My Journey Buying a Perodua Axia AV 2023 in Malaysia via Hire Purchase

Buying a new car was both exciting and nerve-wracking for me. As a mom managing daily errands, school runs, and work, having a reliable car became more of a necessity than a luxury.

After letting go of my previous car, I knew I needed something practical, fuel-efficient, and suitable for everyday family use. Since paying in full wasn’t the most practical option, I decided to go through hire purchase financing.

For those who may not be familiar, hire purchase is one of the most common ways to buy a car in Malaysia. Instead of paying the full amount upfront, the bank finances the vehicle and you pay it back through monthly installments over an agreed loan period.

Choosing Perodua Axia AV 2023

When I started looking for a new car, I wanted something practical, modern, and easy to maintain for everyday family use. Initially, I was really drawn to the latest Perodua Axia AV 2023. As someone from the Philippines, it immediately reminded me of the Toyota Wigo, which many families back home are familiar with. After doing a bit more research, I found it interesting that they actually share the same manufacturer lineage through Daihatsu, similar to the Toyota Agya in Indonesia. That gave me extra confidence because the platform is already widely used and proven in different markets across Southeast Asia.

Another reason I felt naturally drawn to the Axia was because I already had hands-on experience driving it. During my driving lessons at the academy last year, I had the chance to briefly drive the newer Axia model, and for most of my lessons, I was using an older 10-year-old Axia. That experience made me feel familiar and comfortable with how the car handles, especially for city driving and parking.

I also considered the latest Proton X50, which is originally based on Geely’s platform. While the X50 is definitely more premium in terms of size, features, and technology, I had to balance that against my practical needs as a mom who mainly uses the car for school runs, errands, groceries, and daily family activities.

In the end, I leaned more toward the Axia because it matched what I was looking for: a compact, fuel-efficient, and reliable city car that is easier on the budget while still giving a modern driving experience.

Comparison of Southeast Asian Hatchbacks: Perodua Axia AV, Toyota Ayga GR-S, Toyota Wigo G, and Daihatsu Ayla R ADS offer a variety of features like airbags, infotainment systems, and unique styling options.

The Hire Purchase Process

The process started with choosing the car model and variant from the dealership. Once confirmed, the sales advisor helped me with the financing application.

The documents required were fairly straightforward:

• copy of IC / passport

• proof of income

• bank statements

• employment details

• guarantor information (if needed)

Since my husband was involved in helping with the process, some supporting documents were also prepared under his details. Once submitted, the bank reviewed the application and performed a credit assessment. This part honestly felt like the longest because it involved waiting for approval and checking the monthly installment options.

Finalizing our hire purchase agreement at Public Bank took longer to wait than to sign! Grateful for my husband's support as a guarantor due to my freelance work and overseas company.

Understanding the Monthly Commitment

One of the biggest factors in my decision was the monthly financial commitment.

To make sure I was choosing the right option, I also explored another car from a competing brand — the new Proton X50 SUV, which was almost double the price of the Axia. I applied for financing for both cars, and thankfully, I was approved by two banks: AmBank and Public Bank.

Initially, AmBank approved the Axia, and I was even asked to sign a letter confirming that I would be proceeding with it. However, because my Perodua sales advisor took a while to get back to me, I decided to also keep the X50 option open.

Later, Public Bank came back with a higher financing limit, which gave me more flexibility and better confidence in moving forward. Because of that, I eventually decided to proceed with Public Bank for the hire purchase.

As a foreigner, I was still required to pay around 23% of the total vehicle price as down payment, which is a significant amount but something I had already prepared for.

The same applied to the X50 — a down payment was also required. What made it more tempting was that our Proton sales advisor gave us a generous discount, since this would have been our second car purchase with him. It was honestly a very tempting choice.

The X50 offered more space, SUV comfort, and upgraded features, but when I compared the monthly installments, the difference was clear:

• Axia: RM500+ per month

• X50: RM800+ per month

At the bank, they eventually asked me which car I had decided to take. After carefully reviewing our family budget and what I truly needed for daily use, I chose the Axia.

For me, the cheaper monthly commitment made more sense for our current lifestyle — practical, reliable, and easier to manage long-term.

Sometimes the smartest choice is not the more expensive one, but the one that keeps your monthly finances comfortable.

After comparing the Perodua Axia AV and Proton X50 Executive, the focus on fuel efficiency and monthly commitment made my decision clear. The Axia is perfect for city driving and budget-friendly in today's economy.

Delivery Day

Delivery day finally came, and it happened on a Friday — which turned out to be one of the busiest days we had.

On the same day, I also transferred the ownership of my old car, my Ford Fiesta, which had served as my practice car for almost a year while I was building my confidence as a driver. The transfer process was surprisingly smooth, and everything was completed quite quickly. After that, I also managed to cancel my previous insurance at the same place, which made the whole process very convenient.

I’ll be sharing the full ownership transfer process in a separate blog post soon, as I think it may be helpful for others going through the same journey.

That same day, I also paid the deposit for the new car and completed the signing of the hire purchase agreement, which made it feel even more official

What really made this possible was my Sales Advisor (SA), who truly went above and beyond to settle everything on the same day.

He tried his best to arrange all the processes as quickly as possible, including:

• e-Hak / ownership processing

• JPJ registration

• insurance

• road tax

And on top of that, he personally delivered the car all the way to my home, even though it meant he had to drive back late afterward.

Honestly, kudos to my SA — he made everything possible.

At first, I honestly didn’t even know if I would get approved, so seeing everything finalized and the car delivered on the same day felt almost surreal.

But the day did not stop there.

My husband also had to go to KK for a checkup and collect medicines from Hospital Selayang, while my daughter had her Raya celebration at school.

So in one single day, we were juggling:

• old car ownership transfer

• insurance cancellation

• deposit payment

• hire purchase signing

• hospital errands

• school event

• new car delivery

By the end of the day, we were all completely exhausted.

It was one of those days that felt nonstop from morning until night, but it also marked a huge milestone for our family.

Seeing my new silver car in the parking bay sparked mixed emotions, as I fondly remembered my old Ford Fiesta that once occupied this spot.

My Honest Reflection

To be honest, part of this journey was also a personal test for myself.

I wanted to see whether I was actually capable of getting approved for a more expensive car. In my mind, it was not only about buying a vehicle but also understanding where I currently stand financially.

To my surprise, I did get approved, and it happened without many questions being asked. That honestly gave me a sense of confidence and reassurance that all the years of hard work and building financial stability were paying off.

Another factor that really helped ease the process was having my husband as the guarantor. Since he works in the government sector, it definitely gave additional assurance during the application and helped make the approval process smoother.

But despite that, my original target from the beginning was really the Axia.

I was genuinely impressed by how much it offers for a more affordable price point — especially its modern features, practicality, and fuel efficiency. For a cheaper car, it did not feel “cheap” at all.

What stood out to me most was how suitable it is for my everyday life as a mom: school runs, errands, groceries, and family trips around the city.

In the end, this experience reminded me that sometimes the best choice is not about choosing the most expensive option you can afford, but choosing the one that gives you the best value for your lifestyle.

For me, that was the Axia.