It’s not just the Proton Iriz that’s gearing up for a mid-life refresh; its sedan sister, the Proton Persona is also set for a facelift. Reader Faiz Suparman sent in these shots of a taped-up Proton Persona roaming the streets, with camouflage on the front and rear ends.
It appears like the entire Persona front end – grille and lower bumper – will be new for the facelift, with only the headlamp cluster carried over. While the current car’s grille is akin to a straight bridge connecting the lights, the grille shape we see here is more of a V, with a separate letterbox slot below.
The grille insert appears similar to the “Infinite Weave” motif seen on the Proton X70 SUV. Note that the grille on this Persona mule differs from the grille on the Iriz facelift mule – that one has long chrome strips flowing from the top of the headlamps into the grille, meeting at the Proton badge.
The arrangement of the elements in the lower bumper is more conventional here, compared to today’s Persona. The “mouth” appears to be smaller, and could very well end up in-line with the side air intakes, which are in turn larger. The latter houses horizontal LED daytime running light strips, which are a new addition. The overall look has similarities with the X70.
From what we can see so far, the Persona will have a more conventional front end design, whereas Proton might be going for a more sporty/bold look for the Iriz, which fits in with the B-segment duo’s sedan and hatchback identities. The wheels, which are masked, have eight spokes versus the 10 on the Iriz mule.
At the back, the prototype looks to have retained the current Persona’s tail lamps, slim bootlid spoiler and horizontal trim bridging the lights. The lowest floor of the tall butt appears to have been renovated – currently, the rear fog lamp and reflectors are on the same plane, but it’s not so in these pics.
The Persona was launched in August 2016, which makes it nearly two and a half years old, ripe for a facelift. Malaysia’s B-segment sedan leader Honda City was facelifted in March 2017, and a new-generation Toyota Vios will surface very soon, having been officially previewed at KLIMS 2018.
Will the facelifted Persona and Iriz persist with today’s 1.6L CVT combo, or will there powertrain updates? Like what you see?
GALLERY: Proton Persona
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C’mon, even myvi got reflective LEDs upfront
Step up proton, step up
Poor Prootn. They still think their Saga, Persona, Perdana and Exora will live on.
They are so naive. They don’t know Geely’s Master Plan. Hello Proton, Geely intends to wipe out all Proton cars for good. The Saga, Persona, Exora, Suprima, Iriz, Perdana, Ertiga all will be history.
They want Proton to market ALL their Geely cars and not just the X70. X70 is just the start. Look at world history and see how China colonises and takes over businesses. It is mainly to sell their own products.
So Proton can syiok sendiri with all they want with existing Proton models, but in 5 years time, Proton will just be an official rebadger for the whole fleet of Geely models in China now. And Proton cars will be Classic Collector cars
Persona is about expressing executive sportiness design. Has bold and distinctive face, with sweeping roofline, tall glasshouse and sculptured bodyside
Say all you want to describe its design philosophy and what not. Ugly back is still an ugly back.
Beauty in eye beholder..
The best ride n handling B segment sedan.
What about engine & transmission?
All this but still cannot sell well
Hey…Teh Tarik if you dont like Proton…dont downgrade la..if you proud of China products please berambus la go to China tongsan maaa…
Give them a break lah, specs not even out yet and already people complain don’t have this don’t have that.
You need to step up your patience, step up please
janji Proton Persona 1.3 Ron95 subsidi..
Proton Person 1.0 Turbo Ron95 subsidy.
Proton don’t bother about safety features upgrade. Cause Malaysians life not important to Proton. Janji can sell.
This is why nobody buys Persona and Saga
Excuses me, Proton’s are very safe. They’re just shocked like many of other makes that Perodua have managed to install AEB into they’re Myvi. Just give Proton some time and even the Saga will have AEB.
But at least it did not felt like tin milo like Citi, Bios and Mivi.
Lol if p1 dun put VSC until now myvi also dun have
5 bintan ASEAN NCAP n still you claim ‘dont bother abot safety’?
what in heavens are you smoking la? it dumbing you down la rodent..
5 star also still cannot sell. Only feeble people bilip in Proton 5 star.
Preve and Iriz also 5 star. But still cannot sell. Rakyat know Proton 5 star is actually 2 star
Yeah, like you so “hardworking” bullshit here and there, but still no sales. All Rush prospects went to book X70. What is the problem?
So Myvi 5-star is also 2-star correct? It’s the same testing protocol done by the same independent body so they must be lying about everyone right? I hope you get a brain from Santa for Christmas. You need it.
