Starting at just $13,990 driveaway for the manual, it almost seems like the bargain of the century, even more so when you consider the features.
With a Renault sourced 1.2-litre engine that produces 55kW of power (5.7 litres/100km fuel consumption), a five-speed manual transmission, ABS, dual front airbags, 15 inch alloys, rear parking sensors and keyless entry, I couldn’t fault the car on paper… so I went for a drive.
I am delighted to say that as far as this Proton goes, you really get what you pay for. With an interior resembling a 1990s Hyundai Excel, a gear stick that vibrates in 3rd and 4th gear and an engine which can deafen you in less than 5 minutes, I couldn’t run away fast enough.
Let’s start with the looks, although styling is subjective – this is an ugly, ugly car. It’s not like other small cars where it can be ugly but still cute, this car is just ugly! The front is barely passable, but from the back, the sagging rear lights resemble a baby rat stuck in a mouse trap.Proton obviously doesnt’t have focus groups in Malaysia to seek public reaction before designing a car. I can’t imagine any young driver walking out of a Proton dealership thinking “damn, that savvy is hot”.
If you buy this car, what you will end up doing is approaching it with your eyes closed as much as possible, just so you don’t have to look at it too much. But the real horror starts inside.
The Proton Savvy is the first city car Proton have sold in the UK. It encapsulates the „Savvy buy’ with competitive pricing, distinctive styling and a range of equipment that’s sure to put a smile on every shopper’s face.
Who’s the Savvy buyer?
The Proton Savvy buyer demands more from their vehicle. Style, practicality, reliability and value for money are important, but when push comes to shove it’s pride that counts – being proud to drive the car and feeling good because of what it says about that person.
With distinctive styling both inside and out, a spacious and airy interior, comprehensive warranty, great specifications AND a starting price of just £5,995 on the road, the Proton Savvy is a car that anybody would be proud to own. Combine this with great customer service and friendly dealers, and it’s definitely a winning package.
The Proton Savvy is a car that will transcend all age boundaries – it’s sporty styling, superior ride and handling, low insurance group and low price will appeal to younger buyers looking for a great value, great looking car that’s a bit different from the norm, an economical engine and a wealth of features will ensure that older buyers are not alienated. The Savvy is key to Proton’s strategy of customer acquisition, but it’s features and benefits mean that it is sure to be a popular choice for current owners in the market for a new car.
Proton believes that driving should be fun and that every one of its cars should deliver superb ride and handling. Progressive technology is evident across the range – not just in performance but in safety measures and standard equipment. The Proton Savvy has joined this tradition of offering everything motorists have come to expect from a Proton – and more.
There are three other cars in Proton range; the Impian, a spacious four door saloon, the three door supermini Satria Neo and the GEN-2, which is now available in both five door and saloon variants.
Exterior Design
The Proton Savvy is the ultimate accessory for the streetwise shopper. Distinctive exterior touches such as the bee sting aerial, honeycomb light clusters and wide-bore chrome central exhaust all accentuate the Savvy’s sleek body shape. Customers can enhance the look on Style models with the addition of standard 15″ alloy wheels and front fog lamps.
To make parking easier, the Proton Savvy comes with reverse distance sensors to guide you into tough spots and power assisted steering to get you out again. The short body and long wheel base make it highly manoeuvrable, ideal in the high street or multi-storey car park.
A new range of vibrant metallic paint is available on all models.
Interior Design
The Savvy’s interior matches its stylish exterior. The dark upholstery and trim are in contrast with the sporty yellow dials, which brighten the dash and highlight the drivers display. The silver trim on the dashboard, gear knob and steering wheel complement the interior with sophisticated finishing touches.
The integrated Clarion radio/CD player with RDS is guaranteed to bring music to your ears on a long journey, plus four speakers and a removable roof mounted antenna is standard across the Proton Savvy range. In addition to that, all Savvy vehicles have that little bit of extra comfort not usually available on this size of car, with each model having air conditioning with pollen filter and electric front windows.
All Proton Savvy models are built for comfort. With foam enhanced seats throughout, reclining front seats, plus height and slide adjustable drivers seat and driver footrest, occupants are guaranteed to be comfortable on any length of journey.
Small on the outside but incredibly spacious and roomy inside, clever dashboard design gives good visibility and a feeling of airiness in the cabin. Plenty of leg and head room for all passengers and with five doors, the Savvy is convenient for carrying shopping, and comfortable for all four occupants regardless of luggage.
Rear seats split 50:50 and fold completely flat, making a generous 207 litre boot expand to cope with 909 litres of luggage. There’s no wheel arch intrusion into the cabin, increasing the Savvy’s luggage carrying capacity further, and map pockets, glove box and an integral boot storage compartment further increases the amount of room available.
The Proton Savvy is fitted with a 1.2 litre petrol engine which can easily deliver a top speed of 98.7 mph. With automated manual transmission available on higher level Savvy Style models but with no loss of power or change in fuel consumption, all Savvy models deliver a consistently high level of performance.
Superior ride and handling gives drivers confidence on country lanes, whilst the responsive drive and good acceleration enables drivers to handle the stop/ start of town and city driving.
Both manual and automated manual transmission models have excellent fuel consumption and low emissions. One of the benefits of the automated manual transmission is that it gives drivers the same CO2 emissions level as manual models, so drivers do not have to compromise on road tax costs.
Safety
The Proton Savvy is fitted with active safety features to help the driver avoid possible accidents, and passive features to protect occupants in the event of an accident. Anti-lock brakes come as standard across the Savvy range, to ensure the driver has complete control of the car under heavy braking. Other key safety features to avoid accidents include reverse distance sensors, power assisted steering, front fog lamps (Style models only) and good all-round visibility in the cabin with a high seating position.
All Proton Savvy models have twin front airbags as standard, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and anti-submarine seats, to prevent passengers from slipping under the seatbelt in the event of a high impact collision. Side impact protection bars and crumple zones all help to protect occupants in an accident.
Security
The Proton Savvy is designed to be as safe on the street as it is at home on your drive. A combined security package consisting of remote central locking, perimeter alarm with ignition barrel protection and an engine immobiliser is fitted as standard across the range. The Savvy has been given an insurance grouping of 3E and 4E for Street and Style models respectively.
