2016 Proton Persona VVT 1.6

Summary:

Better buy other car lah...

Faults:

1. Dashboard rattling sound 4 months after I bought it.

2. Bumping sound from the front area, most probably the absorber or ball joints, if anything.

3. 'Periodic Maintenance' sign will appear 500km before service, and it can't be removed by other service centers, which means you have no choice but to go to a Proton Service Center.

General Comments:

1. Faster car than my previous Perodua Alza.

2. A bit tight on space compared to the previous model of Persona/Persona SV (in Malaysia, not the UK's Proton Persona, which is the Wira in Malaysia).

3. Fuel consumption is OK compared to my previous Perodua Alza.

4. Annoying sounds appeared after 4 months compared to my Perodua Alza, which is after 4 years.

5. Annoying car club appears after this model is on the road.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st October, 2017

2014 Proton Persona SV 1.6

Summary:

Great value for money, but very steep 1st year depreciation of 21%

Faults:

- Aircon fan squeaks (started after a couple of months).

- Alarm goes off when it rains heavily (not fixed, started after 1 year).

- Steering has a rattling noise (new problem).

- Door panel alignment was slightly out (fixed).

- Boot very hard to open with key - got to twist the key really hard (fixed).

General Comments:

This is a great car to drive, but lacking in terms of finishing. All the problems faced are essentially minor, and have to do with the quality of the component or assembly.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th October, 2015

2010 Proton Persona Elegance 1.6

Summary:

Like a glass; any time it can break

Faults:

Central locking was not working at 532km.

General Comments:

The car is powerful, but the brakes seem not so good at stopping the car.

The car's central locking suddenly locked my wife inside, and forced her to come out through the driver's door.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 22nd June, 2010

14th Nov 2011, 08:29

I received my Persona E on the date 1.11.11, & now after a 1000 miles I've found out that this car is a great, value for money car. So far, don't have any major problems, except the hand-brake light is not working well...

2008 Proton Persona M-Line 1.6M IAFM

Summary:

Average saloon car with excellent driving dynamics

Faults:

- Interior started rattling after a few months

- Steering audio button malfunctioned (fixed)

- Pinging / shrilling engine noise (fixed by changing tensioner belt)

General Comments:

I've used it for nearly two years now, and has no problems so far, aside from the niggling quality issues.

The driving position is awkward, either the pedals are too near or the steering is too far.

The interior is spacious and quite, but the design and quality leaves a lot to be desired. It simply looks and feels cheap.

Space for front passengers is just fine, but not so for rear passengers - legroom is somewhat limited, because the space is taken by the cavernous boot, it's just huge! Personally I'd prefer that they sacrifice a little boot space for rear passenger legroom.

It must be said that despite the relatively soft suspension, the car is very stable at high speeds and is a joy to drive on twisty roads. I really enjoyed driving this car. Confidence inspiring while being comfortable. I'm not sure what the Proton guys did with the chassis / suspension, but it works brilliantly!

The engine feels somewhat underpowered in stop-start traffic, most of the power are upwards of 3500 rpm. On the bright side, the engine feels effortless on highways where most of the time it will be in its sweet spot - 3000-4000 rpm.

I am very satisfied with this car, I'd say money well-spent. I would definitely recommend it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd February, 2010

18th Jan 2013, 10:19

Updates two years after I posted my original review - currently entering 4 & 1/2 years of ownership:

The car has now clocked 95 000 km, and a few things have gone wrong with it so far:

1) A/C gas pipe leaked - cost me RM 250.

2) Front disc brakes have warped, causing to steering to vibrate horrendously under braking - cost me RM 700 for a new set.

3) Engine gasket leaked - replaced it for RM 150.

4) Air conditioning knob has gone wonky - fan speed has a mind of its own, depending on how hard you were cornering - not repaired yet.

5) One of the door levers has jammed, can only be opened from inside the car - not repaired yet.

And a few wear and tear stuff like brake pads, battery, timing belt and tyres.

To be honest, I didn't exactly babysit the car - there have been more than a few occasions where I floored the throttle and revved to the redline.

Despite all the problems though, I still enjoy driving it down the motorway or along the twisty back roads, like I did four years back when it was new.