First introduced in 2016, the Proton Iriz joined the B-segment hatchback market eager to give the reigning Perodua Myvi a run for its money with all kinds of gadgets and creature comforts that easily trump the competition. Though Perodua responded to the challenge with a new generation of the Myvi 2018, Proton was quick to update their challenger as well. The 2019 Proton Iriz features 5 variants, ESC and traction control on all variants and 6 airbags and the comprehensive GKUI infotainment unit on the Premium variant to sooth a techy's soul. (Perodua Myvi vs Proton Iriz; what are the differences?)

Design

Since the facelift in 2019, the Proton Iriz gained a piano black roof and a new modern grille with a chrome line running across it. Instead of continuing with the pre-facelift's sophisticated looks, the new Iriz looks sportier and more aggressive than before.

Dimensions

The Iriz measures in at 3,945 x 1,722 x 1,554 x 2,555 mm in length, width, height and wheelbase.

Lighting

All variants of the Proton Iriz come installed with halogen headlamps.

Wheels

Out of 5 variants on offer, only the Standard variants wears 14-inch wheels while the 1.3L Executive variant onwards gets larger 15-inch rims.

Centre Console

Unlike most of its fellow Proton siblings, the Iriz prides itself on useful cubby spaces and the facelifted 2019 version continues the baton. There cup holders and cubby spaces aren't just well distributed around the driver and front passengers, they are also deep enough to be put to good use and easily accessed.

Dashboard

Though the plastic quality used to make the dashboard is a little rough, the Iriz's interior is still stylish and modern overall.

Space

The Iriz definitely doesn't lose out on space, a person measuring at 175 cm sitting in the rear seat will still be able to fit 3 tennis balls between their knee and driver's seat so everybody gets plenty of space to stretch.

Boot

Comparatively, the Iriz loses out when it comes to boot space. But the rear seats are easily folded away to allow for larger items to be transpored.

Safety Features

All variants of the Iriz gets ESC and traction control though only the top-spec Premium variant gets 6 airbags. The rest of the variants makes do with 2 airbags each.

Comfort Features

Only the top-spec 1.6L Premium gets semi leather seats while the rest makes do with fabric seats.

Infotainment

Since its update in 2019, the Iriz 1.3L Executive onwards gets a 7-inch touchscreen monitor with basic functions to play around with. Only the Premium gets the comprehensive GKUI infotainment system that sees the car connectable via 4G+WiFi allowing the use of online navigation and music streaming. The system can also be controlled via Voice Control.

Engine

Proton offers the Iriz in 2 engines. A 1.3-litre engine that produces 95 ps and 120 Nm and a 1.6-litre engine that produces 109 ps and 150 Nm.

Transmission

There are 2 gearboxes that Proton has on offer, the 5-speed manual gearbox is only available with the Standard 1.3 while the other variants enjoy a smoother updated CVT.

Chassis

All Iriz variants have an Electric Power Steering with a minimum turn radius of 5-metres.

Drivetrain 

The Iriz is front-wheel drive only.

Acceleration

According to our internal test results, the 1.6-litre Iriz engine makes the 0-100 km/h sprint in 11.6 seconds, while the 0-100-0 km/h journey takes 15.8 seconds.

Engine Performance

The 1.6-litre engine in the facelifted Iriz is reportedly much more refined than the pre-facelift. But that doesn't translate to speed. Though it has a bigger capacity than competitors like the Honda Jazz, the Iriz is still slow off the line with mild delays in power delivery.

Transmission Performance

Though a much more smoother unit compared to its Proton cousins' clunky gearbox, the Iriz's CVT is still far from being perfect. The Iriz's gearbox is slow to respond and forces the engine to hover at 3,000 revolutions constantly. It's definitely not the quietest or the smoothest CVT you can get on the market but it is still an improvement compared to the other Proton models.

Steering and Handling

Since its years working with Lotus, Proton rather perfected what is now popularly known as "Proton Ride and Handling". The popular handling style was clearly injected into the Iriz's drive. This is where the Iriz stands out from the rest of the B-segment hatchbacks, as the Iriz is quick to respond around the corners and nimble to manoeurve around tight spaces.

Sound Proofing

While the rattling issue in the pre-facelift has been dealt with, the facelifted Iriz still doesn't have a quiet interior with measurements starting at 69 db at 60 km/h, the numbers will only climb higher as you progress through the speeds.

Passenger Comfort

The Iriz rides on Macpherson Struts up front and Torsion Beams at the rear. The setup is one adjusted to give the car the title of a "driver's car" but it still offers an incredibly supple ride so passengers are comfortable even after long hours of travelling.

Fuel Consumption

Fuel consumption is not great on the Iriz. Our real world tests that saw the car go through stop-go traffic and highway cruising returned 8.36L/ 100 km.

It took many tries for Proton to make a mark in the B-segment hatchback market and they have finally found the recipe with the Iriz. True, the Iriz is still not as popular as the Perodua Myvi, but the Iriz has definitely collected a loyal following as a driver centric car. With the GKUI infotainment, the Iriz is also making its mark as a true techy car that keeps its passengers well connected as well, easily distinguishing itself from its closest competitors including the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris.