Proton Savvy

The Savvy is a welcome addition to the small car market. It's well equipped and roomy, although the gearbox is dreadful and interior quality poor.

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Rating:
On the road price: £5,995 - £6,995
For : Generous standard kit, sharp steering, decent boot, good driving position, roomy cabin
Against : Poor residuals, gearbox, harsh engine note, material and build quality, dated styling

Driving:
The Savvy gets off to a bad start by having one of the worst gearboxes we've ever tried. The shift is notchy and inaccurate, while an overly springy clutch pedal compounds the problem. This is a shame, because the 1.2-litre Renault-sourced engine supplies decent in-gear performance, though becomes strained above 4,500rpm and takes on a nasty resonance at 5,500rpm. Use it less vigorously and the Savvy is refined. With soft suspension, it rides well too. But be warned that the damping doesn't cope with bumps, and nasty shocks come up into the cabin. Unfortunately, the Proton also rolls more in bends, and as there's notably more body movement, can't match the stability of the best city cars. The steering, however, provides sharp turn-in and lots of feel, while 15-inch wheels provide plenty of grip.

Marketplace:
The Savvy appears distinctive, even if it's odd from some angles; the front is solid but the rear is old-fashioned. Five-door only, it comes in two trims; the Street and Style. Both get a 1.2-litre 75bhp engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox; an automated manual is an option. The city car class is booming at the moment; the Proton competes with the Daihatsu Charade, Kia Picanto, Hyundai Accent, Citroen C1, Peugeot 107, Toyota Aygo and Smart Fortwo, amongst others.

Owning:
Rear legroom is better than in city cars such as, say, the Toyota Aygo, and the cabin feel pleasingly spacious. The driving position is good, too; the three-spoke sports steering wheel is well placed and a decent size, but it lacks any form of adjustment, while the materials around it are very cheap. And there is the main problem with the Proton; build and material quality are simply not up to class standards, and you don't have to look far to find flimsy fittings and slack switchgear. The dash design is, yellow dials part, uninspiring. Seats themselves are made from decent fabrics and offer reasonable comfort. The boot is big and deep and the split-fold rear seat gives a flat load space. Equipment levels are very good - all models feature rear parking sensors as standard, for example - but fuel economy is very poor for a city car and depreciation is likely to be heavy. Insurance ratings are unacceptably high for such an inexpensive car as well, while servicing (every 12,000 miles) could prove expensive.