What does it cost?
Perodua Myvi Hatchback full 9 point review
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Performance
The Myvi comes with 86bhp 1.3-litre petrol engine. It’s zippy around town and can also keep up with faster traffic without any problems. However, you have to stir the five-speed gearbox to bring it up to cruising speed or to overtake. The EZi auto slows things down considerably.
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Ride & Handling
The Myvi hasn’t got much grip, so sharp or high-speed corners need to be taken with care. The steering is also a bit too light, but the Perodua is responsive and predictable. It has a fairly comfortable ride, although the Myvi can pop up like a Jack-in-the-box over bumps at speed.
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Refinement
Considering you have to use the gearbox so much, it’s a shame that there’s so much vibration through the gearlever. While the car is refined around town, engine and wind noise – particularly around the large door mirrors – builds up at motorway speeds. As a result, the Perodua can be somewhat tedious in this environment, and it is a long way off the standards set by rivals.
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Buying & Owning
There's no doubting that the Myvi is cheap, especially when you consider how much kit you're getting for the price. Running costs won’t bring a tear to your eye, either, with low insurance bills and fuel economy of nearly 50mpg. However, there are plenty of superior cars out there for even less money.
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Quality & Reliability
The Myvi sells in such low numbers that we haven't seen much in the way of hard data concerning the car's reliability. It shares its mechanicals with the now-defunct Daihatsu Sirion, though, which had a decent record. Quality isn't a strong point - the cabin plastics feel very cheap indeed.
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Safety & Security
This is one of the areas in which the Myvi really isn't up to scratch. Twin front airbags are standard, but there are no side or curtain 'bags, and no stability control. Remote central locking is standard, but there's no hint of deadlocks to deter smash-and-grab criminals.
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Behind The Wheel
The controls are well laid out and easy to use, but the steering wheel doesn't have the reach adjustment that would allow you to fine-tune your driving position. The seat has plenty of movement, though, so most people should be able to make themselves comfortable.
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Space & Practicality
Considering the size of the Myvi, there's bags of room in the cabin. You'll never lack for headroom in the tall-bodied car, while a pair of adults could embark on a long motorway in the back seats with little to fear. With the 60/40 split rear seats in place the boot is small, but there's a decent amount of room on offer when they're folded flat.
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Equipment
SXi manuals and EZi automatics have the same long list of toys on board, including air-conditioning, front and rear electric windows, remote central locking, a CD player, metallic paint and electric door mirrors.
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Our pick of the range
Perodua Myvi Hatchback 1.3 SXi 5dr
The point of a Perodua is value for money, so the cheapest model makes most sense. It's well equipped, and buying SE trim or the automatic 'box does nothing to improve it.
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