PROTON EXORA – IMPRESSIONS AFTER A 300KM DRIVE

After half a day of trying to drive the wheels off Proton's MPV, I am left with no doubts that the demands of the family will be well catered for as the Exora offers space, practicality, safety, performance and economy. And also style and trendiness.

Space is very definitely best in class, comparable to the Innova which is one class larger.

This is a full 7-seater, with commendable legroom way at the back, as well as space for luggage in the ‘boot’, even with the rearmost seat in place. The amount of head room will win anyone over. The Exora gives new meaning to the word: Roominess.

Thanks to its balanced proportions, its size and height are not obvious. While not as low and streamlined as the Honda Stream and Toyota Wish, the Exora looks more like a luxury MPV than the Innova does. It also looks more ‘stable’ as it has a more favourable footprint – ratio of wheelbase and tracks in relations to the body.

Body integrity is solid. The Proton MPV looks and feels well engineered and constructed. Noise and vibration dampening is far superior to anything else in this segment, or the one above.

The chassis is outstanding. It has a commanding stance at high speed on the highways, and a prowess and agility on fast curving roads that will astound even those used to tackling such challenges in well sorted out sedans.

The performance is highly commendable, considering that the engine is only a 1.6L petrol, and that the weight of the vehicle is close to 1400kg. Both the Auto and the Manual will easily pass the ‘drive-round-the-block’ test, even with a full load of seven adults, and with a slope or two thrown in. The drivetrain does not show signs of struggling; the engine does not run out of breath, the auto gearbox is not constantly ‘hunting’, the manual easily goes through its five speeds even with change-up done at below 3000rpm.

The engine does not sound harsh, even when revved near to the redline, which is set at 7000rpm. In fact, the atmosphere in this vehicle can be judged truly impressive if you were to jump in from any of its rivals, driving it the same manner. This is even more so when you pick the pace up. I was maintaining the speed at about 150kph, with seven guys on board, with the tachometer reading about 4300rpm, and we could converse in normal tones, even between me and the two rearmost guys.

But it was the Manual that bowled me over. I drove it for about 160km, a lot of that with the fun pedal nailed to the floor, and at the end of it I did not experience the usual attack of nerves – a tingling sensation in the hands, a buzzing in the ears, a feeling of being dehydrated, and the onset of a headache – which I would get driving most cars on the limit.

"Look, Ma, no hands!" - Check out the speedo reading. We were on a slight decline. The Exora Manual can sustain very high speeds.

I would not consider driving over that Karak stretch in most MPVs. I recently did it with the Mazda5 and the Kia Rondo because I needed their carrying capacity. The Mazda showed its bulk, comfort-oriented chassis and a lack of grunt, while the Rondo fared better, except that it was let down by its over-assisted steering. Both of these have 2.0L engines, with the Kia being a 5+2 seater. I went through most of the bends cutting through the lanes in order to minimise body roll, or slowing down when it was not possible to do that. I did not feel confident enough to commit these cars to the bends at the speed I was going.

The Exora is leagues ahead under such circumstances. With three adults on board, it could be kept on the fast lane in the most sweeping of turns, going at 140kph, and even overtaking large vehicles taking up the middle lane. There was no nervousness in the passage, the steering remaining wonderfully balanced and communicative; the sizeable MPV moved as one unit, able to handle mid-corner corrections without drama. It was both confidence- and awe-inspiring. This is a 7seater with real driving dynamics. The only other one I can think of is the X5, and even then you can feel the mass under load. Yes, I am referring to the engineered-to-the-nth-degree SAV from BMW, the price of which can buy seven of this Proton MPV.

The steering feel is exceptional – a nice balance of heft and assistance, very linear and consistent, regardless of load. At dead centre on the straight, the vehicle felt planted and yet I could easily get it to change direction. I was barreling through the sweeping bends holding the wheel with thumb and forefinger. At parking speed, it did not feel weighty or assisted to the point of me hitting full-lock easily.

The ride quality of the Exora reminded me of that of the Honda Odyssey, which is one of the best riding Japanese vehicles.

Another easily appreciated feature is the turning circle; due to the compactness of the engine, the front wheels of the Exora can be turned so much that anyone can execute a neat turn in any tight spot.

And a most crucial point for most people considering a full 7-seater is the fuel consumption. I can report that after some 260km of very hard driving with a heavy load, the Auto returned a figure of 11.4L/100km, while the Manual registered 10.7. The worst figure I saw on the trip computer was 16.9, right next to the speedo reading more than 170kph. I would think that with normal driving the figures should average 9.0 and 8.3. With the 55L tank, the range can easily extend over 600km.

This is quite the Super MPV, with an amazingly pleasing balance of space, performance and efficiency. It is what many of us need, and it is long overdue. If you familiar with the Toyota Avanza 1.5 and feel that its performance is adequate, you will find the Exora Auto spacious, solid and spritely. The Manual will change your perception of MPVs.