Well, here’s an interesting bit of hearsay. If that in a research note by an investment bank is to be believed, Perodua is said to be working towards introducing a new sedan this year. According to the RHB Investment Bank report, the model is understood to be a next-gen replacement for the current D63D Bezza, which was launched in 2016 and facelifted in 2020.

Sounds intriguing, but let’s look at how real the suggestion could be. We do know that the national carmaker is due to launch a new full model change (FMC) vehicle this year, and everything so far points to the all-new Axia, with the D74A said to be set for a mid-February Malaysian launch.

This timeline has been reinforced with word from the sales network that dealers are rushing to clear existing Axia stocks, and that no new units would be coming from the factory this month.

Given P2’s usual introduction strategy of launching one FMC and one facelift per year, the likely scenario for 2023 should be the debut of the Axia and the arrival of a facelift, likely that for the Aruz, which is the oldest model in the automaker’s range.

A new Bezza, if it follows the trend adopted for the current model, which is a sedan based on the Axia, should take some time to come about. If you follow the normal cycle, that should be sometime next year, which is a year behind the Axia.

Unless, of course, the new Perodua sedan development is already more advanced than we thought, working along the lines of a Perodua version of the fourth-gen Toyota Vios. Earlier this month, Daihatsu filed patent images of an unnamed sedan, which bears a striking resemblance to the Vios, with Indonesia’s Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP). It was rumoured Perodua had a hand in developing the Vios, so this theory might hold some water.

If an all-new Bezza does appear this year, it will likely be made under the basis of a price increase. Going into 2023, the automaker said it would maintain prices of its models, but a completely fresh model would allow it the ability to redefine pricing.

However, there’s still a long wait list for the Bezza, with high demand from buyers for use as taxis and Grab vehicles, so bringing about a new – and potentially more expensive – car won’t exactly be an easy, straight up affair. As of January 11, the waiting period for a Bezza 1.0 G automatic – for orders made up to December 2022 – could stretch as long as 7.5 months, the shortest being for the 1.0 G manual, at 6.5 months.

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