Perodua ‘Confirms’ D55L/Kembara – Due H2 2020

At their Chinese new year luncheon (cum year-in-review event), Malaysian automotive heavyweight Perodua made a surprise ‘confirmation’ that it will seek to introduce the heavily-rumoured ‘D55L’ compact SUV in the second-half of this year. We like to call the D55L model the ‘Kembara’ on the basis that, like the original, the D55L will be a high-riding A-segment machine that offers something ‘different’ from the rest of the Perodua range.

When the original Kembara was introduced, it was the very first Perodua to offer all-wheel drive and a tall seating position, which enabled owners to truly embrace the spirit of adventure (or their inner pengembara, as it were). The D55L, likewise, is set to offer an array of innovative new features as well, in a package that’s truly new for Perodua, and better suited to the pengembara of today.

Perodua’s head honcho Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad responded to a series of questions from the media (ED: They were actually almost all from us) that Perodua will be using parent-company Daihatsu’s new DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) to develop its next model, and that the company will follow market trends & consumer demands in terms of developing their next model.

Additionally, Dato’ Zainal also offered up this slide showing us Perodua’s projected total industry volume (TIV) for 2020, which notably showed an increase in SUV marketshare of 4% year-on-year compared to 2019. Perodua is a company known for its secrecy; but that said, its management team are known for dropping hints by making members of the media ‘read between the data,’ as it were.

It seems pretty clear then that, with the use of DNGA confirmed for their next model and further allusion by way of suggesting consumer-led product development, that the D55L is well on its way to market introduction. With a launch slated for the second-half of 2020 (due to a need to stabilise production & delivery times for existing models, as well as an RM500-million upgrade to their PGMSB plant in Sg. Choh), we can’t help but wonder why Perodua remains conservative (almost bearish) with its 2020 sales projections.

But with the Perodua Aruz already in existence, you may ask what ‘unique innovations’ the D55L will offer. Based on the Daihatsu Rocky/Toyota Raize duo (the former being used for illustrative purposes here), the new A-segment crossover is powered by a new 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, mated to a CVT automatic gearbox that sends power to the front wheels.

Dato’ Zainal interestingly also made mention of the industry trend of downsizing engines, which help to minimise pollution, improve efficiency, and reduce overall running costs (like roadtax, and also fuel consumption). This further alludes that the D55L will be brought to the Malaysian market with minimal powertrain changes, which puts to rest the rumours and suggestions that Perodua may swap out the turbo-triple in the Daihatsu Rocky in favour of the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre VVTi presently employed by the Perodua Myvi and Perodua Aruz.

Either way, you can rest assured that we at MalaysianMotoring will not only champion the cause to revive the much-loved ‘Kembara’ nameplate for the D55L, but pit Perodua’s little tyke up against the also eagerly-awaited PROTON X50, which Dr. Li Chunrong has also confirmed is slated for a 2020 introduction.

Stay tuned.