Review Proton Exora GX 2014

Proton Australia makes no secret of this; the new Proton Exora is simply the cheapest seven-seater on the market. During the Sydney launch, marketers talked about style and luxury and all the usual things that shoppers care about, but made it clear that value for money is by far the Exora's biggest feature.

What is smart thinking; those who need extra space are likely in the early stages of their lives, with small children, large mortgages and modest incomes.

PRICE / FEATURES

Offer them a seven-seater for as little as $25,900 and they'll pave the way to the show floor, avoiding the potential dangers of buying a mistreated used van. And by purchasing it, your budget is further protected by free maintenance for the first five years or 75,000 kilometers. The Exora has a five-year warranty and five years of free roadside assistance, with a distance limit of up to 150,000,XNUMX kilometers.

The even better news is that this isn't a special cut — the Exora GX has air conditioning for all three rows, a roof-mounted DVD player, audio system with CD/MP3 player and Bluetooth. The steering wheel has audio and smartphone controls. In addition, the top-of-the-line Proton Exora GXR ($27,990) features a rearview camera, cruise control, rear spoiler, daytime running lights, power door mirrors, and a vanity mirror behind the driver's sun visor.

DESIGN / STYLE

Making a box on wheels visually appealing is not easy, but the stylists of the Malaysian company did a great job. The Exora has a wide lower grille, large triangular headlights and a pair of air vents on the front edges. At the same time, good aerodynamics help reduce fuel consumption and emissions. All models received alloy wheels and rear fog lights.

Four conventional passenger doors are used. Access to three rows of seats arranged in a two/three/two pattern is convenient. Although, of course, there is the usual problem with getting into the very back seats. However, children just love to sit there far away, so adults rarely use this seat. All outboard seats have convenient storage spaces, including double glove boxes on the dash.

The interior styling takes a neat and simple direction with a simple two-dial layout that is easy to read. The shift lever is located at the bottom of the central instrument panel, which makes it easy to change from one front seat to another. This can be handy if you're parked next to a busy road and cars are just inches away from you.

The luggage compartment is quite good and the floor is at the right height for easy loading. Second row seats fold out 60/40, third row seats 50/50. So there are many different ways to arrange the cabin to combine space for passengers and luggage.

ENGINE / TRANSMISSION

In a very European fashion, the Malaysian automaker uses a low-pressure turbocharged petrol engine in the Exora. With a displacement of 1.6 liters, it delivers 103 kW of power and 205 Nm of torque.

The engine benefits from the efficiency of the CVT automatic transmission, which is always in the right gear ratio to make the most of the engine's torque. The gearbox has six preset gear ratios for when the driver feels that the computer has not selected the correct gear ratio for the conditions.

SECURITY

The main safety features are ABS, ESC and four airbags, although only those riding in the front two seats have airbag protection. The Proton Exora received a four-star ANCAP crash safety rating. Proton Australia says it strives to ensure that all new models receive five stars.

DRIVING

British sports car maker Lotus is a subsidiary of Proton, as the Malaysian company likes to brag about. You can see this because the Exora handles neatly on the road thanks to its smart suspension. You wouldn't call it sporty, but the handling is well tuned and the Exora could be driven safely at much higher cornering speeds than owners have ever attempted.

Comfort, which for most car owners is more important than handling, is pretty good. Tire noise was higher than we expected, and there was also the roar of the road from coarse chipped surfaces. In a car with this body style and in this price range, this is probably acceptable, but try it for yourself during your own test drive.

VERDICT

You get a lot of vehicles at a minimal cost with Exora.