2022 Proton Persona facelift launched – three variants, 1.6L with CVT, brown leather, six USB ports; fr RM46k

The 2021 Proton Persona and Iriz facelifts have been launched today, following leaks and spy images that have offered a gradual trickle of information on the national carmaker’s B-segment duo.

Following the first Persona facelift in 2019, Proton’s refreshed B-segment sedan gets a more comprehensive set of updates this time around, now featuring revision to its mechanical specifications in addition to exterior and interior changes.

Here, the Persona is available as 1.6 Executive and 1.6 Premium variants, starting from RM for the 1.6 Executive, to RM for the 1.6 Premium variant, and pricing is on-the-road without insurance, including the sale and service tax (SST) exemption.

Powertrain in the 2022 Persona facelift is a 1,597 cc inline-four with VVT, with outputs rated at 109 PS at 5,750 rpm and 150 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. This is mated with a continuously variable transmission. We understand that Proton has also improved the internals and driving behaviour of the CVT, though no specifics have been revealed as yet. We’ll know more when we get to talk to the R&D team soon.

The top Premium and Executive variants of the Persona will get 16-inch alloy wheels, here shod in tyres measuring 185/55. The 1.6 Standard entry variant gets 15-inch alloys shod in 185/55 tyres.

Inside, the Persona dashboard now does away with the 2019 facelift’s two-tone scheme, the contrast now offered in the Premium trim level by the brown leather upholstery. This covers the seats as well as a section of the interior door cards, and the more unified black scheme for the dashboard is in line with the revision that has also been applied to the 2021 Iriz.

The central upper stack brings one of the most prominent changes to the interior of the Persona, where like the 2021 Iriz, the infotainment unit is now a freestanding screen that now sits atop the air-conditioning vents in the new layout, compared to the previous configuration that had the vents vertically oriented on each side of the screen. As on the Iriz, the central locking and hazard light buttons are now stacked vertically.

The infotainment itself in the 2022 Persona starts with a standard audio setup in the 1.6 Standard variant, offering Bluetooth and six USB ports – these are comprised of one data port and five charging ports. Here, audio comes through two speakers.

The Executive variant swaps in an eight-inch touchscreen monitor and adds smartphone connectivity, while the speaker count is increased to a total of four. Finally, adding on from the infotainment kit of the Executive variant, the Premium brings voice command, online functionality for navigation, music streaming, weather forecasts as well as 4G and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Additional comfort equipment comes courtesy of a central armrest, which covers some additional storage aft of the parking brake lever. Like in the Iriz, the trio of cupholders in the Persona’s centre console are of different sizes.

Safety equipment in the 2022 Persona facelift starts with four airbags (front and side), ABS, EBD, brake assist, stability and traction control and hill hold assist. The Standard variant gets two rear parking sensors. Meanwhile, the Executive variant adds a reverse camera, and the Premium brings a total of six airbags, comprised of front, side and curtain units.

Here, the Persona is available as 1.6 Standard, 1.6 Executive and 1.6 Premium variants, starting from RM45,800 for the 1.6 Standard, RM50,800 for the 1.6 Executive, to RM55,800 for the 1.6 Premium variant, and pricing is on-the-road without insurance, including the sale and service tax (SST) exemption.

2021 Proton Persona Premium facelift – Space Grey