The spotlight may still be shining on the new Proton X70, but that doesn’t mean that the national carmaker is neglecting its other models. Just a week after it previewed the facelifted Iriz hatch, the company held a separate event for the also-refreshed Persona sedan, giving us not only a closer look at all the changes but also a chance to take a short drive of the B-segment contender around a test track.
Proton claims that it has made a total of 303 changes to the Persona, with the most apparent being on the outside. The full-width chrome bar at the front now features what it claims is the “Ethereal Bow” design, and there’s also an “Infinite Weave” grille pattern, redesigned air intakes with LED daytime running lights, new 15-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and a new rear diffuser design with a chrome strip.
Inside, you get a new gearknob, a frameless rear-view mirror and a new instrument cluster, complete with cleaner dials and a larger colour multi-info display. Also fitted is a new seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system derived from the X70, with internet connectivity and the “Hi Proton” voice control.
Although the 107 hp/150 Nm 1.6 litre VVT engine and five-speed manual and CVT gearbox options remain unchanged, Proton says that it has tweaked the car to improve fuel consumption, braking performance and refinement. But is all this enough to finally make the Persona a proper competitor to the best in this close-fought segment? Our man Hafriz Shah susses it out in our quick review, which you can watch above.
GALLERY: 2019 Proton Persona 1.6 Executive
GALLERY: 2019 Proton Persona 1.6 Premium
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
303 changes but still a game over car. Even the front design is called “The Game Over Face”. Habisla Persona!!
But in reality, most lady drivers in my jabatan and pejabat oredy bought Honda city and jazz on max nine year loan. I think they really should better get this Persona FL.
The issue affecting p1 fans who migrated to Japanese cars…is the long term repair costs after the 5 th year….Campro engine n cvt kaput…ask any mechanic…they r busy doing overhaul n gearbox replacement for protons.Let us not be short sighted..protons still give the famous power window problem…dont throw money into the money pit…American mechanic Scotty Kilmer dares to hammer Chrysler n american cars…why r we so afraid to speak the truth about Proton?
MY pipu orang mudah lupa. Tapi proton kasi punya problem, Sumpah tak lupa. Lolz!
Yg ada problem tak pakai lagi, knp masih kusut di masa lampau
persona kene bubuh logo Honda , Kia, mazda, toyota kat bonnet baru la laku …
Local grads prefer Myvi. This is why Myvi sales in already 110,000 since launch in November.
110,000 just in 3 months. Joining the 1.1 current Myvis on the road.
coz turds like you spew bs , like power windows, when its a non issue since the then MD, Dato seri Syed Zainal announced lifetime guaranty/warranty, since 2011! so what the hell are effing lying about now?
and if youre really sincere like old man Kilmer, how come i dont hear you even mentioned about the common problems faced by Myvi owners like broken USB ports and TNG readers to headlamp issues?
the fact of the matter is youre biased.
My friend has 2018 persona…his son said he has to push the window up every time he needs to,after paying toll or winding down.
You ,free,I can drive car to let u see for yourself the power window issue.
Dont be coward…i can fetch u n drive u to his house to let u see for yourself.
When you start of with “my friend”, we know you’re just pissing into the air with the wind blowing towards you.
Malaysians prefer Myvi because it uses a Toyota engine. Toyota engines are sold all over the world and have won numerous awards from First World countries.
People don’t want Campro engines. They overheat and bakar while going up to Genting.
oi YB, my company has one (standard, CVT) since Oct 2017. clocked 46,831km already. no power window problems. touch n go some more, using BORR (4 toll booth visits per round trip) and north south highway up to Jawi- minimum 8 times buka n tutup/day, 6 days/week, for the past 16 months of ownership. thats 3072 times already buka/tutup, with nary a hiccup.
tell your ‘friend’ to put some power window lubricant for the glass. coz no auto maker from Audi to Volvo is going to put it for you/them.
kalau nak tipu pun, jangan sampai tunjuk kebodohan adik oi.
@YB Kunta Kinte
Funny you should mentioned about terbakar up Genting. The ones I see most of the times end up in flames on the slopes to Genting are Toyota & Perodua cars. How ironic you should mentioned that.
Proton Saga and Persona sales going down and down because 70% of local grads don’t want Proton
https://paultan.org/2017/03/21/more-than-70-of-local-university-grads-choose-to-buy-foreign-vehicles-rather-than-the-national-car-proton/
Local grads don’t want Proton. Buy other car makes. Local grads never repay Ptptn. Dont be like local grads…
No.1 new bankrupts are from local grads. I see the correlation here.
Game Over Face belongs to the Vios. Heard the sales of the Vios is bad because buyers prefer the previous model’s looks compared to the mess of the new one.
Oh tidak… Graduan2 universiti tempatan yang menamatkan pengajian memilih membeli jenama luar berbanding kereta nasional Proton.
Graduan yang memilih kereta jenama import tersebut mengganggap Proton tidak setanding dengan jenama pilihan mereka, walhal mereka tidak punya berpengalaman memandu sendiri kereta2 keluaran Proton
Iya, graduan sekarang amat bijak dengab mengamalkan konspe ‘Biar orang lain pandang saya bergaya walaupun saya berhutang 9 tahun dan tidak mampu membeli rumah sendiri dan mempunyai teman wanita,saya bangga bergaya dengan kereta saya lebih-lebih lagi ketika pulang beraya dan dipuji jiran-jiran’.
Despite the rising salary and higher consumption power, materialistic young society pulang bergaya beraya. Paying a high price for choosing status over moderation.
No wonder our banks said the ever increasing bankrupts are young graduates.. Haven’t even start working so fast think you’re so smart by taking loans you cannot repay, ending up in the CTOS list before reaching 25. Congrats to you, graduan bijak. Meanwhile everyone else laugh at your stupidity and poor financial management.
