Overview of the 2006 Proton Savvy hatchback

For a long time, Proton's best-selling model was an outdated two-tone model named after a sheep, the Jumbuck. But this year, the Malaysian manufacturer has refined the shape and design to be competitive, with two new models that look more like a Lotus than a jovial Jumbuck.

Over the past few years, Proton has moved ahead by leaps and bounds, replacing Lotus and doing away with the bulbous, conservative design school that still plagues some Asian marques.

Savvy is one such model proving its point. Released earlier this year, it holds the title of the most affordable five-door hatchback on the market - no small feat given the current push for compactness and economy. But this is where Savvy shows off his street smarts.

The Savvy is on the anorexic side of the world, with a curb weight of just 965kg. This allows the milk bottle engine to power the car – the 1149cc four-cylinder engine is all that beats under the hood.

It produces only 55 kW at 5500 rpm and 105 Nm. At traffic lights, it won't blow anyone away, and revs are needed under load, but the engine performs especially well in the city, paired with a laconic open-bolt five-speed manual transmission.

The clutch is a bit sensitive at first and the pedals are too high for this rider, but otherwise the ergonomics are comfortable.

Proton has sold out its autos, and the $1000 clutchless manual transmission is hugely popular.

Naturally, Savvy wins in refueling. With a claimed 5.7 liters of premium unleaded fuel per 100 km in both manual and automatic modes (and only 0.2 liters more in the test), it doesn't fall far behind the hybrid Toyota Prius in actual driving.

The engine is loud and the tires roar rampant at speed, but the Savvy makes up for it in corners. This happens in turn, as it should be with the little cousin of the Lotus.

The steering rack is quicker than expected, and the connection between the wheel and tires is excellent thanks to the 15-inch alloy wheels and well-tuned suspension.

In fact, the worst thing about the car is probably the tires, which are pretty mediocre in the dry and terrible in the wet, causing spin (from the one-litre engine!) and serious understeer on slippery roads.

It also has a spare part to save space. But the tires are replaceable, and the Savvy comes standard with ABS/EBD, which is more than some of its competitors with similarly bad shoe hatches.

Even with four full doors and five seats, the Savvy is tiny - just 3.7m long - but 1.65m wide makes for a spacious interior for front passengers.

Squeezing into the smallest spaces is almost guaranteed, as the Savvy comes standard with reverse parking sensors.

You miss out on the electrically adjustable side mirrors, but the cabin is so compact that adjusting the passenger-side reflector is a no-brainer.

A real shortage for rear passengers: The seat is too compact for three people, and the flat, non-supporting foam padding and knee-only center seatbelt make the narrow center position nearly useless.

Although there’s no external boot release, cargo space is substantial. And up front, where most of the action is, driver and passenger are well looked after.

Some cheaper plastic in the cabin is offset by a little luxury like standard climate-controlled air conditioning, and visibility is excellent, especially thanks to the cutout door design.

For a $13,990 car, the Savvy was more than amazing. Throw on a new set of tires and you've got a practical five-door hatchback with good performance and more standard features than some $5000 more expensive cars.

Brand credibility, questionable interior plastics and resale value will continue to be a burden on Proton for the foreseeable future, but like some Korean marques, it is moving forward in a bid to be competitive.

Satria, the nameplate that made Proton famous, is back and should join the Savvy in this updated Lotus-influenced family by the end of the year.

Transformation produces more than just pretty faces.