One or two standout cars are worth mentioning. This one, in particular, may not be a performance car per se, and it’s not in the high-end luxury market like a Lexus or Jaguar, but it does offer a surprisingly useful bit of kit, a pleasant drive and comfortable seating. The new Proton Persona Elegance should be on your list of cars to check out if you happen to be on the lookout for a low cost alternative for your daily drive.

Underneath the suave Proton Persona Elegance lies a roomy small sedan that boasts a number of Proton’s technological wonders. With the help of Lotus, Proton has created an agile small sedan that has been put together with the use of strong materials. Persona Elegance passengers are kept safe inside a strong safety cell. Proton also gives you the added security for peace of mind with an alarm and immobilizer standard in both Persona Elegance models. In my mind, for the price of a new Proton Persona Elegance sedan you get a very useful array of safety features as standard. A driver and front passenger airbag, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), front fog lights, rear fog lights, anti-whiplash rear seat headrests and a powerful high mount stop lamp are some of the top features that come as standard items on both the manual and automatic versions.

You have probably guessed that the Proton Persona Elegance has two versions that are separated from each other by the type of transmission they use. The cheapest is the Proton Persona Elegance Manual version which utilises the crisp five-speed manual gearbox. For a couple of grand more, the Automatic version boasts a four-speed auto which slips up and down through the gears nice and smoothly. Both the manual and automatic models are kitted out with much the same luxury features. You’ll notice that the manual version is a little more frugal on fuel. With a combined fuel economy figure of 6.6 litres/100 km, the little five speed Persona Elegance sedan works hard to resist the seemingly unstoppable rise in fuel prices. Like the stress-free action of the auto? Then settling for a fuel consumption figure of 6.8 litres/100 km is hardly second best.

What is noticeable about both the manual and the automatic is that they are, actually, quite enjoyable to drive. Not carrying excessive kilos, the Persona Elegance does offer crisp performance and tidy handling. With a handy 82 kW from the modern 1.6-litre engine that boasts MPI and DOHC, the Persona sedan is sprightly around town and responsive on the open road.

Another nice aspect about owning a new Proton Persona Elegance sedan is that they look stylish. There isn’t the copycat styling that many other manufacturers find themselves commiting. Instead, with the Persona Elegance sedans a clean fresh style sets these cars apart from other cars on the road. Side skirts, a rear spoiler, fog lamps, unique detailed headlights, a tall aerodynamic roofline, nicely trimmed alloys and an eye-catching side strip set this car apart.

A modern interior makes use of some nicely finished plastic surfaces in several tones, with silver and chrome trimmings completing the stylish looks. Leather seats, electric windows, cup holders, and air-conditioning are standard items, along with an audio system that will have you singing along to your favourite music tracks before you know it.

Proton Australia is settling into becoming a growing company that offers excellent service and an array of interesting cars that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Buying a new Proton vehicle means that you are buying a car with a competitive three-year warranty, and you will also receive free roadside assistance in the case of a breakdown.

The current Proton Persona Elegance models include:

• Persona Elegance manual
• Persona Elegance automatic

For any more information on the Proton Persona Elegance or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Proton dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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