Writing your first impressions of any car is tricky. More so when the car in question is one of the very first few to roll off the assembly line – if it can even be called that at such early stage. The new Proton Preve (pronounced Prea-vae) is yet to be launched but a large contingent of media have been given the chance to test drive it. It was a decently long test route of 150km and we’ve got loads to share.
Images Proton
What is it?
Well, it is not here to replace the Persona. That model will continue to be sold, but only in the entry B-Line spec. The Preve is exactly like the Gen.2 with a boot, so in that sense it’s a four door C-segment sedan. Prices remain a secret until the (expected) mid-April launch but it was hinted to be between RM62,000 (baseline) and RM75,000 (top spec). It was also added that eventually the Persona will be phased off within a year; as it is production on the Persona will be scaled down to 1000 units per month while the Preve will receive chief attention at 4000 units monthly to start with. There will be three variants: 1.6 litre manual, 1.6 litre (CVT) and the turbocharged CFE with CVT box. The first two engines are now used in the Saga while the latter is currently in the Exora Bold.
Design
Photography wasn’t permitted but Proton did provide these shots. Of course since the car has already been spotted (and photographed) so much, you probably have a decent idea of how it looks like. Let’s just say that it looks familiar. Before you swing that axe, Proton has plans for this to be a ‘proper’ global car. And when Proton says domestic market, it means Malaysia and our immediate regional neighbours. Personally, I think the Preve looks great – safe and pleasing, yet contemporary and striking. There are some gaffes, but nothing that can’t be fixed with a facelift or some quick work by the hard working after-market boys. For now, performance and ride quality are more important.
Families will be happy to learn that rear passengers get a lot more room. The car may not look that much bigger than the Persona but the cabin feels much more open. Knee room is especially improved, and the dark grey upholstery, as opposed to black, helps to make the space bigger.
Drive
Face it. Proton doesn’t build sedans and hatchbacks that don’t ride confidently. The Preve loses no points when compared to its C-segment competitors, the Civic and Forte. It seems to have the edge over the rest, except of course the class benchmark Ford Focus, but I don’t think they’re far apart.
First up for me was the CFE-engined Preve. Getting to a comfortable driving position was easy, but to make it optimal was almost impossible. The steering only adjusts to height but not to reach, strange for something that is, in this context, fully loaded. Other than that, no issues really. The materials used may not be top notch but at this price point, that’s okay by me. Unlike the materials on the dash and doors which have surfacing that is easy to scratch.
On the move, I am slightly disappointed. Suddenly I know why Proton is not too keen to harp on the word Turbo for the CFE engine. The car is fast off the blocks but not in the way that would suggest it has a turbine. The suggestion of speed is absent but the numbers prove otherwise. This Preve will outrun every other car in its class, but that is not the point is it? It could just be that this car is so tuned to regular type of driving that sensation of speed is not a main priority. I managed just over 200kmh in it. For a 1.6 litre displacement that’s very impressive. What’s more amazing is that it didn’t feel like I was bombing it. NVH was well subdued;the Preve feels a lot more expensive at this point.
The naturally aspirated IAFM Preve takes a beating compared to its force-fed sibling. It feels immediately overwhelmed by the weight of the car, and more than anything else the seemingly restrictive CVT. Yet, it still possesses a lot more refinement than the Saga with the same drivetrain, but that’s expected.
Conclusion
The Preve – at this point of time and based on this first impression – excites and frustrates me equally. It rides beautifully and with a lot of composure even at high speeds. The way it looks and the interior space it offers point to a design team that is more aligned with its customer base’s wants. Its chassis, exterior and interior forces the notion that Proton really does have a case for a proper global car. And then there is the Campro and the transmission. If it was better, it would be enhancing the package but right now it’s doing the opposite.
Regardless, the Preve will do well in markets that are not accustomed to truly modern engines (such as the TSI or Ecoboost), but then how many of such markets exist? I have a feeling that at the end of the day, Proton will still have to rely on selling this car with price as its main pulling factor rather than value, or (ideally) desirability. As they say, close, but no cigar – yet. Maybe the production car will be improved.
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proton sucks! That is that!
Hi friend the bad news is tutup, display is comments good one , , bettle your check at youtube all bad display is tutup…
If you don’t like proton cars, then don’t buy it. They say the same thing about Hyundai and Kia but now the Koreans are really putting the japanese at edge. Dont judge based on your sentiments but based on facts and knowledge. My friend’s BMW 5 series came to a halt after been driven through knee depth flooded road. The engine failed to restart. What a shame! What do you say? He said even an old saga can pass through the flooded road.
