Proton Suprima S

  • Proton Suprima Active Concept crossover unveiled

    Proton_Suprima_Active-2

    Remember the Proton Iriz Active Concept, the raised-up, grey and orange design study shown back in 2014? Now, we have the Proton Suprima Active Concept, with a similar styling execution. The car has been unveiled at the ongoing My Auto Fest. The done-up Iriz is also on display next to it.

    The C-segment hatchback receives a full crossover-style bodykit, complete with all-around body cladding. Orange appears prominently on the gloss grey Suprima Active (instead of the Iriz Active’s matte grey), with the bright shade highlighting the front grille, headlamp projector rings, front intake outline, roof, wing mirrors, side skirts and rear garnish.

    As in the Iriz Active, this new concept has a raised ride height to accentuate the crossover look, increasing the ground clearance from the standard 155 mm to 207 mm. Interestingly, there’s mention of a six-speed manual transmission option for the Active, aside from the regular CVT.

    The car sits on 17-inch turbine wheels, also with orange highlights. Also on, silver “roof rails” (purely cosmetic) and matte grey stickers, which complete the Active’s exterior makeover.

    On the inside, beige, rather than orange highlights, can be found. Tan leather is featured on the steering wheel grips, door card inserts and the reupholstered seats. Orange, meanwhile, can be seen on the air-con vents and the centre console buttons surrounds.

    Proton says the pair of Active concepts “signifies a potential entry into the growing crossover market, with specialised re-engineering to satisfy customers who want a higher driving positon, improved ride and handling and lifestyle options.” So, what do you think of this, folks?

     
     
  • Proton Suprima S Standard introduced – RM70k

    Proton Suprima S Standard 1

    Proton has introduced another variant to its Suprima S range, and the Suprima S Standard rolls in as the entry-level model in the lineup, which now reads like this: Standard, Executive, Premium and Super Premium.

    The Standard is based on the Executive variant, previously the base starting point, and omits certain kit and features to bring its price under the RM70k mark. The omissions also bring the kerb weight down by 10 kg over the Executive, the Standard tipping the scales at 1,365 kg.

    There are no changes to the powertrain, and the CamPro 1.6 Turbo continues on as is, the low-pressure turbocharged unit offering the same 138 hp at 5,000 rpm and 205 Nm between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm as the rest of the Suprima range.

    Compared to the Executive, the Standard loses the engine cover and front fog lamps, and its projector headlight position lamps are of the bulbed variety (on the Executive, LEDs).

    Proton Suprima S Standard 22

    Other cosmetic changes include the omission of black tape for the B-pillar and door sashes, a move to a Panther Grey finish for the centre panel (on the Executive, in Onyx Black) as well as a minor revision to the floor console design (between the two front seats) – the rear lid has been removed.

    The variant also drops the front reactive headrest, driver-side overhead handle grip, anti-trap feature in the front power windows, as well as the seat belt reminder for the front passenger. The Suprima S Standard rides on the 16-inch alloys from the Preve, wrapped with 205/55 profile rubbers.

    Elsewhere, the Android-based Proton Infotainment System (seven-inch LCD screen DVD player with GPS navigation and Bluetooth/USB/iPod connectivity) found on the Executive has been replaced by a two-DIN single CD/radio head-unit, though the four speaker count still remains. Also omitted, the steering audio switches as well as Yes 4G connectivity.

    Safety equipment for the Suprima S Standard consists of dual front airbags and ABS with EBD – owners will have to make do without ESC, traction control, brake assist, hill-hold assist and side/curtain airbags found in the Executive, which means the variant will not be five-star ANCAP-rated like its siblings up the range. Isofix mount points, however, have been retained.

    Five exterior colours are available for the Suprima S Standard, and these are Tranquility Black, Genetic Silver, Atlantic Blue, Solid White and Fire Red, the same colours found on the Suprima S at its launch in August 2013.

    As for pricing, the Suprima S Standard goes for RM69,438 (solid) and RM69,888 (metallic), on-the-road with insurance, which makes it RM6,900 cheaper than the Executive (solid), and RM6,800 in the case of the metallic version. Customers in East Malaysia will have to wait until December 18 before they can get up close with the S Standard in showrooms.

    You can compare the specifications of all the Suprima S models on Carbase.my, and read our review of the Suprima S here.

     
     
  • Proton Suprima S spied on trailer – Standard variant?

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    A partially-camo’d Proton Suprima S has been spotted on a trailer near the Pedas Linggi exit on the PLUS highway – we thank Asraf Hadzwan for the pics.

    The car wears the same capped steel wheels as the cheapest turbo Exora – the RM69k Exora CFE Standard. So could this be a Standard variant of the Suprima S to join the existing Executive, Premium and Super Premium variants?