I’m proton owner.5 Bintang because they are using new car to do testing. My car After 1year safety belt rosak, cermin not functioning , not sure airbag can use or not because you won’t know until accident happened.
Actually they do not need any facelift. The current model is still fresh due to low sales volume. You only see them once a while.
Good one! You are right, seeing a Persona is like seeing a Porsche 911 Carrera in KL. I think I see more Porsche Carrera in KL than Personas
Why even buying Persona? Buy today, within one year, want to sell, to get RM30k also you will be lucky
2018 Persona RM60k
2018 Myvi RM55k
Two years later you want to sell
2020 Persona RM25k
2020 Myvi RM48k
When the bank ask you to top up the loan by few thousand ringgit, you will ask yourself this, “What have I been paying for the past 48x months?”
2016 PROTON PERSONA PREMIUM SEDAN 1597CC
Market Value RM 39,900
Original Price RM 59,350
2016 PERODUA MYVI ADVANCE HATCHBACK 1495CC
Market Value RM 36,300
Original Price RM 57,968
What are you talking about?
Highest brand new persona is only RM54K. Where got RM59K. Nak tipu pun agak-agak lah.
2018 buy myvi 55K, 2020 sell your 3 year old myvi for 48K? Really? Please share with me which used car dealer will take a 2 year old myvi for 7K lower than a brand new unit. Dumb comments…
Myvi you can cheap in mudah, 2016 – 20k
Another lie! Where can a 2 years old Myvi get 48k? It would be lucky to get 40k. Want to bullshit also need to think first, troll.
Where do you live in KL bro? I live in KL too and I have seen lots of Persona on the highway on my way to office. And at least 5 Persona are in my neighbourhood. But Kia and Hyundai are a rare sight to me. Hardly seen one except for Starex.
Hahaha! Gud one bro!
I had thought the facelift was to get rid of the dugongness, of which only the Toyota Vios has managed to pull off. This seems pretty pointless… just to align the design motifs with the X70?
Shortsighted.
Habisla Plontong! Everyone already booked Vios. This one too late for sure no sales
I heard only 500 booking only, where got everyone?
Toyota salesmen nothing to do in empty showroom, so come here to tokok.
Hahaha Good one bro
Because “new” vios is crampy like A segment car
Nowadays, so difficult to see newly-registered Vios on the road. Only Hilux is selling for UMW, other models are half past dead. Ask how many the new Rush they sold since launch, they will be embarrassed to tell.
I predict :
Perodua 14755 units; actual: 19528 units
Honda 7616 units; actual: 7246 units
Proton 5093 units (confirmed)
Toyota 4760 units; actual: 4757 units
Nissan 3332 units; actual 2500 units
No safety features upgrade?
This persona is difficult to make it beauty. need to accept it.
Much nicer than ugly jepunis cars
Lol the persona looks better than the almera and new vios
Make the interior like the X70-ish also la Proton, sure hot.
Do so little insignificant nonsense but make it seemed like they built a Ferrari like car from ground up!
Pity….
Eh, these are spyshots lah. Not official from P1 to promote “to build a Ferrari”. You so sensitive for what? Pity…
PROTON better solve the rattling dashboard, plastic krik-krok sound instead of facelifts.
omg look at the tiny wheel.
cars that look like these u probably find in india as budget car
Please don’t downgrade cars in India.Have you been to India or driven a car there?
wished Proton will incorporate some of intelligent electronic functions as we have seen from X70
Proton should also allow its R3 Motorsport division to produce a performance tune variant and options off stayling kit.
It would certainly be a good leverage to promote the base cars
No matter how hard the Proton attempt to rectify the design of Persona I still feel the body is bulky with smaller wheel. It is like an elephant riding on small wheel.
In fact the new Persona design not that bad overall, if Proton can make it longer and wider, lower down the car height to look thinner (now is consider very thick) and enlarge the wheel frame to fit in 16 inch I bet it will look greater.
That wud be on a totally diff chassis alredi, which defeats the purpose of this Persona2 which is to sharing platform with Iriz. Hopefully new Persona3 or Preve2 will be based on Bin Rui.
how about QC issues? any ownwers here?
Solid. Had one for a year already
Please bring gkui, lotus handling and 2.0 or 1.5 turbo option
The ugliest car ever
Exterior look better than new Vios, only the interior part not stunning but just same as new Vios boring interior design. Hope new facelift got major change interior with no price hikes.
Wrong Jason!
Vios is the ugliest car ever
Then it is correct Jason!
Nice look. Improve the interior finishing (premium feel plastic & chrome please). Improve the fuel consumption (+5-10% efficiency). Persona is again hot cake ady.