REFINED AND IMPROVED PROTON IRIZ OFFICIALLY RELEASED

PROTON has officially launched the refined Proton Iriz.  The refined model, which was earlier displayed for bookings at the DRB-HICOM Autofest on 19 May 2017, is now available in all PROTON showrooms nationwide. It now features improvements that PROTON had incorporated in the 'sedan version' of the Iriz, the Proton Persona when it was launched in August 2016. Now the company has incorporated all of the aspects of the improved chassis into the Iriz. About time too!

TEST DRIVE: The 2017 PROTON IRIZ 1.3 & 1.6 CVT Refinement Variants Gets Driven - Some Improvements Make the Iriz a Whole Lot Better

The Proton Iriz has been around for a few years already. When it first came out in 2014 I wasn’t too impressed with its drive. It was a dreary experience. It wasn’t that the car was ugly or anything. It was actually quite nice to look at and fresh at the time. It still is fresh to look at amidst a sea of Perodua Myvis. The main problem was the way it felt when you drove it.

Test Drive: The Proton Iriz 1.6 Premium CVT - Better specs and an automatic make it a better Iriz to drive

Let's cut straight to the chase. The Proton Iriz 1.6 CVT Premium is a much better car to drive than the Proton Iriz 1.3 manual I tried earliet. Some of you may be wondering how can a CVT automatic be better to drive than a manual transmission? The actual answer is the car with the better overall package wins.

Short Test Drive: Proton Iriz 1.3MT Executive

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Proton has just launched its latest compact car and it is called the Iriz. The name, derived from the flower Iris but with a 'Z' is Proton's latest foray into the compact hatchback market. Prior to this we had the Savvy and before that, we were served the Tiara. Both the Savvy and Tiara were hard hit with criticism and in my opinion, were less than average creations. I wouldn't have bought them too. So is the Proton Iriz a compact hatch that any of us would want to buy or let alone drive? Well, I had a go in the Proton Iriz 1.3 Executive Manual and I think that it is better than any Savvy or Tiara out there. But is it better than its biggest competitor here in Malaysia? The Perodua Myvi?

To answer that question you'd have to start with the Proton Iriz 1.3 specs in direct comparison with a Perodua Myvi 1.3 (the 1.6 Iriz has the same dimensions if you are wondering but I am not touching on that variant here). The Proton Iriz  is longer at  3,905mm (3,690mm for the Myvi), wider at 1,720mm (Myvi: 1,665mm) and is 1,550mm tall (1,545 for Myvi). The Proton Iriz has a longer wheelbase at 2,555mm (Myvi 2,440mm.) The 1.3 litre Iriz's engine, a supposedly new VVT based engine has 95 PS and 120 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, (Myvi 1.3 litre has about the same horses if you believe Perodua's statement that the Electric Power Steering brings 10hp back to the 86hp engine - 96hp  and 117Nm torque at 4,400 rpm).