I drive an Exora (same gearbox and engine as Suprima, minus the paddle shifter option)
My dad drives a City Idsi and a HRV. Both also CVTs. I have to admit that Honda CVT are better than Protons.
My dad's City have a paddle shifter but to be honest its better to let your right foot tell the accelerator what you want rather than shifting yourself. The accelerator takes in your command and tells the gearbox what you want. Thats where CVT and most hated Drive-by-Wire accelerator does the job for u.
paddle shifting have fixed gear ratios. Kills the whole purpose of having infinite gear ratio.

For my exora. Sometimes i switch on the SAT mode just to feel the virtual gear shifts and the virtual engine rev up and down. In real life it hampers / slows down the acceleration. (And i have to press harder just to get it moving. Can feel the turbo working harder to push the 1.5 ton MPV with SAT mode on)

Yes i know older CVT makes driving rather boring / souless. But newer CVT nowdays have virtual shifting (like in the HRV) points even without turning on the SAT mode.

Thanks for the insight . So I take it the suprima's cvt will be sluggish as well regardless of whether it's the suprima or inspira   is your exora the turbo one? If so how's the maintenance of it? Do you have to spend alot to fix parts related to the turbo and how much do spend yearly on maintenance? Very curious. Thanks