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A few Perodua models have recently entered the Mauritian market. These inexpensive models (about Rs 400,000 new!) from Malaysia have started to gain a rather good reputation especially the Mivy. Some driving tutors are even considering using them.

So I said, let me read about the company… and tada, it’s 58% owned by UMW Toyota and Daihatsu (which is a subsidiary of Toyota!). They even share the factory that buids the Toyota Avanza!

No wonder that Daihatsu models are the basis of Perodua cars:

Daihatsu Mira -> Perodua Viva

Daihatsu Sirion -> Toyota Passo/Duet -> Perodua Mivy

Daihatsu Trevis -> Perodua Kelisa

and some more like the Toyota Rush/Daihatsu Terios… Nek manque the Toyota Camry/Daihatsu Altis to come next

What about your views? How do you find Perodua vehicles?

Recent figures from MotorMag magazine shows that although the Corolla is still their best selling model - for Toyota Mauritius (also known as Beechand previously) market share is falling. The total sales have also fallen for the group for the first quarter of 2009. Now this trend is not due to recession, it’s the relative market share on the local market and the reason to me, is obvious…

There has been a clear lack of 1. correct models and options for Mauritius; 2. inaccurate and incomplete marketing campaigns. Let’s take them one by one. Anyone who wants to critic me is open to do so.

Let’s consider the E150 Corolla that they’ve been bringing for about 2 years only as a 4-speed automatic 1.5L. Now come on, everyone knows that Mauritians who buy Japanese prefer manual gearbox. Simply offering only that (in ads) was a deterrant to many Toyota-lovers. Ah, it’s only now, after so many months that they’ve started to offer the 1.6L 5-speed manual… Late I’d say, when the market has been taken by Honda Civic and Mitsubishi Lancer (Iframac claims the Lancer to be no 1 in sales for mid-size vehicles for 2007 and 2008 although the Lancer is more a compact sedan rather than a mid-size -MotorMag, June 2009).
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I feel like taking it all out whenever I see someone still buying a N17 Nissan Sunny VIP. It’s ugly (to me), DISCONTINUED in Japan and SMALL INTERIOR for it’s exterior size. It is an improvement over the past Sunny in terms of space use, and it remains an economical engine to run and service (lower second price about Rs 100k less). But can’t you see that the Nissan March is BIGGER THAN the Sunny interior?  Read more »

Wander about almost any forum where people from US post their comments on Japanese cars, most of them will say that 4-cylinder cars are just too underpowered, or how a 2.0 litre engine in a car is kind of ‘lacking in power.’

Now, European and Japanese car makers all promote fuel efficient cars and make engines enough to power their vehicles according to their segment. You find 50-100hp power in the budget range, right up to 500hp+ super cars. That doesn’t mean that they look down upon smaller engines? What do Americans buy? I’m not saying that everyone in US likes big 6-cylinder and V8 engines. It’s the sale figures that are speaking. Read more »