Category: Proton

It may sound like a pizza but there is more to the Proton Suprima S than rolled-out dough, tomato stuff, cheese, and assorted toppings. It’s a tasty looking small-medium five-door hatchback. Now, the hatchback served up by the Malaysian automobile maker has a new topping and a fresh name, the Suprima S Super Premium. A name like this holds hopes of great expectations. Alas the Suprima S Super Premium does not entirely deliver. Proton puts much store in its product quality with five years or 75,000 km free scheduled servicing,… Read more

Proton Exora, priced from $25,990, drive away, is quite simply the most affordable seven-seater in Australia. The Malaysian-made compact people mover also carries a large carrot in the form of free servicing for the first five years or 75,000 kilometres. And there is no skimping on equipment, with reverse parking alarm, DVD for rear-seat residents, stylish twin five-spoke alloy wheels and a full-size spare on the base model GX. The up-specced Proton GXR test vehicle also added reversing camera, cruise control, daytime running lights, roof-mounted rear spoiler and leather seat… Read more

When we road tested the all-new Proton Preve sedan at its introduction early in 2013 we were impressed by its ride and handling, but felt it needed more power to match the chassis dynamics. Late in the year the importers added the option of a turbocharged engine in a new model called Preve GXR Turbo. ENGINE / TRANSMISSION While it still has a capacity of just 1.6 litres, in a class where 2.0 litres is more common, the Proton engine with a turbocharger now develops 103 kilowatts of power and… Read more

Proton Australia makes no bones about it; the new Proton Exora is quite simply the cheapest seven-seat vehicle on the market. During the launch out of Sydney, the marketing people did talk about style and luxury and all the usual things that excite buyers, but made it clear that value for money is by far Exora’s biggest feature. Which is smart thinking; those who need extra seats are likely to be in the early stages of their lives, with small children, a big mortgage and a modest income. Offer them… Read more

When we tested the new Proton Preve we were impressed by its chassis dynamics, but felt it needed more engine. Our wish has been realised and the Preve is now available with the option of a turbocharged engine, resulting in a variant tagged as the Preve GXR. ENGINE While it still has a capacity of 1.6 litres the Campro engine now develops 103 kilowatts of power and 205 Nm of torque, well up on the 80 kW and 150 Nm of the non-turbo unit. This gives it a much livelier… Read more

A compact family sedan from Malaysian manufacturer Proton, the Preve, comes downunder in two variants. The Preve GX five-speed manual and Preve GX six-speed continuously variable automatic. Incidentally, Proton would like us to pronounce Preve to rhyme with cafe so as to give the new car a European flavour. Proton Preve offers excellent value for money as it has a drive-away price of $15,990 for the five-speed manual transmission and $17,990 for the six-speed continuously variable transmission. These prices are $3000 under the launch prices announced earlier this year. Proton… Read more

Quite simply, this is Australia’s cheapest car; the Proton S16 sedan is priced at a mere $11,990 which includes on-road costs. That makes it the equivalent of about four month’s average income. A truly stunning price. Value for money is obviously the biggest appeal in this Malaysian car and to achieve this some corners have been cut in the levels of equipment, although not to the extent you might have imagined. You get air conditioning, power windows on the front doors (but not on the back ones), a reasonably good… Read more