2 Proton Gen.2005 Review: Road Test

That rude, obnoxious person, for example, will always remain that way, even if he is really very polite and reasonable, and he just had a bad day when you first met him. And so with many things, even with cars.

My first impression of the new Gen 2 Proton was that I thought the doors would fall off.

Uncomfortable, bulky, does not open. Not a good start.

But try to put it aside. Take a step back and look at the design.

It looks good on the outside, not "surprising" as advertised, but it's sporty and stylish, and I love the Energy Orange paint job. Several people commented that it looked like an Alfa. According to them, even the icons have similarities. Now look inside... but you will have to open those doors again.

The interior is not that impressive. Too much plastic and not enough legroom.

Even my short limbs were bruised from too many close encounters with the steering wheel height adjustment lever.

And yes, I know that you can raise the steering wheel and lower the seat, but that didn't help much either.

There are few compartments, only two narrow ones in the doors plus a center console.

And there is no glove box. None. Just a small ledge.

The stereo controls on the dash are a bit old-fashioned, but the sound of the Blauplunkt system is music to your ears, and the buttons on the steering wheel are in the perfect place. The fan and air conditioner speed controls are large and easy to use, but look out of place on the center column under the dash.

Even the sporty double porch above the speedometer looks oddly like Mickey Mouse ears.

The handbrake is like an inverted stirrup, and the cup holder won't fit a water bottle.

How is the back holding up? It's roomy and comfortable enough for teenagers to be quiet on a long drive (what more could you ask for?), but the rear doors are just as rigid as the front ones.

Now about the hatch. The trunk is huge, but there is another door. And if I'm not missing something, the driver's seat has only one lever to open the sunroof, which is hard to open and close.

Why go further? Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I can be just a weakling when it comes to opening doors.

The Proton Gen 2 is great for city driving, but it also handles the highway just fine. At higher speeds, it holds the road, enters corners with confidence, and the 1.6-liter engine has enough power to confidently overtake.

The trip computer is a nice touch, calculating your fuel consumption and telling you how far you can go before you have to fill up again.

If only I could handle the doors.

LOVE IT LEAVE IT

Proton generation 2 

LOVE IT

There is plenty of room in the back for growing teenagers.

Huge boot.

LEAVE IT

Doors (although that would not be very safe).

Loud gears.

No glove box... not even a tiny one.

An almost useless cup holder.

The watch is almost impossible to read while driving.