Proton’s New Iriz Compact Earns Top Safety Rating

The Southeast Asian trade bloc’s auto-safety group gives Proton’s newly released Iriz compact car a 5-star safety rating.

The day before its launch, the ASEAN New Car Assessment Program awards the hatchback its top rating for adult-occupant protection and four stars for child-occupant protection.

Proton CEO Abdul Harith Abdullah tells the government’s Bernama news agency the automaker has spent 560 million ringgit ($172 million) to develop the Iriz since its 2009 unveiling at the Geneva auto show.

ASEAN NCAP Secretary-General Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim say the test result is a good sign for consumers, as they know the safety rating result even before the launch.

ASEAN NCAP Chairman Wong Shaw Voon says safety is a growing consideration among car buyers.

“Safety has now brought up the passenger-car market to another level where the prices remain competitive, but at the same time we can see fitment of safety items such as airbags and electronic stability control becoming more common in the affordable-car sector,” he says in a statement.

Wong says he hopes Proton’s achievement will set a trend among all automakers to produce a global platform of 5-star cars in the ASEAN region and not compromise on safety, “especially for the entry-level cars.”

The Iriz, Proton’s 23rd model, has attracted 17,000 pre-launch orders. The hatchback’s starting price is MYR42,438 ($13,035) for the 1.3L variant and MYR58,268 ($17,892) for the 1.6L model.

The Iriz is powered by a 4-cyl. variable-valve-timing engine that meets Euro 4 emissions standards.

Proton Chairman Mahathir Mohamed tells Bernama the B-segment car will help the automaker increase its market share with its competitive price and innovative technological features.

Mahathir says the Iriz’s specifications meet global standards and the car has been tested under extreme conditions ranging from snow to desert heat.

Meantime, rival Perodua says it has received 20,000 orders for its new Axia since it began taking bookings in August, and delivery times will be slightly longer than previously anticipated.

“We wish to assure our customers that we are doing everything possible to deliver the Perodua Axia within a reasonable period,” Perodua President and CEO Aminar Rashid Salleh says.

Mass production of the Axia began in early September at the Perodua Global Manufacturing complex. It is the first emergy-efficient vehicle model made by a Malaysian company with support from its partner, Daihatsu.

The Axia is priced at MYR24,600 to MYR42,530 ($7,525 to $13,061). It comes in four variants and has a 5-year warranty, another first for Perodua.