Proton Preve

On the inside too, the Proton Preve lacks the flair of a midsize sedan, owing to a very simple layout for the dashboard. While the interiors feel airy thanks to a decent combination of black and beige as well as large side glass areas, it is the overall layout which makes the cabin look a bit dated in design.

The Preve gets a three-spoke steering wheel with a large center boss, which makes it look a bit old-school. However, it does get audio and Bluetooth controls on it to stay updated. The dashboard gets a nice-in-looking wooden finish on the dashboard, which divides it into two layers. The center console is quite dated in terms of layout, however, it does get the option of a touchscreen infotainment system with navigation system.

The Proton Preve is fairly equipped for a car of this preice, and gets noticeable kit like touchscreen music system, paddle shifters, push button start, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, driver seat height adjustment, cruise control, automatic headlamps and follow-me-home headlamps.

The best part about this interior cabin of the Proton Preve is the amount of space it has on offer. Given its compact size, the Preve offers plenty of legroom, headroom and shoulder room to make it capacious for five full size adults.

Being a relatively low cost car, the Proton Preve doesn’t break any new grounds when it comes to design. The overall design, though smart in appeal, lacks modernity, with Proton playing a safe approach with the way the Preve looks in substance.

At the front, the Proton Preve gets a rather simple linear front grille, which is the only sharp looking design element of the entire car. At the adjacent edges of the front grille are positioned the trapezoidal headlamps, which along with the front grille, appear to be one single unit altogether. The presence of projector headlamps along with LED positioning lamps below the main bulbs adds a touch of modernity to the otherwise very simple design.

From the sides, the Proton Preve looks slightly bland, and though it does get a characteristic sharp line from the front fender all the way to the rear fender, it doesn’t help much to make the car standout from the crowd. Thankfully, the presence of alloy wheels somehow manages to dilute this bland appeal a bit.

At the rear too, the Preve doesn’t look too exciting with a very simply designed rear boot, which mind remind you of Audis of yesteryears. The wraparound tail lamps with a thin prominent chrome strip look simple, but elegant though. The Premium variant gets a blackened rood, rear spoiler and quartz black finish on outside rear view mirrors for an added dash of sportiness to its exterior profile.

For a midsize car, the Proton Preve misses out on electrical assistance for its hydraulic power steering, which is a glaring absence for a premium car of this price. It does take a toll on its overall handling, which is decent, but not involving enough to give this car a spirited driving experience.

The car does get conventional Macpherson struts at the front and a multilink with stabilizer bar at the rear, which are set on a softer side to impart a supple ride quality. The higher Premium variant gets 17-inch alloys which do make the driving dynamics a bit sharper. The Preve gets disc brake setup at both the ends which are decent enough.

Powering the Proton Preve is the single option of a petrol engine, which gets only one state of tune for the car. This 1.6 liter four cylinder engine is good enough to produce a maximum power output of 140 PS and a maximum torque output of 205 Nm. The engine is mated to a 7-speed torque converter, which thanks to the presence of paddle shifters, make the driving further more involving as well as convenient. The performance from the engine is brisk enough to give it a decent acceleration and roll-on figures.

The Proton Preve might not be fully equipped in terms of comfort and convenience features, but when it comes to safety, no compromise has been carried out here. The Preve comes loaded with features such as front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD, front active headrest, front and rear fog lamps, engine immobilizer, electronic stability control, brake assist, traction control and ISOFIX mounts for child seats.

The Proton Preve might be positioned as a premium midsize sedan owing to its dimensions, however, it doesn’t feel as premium as its rivals. While the overall exterior design is pretty plain, the interior cabin too lack modernity, with the list of features too not long enough to make it value for money. However, it is quite a practical car, for the amount of space it has to offer, ther performance and fuel economy from the engine and the supple ride quality make it quite a practical car to live with.