2008 Proton Persona Review

By Alborz Fallah | September 30th, 2008

2008 Proton Persona Review & Road Test

Model Tested:

2008 Proton Persona 5-speed manual – $16,990 (RRP)

Stylish, sound system, great handling, cheap

Struggles for power, interior layout, no side airbags, no ESC, no cruise control

CarAdvice Rating: (2.5/5)

- Photography and words by Alborz Fallah

Love it or hate it, Malaysian car maker Proton isn’t going anywhere. In the past 12 months the company has gone from posting a loss to returning a profit, despite sales of only 1361 vehicles in the first seven months of this year.

What exactly should one think of Proton? Hyundai of the ’80s? On its way to global domination and taking on the big guys? Or a small Asian manufacturer doomed without a global partner?

Having previously driven the Proton Savvy, the thought of driving another Proton was actually intriguing. The Savvy was a lesson in how to not build a car, so I was hoping the Persona would change things around a little bit.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Persona is the looks. It’s actually a good looker, both the front and rear represent a very modern approach to car design. With the Proton badge displayed prominently (and trying its very best to be mistaken for a Lotus).

But that’s not much of an achievement, Proton has never really suffered in the looks category.

Before we start, it’s good to remember, the manual Persona costs all of $16,990, which even by today’s standards is still very cheap for a car this size.

Open the door, take a seat behind the steering wheel and you’ll start wondering if the interior designer for Proton was suffering from vertigo when he signed off on his work. If the random cluster of buttons operating the CD player don’t through you off, then the vertical layout of the air-conditioning controls should do the trick.

The stereo system is made by Blaupunkt, the same company that supplies most Holdens and to its credit, the actual sound quality in the Persona is very decent for a car under $20,000.

While we are talking about the interior, who on earth picked the seat colours?

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When I said Proton could resemble Hyundai of the 1980s, I wasn’t literally referring to the ’80s, but the seat colour combination is definitely from another era, and it’s not the future.

The plastic steering wheel is about as comfortable as having a root canal and for a car that comes with no options, it’s simply not good enough. A steering wheel cover would be highly recommended.

My favourite part however, is the easily removable gearknob. Not only does it sometimes vibrate (much like the Savvy), but with absolutely no effort, it spins around. A few attempts were made to secure it back into its original position but alas, I had to do with reverse as my first gear (click on the pictures below to enlarge).

Before I get on to the engine, it’s best to mention the cruise control. Out of the box, the Persona has no cruise control (even as an option), but our test vehicle was retrofitted with one, sort of. The man from Proton gave me a big fancy explanation were he referred to the cruise control system as ‘experimental’. He then got one of the engineers to unplug it, as it could ‘potentially put the Persona in limp mode’ – right!

Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for going for the underdog, but a blind mechanical engineer invented cruise control systems in 1945, so Proton has had at least 60 years to work it out. Not good enough.

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The Persona is powered by a 1.6-litre engine that develops 82kW and 148Nm of torque. That might sound like a reasonable amount of power for a 1.6-litre engine strapped to a car that only weighs 1177kg, but that all changes once you have four adults in the car.

The Persona was loaded with the CarAdvice test crew and driven around our usual hilly testing grounds. Here then, exists the biggest problem with the Persona. You can cover the seats with seat covers, you can buy a steering wheel cover, you can even replace the gearshift lever, but the engine, unfortunately, is integral to the car and a big disappointment.

With just me on board the Persona got around fine, in fact before the test crew got inside, I was considering complementing the engine for its fuel efficiency, but with an extra 300kg on board, the car struggles at best. There were times when second gear was not sufficient to get up hills. If you have a family of four, the Persona might not be up to scratch to get you around in comfort and don’t even think about overtaking on the highway, it just won’t happen.

The engine (which needs 95 RON fuel) was designed with some help from Lotus, for “a more linear torque progression for better acceleration” – right. Better acceleration? Better acceleration than what? The Savvy? The manual Persona gets from 0-100km/h in 12.0 seconds, the automatic is another 2.3 seconds slower still!

The official fuel economy figure of 6.6L/100km is achievable with just the driver, but sit four adults and you’ll be lucky to manage 10.0L/100km, that’s if you don’t go deaf first (or get stuck on a hill).

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There is one very noticeable plus to this car, it’s extremely fun to drive! Yes, I said it, a Proton Persona is fun to drive. With no ESC or any form of traction control (I would hate to test drive an ‘experimental’ Proton traction control system), it all comes down to the chassis and despite being driven via the front wheels, the Persona loves corners.