Cheap foreign cars & cheaper petrol prices made affordable for young graduates.
(Like) Proton Persona and Toyota Vios
(Dislike) Nissan Almera
Don’t know why Proton is reviving the Persona. Geely plans to kill all Proton cars ultimately. Geely from Day 1 already had the intention of marketing all their Geely models in Malaysia.
Proton management know this. But they are too scared to tell the public this. Cause it would mean 30 years of automotive motoring has gone down the drain and we now become just a rebadger aka reseller.
Anyway, buyers beware. Later, to get parts also difficult once Persona and Saga become extinct. Geely aka Proton will only make parts for their X50, X70 and other Geely models
Persona monthly sales just same as Vios
WTF are you smoking? The decision to update the Persona comes directly from the current Proton management led by Geely..smfh
Real meaning: Seems like you are the one who is scared. The X70 already proves that Geely cars are well-designed and can be well-received by Malaysians. That pave the way for more, newer Geely cars to be rebadged as Proton. Imagine this: One X70 is enough to give you sleepless nights. What would a whole lineup do to you?
what’s worse is this is exactly how he markets P2 cars in showroom. pathetic right? felt like wanna punch him in the face while he bullshits customer with these facts.
Have u seen movie Jurassic Park?Protong is not ashamed that their cars r ancient…cos of rampant support from hardcore fanboys…2 yrs later,we will get Geely cars with tiger logo.
In one of the slide, it says, “Improved Fuel Consumption”. It’s like telling people, the new Persona eats more fuel than before. Hahah!
It should be “Improved fuel efficiency”, right?
It’s like your name; spelled Haidi or Heidi.. meaning is still the same. Don’t be a twat lah.
You just show your idiocy to the world to see. Improved fuel consumption is the correct term for improved fuel economy. It’s not increased fuel consumption, like you think of “eats more fuel”. BTW, car drinks fuel. Never heard anyone say car eats fuel like you did.
Chinese dialect got “eat fuel” which tells u much this “Haidi” name isnt what is seems.
Marhaen here sez “makan minyak”.
Nope. You can try and use our names, but you would never catch our lingo. We never say “makan minyak”. We know exactly that you are not one of us.
akal hanya sejengkal, jangan nak depa dada brader. beri malu sendiri. ha ha ha
Pls test drive manual iriz and persona . Big market out there for spirited driving !
Manual? Traffic jammed very bad bossku…
Would Hafriz be putting down payment to buy this car too? I will not buy it unless he buys it.
Nope, I’ve already bought the X70. Says enough of my confidence in Proton.
Lolz! Basher got owned by Haf, bro!
You bought the wrong car… Habisla Hafriz!
Proton is such good car, South Korean Cars like Hyundai and Kia are good cars too. Especially for other carmakers like BMW, Volvo, Mazda, Toyota, Mercedes are good cars too. But when good articles received like Proton, South Korean Cars, BMW, Volvo, Mazda, Toyota, Mercedes and other carmakers, Nissan Salesman always came to Paul tan articles and talk badmouth about Proton, South Korean Cars, BMW, Volvo, Mazda, Toyota, Mercedes and other carmakers without their knowledge.
NVH sure better than Bezza and Vios.
Lol, obviously. Even FLX has better NVH compared to Bezza.
P1, Geely, Mesidis, VolvoCar, VolvoTrucks, Lotus, L&C, Polestar > all
all, Geely, Mesidis, VolvoCar, VolvoTrucks, Lotus, L&C, Polestar > P1
Bezza still the best at malaysian heart..
Of course a Perodua salesman doubling as troll would say that. Duh.
If it weren’t for Perodua, mostly will have picked Honda Brio over this Perodua junk.
that maroon colour harks back to saga maroon of old, and to be honest, its a beautiful paint job . looks the business. Facelift done right
“… ribbed for your pleasure.” with a sinister grin.
Real subtle. Real subtle Hafriz. Hahahah.
Persona aint getting any petrol Subsidy from the government, only for car 1.5cc and below, correct me if i am wrong…..
Instead facelift… should launch new…
comparable spec with MYVI
As a Persona Owner (2009), I’ll stick with the old design. I’ll buy a new persona IF they upgrade from the old design and make it looks more bad ass.
From my opinion, the old design composition/ratio looks more “balanced” compared a new one. Oh ya, please remain the bonnet gas struts like the old Persona. It helps a lot to increase “usable” area in the bonnet.
Bla bla bla.. It still persona with campro vvt & punch cvt.. What new? We need new engine & new transmission..
Ok , you mean still underpower Toyota engine in vios
Campro vvt not match with punch cvt.. Bring in reliable engine with 4 speed auto torque converter..
If u can’t make cars like toyota, u should make cars like hyundai
it will sell better with the 1.6 CFE engine plonk into it, wearing a 16″ wheels and a lower roofline by 20mm.
the car currently looks too tall, and wheels too narrow. performance is only the same as a 1.5 NA though it’s 100cc more.
1.6 engine.. No subsidy from Guan Eng
Ugly but will sell well in Bolehland
Too bad still no rear adjustable headrest…other B segment cars already come with at least 2 rear adjustable headrest
No adjustable headrest for rear seat
Nah…better to keep my 10yr old refurbished Persona with better suspension and spacious interior compared to this.
am i the one who only spot two defects:
1) top left corner of glove box on executive spec is popping out
2) bottom right corner of glove box on premium spec is popping out
what the heck that the assembly is still lousy
110 km/h RPM reading at 3k…with cvt it should be at 2k
If 2k no power like vios