Proton Iriz 1.6 Executive CVT Review

On one nice sunny Saturday afternoon, after having lunch & coffee, I was just lazing around at home and was thinking on what to do next. At that time, my wife was in the middle of her driving lessons and so she had voiced out her interest in a small nippy easy to drive, easy to park city car, something a Perodua Myvi or Viva had always excelled in.

But today, we decided to check out the Proton Iriz instead. It is a newer car compared to the other two cars above and reasonably priced against the Myvi. We headed to the Proton showroom in Mutiara Damansara and quickly got a test drive arranged. There was no 1.6 premium CVT available so we took Executive version instead.

Compared to the 1.6 Premium CVT model, the 1.6 Executive version does not have the following:

1) six (6) airbags ( driver & front passenger, front side & curtain )

2) Leather seats

3) Leather wrapped steering wheel

4) Keyless entry & push start button

5) Auto-folding side mirrors

6) Daytime running lights on fog lamp position

This difference between both model is roughly RM 6000 and in my opinion it is worth taking the Premium model because it is safer with the additional 4 airbags and it is something you cannot put a price to it.

Moving on to the test drive, after easing myself to the seat, i must admit the lack of push start button was slightly disappointing. If you must know, the push start button on the Iriz is different from the Preve & Suprima. The Iriz 1.6 Premium has full key-less entry & push start system, just open the door, press the button and drive away. On the go, the Iriz 1.6 engine has some oomph in it, although there is a slight delay when pressing the pedal down.

Putting pedal to the metal will induce a whining sound, the trademark of the CVT gearbox. This can be annoying to drivers who are not used to it. The trick is to let the car roll on its own for a few seconds and then stepping down on the pedal slowly, resulting in a smooth drive with no jerkiness felt.

The electric power steering is not too light ( better than the Myvi ) yet not heavy as well. This gives it good maneuverability on the road and parking is made easier. Acceleration was linear, gently press on the pedal and the speed climbs up gradually, in this way it minimizes the CVT droning sound. Push the pedal hard and the engine makes itself heard, straining and groaning, not very pleasant at all.

I tested the brakes and it did its job well, had a nice bite to it when stopping the car's 1170 KG weight. Handling is superb, on the corners the minimal body roll really gives you that confidence to push it more. If the driver has big balls, i think this car could boogie woogie with the Ford Fiesta in the corners.

Safety is top notch in this car. Each variant gets at least 2 airbags ( 6 airbags for the 1.6 Premium), ABS, EBD, Brake Assist , ESC and Traction control.  This car scored well in the recent ANCAP safety test, getting 5 stars in the Adult Occupant Protection and 4 stars for Child Occupant Protection.

Good job to Proton for setting a good example on safety to other car manufacturers. Overall this car is worth getting as a first car for young people or for those with a tight budget as it has all the necessary features in today's world for a safe and comfortable driving experience.