Proton Prevé 2014 Review

The Proton Prevé GXR (from $23,990 drive-away) sits atop the range, boasting the most powerful engine and more equipment than the remainder of the line-up. With the addition of a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine, the Malaysian car-maker draws attention where before there was little. With a growing number of ticks on the checklist, is it possible that Proton is gaining some ground?

The Proton Prevé GXR could be considered the performance car for Proton’s Prevé line-up. Powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, the GXR threatens a sportier persona than the entry-level GX.

Delivering 103kW at 5000rpm and 205Nm from 2000rpm – 23kW and 55Nm more than the GX – the Prevé GXR conjures power and torque in the same ballpark as that of its main rivals: the Toyota Corolla, Hyundai i30 and Mazda 3. Unfortunately for Proton, purchase decisions are not made on output figures alone.

The Proton Prevé GXR is the top spec model, so it gets all the goodies. These include Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming, a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, push-button engine start, touchscreen infotainment system, satnav and electric folding side mirrors.

From the outside, the Prevé strikes a nice profile, with balanced proportions and well-placed lines. It’s in keeping with the safe-sedan silhouette we’ve become accustomed to, and is topped off by 10-spoke, 16-inch alloy wheels.

The tone inside the Prevé, however, is a little underwhelming; which is disappointing given the promising exterior and competitive list of features.

Interior design execution is a little mismatched, with a dashboard and console arrangement that looks like an afterthought. There’s no flow or sense of cohesiveness, rather a flat and lifeless arrangement that is all about basic functionality, and little else.

The dials and buttons feel cheap in hand, as does the gearshift. But on the upside, the cabin is fairly spacious and offers reasonable comfort for all five passenger settings.

Outward visibility was rather good, which helps, considering the acoustic rear-parking sensors could not be trusted. Backing-up instilled a Russian-roulette sense of anxiety as the late audible warnings gave very little room for error.

On the road, the Prevé ’s seven-step continuously variable transmission (CVT) is defined largely by its lethargic whine. From standstill, and under hard acceleration, it makes more noise than motion – like a lazy teenager reluctant to get off the couch.

Even driven manually – via the gearshift itself or steering wheel-mounted paddles – there was little joy or change in pace. Further, the action of the gearshift itself felt fragile and a touch awkward. We found it best to opt out of manual gear selection all together.

On the go, the Prevé wasn’t such a bad sport, humming along pleasantly at freeway speeds. While not exactly planted at higher road speeds it cornered with reasonable confidence and presented little in the way of road or wind noise.

The steering was light, but ultimately lacked feedback, while the braking action failed to deliver on initial bite or any sense of engagement. It was difficult to modulate the pedal for a soft stop, which even after a week of practice proved tiresome to myself and my passengers.

Minor quirks in the Prevé proved annoying too. I was forever cursing the fact I had to use the key fob to unlock the boot. Sure, there’s a release button below the driver’s seat, but that’s no help when you approach the boot with an armful of shopping and kids. Ideally, we'd have liked a push-button release under the lip like that fitted to most others in this class.

The Prevé sips 91 RON unleaded petrol providing some relief at the pump, and is said to return an ADR Combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 8.6L/100km. On test, the figure was hard to match, and after a week of mixed city and freeway driving we returned an average of 12.0L/100km.

A five-star ANCAP safety rating bodes well and the level of standard safety equipment is high. The Prevé model line-up scores stability control, antilock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, six airbags, three-point seatbelts for all (five) occupants and seatbelt pretensioners for the driver and front seat passenger.

Catering to the family load, the Prevé also has three top-tether child-seat anchor points and two ISOFIX mounting points (on the outboard rear seats).

The Proton Prevé GXR has an impressive cargo capacity of 508-litres, but the smaller boot aperture made it a little tricky to load large items. The second-row’s 60/40 split-fold functionality is a welcome feature.

Priced at $23,990 drive-away the Prevé GXR comes with five years/75,000km of free servicing, five years/150,000km worth of warranty and 24-hour roadside assistance.

So while it’s no match for the current crop of same-priced competitors, the Prevé GXR isn’t entirely without merit, especially if after-sales and service support are high on your pick list. The model shows that Proton has improved in some areas but also that it has a ways to go.