries and drop the kids off at school. Japan, it appears, has embraced this notion, with the kei car: domestic-market mini cars that have provided drivers with efficiency, practicality, and even style.
Perodua has launched the all new Axia in Singapore, entering a market that's saturated by cars much bigger and much richer than itself. And while Axia is not a kei car per se, it makes us pause for thought: What is it exactly? Exterior
This is a small car that's made for city driving. Boxy-looking, the Axai is not a particularly sexy or stylish-looking car. However, it thoroughly embraces the small, city car mentality, and that gives it a certain charm.
It will also draw some looks from casual observers, perhaps for the sheer rarity of the brand, but we suspect also the novelty of seeing a car that seems so comfortably at ease in its urban environment.
Size-wise, the Axia is extremely functional. Measuring 3,640mm long, 1,405mm wide and 1,510mm tall, it will comfortably fit into any of the roads in Singapore and let you park in even the tightest of parking spaces with room to spare. And that's what this car, and arguably all city cars, are supposed to do.
Size-wise, the Axia is extremely functional. Measuring 3,640mm long, 1,405mm wide and 1,510mm tall, it will comfortably fit into any of the roads in Singapore and let you park in even the tightest of parking spaces with room to spare. And that's what this car, and arguably all city cars, are supposed to do.
Interior
The cabin of the Axia is surprisingly spacious, especially at the back, and much roomier than you'd expect looking at the car from the outside. It will seat five adults comfortably, with ample legroom for rear passengers.
The leather upholstered semi-bucket front seats and bench rear seats are on the firm side and they offer a touch of quality in an otherwise un-luxurious interior. The interior does feel dated, although there are definitely attempts to bring it up to date, such as the modern seats and a sat-nav system that is easy to use.
The cabin of the Axia is surprisingly spacious, especially at the back, and much roomier than you'd expect looking at the car from the outside. It will seat five adults comfortably, with ample legroom for rear passengers.
The leather upholstered semi-bucket front seats and bench rear seats are on the firm side and they offer a touch of quality in an otherwise un-luxurious interior. The interior does feel dated, although there are definitely attempts to bring it up to date, such as the modern seats and a sat-nav system that is easy to use.
Ultimately, functionality is the name of the game here. Everything in the car is designed for practicality rather than luxury. There are interesting little features, like the built-in tissue compartment, anti-snatch shopping hooks as well as a variety of cup holders and storage compartments.
There are 260 litres of boot space, and the versatile seating configurations mean that you can configure the car to hold a much larger variety and amount of cargo if you so require. Despite its petite size, Perodua has also managed to craft nifty little pockets of storage, adding to the Axia's overall practicality.
There are 260 litres of boot space, and the versatile seating configurations mean that you can configure the car to hold a much larger variety and amount of cargo if you so require. Despite its petite size, Perodua has also managed to craft nifty little pockets of storage, adding to the Axia's overall practicality.
The Drive
The most surprising aspect of the Axia is the way it drives. With a modest 66bhp and 90Nm of torque, the 1.0-litre powerplant is built for efficiency. There's even an eco-drive light to indicate when you are driving economically. While the 20.1km/L figure listed on paper is optimistic, we easily managed to get 17km/L during our time with the car, with the occasional bit of heavy-footedness. Even with some uneconomical mucking about, the car still returned some 13.5km/L.
While performance figures are humble, you won't be struggling for power or speed. No doubt you won't be performing drastic overtaking moves, burnouts or doughnuts, but the Axia is sufficiently usable.
The engine is surprisingly chirpy and willing to rev. The car's light weight, compact size, and the fact that it isn't terrible around corners, mean you can conceivably throw it around and have a laugh. It'll comfortably get up to and past expressway speed limits, too. You never feel slow. If anything, the car's compact size and lightness actually translates to a sense of briskness.
Unfortunately, noise is an issue. And the engine note isn't the most refined, especially when revving past around 3,000rpm. The overall ride is also on the stiff side; not a huge issue when doing quick 30-minute commutes around the city, but on long trips you will wish for more cushioning from the seat and more supple suspension.
Conclusion
So what sort of car is the Perodua Axia? It's a car that won't immediately appeal to many drivers as it lacks many of the luxuries we come to expect from modern cars. But to return to the initial question of what is the point of a car, the Axia is a very capable, practical and economical means of transport, and in the most functional and fundamental sense, a very decent 'car'.
And we are starting to wonder, in this age of increasing fuel costs, environmental-consciousness and burgeoning car prices, is it perhaps time for us to embrace the small car the way the Japanese have embraced the kei car? Is there a place for the practical, economical city car in a city dominated by bigger, more fanciful cars of excess?
The Perodua Axia is the sort of car that will easily be lost or overlooked in our saturated automotive industry. But it shouldn't be. Perhaps it is precisely the sort of car that Singaporeans need to consider more, because it simply makes sense. It is efficient, environmentally-friendly, economical, and highly practical. It may not give you everything you want out of a car. Not even close. But it will do everything that you need, and then some. And isn't that good enough?
So what sort of car is the Perodua Axia? It's a car that won't immediately appeal to many drivers as it lacks many of the luxuries we come to expect from modern cars. But to return to the initial question of what is the point of a car, the Axia is a very capable, practical and economical means of transport, and in the most functional and fundamental sense, a very decent 'car'.
And we are starting to wonder, in this age of increasing fuel costs, environmental-consciousness and burgeoning car prices, is it perhaps time for us to embrace the small car the way the Japanese have embraced the kei car? Is there a place for the practical, economical city car in a city dominated by bigger, more fanciful cars of excess?
The Perodua Axia is the sort of car that will easily be lost or overlooked in our saturated automotive industry. But it shouldn't be. Perhaps it is precisely the sort of car that Singaporeans need to consider more, because it simply makes sense. It is efficient, environmentally-friendly, economical, and highly practical. It may not give you everything you want out of a car. Not even close. But it will do everything that you need, and then some. And isn't that good enough?