Yes yes i agree with you
Saya telah guna kereta preve premium selama 6 bulan dan kilometer melebihi 10k. Penggunaan petrol 16sen/km purata. Kelajuan maksima 195km/j. Pemanduan dari Simpang Pulai Ipoh ke Cameron Highland semua kereta dapat dipotong kecuali superbike. Pemanduan amat selesa dan brek amat meyakinkan. Setakat ini saya sangat berpuashati terhadap prestasi kereta ini. Terima kasih.
untuk pamanduan jarak jauh memang lah enjin campro mnggunakan pertrol setanding dgn kereta jenama jepun..tapi untuk jarak dekat amat tidak berbaloi..minyak mentedarah..
kualiti bukan hanya setakat pada gaya persembahan rupa dan design kereta saja,tapi peranan pemggunaan minyak yg efisyen seperti honda,toyota dan nissan patut diukur.
bagi yg bercadang membeli kereta proton berenjin campro..fikir..fikirkan lah..
Proton is still behind time, in terms of fuel efficiency engines……normal B segment cars are having 14-20km/l while the Preve has about 7km/l. Overall, it’s a nice car basing on design and pricing but………i think i’ll still opt for the Nissan Almera, rather good buy + fuel efficient…good luck and don’t make the wrong choice n regrets.
Salam. Kalau Preve menggunakan enjin mitsubishi, saya rasa lebih yakin untuk membelinya. Dah banyak saya lihat enjin campro mempunyai masalah teknikal yang serius. Harap proton perbaiki lagi kualiti kereta mereka. Sebab harganya kalu nak dibandingkan dengan kereta Jepun adalah jauh lebih murah dari kereta proton jika ditolak dengan tax..Harap Malaysia akan keluarkan kereta dibawah harga RM 20,000.00. 1 MALAYSIA, JANJI DITEPATI.
Salam. saya setuju dengan cadangan tuan iman rich. kerana teknologi enjin jepun jauh lebih baik dari teknologi eropah. ramai kawan2 sya yg mengunakan kereta buatan eropah berkata, hanya keselesaan saja yg ok,tpi kehebatan enjin bila sudah 5 thn, out. dah lah kos selenggara nya tinggi. tpi bila nak di jual balik, jauh lebih rendah dari kereta teknologi jepun. jadi, kolaborasi saja dengan teknologi jepun adalah lebih tepat. tau, bina saja teknologi enjin sendiri tanpa bekerjasama dengan mana2 pihak. kan kita punya ramai anak2 tempatan dalam bidang kejuruteraan enjin. cuba dulu…..
We need to b realistic, Japanese technology is superior,even US,Europe & Korea may not match. Proton is national project, support from rakyat must based on patriotism. We should b proud that proton car quality is improving tremendously especially after exora model launched.
Keluarga saya sudah lama memakai kerita perodua , kalau dapat nak cuba pula menggunakan kerita 1Malaysia proton preve ….bila budjet ada lebih sikit. Tq
we need a 1 Malaysia can for sure, which sell at the same price like USA, bcoz car is a neccesity in malaysia since public transport is so bad.
saya minat sangat dengan model kereta ini tetapi saya sudah ada kia spectra 1.6 novo.full kit.kalau boleh tred in rasa nak juga .
Any new product from Proton brings out intense discussions eh? But with the company’s track record and your personal experiences – positive or negative – aside, has any of you guys managed to test drive the Preve? We would like to hear your thoughts too :-)
Guy’s, give Proton a break. Facts :
1. Designing a car with a low selling volume (compared to T,H) is not easy. they don’t have the financial leverage for RD’s of their products
2. Proton had improved their product quality significantly over the years. That’s a tremendous effort.
3. We are Malaysians aren’t we. So … let’s support Malaysia.
4. I’m an ardent fan of continental cars, and had owned 6 continental brands over the years, (audi A6, merc 230e, 260e, 300se, bmw 520i, volvo 240GLE, citroen C8, opel vectra B 2.0) but still to some extent, we will need cars like Protons for our daily ride. It’s low profile, simple, reliable, efficient and with good handling to match.
It makes you feel proud, being a Malaysian.
