The Proton Persona is set to get a model update soon, it seems – reader Nazli Zakaria has spotted the B-segment sedan on a trailer wearing a spangly new set of alloys.
The wheels, which look to retain the current 15-inch diameter, appear to have been taken off its Iriz sibling in the latter’s top-spec 1.6 Premium trim – except the two-tone finish seen on the hatchback has been ditched for a standard monochrome look. Perhaps the quirky directional design of the current car’s rollers hasn’t been well-received by customers.
Aside from that, the car seen here is identical to the outgoing model. This will be the second minor product update for the Persona since it was launched in August last year – it already sports the updated touchscreen infotainment system introduced on the Iriz for the 2017 model year.
GALLERY: 2016 Proton Persona
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Lol p1 had no idea already how to improve their sale.I don’t know why but it feels very ugly without 2 tone colour.Plase proton please make 6 airbags and esc standard across the model range
Iriz does not sell well. Better to just close the line and save hundreds of millions. Better for Geely to bring in all their cars and we just rebadge
Work so hectic Proton engineer. Siann..
Is this the research our Proton engineers to in the office?
Err pls look for minor change in dictionary
P2 work so hectic design bumper. Siann..
To fast track sales,Mr.Li Chun Rong from geely should bring in their sedans,reconfigure to right hand drive,n start getting back lost market share.
The rakyat got bored with protong’s current Iriz,pesona,Hondana,Ertiqa.
It is too slow,looking at current sales trend n buyers preference for other japanese cars.
AT this pace,Protong may need another bailout in the form of ” R and D” taxdollars,if not the deadwood suppliers will start banging tables n lobby for political help.
Protong,no amount of facelifts can save u from bankruptcy.You need a fresh influx of new and exciting models to recoup lost market share.
This is new model, no?
Yes. Bring in Geely GE to replace all the Perdanas.
the cars are good. but sales strategy is not, again and again claiming best handling and best safety features.
proton had abandoned the most important criteria when selling cars and retention technique – after sales service support.
there is service quality, parts availability, affordability, vehicle reliability, efficiency of technical support & warranty claims.
Well done proton…a good start with the rims ..next try the bumper..than thw lights..than the color…in 10 years u will get to the interior …and another 10 years a complete new design…dont worry we have lotsa time for u…
Please change interior color from beige to black
Nothing wrong for the beige. It looks good.
believe in me, soon they will change it
You better go to EDAR showroom and check – the new Persona never had a Beige interior. It’s mainly dark interior.
Probably you are thinking of the Ertiga interior?
It’s two tone, black n beige
“it already sports the updated touchscreen infotainment system introduced on the Iriz for the 2017 model year” When did this happen?
Around May 2017. The Persona actually got the new HU first and later the revised Iriz in June.
quietly, i supposed.
Enough of all these old models being updated. No matter how much these cars have been facelifted, they are still all the same interior.
Nobody is interested in all these old models.
What we want to see is the new SUV. I guess all the present Proton engineers are incompetent and are at lost to what to do now. Same old. Same old.
It is unfair to label the engineers as incompetent because engineers need approval from the upper management before they can do anything. The engineers might have good ideas about how to improve a certain model, but the final say is still with the managers. Good ideas may be shut down simply due to unfeasibility in costs and development in the eyes of the management.
Persona is still new model just launch last year.
Old? Get out of your cave man… This model was released last year.
Persona 1.5L Turbo 189hp 250nm wah
pls answer.
It already sports the updated touchscreen infotainment system introduced on the Iriz for the 2017 model year” When did this happen?
U need to reword yr sentences buddy…try google translate ..tht might help..
One thing Proton don’t follow the “entry level” models like Vios, City, Axia and other B segment and below is they still have a proper temperature gauge. Are they planning to import the Ricardo timing chain engine to replace the dated timing belt engine? Is the plan on going or cancelled to be replaced by Geely models. Any idea Paultan? Let us know.
The Boyue segment is not bread and butter model. What we need is B segment and below models with new timing chain engines and torque converter cvt transmissions. Give quality, Jatco or Aisin. For once, do it right. Don’t skimp
on parts.
Is this a joke????? Change wheel from one ugly rim to iriz the worst car ever and call it spy shot? Please rephrase the text. How can proton even have face to show such a move?
