Perodua NAUTICA 4WD - Review

Perodua NAUTICA 4WD
The new Nautica SUV which was launched mid of year 2008 signals a new phase in the evolution of Perodua. This is the first time that Perodua is not building its own model and instead importing it as a completely built-up unit (CBU) from Japan, a move that critics say is a departure from its original mission and also not appropriate for a national car company.

Perodua estimates that the successor to the Kembara would draw about 200 buyers a month at most and while making 2,400 units a year locally is possible, the question is whether it will be worth the investment and whether it will be a CKD assembly approach or manufacturing (which means stamping body panels). There are companies which do assemble less than 3,000 units a year but their plants are geared towards smaller volumes than what Perodua today produces.
The first thing most people will remark is that the Nautica looks like the Toyota Rush and yes, it is a shorter version. From various conversations with Perodua, Daihatsu and Toyota engineers, the Daihatsu BeGo/Terios from which the Nautica is derived is the ‘standard’ wheelbase model and Toyota adapted the platform to use for the Rush for Asean in order to get a 3-row SUV (and also uses the same platform for the Avanza).

Dimensional differences are therefore visually noticeable since the Rush has to accommodate three rows of seats. The wheelbase is almost 100 mm longer while the body is about 300 mm longer but the width is the same for both models. However, Perodua’s marketing people do not regard the Rush as a direct rival since that is aimed at a more family-oriented target group which needs a 7-seater. So if it is not competing with the Rush, then the Nautica is actually in a segment on its own as other 2-row SUVs are larger and cost more with the exception of the Chery Tiggo from China.
The Nautica has a 1.5-litre (1495 cc) DVVT petrol engine with a DOHC, 16-valve aluminium cylinder head and cast iron block. This is the largest engine now offered by Perodua as the Rusa van, which had a 1.6-litre engine, is no longer in production.

The compression ratio of the engine is around 10.0:1 but it is tuned to run on RON92 petrol without problems. In this state of tune, it produces 80 kW/108.8 bhp of power at 6000 rpm and 141 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm. DVVT, the variable valve-timing mechanism, enhances driveability throughout the rev range which, in turn, helps in fuel economy and promotes more complete combustion for less toxic emissions. Only a 4-speed automatic transmission is available but the drivetrain is a full-time 4WD, like the Kembara’s. The use of 4WD in small models is not new in Japan and many of the manufacturers have provided it as a means to improve stability on slippery surfaces like ice and snow, and not for off-road capability. Thus the 4WD in the Nautica is essentially a ‘mild’ system that will come in useful on wet roads and also for casual off-road driving. Don’t expect it to perform like a Toyota Land Cruiser just because it has 4WD and in any case, the Dunlop Grandtrek tyres (215/65R16) are not intended for extreme conditions.

Moving inside the Nautica, it will be immediately evident that it is very different from the Kembara. The earlier SUV was small and the cabin was compact but the Nautica offers a lot more space with its wider body. Those who felt the Kembara’s seating made them too ‘intimate’ with their passengers will be pleased with the extra elbow room and also the larger seats. The driver’s seating position is high, like in the Kembara, something which was a major reason for many people buying the SUV.
Whether the Malaysian public will accept a Perodua that costs RM89,900 remains to be seen and it really depends on the strength of the brand image today. Much has gone into brand building in recent years to try to get away from the cheap image that it started off with and make it a brand of choice. Given the serious and consistent efforts to raise build quality and after-sales service, Perodua has succeeded to some extent.

The Nautica will be a good test of how Malaysians regard Perodua today and besides that, by offering a model at this price will enable the company to more easily adjust its prices later on if and when the government decides to remove all special privileges for national carmakers and their prices will need to be revised upwards.

Perodua NAUTICA 4WD