With every fifth new car sold in 2006 being a Perodua Myvi, it’s not surprising that some people just don’t want to buy one. They may like it and appreciate its many good features but their sister or a relative probably has one and in their neighbourhood, a few other people have a Myvi. And of course, on the daily drive to work, you see lots of Myvis! Indeed, within just 18 months of launch, Perodua sold 100,000 units and to date after less than two years, the figure has passed 127,000 units already.
For this reason, Perodua’s marketing people decided that it was time to come out with something a bit different for those who are tired of seeing a Myvi. This is where the constant customer surveys helped them and the feedback was that many customers desired something sporty. While many may want extra power, that approach is trickier to do since increasing engine power – for a manufacturer – is not just a matter of bolting on a turbocharger or enlarging the displacement. Such things take time and R&D money and are serious matters because reliability is important. While an individual owner may not think too much about modifying an engine since he will probably just keep his car for a few years, a company like Perodua has to think of the durability and reliability factor for the car for a longer period.

Thus in many cases, cosmetic changes are favoured as they are quick and easy to develop and do not necessitate extensive and costly engineering work. This is why you often see companies doing it as a way to provide variety to customers and to also keep the product ‘fresh’.
So we now have the Myvi Special Edition (SE) which comes with no technical changes but a number of cosmetic changes which should appeal to the younger segment of buyers (or those who are ‘young at heart’). With prices ranging from RM48,932 (including insurance) to RM52,346, the Myvi SE is about RM3,000 more than the premium version. Obviously, unlike buying this whole package of accessories from a shop, you can pay for it over an extended period of time as the extra cost is included in the H-P loan.

The extras you get for the money are different and more aggressive-looking bumpers front and rear, 'aggressive' rear roof spoiler, a new design for the 14-inch alloy wheels, a neater muffler endpiece, side skirts and different foglamps. Inside, the upholstery is black leather with a new metallic finish for the centre console and meter cluster, and there’s also a new style for the bright 'Optitron' instrument panel appearance which is ‘cool’. 'Optitron' technology was originally used in Lexus cars and slowly found their way into Toyota and Daihatsu models, and Perodua also gets to use it.The Myvi SE, which is available with manual and automatic transmission and only the 1.3-litre DVVT engine, is exclusive to Malaysia and is expected to sell at a rate of 1,200 units a month. At launch time, Perodua has already completed 1,000 units so you probably don’t have to wait long for one, unlike when the Myvi was first launched.
PRICES, Non-Metallic/Metallic (inclusive of insurance):
Myvi 1.3 SE Manual: RM48,932.00/RM49,455.00
Myvi 1.3 SE Automatic: RM51,812.00/RM52,346.00

Note: ABS and dual front airbags are standard items for the Myvi SE.

Colours available: Mistik Red (non-metallic), Ivory White (non-metallic) and Ivory Black (Metallic)
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