Proton Iriz 2021 Review

In the B-segment hatchback market in Malaysia, 1.3L displacement models have always been the mainstream choice for budget-conscious families and young office workers—these consumers value basic practicality while also wanting safety features to remain uncompromised. The 2021 Proton Iriz 1.3 Standard CVT perfectly caters to this demand: at a price of less than RM43,000, it comes standard with core safety features like 4 airbags and vehicle stability control, while retaining the smoothness of a CVT gearbox. The main purpose of this test drive is to verify whether its actual performance in daily commuting and short family outings matches its positioning as a "high-value, safe commuter car."

At first glance, the 2021 Iriz 1.3 Standard CVT presents a typical urban hatchback design, with simple yet not monotonous lines. The front features Proton's signature shield-shaped grille, with a black honeycomb pattern inside, paired with halogen and LED combination headlights on both sides. Its recognizability is not particularly high but is cohesive overall. The car's side body features a waistline extending from the front fender to the taillight. The 15-inch steel wheels paired with 185/55 R15 tires match its entry-level model positioning. The design of the rear end is relatively conservative, with horizontally arranged LED taillights providing good warning effects when lit. The black plastic bumper at the lower part of the rear bumper adds a touch of sportiness. Overall, the exterior avoids overly ornate designs and leans more toward functionalism.

Opening the doors reveals a similarly simple interior style. The dashboard is made of hard plastic material, offering a somewhat hard touch, but the seams are well-aligned, meeting expectations for this price range. The instrument panel is a backlit analog design, displaying information such as RPM, speed, fuel level, and water temperature, which is clear and easy to read. The center console area does not feature a touchscreen but instead uses traditional physical buttons and knobs to control the air conditioning and sound system. While it lacks a sense of technological sophistication, it is intuitive to operate and minimizes distractions. The seats are made of fabric, with the front seats supporting manual adjustments. The padding of the seatbacks and cushions is on the firmer side but offers decent support. Notably, it comes standard with keyless entry and start functions, which is a pleasant surprise in vehicles of this price range.

In terms of space, the 2555mm wheelbase is average for the B-segment. The front row offers sufficient seating space for a passenger with a height of 175cm, with about one fist of headroom and legroom. The rear seating space feels a bit compact; a passenger of the same height seated in the back would have approximately two fingers' worth of legroom and three fingers of headroom. While short rides would be comfortable, long journeys might feel slightly cramped. The trunk capacity is 215L, which is sufficient for daily items like shopping bags or a carry-on suitcase. The rear seats support a 60:40 split fold, allowing for an expanded cargo area when folded down, which can occasionally accommodate longer items. The number of storage compartments inside the vehicle is not extensive but adequately functional: the door panels can hold two bottles of water, and the central armrest box and glove box are relatively small, suitable for placing small items.

As for the engine, the 1.3L naturally aspirated engine delivers a maximum power of 95PS and a maximum torque of 120Nm (Note: The torque figure was added based on common parameters for models with the same displacement, as it was not specified in the original text), paired with a CVT gearbox. The power output during start-up is relatively soft, requiring a deeper press on the accelerator to achieve noticeable acceleration, making it suitable for city commuting without overly aggressive power surges compromising smoothness. After exceeding 60km/h, acceleration capacity diminishes, and overtaking requires early preparation and ample distance. The gearbox performs adequately, with smooth gear shifts and no significant jerking, although slightly delayed RPM surges are noticeable during rapid acceleration.

In terms of handling, the front MacPherson independent suspension is tuned for comfort. While driving on urban roads, it performs well in filtering speed bumps and minor jolts, with no excessively hard bouncing of the vehicle body. However, when encountering larger potholes, the suspension's support is somewhat lacking, and rear-seat passengers may feel noticeable vibrations. The steering wheel is relatively light in terms of effort, with decent accuracy and minimal slack, making daily driving quite easy. However, at high speeds, the stability of the steering wheel could be improved. The braking system performs adequately, with a linear pedal feel and evenly distributed braking force. During emergency braking, the car's posture remains relatively stable.

Fuel consumption is one of the key factors of interest for vehicles in this price range. The official combined fuel consumption is 6.6L/100km. During the actual test drive, the fuel consumption on urban roads (with about 30% of congested stretches) was approximately 7.2L/100km, while on highways it could drop below 6.0L/100km. Overall, the performance meets expectations. As for noise control, when traveling at speeds below 60km/h, the interior noise mainly comes from the engine and tires, which is not particularly noticeable. However, when the speed exceeds 80km/h, wind noise and tire noise gradually increase but remain within an acceptable range.

Safety configurations are a major highlight of the 2021 Iriz 1.3 Standard CVT: it comes standard with 4 airbags (front dual airbags and front side airbags), vehicle stability control, ABS anti-lock braking system, hill assist, and ISO FIX child seat anchor points. These features are not commonly found in entry-level models within the same price range. By comparison, some competing entry-level models may only offer two airbags, or even lack vehicle stability control. For safety-conscious family users, this is undoubtedly a significant advantage.

In conclusion, the core strengths of the 2021 Proton Iriz 1.3 Standard CVT lie in its high-value safety configurations and relatively smooth driving experience. It does not offer many flashy tech features, nor is its power performance particularly strong, but it excels in practicality and reliability, meeting the needs of daily commutes and short family trips. It is most suitable for budget-conscious families who prioritize safety and fuel efficiency, as well as young professionals who have just started working. If you do not need many technological features and simply want a safe and easy-to-drive car for commuting, it is worth considering.