I’d hate to boast about Lotus here, but whatever they have done to this car, it has worked. You can push it around corners as hard as you can push a Golf GTi and it will have no issues keeping up (until you go for the brakes of course). As far as going around corners goes, the Persona is one of the best for under $20,000.

Moving on to safety, passive safety is taken care of by dual front SRS airbags while active safety features include ABS anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD). Unfortunately there is no option for side airbags or ESC.

So by now you are probably wondering why I’ve given the Persona two and a half stars instead of just one, well it’s simple, it’s actually a decent car for the money.

It looks good, it drives well, the stereo is well and truly above average and the interior can be spiced up with a few additions. Sure the engine lacks grunt, but for every day driving with just one or two people in the car it gets the job done. As for the potential quality issues, you can rest easy with the company’s three year, unlimited kilometre factory backed warranty and 24-hour road side assistance.

If you are after something cheap but capable of getting you around, whilst offering the versatility of a medium sized car, this – reasonably priced car – is worth a look.

CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive:
How does it Look:
How does it Go:

Specifications:

• Engine: 1597cc S4PH DOHC 16V
• Power: 82kW @ 6000rpm
• Torque: 148m @ 4000rpm
• Transmission: Five-speed manual
• Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS & EBD
• Driven Wheels: Front
• Weight: 1177kg
• 0-100km/h: 12 seconds
• Top Speed: 190km/h
• Fuel Type: 95RON unleaded
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 50-litres
• Fuel Consumption: 6.6-litres per 100km (Combined)
• Safety: Dual front airbags
• Warranty: 3-year/unlimited kms

Frenchie

This car is aimed for the grandparents out there. First, its cheap as you stated. Secondly a small engine that is economical to dash out to the shops, play pokies/bet on the horses, and to go to that pub meal once a week. It doesn\’t look half bad outside (quite modern), so it will be a talking point with family and friends for at least a year. However the interior as you pointed out is a joke, but this will appeal to the old folks as it will probably appeal to there taste.
Iamthestig

Yes, it is a good one for the people who like to frequent the local bowling club but the sound system design is just plain stupid.

I would still be steering anyone I like well away from one of these…
SamR

Are you saying you are driving around with three passengers in the car and you hit a small hill and you have to put it in first gear?

I find that hard to believe.

Come on it’s not that underpowered. Big steep hills maybe.
RALLYX

The Persona’s Interior would be a great contender for Top Gear Australia’s segment “What Were They Thinking?”, but apart from that it’s not a bad (cheap) car.
Madonna

of course its decent money for the car. its subsidized heavily by the citizens of malaysia.
http://deleted Alex

The interior layout for the stereo looks like one of those Mp3 players they sell for 10 quid at cheap shops. Doesnt look too bad from the outside though. Reminds me a bit of the first generation Vauxhall Vectra sedan but better.
http://deleted Alex

This may seem like a useless comment and I suppose it is but I just thought id say that the AC controls are the same in a Yaris and that didn’t put a surprising amount of people off buying them. I hate it though.
Namless

My friends in Malaysia told me their Persona’s LUXURY package comes with Cruise Control, leather seat and even a navigator. But push the price to about RM 59 900 instead of base model of about RM 50 100… If not mistaken Persona is their first model to make cruise control into their production line (Although only as option). And Proton’s car in Malaysia NEVER had side airbags…
o

Proton is like holden a bit in there country of origin they are priced high or what people would expect for the zized car but once exproted they are half the price.Also In a toyota camry i sat in once the gear lever spun around as well [auto]
billy_bob_119

Wow, i think proton need a lesson on what people like in interiors have they herd of style and colour? Looks like if you want the 6 button on your 6 stacker CD player you will have to pay more. Good review i think you nailed it on the head. Protons are good mechanical cars but to live with on day in and day out its horrible.
Frontman

When I first looked at the Gen 3 dash I thought 120y in plastic, obviously it hasn’t changed in the Persona. However I can say that in the market place as mentioned above they are actually good cars. I bought my Mum a 2nd hand Waja to replace her very old car (yes I do love her ) and it is proving very good. My advice, wait till they’re 2nd hand and they are excellent value.
http://faster DanMan

This reminds me of the first episode of Aust top gear,
Ambitious but rubbish..
pooton

when i see the words “proton” and “car” i run…i run very far and as fast as i can in the opposite direction
http://skyline The Salesman

I cant help it, I don’t know why but for some sick reason (maybe because I used to listen to Roger Ramjet on the radio) I really like the Proton.
Yes it has some fit and finish issues but the chassis design and balance make for a top performer on the track, Proton please give it a 2.0ltr, 130Kw for the same price!!!!