Butthurt coz it is much better than your jepunis car?
The current wheels makes the Persona looks seriously undertyred. These new wheels from the Iriz may help mitigate the visual heft a little. Still, 16 inchers with lower profile tyres would be better but Proton probably don’t want to deteriorate the Persona’s ride.
Couldn’t agree more. Current dimensions – 185/55/15, too narrow. I think 195/50/16 will look and function better and won’t hurt fuel consumption that bad either- BRV uses that dimensions and it’s a 1.5 na + CVT and nearly same weight.
Persona SV? I hope not…
Perodua does minor bumper update
“Good, good. They know exactly what the people want.”
Proton does the same thing with the wheels
“This is where the R&D money went, seriously?”
You people just love to make a mountain out of a molehill. You should stop looking too deep into things and maybe you will complain less.
looks quite nicer than before, if implants the adas ,new rakyat hyped train gdi engine & jepunis transmission, reasonable prices ,it should be sell like pancakes
If only proton could give new design of front door for this persona. Make the line straighter to have clean look. Current design makes the front window looks too big for my liking
As long not a new engines, hard to sell like goreng pisang. I hope that Persona are used to test for the new engines.
A simpler 5 spoke gunmetal color rim good enough and easier to wash. Update the tyre profile to 185 60 15 for more comfort. Give continental cc6 lah not Silverstone..
new wheelift?
no more face to lift.
Myvi had countless times of nofacelifts
EV mana bang??
Why do car manufacturer update/face lift their model?? To keep their current model fresh & add latest tech/gizmos to the current model to look/feel better.
If P1 truly intend to compete with current trend, they should at “least” add LED headlamps to the top spec persona. Why do U think Honda City is selling well despite being more expensive than Persona?!
IMO what this New Persona really need is REAR BRAKE DISCS. And tube type LED lights front and rear (same that looks so nice on KIA sedans). With the present price.
with this facelift, Proton should lower the car’s roof line by 1 inch to give it a aggresive look.
change rim also big deal ah? wtf
P2 changed bumper everytime you tak cndemn pulak
how u know i dont bash p2? unless u got no work and only track the peoples comment here….but i do criticize any auto maker that comes out with nonsense upgrades like this
No big deal, it is MINOR CHANGE. you tarak baca??
Please see around your competitors and learn. Toyota also doing the same upgrade accessories, but not waste entire resource just for take from other product rims and install to another product. Think aggressive abit..
all the more reason that this isn’t a Proton Persona and it’s an automotive sin to call it that!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s a Proton Iriz sedan, for Pete’s sake! jeez….Proton must take us all for fools.
One of the safest car money can buy today. You are truly an inspiration for all Malaysians. Always think about our well-being.
Good job Proton!
If only they changed the back of the Persona. Right now, the design of the front does not match the back of the car. The front has sharp headlights, but at the back, we get roundish taillights. Compare that with other well-designed cars where the back of the car is consistently designed with the front of the car. Macamana lah diaorg design? Also, the back is too gemok for the front. Again, there is no consistency in the design. They don’t know how to make it look slim even if it’s fat. Look at Honda City. Actually Honda City’s rear is huge as well but they designed it in such a way that people won’t notice the fatness of the back of the car. Why can’t proton learn from good design? It’s been around since the 90s and still don’t know how to design cars properly? Come on lah. The only good designs are Satria Neo and Inspira — and even the Inspira is ciplak from the Mitsubishi Lancer. Please lah Proton. Get better designers. Or at least upper management stop meddling with the designers IF they are meddling.
Don’t get me wrong. I think feature-wise, it’s an above average car. BUT the looks of the car has a huge effect on whether people will want to buy it or not.
Who cares even felali got rectangular front light and roundish at rear
Try attach a boot on a myvi and you’ll probably end up the same.
satria neo good design? pls look at Top Gear UK review of Satria Neo (together with Perodua Mivi as pronounced by Jeremy Clarkson and also Chevrolet Aveo). when you put down sunvisor, you cant see the road. means you need to adjust the seat but in order to do that, you need to open the door first and you cant do that while on the move. i believe Top Gear didnt make that up since Satria Neo didnt make any impact in the UK market at all.
