Perodua Kancil

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Perodua Kancil

Manufacturer	Perodua
Also called	Perodua Nippa
Production	1993–current
Successor	Perodua Kelisa
Class	Keicar
Body style	5-door hatchback
Platform	FF
Engine	660 cc Daihatsu I3 850 cc Daihatsu I3
Wheelbase	2,280 mm
Length	3,345 mm
Width	1,395 mm
Height	1,415 mm
Curb weight	645 kg
Related	1990 Daihatsu Mira III
Similar	Daihatsu Mira Suzuki Alto

The Perodua Kancil (sold in the United Kingdom as the Nippa) is a small car manufactured by Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua (Malay for "Second Automobile Manufacturer") in Malaysia. It has been in production since 1994. The Kancil is named after the mousedeer (chevrotain) native to Malaysia.

[edit] History

The Kancil was Perodua's first car after its founding in 1993. It is a small five-door hatchback vehicle on a monocoque framework that could seat five people.

The Kancil and its predecessors are actually a modified Daihatsu Mira through badge engineering. Badge engineering is prevalent in Malaysia's automotive industry since it began in 1985 with carmaker Proton. Subsequent Kancils were only rejuvenated cosmetically as Perodua maintained the monocoque structure and tweaked with its engines.

The little car became an instant success in Malaysia. The Kancil is popular with beginner drivers and is commonly used in Malaysian driving schools. It is also bought for its fuel efficiency and surprising interior space considering its size. In December 1995, Perodua produced its 50,000th Kancil. By January 1997, 100,000 Kancils had been manufactured, and by 1999 250,000 had been built.

In 1999, the Kancil was given a slight facelift consisting of body-coloured side mouldings, new grille and reprofiled front bumper with larger indicators.

In 2003, the Kancil received a more extensive facelift. It now has round headlights, modified taillights, and new front and rear bumpers. Its interior features a flushed dashboard with the combination instrumentation panel placed in the middle like the Toyota Yaris. However, it is still mechanically identical to its predecessor, except for the EZi automatic transmission option which is given a fuel-injected powerplant.

The Perodua Kancil is set to be replaced with a new model based on the new Daihatsu Mira in 2007. There have been sightings of the car being tested on Malaysian roads.

[edit] Models

The Kancil is sold in three variants:

Kancil 660EX- 659cc three-cylinder carbureted in-line engine, 31 hp (22.8 kW), five-speed manual transmission, black bumpers and door rub strips. RM 22,055.
Kancil 850EX- 847cc three-cylinder carbureted in-line engine, 37 hp (27.5 kW), five-speed manual transmission, body-color bumpers and rub strips. RM 27,227.
Kancil 850EZi- 847cc three-cylinder fuel-injected in-line engine, 50 hp (36.7 kW), three-speed automatic transmission, body color bumpers and rub strips. RM 32,039.

In Indonesia, The Perodua Kancil are rebadge and known as the Daihatsu Ceria and sales between 2000 until 2006.