Perodua Kelisa review (2002-2008)

The Nippa was the car that introduced UK buyers to ultra-budget motoring Malaysian style. Cheap it may have been it always proved a bit of a compromise, lacking in the sort of safety equipment that we've come to expect in even the cheapest of cars. The Kelisa addresses this admirably, coming with twin airbags, side impact protection and seatbelt pretensioners. All of which makes driving Perodua's diminutive budget-buster a far less stressful affair. Squint and behind the Perodua grille and you'll see the outline of the current Daihatsu Cuore, itself an enjoyable little city car.

It's not just in the area of safety that the Kelisa eclipses its predecessor. Reasonably spacious inside given its small proportions, it offers more practicality than its two-door city car rivals. The snappy gearbox and eager engine combined with the nimble chassis makes for entertaining progress, and although the 1.0 three-cylinder engine can get a bit raucous, it's rarely intrusive. Honest cheap fun it's difficult not to be won over by the Kelisa's charm, if you're city bound motorist it's well worth taking a test drive.