REVIEWED: Proton Iriz 1.6 Premium Revisited! [+Videos]

It’s been a few years now since this ‘all-new’ car from our first national carmaker Proton hit the streets, and during that time, it’s received very good response from those seeking a fuss-free compact daily commuter, until now…

It’s no big secret that the new Perodua MyVi is pretty much killing everything in the compact segment, with around 50,000 (yes, fifty thousand) bookings since it was launched mere months ago, and hardest hit would of course be the cars in this segment. The Iriz falls squarely in this segment.

In an effort to boost the appeal of the Iriz, Proton introduced this ‘premium’ variant, which boasts a lot of upgraded kit from the Persona, into this this Iriz 1.6 Premium. This aforementioned kit is normally found in cars from a higher segment. Here’s my first impression upon collecting the car…

ERRATUM: The Iriz 1.6 Premium doesn’t have an “Eco Driving Mode” as I mentioned in the video, it just tells you when you’re driving economically via a green-leaf that lights up in the instrument cluster, my bad, sorry! – CW.

Priced at RM56,950.37 on the road, the Iriz 1.6 Premuim has keyless entry, push start/stop button, MirrorLink for Android phones, reverse camera with proximity alert, multi-function steering, on-board computer, electronic stability control, ABS & EBD, hill-hold assist and 6-airbags.

Its 1,597cc 4-cyl, VVT engine pumps out 107bhp and 150Nm, which is decent for a compact car, and power goes to the front wheels via a CVT….and therein lies the Achilles-heel of this car… there’s no other way to put this, it’s a horrible gearbox, by Punch Powertrain.

I’ve never been a huge fan of CVTs that’s no secret, and driving the Iriz 1.6 Premium has only strengthened my loathing of them. It feels gutless and whiny, not to mention noisy too. It reminds me of the Subaru XV actually, which has a lovely spirited engine, totally let down by a gearbox from hell. And like I mentioned in that XV article (linked above), it feels like the engine was made for one car and the gearbox for another.

I actually spoke to someone in Proton about this, asking if there was a 5-speed manual variant available, but unfortunately there isn’t (anymore – there used to be). The thing is though, the Iriz 1.6 Premium doesn’t even have paddle-shifts to help with adding a bit of fun to the drive, or just for the times you need a bit more instantaneous grunt.

The only way is to floor the accelerator pedal, and while the engine is willing, the lethargic gearbox will protest, loudly. That CVT whine really needs to be looked at pronto, and a quick fix would be to add a bit more sound-deadening material in the transmission area, as well as the fire-wall.

Apart from that though, everything else about the Iriz 1.6 Premium is really quite good. It has excellent NVH properties, and an abundance of active and safety features, as well as top-notch ride and handling. Speaking of that aforementioned R&H, Proton really got it right with this car.

I love the way it ‘feels’, whether its just normal driving, or the spirited kind, the Iriz’s ride and handling offers excellent feedback, especially from the steering, as well as an amazingly sure-footed ride. Maybe it has to do with the four wheels being so close to all the corners, but this car tackles twisty roads very well.

Its suspension has also obviously been tuned for our less-than-perfect roads, seeing as how the Iriz is able to soak-up bumps and undulations easily. Interior wise, this Premium model comes with semi-leather seats with actual red stitching, and an unintended ‘Martini Racing’ coloured seat pattern on the fabric part that looks very cool.

As I’ve been saying, this car would be almost perfect if it had a better gearbox, and despite the lack of demand for manual gearboxes (according to Proton) I can only imagine how good it would be with one of those instead. All in all, it’s a good effort from our first national carmaker, and while there’s still room for improvement, this Iriz 1.6 Premium is a definite worthy alternative to anything in this class. – Chris Wee.

Proton Iriz 1.6 Premium Photo Gallery…

Keyword: REVIEWED: Proton Iriz 1.6 Premium Revisited! [+Videos]