Later they raced with it. Malu betul TOP GEAR
I am a true owner of the current Persona. To me, looks is secondary. If you can get pass the look, this Persona is the best value for money B segment offering in Malaysia.
The tyre might looks tiny, but it’s highway cruising stability composure is much better than of the City and Vios (more to a European car), and it drives and corners very well too, not to mention I am still on the stock Good Year Assurance tyre, a better set of gripping donuts will definitely improve it’s handling. The electric steering calibration and sharpness, in my opinion, is among the best in class, definitely trump all Japanese equivalents and more closer to the Peugout 208, Mazda 2 or Ford Fiesta.
The new batch Persona comes with a HU that runs on Window OS. Unlike the old Android unit, it doesn’t hang or laggy in everyday use (not even once in my usage) , it support mirror link too, navigating aroud town using Waze is easy.
The Persona refinement is also much improved compared to the pre-MC Iriz. Gone are the irritating booming sound from the mulfer and the dreadful loud CVT drowning sound (the cabin noise level under hard driving is comparable to of a Subaru XV, or say, a Honda City). The CVT now move the car with a new found urgency that is totally opposite of the early Iriz. The hesitant, throttle lag and unrefined calibration of the old TCU is also gone. (When u floor the throttle for a kickdown in the old Iriz, the TCU will immediately spike the rpm to 4000, hang in there and wait for the vehicle speed to pick up slowly).
Now, the Persona (as well as the new MC Iriz) pick up speed progressively and almost instantly , the throttle lag is almost eliminated and the acceleration during overtaking or kickdown now resembles more to a torque converter.
Now come to Proton’s Achilles heel, its assembling quality. Proton engineers had deviced a rectification call “IP Noise Kit” to solve the Iriz and early Persona dashboard rattling issue. For old Iriz owner, you can get your car rectified, for free, at any proton service centre or selected dealers’ workshop.
For fuel consumption, I get 7.5-8.0l/100km in pure city use and 6.3l/100km on highway. Not the lowest, but not fuel guzzling if you ask me. Not bad for an old engine coming from 2004 with an added VVT.
I used to be a Proton hater, but I bought this car because it’s really good value for money. To me, this Persona is Proton’s first car that can compete equally against foreign brands without having rely on gadgets to attract customer. It drives so damn good, it’s refine, it’s safe with six airbags(premium) and ESC across the range, it’s practical (510 liters trunk) , it’s comfortable (with full thigh support front and back seat, good for long distance travel. Some Japanese and Perodua only give you half thigh support, that’s why their back legroom looks seemingly roomier)
I can see Proton engineers working very hard and had done a fantastic job refining and improving their product , albeit the limited resources they could muster. And this Persona is an epitome of their ability to do so much with so little. These are subtle little things that make this Persona much much more better to drive and to live with, something you can’t see on spec sheets or photos. It’s just whether you could look past your prejudice and go feel, touch and drive it yourself, rather than being a keyboard warrior who bash for the sake of bashing, or just pure hatred.
Good writeup buddy…a fresh change for once..i do agree with it…persona its a good fair ride forvtht price…they may just need a good branding and marketing team to help sales. Tq
Jepunis cars are boring, swaying here and there like baby cradle
Syok sendiri knows no medicine indeed.
Must have took the marcom dept at least a week to come out with this write-up.
I thought that they’re going to put that two toned wheels from the half cut model from the half cutted model.
For the price certainly persona a better buy than the myvi. But proton needs some upgrade the engine that not using timing belt anymore as other brands has all shifted since the mid of 90’s. Not really a big deal, but after 5 years u needs to spend 1 day or some big bucks to change. Modern car should be less maintenance trouble. I am true persona owner too, 1 year.
Even best engine still got timing belt
Let me tell u why sales is bad. I wanted to upgrade my persona to the new one. Then when i went to showroom to test, immediate put off by the shrunken size. Sorry if Proton cannot convince an existing Proton user to buy, that tells alot of the problem. As a buyer i dont care about all the crap but I must get value for my money. Shrunken size is just not acceptable for the Persona name. Calling it Iriz sedan is more appropriate. If there was another model the size of my existing persona, at the same price bracket, i would have traded in.
ok lah tu…