DGS

Or even a Turbo for $2,000 more would give it the performance the handling begs.

Reckless1

Alborz, I’m going to give you a detention for suggesting that this might be a thing worth buying, and for daring to suggest it could keep up with a GTI you must unfortunately suffer the punishment of driving nothing else but this car for a year
Stevo the Devo

Great way to test drive a car – put 4 adults inside and then see how it goes. Also it wouldn’t go astray to chuck 50kg of stuff in the boot. Adding weight here and there changes the dynamics of a car and by putting it through a real world test certainly reveals the weaknesses of many cars. Cars marketed as ‘family’ cars should also be tested towing a boat or caravan as well.

Proton offer nothing to the Australian market that it doesn’t already have. The cheap and nasty end of the market is sufficiently covered by Hyundai and Holdenwoo.
greenroom

Persona. Considering it’s inability to carry any more than the driver, may I suggest a name change to:

APERSON
riceboy

I’ve had protons as rental cars in Malaysia,they’re cheap and nasty with big quality problems, but those were the previous models. Maybe if all the body panels and other unnecessary body parts fell off, it would help with the acceleration…

Alborz, like Reckless1 said, how can you compare this piece of junk to a Golf GTI???!!!
The_New_Fresh_Prince

They had there chance to get together with VW and let it slip away.

Its a nowhere brand everywhere in the world except in My. where its subsidized to the hilt.

Buy better for the same OR LESS, why bother with this orphan.

“ASIA’S ANWSER TO BMW” LOL, they are on drugs!

Cheers

F-0
Andy

Asia’s answer to FIAT maybe, bad answer too.
Shinzitsu

Where is everyone that never stopped swearing at every Hyundai Kia thread? I always saw these people saying ‘Drive like shit’ ‘ a load of crap’. ALL of these folks gotta come here right now and begin their swearing job because this Malaysian car is really something that people would call a crap. If they don t, they re contradicting themselves because they ve always cursed and made fun of cars that have topped consumer surveys and beaten up their competitors in head-on road tests.
http://skyline The Salesman

I am not quit sure how to answer that Shinzitsu (bless you)
What is your question?
Fenno

God-d#mned mothers of left-handed orthodox ski-instructors can build better pieces of crap that this pile of junk. They are well and truly farked!

How’s that Ninjitsu?

Close to what you were hoping for?
http://porsche Millatime

Terrific review Alborz, job well done.

What else can you get for that money? A Barina that will kill everyone within a 100m radius in a little car park bingle?

With suspension by Lotus, throw in a bottle of NOS and some seat covers and you’ve got the world’s cheapest GTi!
Shinzitsu

The salesman, there were people still living in the 80′s i was talking to them. I could see from your threads that you re working in the auto industry or highly involved in that area. So i guess you re better informed than most of peple in this forum including me and hope that you keep up the good work of enlightening those still burying their heads in the sand.
Phillip

“If the random cluster of buttons operating the CD player don’t through you off”. Through?
leeroy

Easy to see that most people who have left comments have not driven a Persona, let alone looked at one in the Flesh!

Yes some of details are a little ‘naff’ (Strange then that Toyota copied the dash design for it’s Yaris) but this is a great ‘drivers’ car for the money. Certainly Proton makes its cars handle, something the likes of Hyundai and Kia still cannot manage.
Shinzitsu

Leeroy, i hope you re not implying Proton makes better cars that the world’s 5th largest manufacturer.

Have you ever heard of a car called Hyundai I30? I don t think you ever have. The Car advice team has posted very detailed and informative road tests on how well it handles and how solid its build quality is.

It s good to be proud of a car company from your country(although very struggling), but you better be reasonable. You gave it a good try though, comparing a struggling, hardly known car company to the world’s 5th biggest multinational manufacturer (still growing) for product quality.
red7

why don’t u go for a test drive first Shinzitsu?
go and verify all your comments on this car and share with the rest of us here especially on the handling part.

cheers~
Kevin

Persona is not a bad cheap car. You guys are right they should produce 2.0 litre engine. So far Proton currently only have 1.6 litre engine but it is use cps technology. They use it for upcoming Proton Exora (MPV) you can imagine how the 1,380 kgs MPV (slightly bigger than Kia Rondo but it is much lighten) perform with 1.6 CPS engine.

