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If you squint your eyes, you can see the similarities
Basic information
2019 Proton Persona Standard MT
The reason why I bought this car
I was looking for a family car to replace my old Proton Gen-2. Was tired of the lack of cup holders, lethargic engine at low speed causing bad fuel consumption for a daily commute, and stupid auto transmission logic that keeps down-shiftting even with a slight inclination of the road.
Not afraid to go offroad. This photo was taken at a 'secret' offroad RC car track in Subang.
Car selection process
- I had a budget of RM 80k
- Models that I have considered include Perodua Myvi, Mazda 2, Toyota Vios, Honda City
Reasons why I chose this car:
The ultimate reason is, it's the only new car in this segment that has manual transmission with acceptable packages.
As a long-time sports bike rider, shifting gears myself is not an issue. More importantly, I trust myself more than whatever logic car makers have implemented on their automatic transmission.
The almost deal-breaker for me is the lack of modern features for manual variants although I have a modest budget. But since I probably won't have chances like this in this future; should I buy another car with 7 or 9 years tenure and the good, affordable new manual car may goes dodo during that time (it's really happening now, 2021 Persona and Iriz no longer comes with MT variant), I chose to live with this barebone budget car for the next few years.
Not to forget as well, thanks to Chris Wee's review of Proton Iriz MT. His video does a lot convincing me to seal the deal since it's almost impossible to do a test drive of a manual variant at Proton's dealership.
I actually waved to Google Maps camera but probably they don't like it.
User Experience
- I have already done 29,000 km
- My average fuel consumption is 8.5 L/100km
One thing that surprises me is how quickly my bad perception about cheap, base variant Proton car goes away.
At first, I really hate the unpainted trims around center consoles, aircon vents, and steering (the plastic part where buttons are on higher variant) to the point that it was in my top 5 list of things I was going to replace once I have the car. Not long after, most of them become 'invisible' to me.
For the price, I can't really find faults with the car except for some annoyances like rattling sounds around the dashboard (fixed by putting some kind of tapes bought online), and a speed-controlled wiper that slows and stops when the car slow and stop. I find it dangerous when stopping at a traffic light or in a traffic jam while raining.
I would not say it's the best car in the budget segment but it does make me doubt whether paying about 30k more for competitors is really worth it. For now, I'm still happy with the small amount that I paid every month.
So that's my take on Persona Standard variant as a whole. I believe most reader here knows how good or bad Proton Persona 2019 is but I bet those reading this review is more excited to learn how good or bad the manual transmission of this car.
I would say, it's really good and not a chore for daily driving.
Actually not a bad view of the rear section. Thanks, Google Maps for the photo.
I'm not a pro-car review so it's hard for me to express it in more detail. But during the 2 years of ownership, driving it daily to my daughter's babysitter place (short commute) and my wife's workplace in Bangsar South from Kota Damansara (medium commute) and once in a while traveling long distance to Lumut (Perak), Penang and Temerloh (Pahang) not once I regretted my decision of buying the manual car.
The gear shifts are smooth and precise (not hard to judge what gear I'm throwing at) while the clutch pedal is easy to depress and hold. Kudos as well to Geely for supplying this variant with the nicest stock gear knob I ever find in a low-budget car. The only manual car I tested recently before buying this Persona is my aunt's Perodua Viva which doesn't leave a good impression.
The only thing I don't really like about this transmission is the high RPM range during highway cruising which leads to higher fuel consumption. I guess it's similar behavior to motorcycles that come with 5-speed manual transmission which I am accustomed to. Sixth gear will be perfect for me but it's wishful thinking for a car at this 40k price range.
Aside from the transmission, the power coming from this 1.6 liter VVT Cam-Tak-Pro is adequate for my usage. The response at low RPM feels miles better coming from old Cam-ak-ro on Proton Gen- and paired with manual shift, I don't have anything much to complain about.
Aircon so cold, I use aircon-vent clip phone holder to save my left hand from frostbite.
Fuel consumption is a bit higher than my friend's Japan-made cars, around 8.5L/100km but mine can be attributed to larger 16" wheels fitted with 195/50-6 tires and aggressive driving. Again, I already embraced it -Proton's engine power and fuel economy are at best, average but I have fun throwing shifts and tap dancing the pedals every day plus installment is a mere single-digit percentage of my monthly income so no complaint from me at all.
1 card for tolls, 1 card for parking. More useful than a smart tag reader.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Cheap to own and maintain while satisfying my needs, especially when I commute a lot on a motorcycle more than a car.
- Manual transmission here is suited for daily driving.
- Makes the commute more fun than a chore. Good handling characteristics of Persona pair well with manual transmission.
- It's quieter without the CVT drone sound of AT variant.
- Upgrading the head unit is less hassle compared to the higher variant since the sockets used are more common. Mine upgrade to Sony XAV-AX100 that support both Android Auto and Apple Car Play plus enhanced audio processing that improves the sounds a lot while still keeping the original 2 unit speakers.
- It comes with modern safety standards and features. Hill hold assist does help once I get used to how to activate the feature (a.k.a tons of practice)
Most appreciated feature of this car.
Cons
- Ugly proportion and cheap materials inside. Although receive modern features like digital head-unit and meter display, still feels outdated compared to higher variant. Don't buy if you want to impress anyone.
- Nobody knows you're driving a manual since no MT emblem or insignia at the back of the car. p/s: Don't put "real men drive three-pedal" decal at the back, it's not at the knee-wreaking level yet.
- Stock tire and wheels don't suit me sometimes aggressive driving especially when climbing Genting Sempah.
- The aforementioned speed-controlled wipers.
- Although boot space is large, getting stuff inside is hard due to the small opening and boot lid hinges.
- Hard to find affordable quality wheels due to 4 x 114.3mm PCD used compared to more available 4 x 100mm PCD on Perodua and Japanese cars.
It's just my daughter playing with the remote control.
Ratings:
Total Score: 4
Performance: 3
Quality & Features: 3
Space: 4
Ride Comfort: 4
Fuel Economy: 3
Price & Cost: 4
Summary:
A cheap family car that can be practical and fun at the same time. I've driven it hundreds of kilometers to Lumut, Perak while having my left knee and arm injuries due to being involved in a motorcycle crash earlier this year.
The bandages wrapped around my elbow and knee. But I travel more than 200km with this
Quite an achievement myself, having an arm and a leg wrapped in a bandage and need crutches to walk, but still able to travel long-distance driving a car with manual transmission.
The tape I used to reduce noise coming from this section.
Aside from that, I've performed some modifications just to suit my ricer taste:
- Replacing the head unit that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Way better than what they have on the higher variant.
- Replacing the stock wheels and tires to 16" Taiwan cap-yam wheels and tires carried over from my Gen-2. I love how the car handles with Yokohama BluEarth AE50 especially in the rain while it lasts. Now using Goodyear Assurance Triplemax 2 with higher treadwear for more longevity.
- Replaced stock springs with lowered springs from Ftuned. The model is CLS which as the name implies, it's Comfort while provides Lowered stance. I changed the rear springs back to stock to accommodate my newborn daughter in June last year. It looks fine although 'jongket' a bit so I'll just live with it for now.
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