KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — The ageing Proton Exora MPV which was first introduced in 2009 has gotten a very minor update. Dubbed the 2023 Proton Exora, the 7-seater now features Proton’s new round logo and the rest of the vehicle looks pretty much the same as the last update in 2019.
According to Proton’s Deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah, the Exora is Malaysia’s first home-grown MPV and it is designed and built with Malaysia’s rakyat in mind. He added, “With this latest update, we took a class-leading product and made it even better for drivers and passengers alike, across a variety of applications, by reinforcing its proposition of power, space, and value. With more than 180,000 units sold over 13 years, the Proton Exora is Malaysia’s best-selling C-Segment MPV and to this day retains that position.”
Disappointingly, the Exora still runs on the same Proton 1.6-litre 4-cylinder CamPro turbo engine paired to a CVT which produces 140PS (138hp) of power and 205Nm of torque. While the power output is still higher than the new Perodua Alza 2022, the Exora would have been a more interesting proposition if it runs on the newer 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbo unit from the X50 as part of Proton’s engine transition plan.
As reported by Paultan, the new Exora also gets an updated oil cooler hose (OCH) which was reported to fail prematurely on the previous generation. Some Exora owners had resorted to buy third-party OCH but Proton has warned against using non-genuine components as it could cause damage to the engine.
In the safety department, Proton has made Electronic Stability Control available as standard including the base Executive model and that’s pretty much it. The Proton Exora still comes with just two front airbags and the usual Anti-lock braking system (ABS) and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD).
On the inside, the updated Exora gets a new steering wheel which has the same design as the new Saga 2022 while the semi-leatherette seats on the Premium model have been upgraded to full leatherette. The 7″ touchscreen infotainment head unit for the Premium Exora remains unchanged with support for Hi Proton voice commands, 4G LTE connectivity, music streaming and online navigation. Meanwhile, the cheaper Executive model still settles for a standard head unit with Bluetooth connectivity.
Despite the minor update, the new Exora 2023 costs RM3,000 more than before. Here’s the pricing for the two Proton Exora variants:
• Proton Exora 1.6T Executive CVT – RM62,800
• Proton Exora 1.6T Premium CVT – RM69,800
The MPV is offered in five colours — Snow White, Indiana Grey, Rosewood Maroon, Ruby Red and Cocoa Grey.
Back in 2018, Proton secured a licensing agreement to manufacture a rebadged Geely MPV for the Asean market and it was anticipated to be the third all-new model for Proton after the X70 and X50. Four years later, it is baffling that the national carmaker is still releasing yet another minor update for its ageing MPV instead of introducing an all-new model.
Its direct competitor, the Perodua Alza, despite being a smaller B-segment SUV, has set a new benchmark when it comes to advanced safety tech. The top-spec model offers level 2 semi-autonomous driving features as well as blind spot monitoring, six airbags and adaptive cruise control. It even has an electronic parking brake with auto-hold on its top-spec model. For someone looking for a 7-seater MPV under RM80,000, the Alza looks like a clear winner.
To learn more, you can check out Proton Exora’s product page. — SoyaCincau
