Proton Savvy 1.2 Style Auto 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The Proton Savvy is best driven at low speed. At higher speeds, a lot of things go wrong in this car, from the lack of stability to increasing body roll. The 5-speed automatic gearbox available is not very smooth.

Suspension is soft and gives a comfortable ride, but avoid rough road surfaces as it is too weak to absorb bumps. There is lots of body movement in corners, which you can minimise by lowering your speed. Steering is low-geared and turning is almost predictable at low speed.

The Savvy has a 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder 16v 1149cc petrol engine. The engine produces a satisfactory 75bhp and a torque of 77 lb-ft, but is not punchy enough to give an aggressive drive. A 0-62mph time of 15.7 seconds while not sprightly, is faster than a Citroen C3 and Ford Fiesta Edge. It has a top speed of 99mph, which is good enough for the motorway.

However, the Savvy’s performance is far from class leading and there are many super-minis that outdo it on the motorway. The car is more at home in town, where its light steering and tight turning circle fit in with the demands of city driving, and where demand for engine power is not so high.

Refinement levels are poor. The engine is noisy and gives a loud grumble throughout, becoming worse at motorway speeds. Wind noise is also intrusive on the motorway but road noise is at least minimal.

Rear pillars and windscreen pillars are reasonably sized, and together with the large windows and high seats, provide good visibility.

The Savvy is a small family car made in hatchback design, with 5-doors and 4-seats. It looks smart and neat from the front. A large, wide front grille and small, angular headlights give it modern appeal. But the sloped rear looks tired and out-of-place. Nevertheless, the Savvy is streamlined enough to look decent and attractive.

The good quality seat covers are overshadowed by the hard plastics used on surfaces, which give the interior a cheap look. Bright yellow dials are also too screaming against the neutral surroundings. The dashboard layout itself is good and neat.

Proton has been generous in their standard kit offering in the Savvy and outshines most rivals. The car comes with power steering, central locking, alloy wheels, air con, electric door mirrors, rear-parking sensors, driver airbag, passenger airbag, alarm, immobiliser and CD player. Only metallic paint is available as a cost option, for £365.

Safety and security kit could have been more in the car. Crucial features such as side airbags, stability control and deadlocks are missing, and this can be worrying for a lot of motorists. Worse, Proton - a Malaysian car-maker - does not have a very strong image or reputation where you can get confidence from.

As of now, the Savvy has not yet undergone the Euro NCAP crash test. Until it does, you can count on the 3-year/60,000 mile warranty which includes breakdown cover to take care of any problems that arise.

There is little you can do to manipulate the driving position except rotate the seat a bit, because the steering wheel is fixed. But the seats are supportive and the controls easy to use.

Cabin space is good both at the front and rear, but the sloping roofline limits headroom at the back. Still, four adults can ride in comfort. There is enough storage space on the inside and the glove box is a good size.

The boot is deep, easily-accessible and well-shaped. Its 207 litre boot capacity is decent and on par with class standards. Folding the rear seats increases boot space to an impressive 909 litres. This is enough to meet most small-family needs.

The Savvy is attractively priced and cheap to run. Fuel economy is good at 49.6mpg in combined cycle. Carbon emissions are low at 134g/km but could be lower, given that many rivals’ emissions are below the 130g/km mark.

Residual values are poor and the Savvy typically loses three-quarters of its value in three years.