2006 Proton Savvy review
A friend bought a new car last week. This is not unusual, but she did not choose the car that one would expect. This is a red Proton Savvy with an automated manual transmission. The Malaysian baby car wasn't on her shopping list at first, then she read about it and within a week she did.
Why? Because the price is right, because it looks good, and because she thought it was fun to ride. She could have bought a Holden Barina, a Hyundai Getz, or any other small car in the $15,000 price range, but decided the Savvy felt more solid and sportier behind the wheel.
That's good news for Proton, which believes it's building cars that drive at a slightly different pace. He launched a new drive model led by the GEN-2 hatchback and now the Savvy, with the new Satria coupe just heading home and heading to Down Under next year.
But Proton is still struggling to gain ground in Australia and has lost sales and house share as it faces stiffer competition without enough ammunition to compete.
The Savvy was designed specifically for Malaysia and was originally going to be called Sassy until the former chief executive realized it would alienate younger people who might like the car.
So it's small - even smaller than the Getz - and only has a 1.2-liter engine. But the price is good, and no other $13,990 cars come with dual airbags, skid brakes, air conditioning, alloy wheels, and a rear parking aid.
The Savvy is fuel efficient and has an official manual rating of 5.7L/100km; an impressive figure compared to 7.1 liters for the Getz, 7.5 liters for the Ford Fiesta and 7.8 liters for the Barina.
This is facilitated by a total weight of less than 1000 kg. Proton claims it has a super-rigid body, is well-finished, strong and perfect for first-time buyers.
But the power is nothing special: just 55kW and a claimed 0-km/h time in the 100-second range. The mechanical equipment includes a five-speed manual gearbox, but the Proton has a five-speed automated mechanics (no clutch, but you still have to shift gears with a lever) from Renault.
The first batch of Savvys have sold out and Proton Cars Australia believes everything will be fine as more people see the trendy compact on the road. Savvy is not the best car in the class. That honor belongs to the Ford Fiesta.
And yet it has charm. And it looks good. And you don't have to buy a lot of gas. When you drive a Savvy, you realize it's small, even in the subcompact class, but it still feels solid. This power comes from the basic body structure, suspension and steering to provide good traction. Many small cars feel light and wobbly, but not the Proton.
It also has supportive front buckets, simple yet effective tools, a reliable sound system and enough room for five adults.
Turns well, has good grip and always lets you know what's going on behind the wheel.
But the engine never feels especially punchy, even if you hit the redline, although there is torque in the mid-range. But the payback comes to the pumps, and we had no trouble saving 6.L/100km during our road testing, with much better results on the freeway despite the engine only revving above 3000 rpm at 100km/h.
The five-speed manual has well-spaced gear ratios, but we had a bit of trouble selecting first gear and occasionally shifting into one or two.
But when parking, there is absolutely no drama, the headlights are good, and the safety bonus in the form of traction control brakes and parking radar is a plus. These elements will make a big difference to Proton in the showrooms.
