2022 Perodua Myvi 1.3G With ASA 3.0 - Again A Game Changer

Bringing their suite of Advanced Safety Assist (A.S.A) features to the base Myvi for 2022 means that active safety is now in the hands of nearly all future buyers of this B-segment hatch.

You would be something of a fool to walk into a Perodua showroom and book yourself an RM45,700 Myvi 1.3G ‘kosong spec’ and not opt for the PSDA (Perodua Smart Drive Assist) option. The amount of additional safety and peace of mind you’ll receive for that extra RM2,000 cannot be overstated.

Because technologies like these save lives of both the vehicle occupants, occupants in other vehicles, and even pedestrians and cyclists in some cases, what value can you really assign to it?

Even the most selfish person will have to realise that this feature, which works out to less than RM50 per month in your hire purchase repayments (over a 5 year period), will potentially save your life.

The rise of active safety features, both in terms of their presence in more and more new cars each year as well as the importance customers now place on their inclusion, has been one of the most marked changes in the automotive landscape over the past decade, reducing hundreds of road-related damage, injuries, and fatalities every day, globally.

Where before it was only offered in the most luxurious and/or advanced (meaning expensive) vehicles on sale, it’s now on route to being as ubiquitous and expected as anti-lock brakes and airbags.

Like all things new, it has taken time for active safety tech to trickle down into the mass market, but Perodua seems to be at the forefront of bringing these features within reach to the majority of Malaysian car buyers. This year, with the 2022 Myvi facelift, they’ve done it again.

Going into the new year, Perodua still holds the crown of offering the least expensive new car on sale with active safety with their A.S.A 2.0-equipped Axia 1.0AV at RM41,427. The Myvi, which is a size bigger, was already the least expensive B-segment hatch with the most safety kit. The 2022 revision only lowers that point of entry with the PSDA-fitted Myvi 1.5G for RM47,700.

Seeing as how functions such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and others are legitimately effective at preventing accidents and saving lives, this is a very good thing indeed.

With PSDA, an umbrella acronym under which their previously standalone A.S.A 3.0 (Advanced Safety Assist) now lives under, even the Myvi 1.5G can be equipped with Pre-Collision Warning and Pre-Collision Braking (AEB, basically), as well as Pedal Misoperation Control, Front Departure Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and Lane Departure Prevention.

In the arena of active safety features, these are the biggest hitters to prevent your car from unintentionally hitting something else. Well, besides Blind Spot Monitoring, which is an unfortunate omission.

It’s only when you step up to the range-topping Myvi 1.5AV that you get convenient - but not necessarily life-saving - features such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic High Beam, Lane Keep Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and yes, Blind Spot Monitoring.

Interestingly, despite the 1.5X and 1.5H also having a touchscreen infotainment system, only the 1.5AV is fitted with a reversing camera, which is strange because that’s a pretty widespread feature on most city cars these days, even budget ones. It’s not particularly expensive from a supply standpoint either, so expect plenty of non AV owners to plug in their own rear camera solution.

Still, being such a compact hatchback, reversing into parking spaces shouldn’t be much of an issue. Our parents and grandparents managed without them while driving bigger, clumsier cars usually with a manual gearbox. Speaking of which, all Myvis from 2022 are automatics.

By making their own active safety bundle available as standard in the Myvi 1.5X, 1.5H, and 1.5AV,  they are ensuring a wider spread of buyers are much better protected should an unfortunate situation arise on the road.

Granted, they do have their limitations but they have been proven to be extremely effective in mitigating the severity of slow-to-medium speed accidents if not preventing them altogether.

Does that mean we'll finally see a reduction in accidents involving Myvis? Or is that problem with Malaysian humans and therefore beyond help?