Perodua Traz Review

The B-segment SUV market has been consistently booming locally in recent years. Family users desire the flexibility of a compact body while pursuing spacious interior and high ground clearance. The 2025 Perodua Traz is designed to meet these demands. As the brand's newly introduced SUV series, Traz highlights advanced safety features and a 210mm ground clearance as its key selling points. This time, we focus on test driving the Traz X version to see if it meets the dual expectations of practicality and safety for local consumers.

The exterior design of the Traz X continues the Perodua family styling, with overall lines leaning towards a robust aesthetic. The front features a large trapezoidal grille paired with blacked-out trim, connected to LED headlights on both sides, enhancing the horizontal visual width and improving recognizability. The side profile adopts a dual waistline design, stretching from the front fender to the rear, combined with 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, giving a stronger sense of power compared to competitors in the same class. At the rear, the LED taillight assembly features a through-type design, with the Perodua logo embedded in the center. A silver bumper guard at the bottom reinforces its SUV attributes. For the lighting system, LED headlights, daytime running lights, and rear fog lights come standard across the lineup, providing sufficient illumination for nighttime use.

Inside, the Traz X interior features a dark color scheme with a minimalist center console layout. In terms of materials, the upper dashboard is made of hard plastic, but the door armrests and seats are wrapped in fabric, offering a relatively comfortable touch. The center console is equipped with a 9-inch floating touchscreen that supports Bluetooth connection and USB input. The operation is fairly smooth, though the screen resolution is average. The instrument panel features a 4.2-inch TFT LCD display, showing essential information such as speed, fuel consumption, and range, with clear readability. In terms of configuration, the Traz X comes standard with keyless entry, push-button start, front digital air conditioning, and rear air vents, ensuring convenience for daily use. Safety features are the highlight, with 6 airbags (including knee airbags), vehicle stability control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and active braking all included as standard, offering a significant advantage in its price range.

For space, the Traz X has a wheelbase of 2620mm, providing ample rear legroom. A passenger of 175cm tall can sit with two-fist-width of space between their knees and the front seats. The rear floor is nearly flat, so the middle passenger’s legroom won't feel cramped. The trunk offers 471 liters of storage capacity, easily accommodating two 28-inch suitcases. The rear seats can fold down in a split configuration, creating a larger storage space ideal for bulky items. Interior storage options are abundant, with a front central armrest console, door storage pockets, and cup holders providing enough space for phones, wallets, and other small items.

In terms of power, the Traz X is equipped with a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine delivering a maximum of 106PS and 138N·m of peak torque, paired with a CVT gearbox. During everyday driving, the initial acceleration is smooth, and the low RPM range offers sufficient power for urban road conditions. However, when overtaking, pressing the accelerator deeper is required to push the engine above 4000rpm, at which point peak torque is fully released. At highway speeds exceeding 100km/h, the power reserve for further acceleration feels somewhat lacking. There is only a standard drive mode and no sport mode option, with tuning more inclined towards comfort.

The handling and chassis performance are decent, with a lightweight steering wheel and minimal play, making daily steering relatively precise. The combination of a front MacPherson strut and rear double-wishbone independent suspension is tuned for comfort, filtering out most vibrations when passing over speed bumps or uneven roads, making rear passengers feel minimal jolts. During cornering, there is some body roll, but it remains within a controllable range, and overall stability is good. In terms of braking, the front ventilated disc and rear solid disc brakes perform steadily; the brake pedal travel is moderate, the braking force output is linear, and it inspires enough confidence during emergency braking.

In our specialized tests, we measured the fuel consumption of the Traz X at approximately 6.5L per 100km on mixed road conditions. With a fuel tank capacity of 42L, it offers a full-tank range of roughly 640km. The fuel efficiency aligns with the level of a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine. Regarding noise control, tire and engine noise are not significant during city driving. However, wind noise becomes more apparent at highway speeds exceeding 110km/h, though it does not affect normal conversations inside the cabin. Seat comfort is commendable, with fabric seats offering excellent support and cushioning, ensuring long drives don’t lead to fatigue.

Compared to competitors in the same segment, such as the Honda HR-V 1.5L and Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8L, the Traz X is priced lower, features richer safety configurations, and has a higher ground clearance, making it suitable for users who frequently travel on rural or unpaved roads. However, its power performance and interior material quality are slightly inferior to its competitors. Overall, the Traz X is ideal for family-oriented users who prioritize safety, space, and off-road capability, especially those who often travel with family or occasionally drive on rough roads.

In summary, the 2025 Perodua Traz X is a practical B-segment SUV, with its core strengths lying in advanced safety features, spacious interior, and high ground clearance. Although its power and interior quality are not its strongest points, given its price of RM 76,100, it offers excellent value for money. If you're looking for a safe, practical, and family-friendly SUV, the Traz X is worth considering.