The car features sound very cool and promising. But I dont know how the quality is. The plus point is it makes for 4 stars Euro Ncap.

Check the review here: http://paultan.org/topics/proton-mpv-2009/
awang

you guys are so spoilt with those 2.0l..what?do you think a 1.6 cant overtake on highways? or do you just realize you actually drive like grandpa??hahaha..

i do admit proton did nothing for the past 20years,but since the changed in their top mgt last 2years i think, they start to recover..

pls drive before you start bashing..ops,btw..toyota and honda in the same car segment is not that perfect also..
DGS

I hate to confess to it, but I rather like the look of this car. When crossing the Nulabour I saw a black one at a roadhouse. The Designer of this car has done a wonderful job. Shame about the poor quality of materials and build, and the 1.6? why? A 1.8 or 2.0 litre would make it a little rocket (especially if turbo charged). The suspention by Lotus makes you weep the rest of the package can not deliver on it potential.

If Hyundai or Kia made the very same car with a 2.0 litre(and Hyundai quality) for $20K I would buy one tomorrow.
http://gt@GT.ORG adam

Well Proton will survive the crisis in better shape then GM/Holden and Ford maybe. And why is that ? Well who needs a 4.0 litre engines in peak hour traffic ?
http://yazidanefantasy.com yazidane

I think most of you are a bit bad on your review…for me this car is quite good in their range. The price is really reasonable with the quality and comfort you get. No need to compare with ferrari or BMW because their is on high level class. The proton is just some cheap affordable car that can be bought by student like me. If you already drove a porshe or elise don’t need to try this. No need to critize this car badly because it is value for money. No need to be paranoid with Malaysian car. I drove it and this car is great.

Adri

I couldn’t agree more. The “true” beauty of Proton cars is their price. They’re affordable, and yet giving you a number of useful features. Just because it’s made in a country that doesn’t have a long history in automobile industry, it doesn’t mean that it’s a rubbish. I know that most of you are used and accustomed to Japanese and European made cars with their quality, but once again, take a good look at the Proton’s price tag. With such price, you get a car that is fun to drive, with enough safety features, comes with other useful features, decent sound quality, and will transport you from point A to point B nicely. Torque problem ? you might want to change your driving style with this car. It helps.

Tom

Adam thats why Ford and Holden sell other cars as well. Yazidane, glad you like your Persona, but did you actually test drive any of its competitors? Thats why this car got the review score it did, because even against its competitors, it is inadequate and sub-par. No one is bringing up BMW or Ferrari’s here, but for the same money you could of had so many other, significantly better cars, that are safer, more powerful, more economical and better equipped.
MOAB

“What exactly should one think of Proton? Hyundai of the ’80s? On its way to global domination and taking on the big guys? Or a small Asian manufacturer doomed without a global partner?”

while other car manufacturer are being bailed out proton is still around and breathing. do proton need a suffering global partner …NO… laughing at GM

cck

MOAB, you know what? Malaysian tax payer were very very generous, this is why Proton still exist till this day!!!!!!!!
If there were no protection plans from the government, Proton should only be found in the junkyard by now!!!!!!!!!!!
A baby borned in mid 80 is now a well-grown adult & in fact he or she is now earning money for themselves or probably their family. Can Proton walk on its own??? I really in doubt.

Anna

I own a 08 Persona, bought off my oldies for 7G’s it only had 13000 Ks on the clock. It goes alright for “el cheapo”
Except one of the door handles broke off… as it is only made outta plastic…oh and I had problems with the alarm after I wet under the bonnet…My badd… I dont see whats so horrible about the interior…I dont mind it..Most people get seat covers and a dash mat anyway…It took me about a week to understand all the buttons…I got it down pat now and i dont mind the lay out… Only thing is I wish the steering wheel could go a bit higher… Im happy with my $7000AU car… Oh and I got the metallic purple paint as well and 18Inch chrome rims(not hubcaps)on low profile tyres so that was a bonus! I always get comments on how sexy it looks… and it gets me from A to B… Although if I wanted something that was going to be used as a reliable family car I would have opted for a Toyota Camry… Cheers!