TEST DRIVE/Close up: Proton Exora 1.6CFE BOLD Premium

TEST DRIVE/Close up: Proton Exora 1.6CFE BOLD Premium

In this blog entry, I'm posting a test drive and Close up of Proton Exora 1.6CFE Bold Premium.

Note: Before I start this review, I'm sad to say that the "Tentative" RM79,998 OTR Price had been revised.  Add RM1,500 across the board.

I’ve test driven them last week, though it's a Short 10km ride. Well, I can't say much, but it feels great at the lower rev range especially from 2k RPM to 4k RPM.   This is good for normal road driving condition. 

But when i go into my ‘race-mood’, i floored the accelerator. It was only then I felt a little disappointed. I mean, it surges for a while within the lower rpms, and then stays ‘flat’. Its as though the car’s telling you, ‘lets just stay at this pace, we had enough’. Overall, I would say that its good as a 7 seater FAMILY car. 

The interior feels a bit better than 1st generation Exora.. meter cluster is much nicer than in picture.. the illumination is very nice to look at and steering wheel grip also feel more solid.  The sound insulation is much improved.  This is evident when closing the door. "KLUMPH"  It has a much more “premium” feel to it.

It's a very nice driving experience even just on a short 10km route (just managed to drive a few start-stops, a hill climb, and a short highway cruise).. love the “jet turbine” sound effect (faint while with windows up) of the turbo when rev above 2k rpm until 4k rpm. It's very addictive though some might find it annoying.  When driving in SAT mode, the Exora CFE was very quiet and smooth (6 ratios feel).

Ride and handling's impressive.  Lotus did a very good job, limited bodyroll at cornering and went over potholes and glide over speed bumps like "selamba aje!".  

The pick-up power definitely were unbeatable in its class.  0-100km/h is SLIGHTLY BETTER than the Claimed 11.3secs.  It feels more like 10 seconds.  I'd like to give thumbs up to Proton and Lotus for the major improvement on the engine, and NVH.

This is a Fully loaded car with 1.6 CFE engine producing 138ps and  205Nm@2000-4000rpm torque! (Better than Chery Eastar 2.0 (130hp/180Nm) and Innova 2.0L 136hp/182Nm), CVT Gearbox with SAT, Rear discs brake with ABS+EBD+BA. auto cruise, car-like rear suspension,  GPS (Portable), Ceiling mounted DVD-Player, reverse Camera, Rear air-cond control,  2nd+3rd row blowers,  Clarion 6 speakers ICE with Bluetooth and USB/Aux, Leather seats, 205/55R16 rims and tyres. Priced to seduce you: RM79,998 OTR (Add RM1500 from 3 Jan Onwards). What more can you asked for?  

All these features put its ASEAN and China made "old tech" Competitors into Shame, SINGLE Airbag(!) (Avanza and Innova), truck suspension (Avanza and Innova), 4AT GB (Avanza and Innova) and timing chain (Avanza, Innova, G Livina)…  Yet some salesman claimed timing chain is hi-tech…

The power and torque figures produced by 1.6L CFE actually surpasses many 2.0L NA engines namely Chery Eastar (130hp/180Nm) and Toyota Innova (136hp/182Nm). Turbocharged CFE should be treated as a 2.0L equivalent. 

Overall, it is the BEST choice compare with Innova, Avanza, Eastar and Grand Livina…  In short, it is the BEST choice for MPV below RM100K…  

Well there's a saying a picture's worth 1000 words...  Here are the photos...

Above: Front looks very European.  Vauxhall comes to mind.  Below: Nice Smoked rear lights combination 1st seen in Saab 9-3 Combi.

Above: Stylish 205/55R16 new alloy rims and GT Radial tyres. 

Above: Excellent 3rd row headroom. Below: Poor 3rd row legroom (I am 5 feet 9 and 92kg).  2nd row can't slide (fixed).  This is better than ALL below RM100k MPV bar the Innova E.  Overall it is EQUAL legroom to Chery Eastar, Honda Stream, Peugeot 5008/Citroen C4 Picasso and PAWNED Mazda 5, VW Cross Touran and Citra Rondo (Both Head and Legroom) 

Above, the CVT Module.  Below, the lightings (Dashboard) and White dash meters.

Above: Limited boot space with 3rd row seat up.  Below: Reverse Camera

Above: Leather wrapped steering wheel with Auto-cruise and Audio controls.

The ABS Module.

 EXCELLENT Boot space when 3rd row not in use.

 Check out Proton new slogan: COMMITTED TO BE BETTER.  We'll see about that!!!

Finally my Parting shot:

If you want to buy this car, Call me, Jeff for better deal.  012-6852-718.  I shall refer you to 3 of my BEST Service salesman...   1 in Taman Megah, 1 in Mutiara Damansara and 1 in Penang.  An Original Jeff Lim's production, my Original work.