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Proton Persona Sedan

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Proton Persona Sedan Review

Price range:

$14,990 - $18,990

Car Verdict rating:

Good:

Low price; impressive ride & handling.

Not so Good:

'Brittle' feeling interior plastics; lack of low-down torque; needs more safety equipment.

car review

Proton Persona Sedan Competitors

Mazda 3 45 from: $21,330 car review	Holden Cruze 40 from: $20,990 car review	Kia Cerato 35 from: $19,390 car review
Mitsubishi Lancer 35 from: $21,690 car review	Hyundai Elantra 30 from: $20,590 car review	Honda Civic 30 from: $20,990 car review

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Proton Persona Sedan Review

Design and Engineering	Good	Not many sedans under $20k look nearly as sure-footed as the Persona; attractive 15” alloy wheel design.
Design and Engineering	Not so good	The Persona’s shape isn’t likely to inspire a new design direction for the automotive industry.
Interior and Styling	Good	Great features: trip computer, climate-control air conditioning and rear parking sensors on a $17k sedan is very impressive! Driver's instruments are all easy to read. Rear seat folds down - opening up an already large 430L boot for carrying extra-long loads. Roomier than similar-priced Supermini sedans.
Interior and Styling	Not so good	Too much hard plastics used (although this does keep the price down); choice of seat fabric design is a little dated; steering lacks reach adjustment (but not many sub-$20k vehicles do); small glove box and fiddly-sized buttons on the centre console.
Performance	Good	The 5-speed manual has a precise feel and the engine responds smoothly throughout its rev range.
Performance	Not so good	1.6L 'Campro' four cylinder engine would benefit from an increase in bottom-end torque to truly match the ride & handling - especially with four or five people on board.
Ride and Handling	Good	"Lotus Tuned Suspension" isn’t just a marketing catch cry – the Persona is a decent handler, staying flat through the corners yet still offering a smooth ride; steering has good accuracy. Multi-link rear suspension ensures handling advantages over similarly priced Barina, Rio and Yaris sedans.
Ride and Handling	Not so good	Excessive wind noise at highway speeds.
Buying and Owning	Good	Low pricing undercuts most Small Class competitors by thousands. Low fuel consumption. Much-improved build quality over previous models from the Malaysian brand.
Buying and Owning	Not so good	No optional side or curtain airbags or ESP.