    We spotted a Suprima S equipped with a six-speed manual ‘box some time back, but there has been no follow-up on that since, so it could be for overseas markets only. Still, here’s hoping – a 1.6 CFE turbo-6MT pairing would be quite nice.

    proton-suprima-s-standard-spied-2

    The Exora CFE Standard does without the reverse sensors, Bluetooth, DVD, steering wheel buttons, cruise control, auto-fold wing mirrors and fog lamps offered on its posher Premium sister, although the ABS, EBD, dual airbags and all-round disc brakes stay put.

    We can see the Suprima S here retains its tailgate spoiler. Since the Exora CFE Standard is RM10k cheaper than the next rung up, will the same happen here, bringing the Suprima S into the sixty-grand playground?

     
     
  • Proton Suprima S R3 bodykit available from RM1,017

    proton-suprima-s-r3-bodykit-1

    Now you can make your Suprima S look like the Super Premium range-topper – Proton Motorsports has announced on its Facebook page that the R3 bodykit for the Proton Suprima S is now open for booking.

    Available for all Suprima S colours, prices start from RM1,017 excluding installation. The prices vary depending on the colour chosen, and those who book the bodykit before September 28 will enjoy a 20% discount.

    Left: Proton Suprima S with R3 bodykit, Right: Proton Suprima S Super Premium

    The car pictured here appears to be wearing the same seven-spoke 17-inch R3 gunmetal alloys we saw on the Suprima S Super Premium, as well as the R3-bodykitted Proton Preve in August 2013 – the a la carte price was then estimated to be RM2,500 for a set of four wheels.

    The bodykit is body-coloured here; on the Suprima S Super Premium it’s non-glossy black. R3’s signature ‘notched’ front splitter and side skirts are familiar, but the rear side skirts (aft of the rear wheels) here are also notched; on the Super Premium they’re not.

    Proton Suprima S Super Premium

     
     
  • Proton Suprima S Super Premium launched – RM88k

    SuprimaSP03

    Proton has unveiled the new Proton Suprima S Super Premium at the Proton Sales Carnival in Melaka today. The new variant is now the range-topper of the Proton Suprima range, positioned above the Executive and Premium models.

    During the Suprima S launch in August last year, Proton deputy CEO Datuk Lukman Ibrahim had intimated that plans for a R3 performance version (as well as a manual variant) were in the pipeline.

    The Proton Suprima S Super Premium isn’t quite that, but has some R3 elements – the variant adds on an R3 bodykit, which includes a revised rear bumper finishing, front and side skirts, as well as R3 emblems on the side skirts. You also get 17-inch lightweight alloy wheels. The car is available in only two colours – Fire Red and Solid White.

    The Suprima S Super Premium is priced at RM87,929, which is an RM8,350 premium over the next step down in the Suprima range, in this case the Suprima S Premium.

    Read our review of the Proton Suprima S here.

     
     
  • Proton Suprima S, Preve and Exora heading to the UK – trio to spearhead brand’s upcoming major relaunch

    Proton UK relaunch

    It was mentioned last weekend that Proton has plans to properly re-enter the UK market with three new models beginning December, according to reports based on a briefing the automaker held for analysts recently.

    No mention was made of the models it will be introducing for the relaunch, but a peek at the Proton UK website offers the identity of two of the three vehicles – a graphic of the Preve sedan and Exora MPV lists both as “New products coming soon,” so we can surmise that the Exora Bold and Preve 1.6 CFE are the picked cards. The third new model should be the Suprima S.

    If the timeframe for the relaunch is correct, then the Suprima S is set to debut in that market in its seven-speed Protronic CVT guise. We already have indication that the five-door hatch will be heading to the UK in six-speed manual form, but this won’t happen until sometime in 2014.

    Australia, where the Suprima S was launched earlier this month, is also set to get the stick shifter version next year. The CVT-equipped hatch, which has also been introduced in Indonesia and Brunei, is due to make its Thai debut at the Thai Motor Expo this week. South Africa has also been mentioned as a targeted export market for the car, but no date of entry has yet been stated.

    Proton Suprima S and Preve

    The analyst reports added that September sales in the UK for the marque was a dismal three units because of a lack of models, and so the move to reinvigorate the brand in that market cannot come soon enough. Its current UK range is made up of the GEN.2, Savvy, Satria Neo and Persona.

    As it goes along, the Global Small Car (GSC) is likely to make its way to the UK too, but that’s well down the road – the car, which has just been spied undergoing evaluation at an automotive supplier’s facility in Europe, is due to be launched in first half of 2014. The word on the grapevine suggests that it could make its debut sometime in late Q1 or early Q2.

    The question is, is Proton set to hold the UK relaunch in December as intimated by the analysts’ reports, or sometime in early 2014 as initially believed, in order for the manual versions of the Suprima S and Preve to join the fold? We’ll know soon enough.

