2018 Proton Persona: Key changes

Protons are a cause of pride for our nation. The company which started getting noticed in 2010 has come a long way now in being an established player. In fact, us Malaysians prefer a car from the homegrown manufacturer more than any other competitor’s products. Every Proton is said to have a soul and there are many unpaid testimonies online which stand true to the fact. One such car which has won over most of the people with its features as well as utility is the Proton Persona. For the model year 2018, there are a few key changes being made to the vehicle. We have listed out those changes below

First up, like the other Proton models, even this gets a 1.6-litre petrol engine with VVT. This engine makes 107 PS of maximum power and 150 Nm of peak torque. It though now has been tuned for better low-end torque as well as improved driveability. The fuel efficiency too has gone up now and stands at 17.85 kmpl for the manual and 16.4 kmpl for the CVT-equipped trim.

Proton has reduced the length of the Persona by a few inches. The dimensions now stand at 4,387 mm x 1,722 mm x 1,554 mm for the length, width, and height. The earlier car measured 4,477 mm x 1,725 mm x 1,439 mm. The wheelbase now is 2,555 mm as opposed to 2,600 mm earlier. Proton says that a majority of their customers wanted an even more compact car than the previous Persona and hence the new one. All this shrinking has got the new Persona a bigger boot at 510-litre. The outgoing model had a 430-litre boot.

Inside, headroom has noticeably increased while the upholstery too has been tweaked. There are a couple of places where the plastic now feels soft to touch. The touchscreen music system gets two additional speakers and there is navigation added to the mix as well. The boot gets a lamp as well as a cargo net now.

The suspension while remaining the same has been tweaked to be more absorbent. For example, the McPherson struts with stabilizer bar and torsion beam axle have been retuned for a better ride quality. The new car absorbs bumps better than the outgoing one and does it with a bit of silence as well. The ground clearance which has gone up by 5 mm doesn’t scrape over speed breakers unlike the older car which used to do that with a full load. NVH levels from the engine as well as the road seem to have been isolated in a better fashion from the cabin.

Front and rear reverse parking sensors are now standard on all Proton Personas. A fog light at the back too is standard. Talking about safety features, dual airbags are standard across the range while curtain ones are available on top-spec trims. ABS along with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Hill Assist, Traction Control are all part of the standard fare. Proton also has added Brake Assist, dual seat belt pretensioner, ISOFIX child seat mounts and a top tether to the list of standard equipment on the Persona sedan.

The car while still looking a tad staid, especially in front of the new Honda City as well as the Toyota Vios, does have a few good bits from the last generation. These include the reshaped bumpers front and rear, the smoked effect halogens, the alloy wheels which have an affable new design and the exhaust tip which gives it a race car look from behind.