Yes, we must bail Proton out of their financial crisis but Proton must be able to produce a good car first. Simply saying that Proton’s cars aren’t supposed to go ‘full throttle’ only proves that they still have a long way to go.
Manufacturers like Toyota and Honda are able to produce cars that are low profile, simple, reliable, efficient and with good handling to match and sell them at lower prices compared to Proton’s cars. However, because of the ridiculous car tax policy in Malaysia, we have to buy a Corolla Altis for 80k, 100k++ for Civic Type Rs.
I have just tested the proton preve on 21.4.2012 at jalan ipoh branch. However,
I hope the tyre sound track can be of soundproof while driviing. As we can hear
the tyre sound from the inside.
yeah that’s true lets remove the tax for other car and compete equally, globally.
otherwise proton only success in malaysia, fail in all other part of the world, regardless what preve preves preservative….they make in the future.
i think in terms of value for money, the preve can’t be beaten. many malaysians have been burned before by proton, but they’ve improved considerably since tengku mahaleel’s era, and they know this is the best chance for them to regain consumer confidence and wipe away all the bad press and negativity in one swift bold move. overall i’m quite optimistic they will deliver the goods this time around. and judging from web response, a lot of people are eagerly anticipating its arrival.
Without the tax structure, Proton cannot compete at all with other car makes. Just take this for an example, without tax the following cars cost:
Sylphy 2.0 XL Luxury RM 82, 380
Altis 2.0 V RM 81, 429
Civic 2.0S RM 82,995
Would you rather buy a small “Preve” rather than a proper car?
Well be realistic, the fact is Altis is not selling at 80k in Malaysia. No matter how much the cars cost overseas, you’re still buying in Malaysia, and at the end of the day, the pricing is very important. You rather pay 80k for a mid range car or an entry level car? Your choice.
Wow, this car looks great, I’m waiting to book it already. Finally Proton has created a car worthy for the global market.
This could be all hype and marketing, lets wait for the real car before making any hasty decisions. Later regret only you know laaa hahah
I think thats the reason why Proton needs to diverse their market to Iutside of Malaysians. Look at the monkeys that commented above, they dont even give any sh*ts of chance for DRB to prove that they can change Proton.
Regarding the power window, Syed Zainal has also said that all proton cars now are given life warranty. Any more problem they will change it for free.
With all the accessories available in Preve, they are really superb. At last Proton is now on Par to compete with Kia, Hyundai. Just fyi, honda and toyota is defintiely not on the same status like kia and hyundai. In terms of design and technologies, Korean cars are far better than Japanese car. Kia designer used to work for Audi.
The product is now already a ‘star’ lets see how Proton is going to make Preve a ‘Cash Cow’ !
u purchase car for long term u need to know $$$ for the maintainance,sparepart,etc..if u purchase car for fun or like changing clothes then u go for diff brand :) .proton maintainance is quite low n affordable if u diffrenciate wit diff car manufac, i know cz i own bmw and proton.this proton new product with quite sum of giz-moz is a good package,to compare wit other brand,it offers alot with affordable $$$.now car manufac make new product for the sake of making $$$…they not making car,they making $$$…only exterior changes,inside is the same old sh*t,but i can see proton is gettin better n better,its a good car,i choose to view it from positive side, out of all it really depends on u n ur perception.
Dude, you’re comparing BMW to Proton, why don’t you compare Proton to maintenance of Toyota, Honda, Perodua, etc. For cars that are of similar value like Vios, maintenance for Proton is sometimes more expensive.
They just want to suck more money from the rakyat.
Fully agreed with you.
“price low n affordable + fragilable…..”
really suck like hell.
yes…. brand new proton waja maintenance expensive than 2nd hand honda city
Really not interested in any Proton made, suck..
Most of the car’s design and development involves foreign expertise. Lets wait and see and give Proton a chance?
A little too late, gonna have window failure and bad second hand value, not interested in national cars already.
Proton offers lifetime warranty for power window failures. Its better if you don’t buy also, less waiting time for other national supporters!
i agreed with you proton Sucks. bought a proton saga 1.3 FL for 6 months used to trade-in for
proton saga 1.3 FL CVT the saleman give me only RM34K.
aiya… I can buy from u. I dont feel like paying extra tax to get a car. That why i always buy cheapest car i can get. Public transport is so bad, we need own transport if want to cari makan.i