     
     
  • Driven Web Series Episode 1: The RM90k shootout – Toyota Vios vs Proton Suprima vs Honda Jazz Hybrid

    Driven is back, powered by PETRONAS Primax! You’ve enjoyed our local news coverage, international highlights and pored over our car reviews, now it’s time to sit back and enjoy our latest Driven Web Series.

    This week, we find out the best way to spend RM80k to RM90k on a car. Is it the usual suspect, the 2013 Toyota Vios, Malaysian’s own unsung hero, the Proton Suprima S, or the green and mighty Honda Jazz Hybrid? Watch to find out our definitive verdict.

    As always, we do things a little differently here. A surprise awaits at the end of the episode, so be sure to watch it to the finish. As they say, it ain’t over till the (not quite so) fat lady sings. Don’t get it? Watch the final reveal and read this again ;).

    Enjoy the show, and remember to tune in again same time next week to catch our next episode. We’ll be taking things to new heights. Quite literally.

    Remember to check out Fuelled by Fans Powered by Primax to get a shot at winning RM100,000.

     
     
  • Proton Exora awarded 4-star ANCAP safety rating – Proton Suprima 5-star ANCAP rating becomes official

    exora ancap crash

    Another crash test results announcement, following on the recent ASEAN NCAP second phase testing results – Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) earlier tonight released official safety rating results for two Proton vehicles, the Proton Suprima S and Exora.

    The Exora was given a four-star ANCAP safety rating, applicable to all variants. It premiered in Australia at the Sydney Motor Show last October alongside the Preve sedan, but is only making its market debut this month.

    The MPV, which is equipped with dual frontal and side airbags with thorax and head protection for front occupants, scored 26.37 out of a possible 37 points. In the offset crash test, the Exora scored 10.55 out of 16 points – driver chest protection was acceptable and leg protection was marginal. In the side impact crash test, it managed 14.82 out of 16 points – driver chest protection was listed as acceptable.

    The Exora result – with testing carried out in July – reflected its performance in the 40% frontal offset test, where the risk of serious injury to the driver’s legs was high. Side impact performance was good, but overall pedestrian test results were poor, according to ANCAP.

    suprima s

    “The lack of rear curtain airbags is also of concern for a people mover which will inevitably be marketed to families” said ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh.

    As for the Suprima S, it looks like the five-star rating has been obtained without the car needing to undergo the actual crash testing procedure, as the six airbag-equipped hatch’s structural composition and mechanical integrity is virtually identical to that of the Preve. According to ANCAP, Proton has provided technical evidence to ANCAP showing that the Suprima S provides comparable occupant protection.

    To wit, the technical performance report listed for it is that for the Preve sedan, which received a five-star ANCAP safety rating back in February this year. The Suprima S is to be introduced in Australia from December – ahead of its entry there, the five-door hatch is expected to be launched in the Indonesian and Thai markets in the coming months, mirroring the Preve sedan’s export path.

    View the full results for the Proton Exora in the gallery below.

     
     
  • Proton Suprima S – infotainment system tested

    proton suprima s android system 01

    We’ve written about the Proton Suprima S quite extensively since its launch last month, the latest being our test drive review of the five-door hatchback and comparison photo gallery of it and the Preve sedan that ran last week. Now, we take a closer look at the car’s Android-based infotainment system.

    Our sister site Tech Attack! has sampled the Blaupunkt-based system and its accompanying bag of tech goodies, including the system’s Android and Internet capabilities as well as the in-car Lokatoo navigation system. How did it all fare? You can read the full hands-on test report at Tech Attack!

     
     
  • DRIVEN: Proton Suprima S 1.6 Turbo Premium tested

    DRIVEN_Proton_Suprima_S_review_ 001

    Public opinion is an odd thing. Sometimes it’s absolutely spot on, while other times, well, the public is just plain wrong. But once faith has gone, it takes a painfully long time to rebuild. Once scorned, it’ll be a while before many of us go near that guilty party again, if ever. That is, if there’s even a choice.

    And so, to Proton. Public confidence in the national carmaker has been tailing off for years, and not without good and/or (most likely and, for most of us) frequent reason. There was the Waja, Gen 2, Persona, Exora, and last year, the much-awaited and hyped Preve. All promised a lot of things, but delivered few.

    You hear all the time that the new one is the turnaround car, but it isn’t quite so simple. Even if they’re very good – and the Preve did come very close – it’ll take several years to build up that vital public confidence back again. Strike gold, and the absolute best Proton can hope for is stabilisation.

    The real turnaround will come only a few years down the line, when buyers get confident and feel they can put their hard-earned cash behind the vehicles from the first national car company once more. That’s the upside, provided the new Proton Suprima S – now ready to be tested – really is good enough to start the brand back up again. Well now, is it?

    Click here to read our full Proton Suprima S review.

     
     
 
 
 

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Last Updated Sep 21, 2023