2019 Proton Iriz: First impression

What else can be more engrossing for a carmaker than the unveiling of its new nameplate by the nation’s Prime Minister? Certainly, nothing. The carmaker in our discussion is no other than the country’s first national badged car company, Proton and you are guessing it right, it is all about the all-new 2019 Proton Iriz. Since its revelation in February 2019, Iriz has been one of the main centres of attraction and also an imperative element of the limelight in Malaysia Autoshow. And to quench the cadge of Malaysians, the company is also accepting pre-orders with a minimal promotional fee. Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was seen giving a thumbs-up at the launch event along with other stakeholders, whereas we will proceed with our first impression of the newfangled facelift.

Revamped exterior, Sporty outlook

Days are gone when the only thing that mattered to the buyers was practicality and basically what’s inside the vehicle. In an arena of stiff competition and that too against giants like Perodua, one can’t take the risk to miss out winning the very first look put at the vehicle. And with due accordance in this line, Proton has managed to ornament Iriz with no less than an alluring outfit. This starts with the four-wheeler’s front where sits an “Ethereal Bow” grille with a wing-shaped line of chrome that runs deep into the LED headlight units. A close inspection also reveals the “Infinite Weave” pattern that we have seen on X70. Thereafter, the front bumper is flanked by inlets on the loin which also houses LED DRLs. Nothing is much appealing about the side profiles that finally makes us land at the car’s tail.

It seems that Proton has plans to convince the drivers of other vehicles who will be coasting behind Iriz in coming days. Nothing sort of boasting, as the rear is really a winsome thing. Highlighted by a dual-tone colour of pleasing contrast, its rear is multiple times sportier than the front. A large set of LED taillights flanked around the tailgate is the first catchy part, followed by a glossy roof spoiler at the top. The bottom end is bold and is marked by the rear bumper and exhaust outlet.

Feature-rich interior, Voice commands

Although not luxury, since it isn’t a luxury vehicle, but things are much more than average when it comes to the interior of the car. Ingress inside and Iriz will welcome with a dark interior,  perforated leather on the steering and a new instrument panel with a colour multi-info display. Seats get a new fabric pattern with red coloured stitching and the centre console contains three large dials for multiple controls. Accents of red are found on the carpet and, gear lever and steering wheel. Moreover, the steering wheels also equip the voice control option, which is meant to be used for controlling the infotainment system. Guess what? You can use “Hi Proton” voice prompts to manage music, navigation, and weather. And last but not least, there is also an internet connectivity option using e-sim.

Capable powertrain, Better safety features

That’s all about fancy geeks and smart techs, but what if the wheels run like a tortoise leg? Have a sigh, as Iriz is far from being a mediocre coaster. The car is offered in 1.3L or 1.6L engines with the pairing of VVT or CVT (depending upon the variants). The 1.3L unit offers a maximum power of 94 hp and apeak torque of 120 Nm, while the 1.6L mill delivers a maximum power of 107 hp and the maximum torque is hooked up to 150 Nm.

When it comes in dealing with bumps of irregular roads, the vehicle’s chassis arms MacPherson Strut unit at the front and Torsion Beam at the rear. Obviously, this is traditional but not outdated as the combination also handles the suspension even of high-range premium vehicles. Furthermore, braking requirements are taken care of by the layout, which is composed of Ventilated Discs for front wheels and Drums for the rear. This further receives the assistance of the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and all necessary safety modules like stability control, traction control, crash sensors and much more.

Iriz awaits to coast the streets of Malaysia

It is a matter of time that how Iriz will perform when it will be steered by Malaysians on the streets, but the very first perception builds high hopes. However, since the first impression is the last impression, the five-door supermini has given everything to raise enough curiosity in the market.