The Proton Persona is a name the Malaysian company used for compact and subcompact cars from 1993 to 2026. It started in Britain as the export name of the Wira, became a saloon in its own right with the 2007 CM generation, and since 2016 has been the saloon version of the Iriz.
Proton Persona at a glance
| Maker | Proton, Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Class | compact and subcompact cars |
| Nameplate used | 1993–2026 |
| First generation | C90, 1993, the Wira’s export name |
| Second generation | CM, 2007 |
| Second-gen basis | extended Proton Gen-2 platform |
| Third generation | BH, 2016 |
| Third-gen basis | extended Proton Iriz platform |
| Facelifts | 2010 (CM Elegance), 2019 and 2021 (BH) |
| Safety | five stars for the BH from ASEAN NCAP |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Proton Persona.
History of the Proton Persona
First generation (C90, 1993)
The Persona nameplate first appeared in the British market in November 1993 as the export name of the Proton Wira, sold there as a four-door saloon and a five-door hatchback. A three-door Persona Compact arrived in November 1995 and a two-door Persona Coupé in 1997; these were the British counterparts of the Satria and Putra. From August 2000 the Satria and Wira names were used in Britain as well, and the Coupé ended when production finished in 2001. Australia imported the Wira from May 1995, renamed it Persona in 1996 and sold it until 2004, and Chile also used the name for the Wira saloon. The Wira was replaced by the all-new GEN•2 in winter 2004.
Second generation (CM, 2007)
The CM Persona was unveiled on 15 August 2007 and was the first Proton to use the Persona name in its home market. It was built on an extended GEN•2 platform as the saloon complement to that hatchback, with the whole section aft of the B-pillar re-engineered and many GEN•2 flaws addressed. Early cars had the 1.6-litre CamPro S4PH engine, later ones the CamPro IAFM. It became a best-seller, with more than 40,000 sold a year before the Prevé arrived. The Persona SE of 26 August 2008 added luxury equipment, the Persona Elegance of March 2010 was a largely cosmetic facelift that set the exterior style for six years, and the Persona SV of November 2013 cut prices and made all-round disc brakes and twin airbags standard.
Third generation (BH, 2016)
The BH Persona was launched in August 2016 on an extended Iriz platform and shares that car’s 1.6-litre VVT engine and basic structure, but its exterior was completely re-engineered. It is one class smaller than the CM yet offers more headroom, comparable rear legroom and a significantly larger boot. All variants earned five stars from ASEAN NCAP. A facelift on 23 April 2019, launched alongside the Iriz, changed more than 300 parts; a black edition followed on 18 February 2021, and a second facelift on 5 August 2021 came with an updated design and a revised safety rating. The Persona was tested again in 2020 and kept its five stars. Production is scheduled to end in 2026.
Design and features
- Three generations: a Wira export badge, a Gen-2-based saloon and an Iriz-based saloon.
- CamPro engines: S4PH, IAFM and later VVT units.
- Five-star ASEAN NCAP for the BH generation.
- Practical boot: the BH has more luggage space than the larger CM.
Proton Persona versions
- Persona (C90, 1993): the British Wira saloon and hatchback.
- Persona Compact and Coupé: three- and two-door versions of 1995 and 1997.
- Persona CM (2007): Gen-2-based saloon.
- Persona SE (2008) and Elegance (2010): premium and facelift versions.
- Persona SV (2013): cheaper trim with standard disc brakes and twin airbags.
- Persona BH (2016): Iriz-based saloon, facelifted in 2019 and 2021.
The Persona has been the saloon version of the Proton Wira, the Proton Gen-2 and the Proton Iriz. More models are in the Proton collection.
Video: 2010 Proton Persona Elegance 1.6 Hi-Line Start-Up, Full Vehicle Tour, and Test Drive
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Proton Persona, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, facelifts
