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Proton Preve GXR Turbo 2014 review

EXPERT RATING
6
When we road tested the all-new Proton Preve sedan at its introduction early in 2013 we were impressed by its ride and handling, but felt it needed more power to match the chassis dynamics.

When we road tested the all-new Proton Preve sedan at its introduction early in 2013 we were impressed by its ride and handling, but felt it needed more power to match the chassis dynamics. Late in the year the importers added the option of a turbocharged engine in a new model called Preve GXR Turbo.

PRICE

Proton Preve GXR sells from $23,990, a pretty good price in this class as the Malaysian maker tries to buy its way into a larger share of the Australian market. Something that we feel it should achieve as you get a lot of competent vehicle for a modest outlay. Further savings come in the form of free services for the first five years or 75,000 kilometres. It also has a five-year warranty and five years free roadside assistance, both with a generous distance limit of 150,000 kilometres.

ENGINE / TRANSMISSION

While it still has a capacity of just 1.6 litres, in a class where 2.0 litres is more common, the Proton engine with a turbocharger now develops 103 kilowatts of power and 205Nm of torque thus putting it into similar output category as the big boys in this size class - Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla.

At this stage the Preve GXR engine sits only alongside a CVT automatic transmission with seven preset ratios should the driver wish to take some manual control at times. An optional six-speed manual is in the pipeline for Australian sales.

SAFETY

The Proton Preve GXR gained a five-star ANCAP rating in Australasian crash testing late last year. Standard active safety features include Electronic Stability Control with Brake Assist that incorporates Traction Control and ABS with EBD. There are front seatbelt pretensioners, active headrests and hazard lights that automatically turn on when sudden braking is detected from speeds above 90km/h, and/or when the car is involved in a crash.

DRIVING

Our initial test drives out of Sydney when the Preve GXR was introduced to the motoring media late last year, saw us impressed with the way the Malaysian sedan handled on its Lotus tuned suspension. Proton owns the British maker of sports and racing cars and that company assists Proton not only with the suspension, but also engine and transmission design.

We have now lived with the Proton Preve GXR for a week on our base on the Gold Coast, using it not only for the normal road test driving on our favourite roads, but also for the grind of day-to-day living and commuting.

The CVT transmission works particularly well with the turbocharged engine as it drops to lower ratios immediately the driver pushes on the accelerator. By doing so it gets the engine through the period of turbo lag, thus producing faster throttle response than in other turbo engines.

Ride comfort is generally good, though some big bumps and dips do catch it out, perhaps the suspension travel is a little short for Australia’s rough and ready back roads. Handling continues to impress - but don’t expect to get a sports sedan for this sort of money as even the turbocharged model is aimed more at comfort than sharp steering and handling. Styling is neat and tidy without being in any way outstanding. No one is going to rave over the shape of this sedan, then again it won’t look out of date in years to come.

The interior of these Protons have good seating room for four adults, five without too much hip and shoulder rubbing. Rear seat legroom is excellent and we had no trouble carrying four adults for an extended social trip. Three adults in the back is a squeeze, but three kids back there works fine. The boot is large and has a wide opening and regular interior shape. The rear-seat backrest can be folded down in a 67/33 fashion to further increase carrying capacity and cope with long loads.

Pricing guides

$4,455
Based on third party pricing data
Lowest Price
$2,640
Highest Price
$6,270

Range and Specs

VehicleSpecsPrice*
GX 1.6L, ULP, 5 SP MAN $2,640 – 4,070 2014 Proton Preve 2014 GX Pricing and Specs
GXR 1.6L, ULP, CVT AUTO $4,290 – 6,270 2014 Proton Preve 2014 GXR Pricing and Specs
EXPERT RATING
6
Ewan Kennedy
Contributing Journalist

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Pricing Guide

$4,290

Lowest price, based on third party pricing data

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Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication.  Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.