Exora marks end of one journey, start of another

IN THE Exora multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), Proton Holdings Bhd (5304) has a new model that could jolt the national carmaker closer back to the driving seat of the local automotive industry.

From 2005, Proton has had to play second fiddle to "little brother" Perodua after hogging the industry sales since its inception in the early 1980s.

But the gap between them is slowly narrowing in the past 12 months, thanks to Proton's fresher, saleable models notably the Persona and Saga sedans.

Last year, Perodua had 33.6 per cent of market share, down from 36.6 per cent. This was from the sale of 167,392 units of the Myvi, Viva, Kelisa, Kenari and Kancil minicars as well as Nautica sports utility vehicle. Proton, on the other hand, sold a total of 141,782 units from 117,624 units in 2007, raising its share of the market to 28.5 per cent from 26.6 per cent previously.
Enter the Exora, and Proton seems poised to be where it once used to, although Perodua is expected to fight back with its own MPV, which is due for launch in November this year.

Until Perodua's new 1.5-litre MPV comes out, many believe the Exora would get more sales than only some 2,500 units a month or 30,000 units annually expected by Proton managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

The 1.6-litre MPV has received rave reviews from some motoring specialists as well as a few ordinary people who were lucky enough to test-drive it before many did prior to its launch last Wednesday.

"Its interior is among the best in this class of MPVs," said Chips Yap, online editor of Motortrader magazine and one of the country's longest-serving and most respected motoring writers.

"The (ride and handling) area gets top marks and I was really impressed. I would rate it as the best in its class - not the best among all MPVs in the world - and the closest rival in this department would be the Naza Citra II Rondo," Yap added.

Hezeri Samsuri, news editor of the New Sunday Times' Cars, Bikes and Trucks, has some conclusions - astounding drive, quieter cabin noise than a French car and a good balance between comfort and performance.

"The Exora is value for money. It is good-looking, spacious and cramped with attractive features," said Saaidan Lateh, who had earlier paid a RM1,000 booking fee without seeing the MPV.

Being Proton's maiden foray into the MPV segment, the Exora does have a few shortcomings. For instance, in the area of engine where the current Campro CPS unit is just enough to move seven adults. Another one is the steering wheel. It looks cheap, despite the overall instrument panel which appears otherwise. But as it moves ahead, the company can be expected to improve on its weaknesses.

The Exora introduction may have come at the wrong time, given the grim economic environment. Nevertheless, Syed Zainal is confident that the vehicle could be a key solution to help the carmaker stay afloat during the downturn.

He said the Exora marks the end of the journey of transformation but it will also take Proton to the next step of becoming a credible player in the auto industry internationally.

Since the domestic market can no longer be relied upon to sustain its business in the longer term, Syed Zainal said Proton must look at the Asean region as its home market. Hence, the Exora will be launched in Indonesia by July where it is expected to do well since the country is an MPV market.

Packaging

The Exora's design is contemporary, a hybrid of Toyota Wish and Mitsubishi Grandis, many would say. The rear lights are distinctive with their bright LEDs being positioned high. It is longer and wider than most of its competitors.

The interior is spacious and generous with many practical features. The dashboard does not look cheap and plasticky. The centre console has a metallic finish, lending a distinctive element on the dashboard. The shift lever is mounted on an extension off the dashboard, making higher and within easier reach for most people.

There are many storage spaces for cans and bottles for every occupant, including those in the third row. There is also a teh tarik hook, which from now on will likely be a permanent feature in every Proton car.

In terms of seating arrangement, there are six different layouts possible. It ranges from a seven-passenger layout with all three rows of seats in use to a two-seater with both back rows folded. The third row is not removable.

Mechanical

The MPV has a 1.6-litre Campro CPS engine with 125 horse power. It is mated with either Mitsubishi four-speed auto or Mitsubishi five-speed manual transmission.

On the road

A brief test drive within Cyberjaya and Putrajaya routes showed that the Exora really offers convenient ride and credible performance. Loaded with six people, the manual version we were in had little trouble moving us around, although the engine had to work a bit hard. Just don't try to get to any point in a hurry with the whole family on board, or else, the car will get slightly underpowered especially when climbing. Gear shifting was smooth.

Competitors

The Exora mainly competes with Nissan Grand Livina, Toyota Avanza, Naza Rondo and to a lesser extent, the two-litre Toyota Innova. Honda Stream and Toyota Wish are not really in the equation as they are more expensive models, no thanks to their fully-imported tag.

Price and equipment

Two variants are available for now - a 1.6 litre automatic high-line and a 1.6litre automatic medium-line, priced at RM75,998 and RM69,998 respectively with insurance. For the first time Proton is using LED brake lights.

The high-line version gets a DVD player. It plays multiple formats such as DVD, VCD, MPG, AVI, DIVX and MP4. There is also a USB port and an SD card slot.

Both the medium-line and high-line models have dual-airbags and use the same 15 inch wheels.