Proton Persona sedan 2008 review

For the Proton to be competitive, the price would have to be $14,990 instead of the list price of $16,990, which is only a fraction of the Nissan Tiida.

You can argue that it has more than a year of service than the Tiida until you turn blue, but in the end, most people will prefer to buy a Japanese-design car.

OK:

Built in Malaysia. Sedan version of the Satria hatchback. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder Campro engine develops 82 kW of power and 148 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. Fuel consumption is estimated at 6.6 liters per 100 km (we got 7.3). Works fine thanks to the contribution of Lotus, which is owned by Proton. The long list of equipment includes two airbags, anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution, adjustable air temperature, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking and 15-inch alloy wheels with Goodyear tires. The asymmetrical layout of the central instrument panel is indicative of some artistic flair. Bonuses include a large trunk, trip computer and rear parking sensors.

BADLY:

Manufactured in a modern factory, but the finish is not as good as the competition. This is especially noticeable inside the trunk, where exposed speaker wiring can be easily damaged. Marks all the necessary fields, but does not have even a hint of excitement. Boxing is above its weight in terms of the motor department. Skips the cam profiling promised by the engine name. Performance is okay, but suffers from a lack of torque. Will not start until at least 3500 rpm is on the dial. Takes more expensive 95 octane premium unleaded gasoline for no apparent benefit. The steering wheel is rough in the hands. MP3-compatible CD sound with a convenient 12V outlet, but no iPod AUX input. Just a spare to save space.

SOLUTION:

It's time for Proton to recognize its position in the market and start pricing its cars accordingly. How can he hope to sell more than a handful of cars if he is not competitive?