The need for more small-sized MPVs on the Malaysian market determined the local carmakers to come with new ideas, and Perodua came with the Alza.
Perodua didn’t have enough experience to develop a car from scratch and asked Toyota for help. The two brands worked on all Malaysian carmaker products, starting with Perodua’s first vehicle in 1994, the Kancil, which was a rebadged Daihatsu Mira (L500).

The car was not designed or engineered by Perodua; it was developed by Daihatsu. At the front, the raked front fascia started from the bumper and continued as a slightly arched ascending line toward the car’s roof. From its sides, the car resembled the Nissan Note and other small-segment minivans, but the rear windows were typical for Toyota/Daihatsu products. In the back, the carmaker installed the vertical taillights high on the D-pillars to protect them from bumps and parking-lot hits.

Inside, the Alza featured room for up to seven passengers with a 50/50 split-folding middle row and a folding third row. Access to the rear row was more difficult since the second row didn’t tumble; it just folds and not even completely flat. At the front, the driver enjoyed a high seating position. Perodua kept the same dashboard as its Daihatsu Boon sibling, with a center-mounted instrument cluster.

Perodua installed the same 1.5-liter gasoline engine as its Japanese siblings and paired it with a five-speed manual gearbox. A four-speed automatic was on the options list.